Is the fad of the "young hotshot" NHL Captain passed?

[Voight]

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.

Technically Brian Bellows is and was the youngest captain in NHL history.

Of course, he was only the interim captain, but the point stands.

 

[BadgerBruce]

Technically Brian Bellows is and was the youngest captain in NHL history.

Of course, he was only the interim captain, but the point stands.

Another interesting and unusual Bellows story is from late 1981, when he was out of the Kitchener Rangers lineup with a shoulder injury, and head coach Joe Crozier was suspended. His temporary (1 game) replacement? 17 year old Bellows.

 

[kerrabria]

yes, there a partial list here...check under "NHL Captains" header

Captain (ice hockey) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

That’s a very partial list. For example it doesn’t include Eichel and Horvat who were also just coming off their ELCs I believe when named captain.

 

[StreetHawk]

That’s a very partial list. For example it doesn’t include Eichel and Horvat who were also just coming off their ELCs I believe when named captain.

Henrik sedin play through 17/18 season. Bo was 23 in 2018. Finished his first year of new contract by then.

Outside of saying someone is the youngest captain in nhl history it really does nothing. Just adds more responsibility to a kid.

 

[njdevils1982]

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.

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.

yep. nico is a perfect captain. devils fans should be proud to have him 'leading the team'

also, seeing him high five the logo on the way to the dressing room always puts a smile on my face

 

[ToDavid]

Was it really a trend? Feels like it was only a few guys since Crosby.

Toews, Landeskog, McDavid? Tkachuk and Hischier a bit older. Am I missing anyone?

 

[jkrdevil]

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.

Absolutely no one thought this.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

Absolutely no one thought this.

No Devils fan thought this but there was a whole thread about that exact thing

 

[FrozenJagrt]

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.

Landeskog was a special prospect. He was such a tremendous leader in Kitchener and was immediately one of those "do whatever it takes to help his team" kinda guys, which is why he drew comparisons to Mike Richards.

I have no doubt the Leafs would have loved to draft him, but of course they had traded their first round pick for Phil Kessel. They ended up acquiring a pick later in the first to draft a guy who I genuinely thought was Landeskog-lite in Tyler Biggs (don't judge me, I ain't no scout).

I'm certain that if Burke hadn't traded away Toronto's first, they'd have found a way to move up in the draft to get Landeskog and it'd be a very different looking franchise.

 

[Divine]

Was it really a trend? Feels like it was only a few guys since Crosby.

Toews, Landeskog, McDavid? Tkachuk and Hischier a bit older. Am I missing anyone?

Eichel was also named captain of the Sabres at 21 but obviously he is no longer that. Barkov, Ovechkin were also young captains.

It depends what age you consider 'young'. Lots of captains under the age of 25. Less under the age of 22, and very few under the age of 20.

 

[Midnight Judges]

If the C had any actual authority, then naming a kid captain could result in some mistakes.

But since it's almost entirely superficial, I guess there's not that much downside to it?

 

[JPT]

Honestly, age shouldn't be a consideration. Who is the most dead-eyed and soulless person on the team? Great. Name him captain and put him in front of the media. That's how hockey should be.

 

[Lshap]

Currently the youngest captain in the NHL is Rasmus Dahlin, who is 24. For a while, beginning with Crosby and from then on, it seemed like every NHL team was naming their young recent high draft pick the captain as part of some sort of natural order of things. Notably this offseason, the Blackhawks were a team with a Captain vacancy that named veteran Nick Foligno as captain instead of Bedard as may have been expected a few years prior.

Do we think NHL teams have transitioned away from the idea that the young guy who may be the most talented player should also be the team captain at a young age, or that we'll see a new wave of 21 and under NHL captains soon enough?

Anyone who's worked within a group knows the most talented is rarely the best leader.

Makes me wonder about the process behind appointing the "C". Frankly, it's hard to imagine a roster of players in their mid-20s and 30s deciding that a younger, less-experienced kid is the best choice for their leader. If players vote for their captain then, okay... they know the room better than we do. But in other cases, the "C" looks more like a marketing appointment for the media.

 

[Toby91ca]

Henrik sedin play through 17/18 season. Bo was 23 in 2018. Finished his first year of new contract by then.

Outside of saying someone is the youngest captain in nhl history it really does nothing. Just adds more responsibility to a kid.

Horvat was 24 when he was named captain.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

It’s not a fad. Some franchises name a young captain when they’ve been awful for some years and want to give the fanbase some hope. Naming a young captain can highlight a young franchise player and signal a new era for the team.

 

[Gnome17]

I think any high touted prospect who comes out of the gates firing like Crosby, McDavid etc will get a C sooner rather than later unless there is another obvious choice, simply because owners and gms think its marketable and sells.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

Was it really a trend? Feels like it was only a few guys since Crosby.

Toews, Landeskog, McDavid? Tkachuk and Hischier a bit older. Am I missing anyone?

I believe Auston Matthews was in line for the C but decided he would rather display his A instead

 

[Juxtaposer]

Celebrini is going to be captain as soon as the Sharks decide Couture is Done. He already faces the media after almost every game. He already takes accountability after every loss. Putting a letter on his sweater isn't going to change much.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I think it's more that the old guard hasn't aged out yet really.

was a fun era though, all the young superstar captains

 

[tarheelhockey]

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?

I see your point about it really being more like 1 year than 2.

Still, there is usually a substantial difference between a 19 year old guy and a 21 year old guy. There are exceptions but those are big years for personal development and maturity.

 

[Theodore450]

It depends the lockeroom. Rosters are filled with all kinds of young guys now. So a young captain may not be the move. Back then having a young captain was because you had a veteran lockeroom with a stud youngster who is just so good he commands respect .

 

[Toby91ca]

I see your point about it really being more like 1 year than 2.

Still, there is usually a substantial difference between a 19 year old guy and a 21 year old guy. There are exceptions but those are big years for personal development and maturity.

Absolutely, but the 19 year olds being named captain are really days away from 20....still, 1 year is a lot....but the point was really that 21 or 22 is still young, comparatively speaking to the history of the game....to be named captain.