WarriorofTime
Registered User
- Jul 3, 2010
- 32,280
- 21,857
Is the fad of the "young hotshot" NHL Captain passed?
- Thread starter WarriorofTime
- Start date
Ace Card Bedard
Back in Black, Red, and White
- Feb 11, 2012
- 9,149
- 4,188
I can see Celebrini being appointed as captain within a year or two assuming Couture is done.
I would agree with the OP that teams should avoid assigning the C to a kid on elc. Allow the young player to not have to always speak to the media on behalf of the team. No reason to burden a young player with that until the team is legitimately turning the corner.
Luigi Lemieux
Registered User
I'd say it started with Lecavalier in 2000, was the youngest captain in history at the time. Most of the time it's the wrong decision and puts unnecessary pressure on them. Not many are built mentally like a Toews or Crosby that can handle it at such a young age. And even then they had elite teams around them, guys like Bedard and Celebrini are on teams that look to be near the bottom for a while.
It certainly didn't start with Crosby and there was no way Chicago was going to name Bedard captain to start his 2nd season in the NHL.....would have made him the youngest captain in history, but a very wide margin.
I think it really depends. Generally you want a guy to mature a bit, but you also want to name someone captain that will be there for a while, so you probably due tend to go young....but have some temp guys along the way. With guys like Crosby, McDavid, etc....it becomes pretty obvious that they are or going to be the face of the organization, just a matter of time and getting them some NHL experience first.
I think it really depends. Generally you want a guy to mature a bit, but you also want to name someone captain that will be there for a while, so you probably due tend to go young....but have some temp guys along the way. With guys like Crosby, McDavid, etc....it becomes pretty obvious that they are or going to be the face of the organization, just a matter of time and getting them some NHL experience first.
Chicago did the right thing giving it to Foligno for the time being. But, shouldn't give it to Bedard in 26/27 until the team is really turning the corner, and capable of getting to say 80 odd points. Can roll with 3 A's or hand it to someone else for another 1-2 seasons.
I'd say the same for SJ.
Or Yzerman in 1986?
Unless you draft a special leader like Landeskog, the only way it happens is if you draft a generational talent.
Luigi Lemieux
Registered User
Yea he was a very young captain too but even he was 21. Big difference from 19 when Lecavalier, Crosby, McDavid, Landeskog, etc were named captain. The trend of teenage captains started with Vinny.
The Gr8 Dane
L'harceleur
The young captains got older and remain captain. Only so many captains to go around. Also not everybody has a franchise stud 21 year old to put the C on
Gregor Samsa
Registered User
- Sep 5, 2020
- 4,511
- 5,135
Captain is one of the most overrated titles in hockey. You don’t need a letter to be a leader in the clubhouse. The C just seems to often go to one of the best players and they function as a spokesperson spewing paint-by-numbers cliches
Top young talent in the NHL isn't QB in the NFL where regardless of age, just the nature of that position requires you to be a leader whether you may or may not be ready for it.
NHL, you have the option so best to wait. It's more on the team to be decent or solid enough to not be a burden on the kid.
I think that there were 7-8 years since we have seen a very young player stepping into NHL and being the most talented player on his team.
Besides, if the Hawks named Bedard the captain this offseason, he would had been the youngest captain in NHL history and beat the record by close to 2/3 of year. He will probably become the captain when Foglino retires/is traded.
Not really a big difference, you are talking about a year really. McDavid and Landeskog are really the exceptions. If you look at actual age, all of them (Crosby, Lecavalier, McDavid and Landeskog) were named captains at 19, but they were all very close to turning 20. Yzerman was named captain at 21, but shortly after turning 21.
Yzerman was named captain after playing 3 seasons, Crosby and Lecavalier after playing 2 seasons. McDavid and Landeskog were named captains after their first season....for McDavid, he was captain with only 45 career games under his belt.
It has? You don't think Bedard was the mostly talented player on his team last year?
Depends on the kid but I don't see why they need to be burdened with being the face of the franchise on AND off the ice. Putting that responsibility on them might be too much, too soon especially if the kid is shy but they're already expected to lead the cavalry with their play. Might as well let a grizzled vet who's been around the block handle the questions and set the tone in the room IMO.
Akrapovince
Registered User
- May 19, 2017
- 3,937
- 4,487
I love that Burke quote where he said I wish we could have had Landeskog sit down and interview with us after his own interview lol.
Luigi Lemieux
Registered User
Ok but there was still no trend of super young captains in the 80s or 90s. That started in 2000. Even Lemieux and Gretzky were 22 and 23 when they were named captains. A year experience at that age is still big.
Cursed Lemon
Registered Bruiser
HugeInTheShire
You may not like me but, I'm Huge in the Shire
People naively think that the best player on the team should always be the captain. I remember this place thinking that the Devils should "do the right thing" and strip Hischier of the C to give it to Jack Hughes.
njdevils1982
Hell Toupée!!!
yes, there a partial list here...check under "NHL Captains" header
Captain (ice hockey) - Wikipedia
It’s still remarkable that a teenage Swede (granted, he was a better English speaker than most North Americans) with one year under his belt was made captain of an NHL team…especially because he wasn’t “the next one” like Vinny, Crosby or McDavid.
It was a bold move…and a great one as Landeskog more than lived up to the challenge.
I firmly believe we will see the franchise/league superstar captain in their second season again at some point - maybe Celebrini. But something as unique as Landeskog? Not sure…might be a while.
It was a bold move…and a great one as Landeskog more than lived up to the challenge.
I firmly believe we will see the franchise/league superstar captain in their second season again at some point - maybe Celebrini. But something as unique as Landeskog? Not sure…might be a while.
Seeing how they handle the press Hischier is 100% the correct choice and I'm sure Jack would be the first one to say that.
Sid and Ovi made being young cool, now that they're old everybody wants to be old. All the kids are dying their hair grey and shooting pucks at each other's knees so they can be bad earlier.
HugeInTheShire
You may not like me but, I'm Huge in the Shire
I wouldn't want Jack Hughes talking to the press any more than he wants Jack Hughes talking to the press. He hates every second of it and doesn't even try to hide it.
If Hischier was gone there are still numerous people I think would be better suited than Jack Hughes,
Ad
Upcoming events
-
-
Semifinals Ohio State (#8) vs Texas (#5) - Arlington, TexasWagers: 1Staked: $4,000.00Event closes - 3 days from now
- Updated: