Speculation: Leafs Captaincy

[Territory]

Reilly or Stamkos.

 

[trellaine201]

Brooks Laich

 

[Gary Nylund]

Well if it was only the throat slash then perhaps I'd lend more credence to the idea of the next Captain being Kadri. But its not. Its a number of things lead by a team given suspension by a current member of Leafs senior management.

I agree, I don't see Kadri as captain. I was just saying that some people are making way too much of the throat slash.

 

[Bullseye]

Can't see it being anyone currently on the roster - all too young or not long term core enough.

Honestly, unless it's Komarov it has to be a new experienced incoming player.

 

[rdawg1234]

No way Kadri is captain, why would a 2nd-3rd line C be a captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs?

I like Rielly but he's more of a soft-spoken guy, seems more of a player deserving the A

Stamkos is the obvious choice, if we dont get stamkos and we draft Mathews, that would be my next choice(if he starts to reach his potential).

 

[A1LeafNation]

Matthews isn't captain material...not even close

 

[BayStreetBully]

I also don't think it will be Rielly, no need to dump that pressure on his shoulders. Forget about Laich though, I'm sure whoever our next captain is, he will be appointed with the thinking that he will were the "C" for a long time, no stopgap solutions here.

Why not Laich? If Rielly is too young (and he is), who do we have that can even conceivably be a captain? JVR, Komarov and Gardiner? I don't know if I want any of them being our long-time captain in a few years when they are secondary players on this team. For a year or two? Sure. Longer? I think we can do better. But you can't strip them of the "C" once they have it.

If the Leafs feel they absolutely need a captain for next year, Laich makes sense as a stop-gap because he may be gone in a year or two, when perhaps Rielly or a UFA/traded player is ready to take over. On its face, Laich looks like he has leadership capabilities, and is old enough to have the respect of the entire dressing room. Whether that's actually true, Babcock would know.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Why not Laich? If Rielly is too young (and he is), who do we have that can even conceivably be a captain? JVR, Komarov and Gardiner? I don't know if I want any of them being our long-time captain in a few years when they are secondary players on this team. For a year or two? Sure. Longer? I think we can do better. But you can't strip them of the "C" once they have it.

If the Leafs feel they absolutely need a captain for next year, Laich makes sense as a stop-gap because he may be gone in a year or two, when perhaps Rielly or a UFA/traded player is ready to take over. On its face, Laich looks like he has leadership capabilities, and is old enough to have the respect of the entire dressing room. Whether that's actually true, Babcock would know.

I just have a feeling that the next captain will be someone who they see being around for a long time. If they do decide to appoint someone short term then I think Laich would a good choice.

 

[SprDaVE]

Brooks Laich

I refuse to believe anyone actually thinks this is a good idea.

 

[BraveCanadian]

No. Captain.

 

[Jerkini]

It has to be Stamkos. Right?

 

[BayStreetBully]

I just have a feeling that the next captain will be someone who they see being around for a long time. If they do decide to appoint someone short term then I think Laich would a good choice.

That would be ideal. It should be a privilege to wear the Leafs captaincy, when you think about who wore the C before. Most recently, Clark, Gilmour and Sundin. And fine, Phaneuf, but he was a much bigger deal when we got him. I just don't see any good candidates who are ready now to be a long-time captain.

I suppose you could always just go without a captain for another year, but I think that would only hurt the Leafs. Laich just seems to be the best choice out of an uninspiring bunch.

 

[Gary Nylund]

That would be ideal. It should be a privilege to wear the Leafs captaincy, when you think about who wore the C before. Most recently, Clark, Gilmour and Sundin. And fine, Phaneuf, but he was a much bigger deal when we got him. I just don't see any good candidates who are ready now to be a long-time captain.

I suppose you could always just go without a captain for another year, but I think that would only hurt the Leafs. Laich just seems to be the best choice out of an uninspiring bunch.

If we sign Stamkos (and I think there's a good chance of that happening) then problem solved. If not, then they have a decision to make. I agree that if they do decide to appoint someone short-term then Laich would be the best choice, at least I can't think of anyone better. I don't know that it would really hurt the Leafs to go without a captain though, just appoint some co-captains and have them take turns. Then there are several possibilities, Laich, Komarov, Rielly, even Bozak and Kadri perhaps. They could go radical and name 5 co-captains (at least I think that's allowed), that would take the pressure off all of them. I'm not concerned about it TBH, the team has bigger fish to fry, if they don't figure out who the next long-term captain should be for a while it's not that big a deal IMO. They need to develop their prospects, figure out what their D is going to look like down the road, solve the goaltending issues etc. and by the time those things are taken care of, I believe a solution to the captain issue will present itself.

