Should the NHL allow goaltenders to wear the "C"?

[Swipes]

I was just thinking about this today. I read that only 4 goaltenders in NHL history have ever worn the "C". The last time was in late '40's. From what I understood, the argument was that it would take too long for the goalie to skate back to the crease if he was called upon to talk to the refs.

Does this argument still hold?

Goalkeepers are often captains in other sports such as soccer for example.

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[needzmoarcleary]

Nope

 

[Jumptheshark]

I was just thinking about this today. I read that only 4 goaltenders in NHL history have ever worn the "C". The last time was in late '40's. From what I understood, the argument was that it would take too long for the goalie to skate back to the crease if he was called upon to talk to the refs.

Does this argument still hold?

Goalkeepers are often captains in other sports such as soccer for example.

Wasnt Luongo the captain in Vancouver

 

[StoveTopStauffer]

Be kind of weird having the captain sitting on the bench if he has a bad game or a back to back. I mean I know captains get injured etc and are not on the ice at those times but eh.

 

[FrozenJagrt]

Wasnt Luongo the captain in Vancouver

Unofficially. He wore the C on his mask, but the league didn't recognize him as a real captain

 

[Sonofamitch]

Captains need to talk to refs in between whistles and fire the team up on the bench. Goalies can't do that effectively.

 

[Kane One]

Nope.

 

[Philadelphia Ducks]

I think so

 

[Hockeyfan2390]

Wasnt Luongo the captain in Vancouver

I think he meant the last goalie to have actually worn the "C" on their jersey. Luongo was captain of the Canucks briefly, but wore the "C" on his mask since rules now prohibit goalies wearing it on the jersey.

 

[RyanOhReally]

Goalies are too focused mentally on game day, they wouldn't be able to vocally lead a team

 

[Voight]

Yes, in some cases they are the best leader on their team or the best choice for captain. Shouldn't prohibited from wearing the C because they play a different position.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

I read that only 4 goaltenders in NHL history have ever worn the "C".

People keep saying four, but it's actually been six (not counting Luongo):

http://hockeygoalies.org/faq/captains.html

You're correct that the last (Durnan) was in the late-1940s.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

Yes, in some cases they are the best leader on their team or the best choice for captain. Shouldn't prohibited from wearing the C because they play a different position.

You can be a leader without wearing a letter on your sweater. Anyone who thinks that they can't lead because they aren't wearing a letter probably wouldn't be good captain material anyhow.

I was the captain of my ACHA team (as a goaltender), and it presented a lot of problems working with the officials - if I had a problem, and the puck was at the other end of the ice, I couldn't just skate down to talk. The officials were fine with it, but we had to have a co-captain (two of us wore a "C").

 

[eklunds source]

Captains need to talk to refs in between whistles and fire the team up on the bench. Goalies can't do that effectively.

The captain needs to do that? Grown men playing a game they've trained for their entire lives need someone else to get them fired up, otherwise they just play disinterested and unmotivated? Not only do these guys need motivation, it has to come from the captain? Nobody else on the team can possibly offer words of encouragement, wisdom, or enthusiasm?

"SHUT UP GUY, YOU DON'T HAVE A C ON YOUR JERSEY, STOP TRYING TO MOTIVATE ME"

Aspects of hockey like that are WAY overblown.

 

[Swipes]

People keep saying four, but it's actually been six (not counting Luongo):

http://hockeygoalies.org/faq/captains.html

You're correct that the last (Durnan) was in the late-1940s.

Ah my bad, thanks for the correction.

 

[Clamshells]

The captain needs to do that? Grown men playing a game they've trained for their entire lives need someone else to get them fired up, otherwise they just play disinterested and unmotivated? Not only do these guys need motivation, it has to come from the captain? Nobody else on the team can possibly offer words of encouragement, wisdom, or enthusiasm?

"SHUT UP GUY, YOU DON'T HAVE A C ON YOUR JERSEY, STOP TRYING TO MOTIVATE ME"

Aspects of hockey like that are WAY overblown.

Way to hyperbole. You want your captain to be able to lead the team back when they get down, obviously anyone can do it and you appreciate it from everyone, but the people with the letters are usually the best at doing it.

If you think that professional athletes can't suffer from psychological hurdles on the ice, you're underestimating the human condition.

 

[DyerMaker66*]

Yes, but you should be required to have an alternate for ceremonial face offs.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

Way to hyperbole. You want your captain to be able to lead the team back when they get down, obviously anyone can do it and you appreciate it from everyone, but the people with the letters are usually the best at doing it.

Well, hold on just a minute - you're confusing cause and effect.

Are the "people with the letters" usually the best at doing it because they wear the letters, or do people get the letters because they're good at doing it?

(And since goaltenders are excluded from getting the letters, wouldn't that need to be a consideration to be made?)

 

[Clamshells]

Well, hold on just a minute - you're confusing cause and effect.

Are the "people with the letters" usually the best at doing it because they wear the letters, or do people get the letters because they're good at doing it?

(And since goaltenders are excluded from getting the letters, wouldn't that need to be a consideration to be made?)

It's a leadership quality, and a piece of the whole picture. It's not the be-all-end-all of getting a letter, but I'm sure its a very important factor in the decision.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

It's a leadership quality, and a piece of the whole picture. It's not the be-all-end-all of getting a letter, but I'm sure its a very important factor in the decision.

Just so that I'm clear - are you suggesting that the very act of having a letter on one's chest makes that person a better leader?

I'm hoping that I'm not hearing you right.

 

[Karlsson2Turris*]

The C doesn't really mean that much anymore. You can lead with or without a letter on your jersey.

 

[PlaceboFan]

I don't understand why not. It'd be a silly decision to make goalie to a captain, but I don't think it should be regulated.

 

[eklunds source]

Way to hyperbole. You want your captain to be able to lead the team back when they get down, obviously anyone can do it and you appreciate it from everyone, but the people with the letters are usually the best at doing it.

How many hockey games, over the past 5 years, has a team won because they were down and their captain gave some heroic speech? A game that they otherwise would have lost without someone to "lead the team back"?

Leadership doesn't win games. It doesn't score or prevent goals. It doesn't cover up for mistakes and it doesn't cause mistakes on the other team.

It's a nice feel-good idea to believe that willpower and mental strength can have an effect - we're part of the generation that is told "you can do anything you put your mind to", but talent, preparation, practice, and execution have roughly a billion times more of an impact on hockey games.

If you think that professional athletes can't suffer from psychological hurdles on the ice, you're underestimating the human condition.

If you think that professional athletes with a special letter on their jersey can have a notable and positive impact on psychological hurdles other professional athletes have, to the point where it affects the outcome of a game, I think you're overestimating the frailty of the human condition.

 

[Captain Creampuff]

Growing up playing as a goalie. Why the hell not? I would have loved if they actually would have let me to wear the C. I'm part of the team just as much as anyone else.

 

[Machinehead]

I don't think it works. Goalies live in their own little world.