 

[LeafsLegendAkiBerg]

To be fair.... "no one is captain" is a possible decision as well.

 

[Gary Nylund]

To be fair.... "no one is captain" is a possible decision as well.

I believe every game, someone has to act as captain. The closest we can come to no captain is to appoint a bunch, have them take turns, that takes the pressure off everyone.

Another thing that has been done in the past is to have the players vote and pick a captain. That might be an idea here, have a vote and the top X number of vote getters share the job.

 

[mcleex]

I love Kadri. He is also a well-spoken guy and plays with his heart on the ice, but I don't think he will get captain.

I don't know if Rielly is ready for it either, he is too young. If we sign Stamkos then it will be him

 

[leafsfuture]

No to Rielly.

He is a leader right now. We need to add any more pressure. Also the # 1 goal for him is to become a no 1 defenceman.

I wouldnt be against (if he is still around) Bozak as captain. He will be here for 2 years max, is a leader in the dressing room, a long-serving player, and he seems to be one of the guys that everyone really respects. Kinda like how Streit was the captain on Long Island before JT took over

 

[FrozenJagrt]

I refuse to believe anyone actually thinks this is a good idea.

This same fanbase wanted to give it to either Komisarek or Beauchemin before they'd even played a game for Toronto so...

 

[BayStreetBully]

This same fanbase wanted to give it to either Komisarek or Beauchemin before they'd even played a game for Toronto so...

...... so....? You didn't finish your point.

Why don't you tell us who you would pick or not pick, and we'll decide if it's worth ridiculing.

 

[FrozenJagrt]

...... so....? You didn't finish your point.

Why don't you tell us who you would pick or not pick, and we'll decide if it's worth ridiculing.

I would wait.

The poster expressed incredulity at the thought of Laich becoming captain. I pointed out that fans wanted two guys who would later become reviled as Leafs to be considered without having played a game.

I think the point was self evident.

 

[BayStreetBully]

I would wait.

The poster expressed incredulity at the thought of Laich becoming captain. I pointed out that fans wanted two guys who would later become reviled as Leafs to be considered without having played a game.

And I would just as easily say the Leafs might think they need a captain.

As you said, Komi and Beauchemin hadn't played a game with us yet. They didn't know their teammates. Management didn't know of work ethics or team dynamics inside the dressing room, in practice, on the road, etc. Laich has already played with us. They had no problem giving the C to Phaneuf early on.

It's not what the fans think management should do. It's what they think management might do.

 

[FrozenJagrt]

And I would just as easily say the Leafs might think they need a captain.

As you said, Komi and Beauchemin hadn't played a game with us yet. They didn't know their teammates. Management didn't know of work ethics or team dynamics inside the dressing room, in practice, on the road, etc. Laich has already played with us. They had no problem giving the C to Phaneuf early on.

It's not what the fans think management should do. It's what they think management might do.

I've not expressed an opinion one way or the other regarding any of the players I mentioned, so let's just shut that conversation down right now because I don't care.

And management has nothing to do with a thread in which fans express who they feel should be captain. We can talk all we want about who we think it should be, but it doesn't matter anyway.

 

[Gary Nylund]

I've not expressed an opinion one way or the other regarding any of the players I mentioned, so let's just shut that conversation down right now because I don't care.

And management has nothing to do with a thread in which fans express who they feel should be captain. We can talk all we want about who we think it should be, but it doesn't matter anyway.

The same could be said for every thread on this board ever. If it's a waste of time and you don't care then the only question is - why are you here?

 

[LeafsLegendAkiBerg]

I believe every game, someone has to act as captain. The closest we can come to no captain is to appoint a bunch, have them take turns, that takes the pressure off everyone.

Another thing that has been done in the past is to have the players vote and pick a captain. That might be an idea here, have a vote and the top X number of vote getters share the job.

Well, didn't the Leafs go two years without a captain between Sundin and Phaneuf? From what I recall we had a bunch of rotating alternates. No one wore the C, that's for sure, unless you mean that technically a C has to be penciled in for each game.... but then, isn't that happening right now anyways?

 

[StuckOutHere]

Luke Schenn is a UFA this year?