Speculation: So who's the new Captain?

[Hunter Gathers]

And sail from the Grey Havens with Henrik (Gandalf) back to Scandinavia (Valinor)

Who is Sam in our scenario

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I really don't think this is a must be situation. McD was our best skater and he was at best a meh captain.

It sends an awful message. How many of the best players in the league play for a team where they aren't the captain and in their place it's a complimentary player?

 

[I Eat Crow]

Staal as the stopgap until someone steps up and earns it.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Staal as the stopgap until someone steps up and earns it.

They will not name Staal captain and then remove it from him if someone steps up. It will be Staal until he's no longer a Ranger. So if we name Staal captain, no one is taking the C from him.

 

[will1066]

It won't be Staal. He will be bought out.

 

[will1066]

It sends an awful message. How many of the best players in the league play for a team where they aren't the captain and in their place it's a complimentary player?

Not all captains are the best players on their teams. And they don't need to be.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Not all captains are the best players on their teams. And they don't need to be.

Why should we try to fulfill that?

 

[I Eat Crow]

They will not name Staal captain and then remove it from him if someone steps up. It will be Staal until he's no longer a Ranger. So if we name Staal captain, no one is taking the C from him.

Agree. Didn't make it clear in my original post. I think he's bought out or traded just before the team is ready to contend again.

 

[will1066]

Why should we try to fulfill that?

Yes, we should. Just not Muck Staal.

 

[charliemurphy]

Whats with wondering and freaking out over who gets the C on their sweater? Its Lundqvist's team and has been. Folks getting way too hung up on who's wearing what... reminds me of some of the rants from when folks were clamoring for Jed Ortmeyer to be named captain way back when... my apologies to anyone for bringing back bad memories of when Jamie Lundmark was their big prospect.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

And just to elaborate on this ridiculous notion that you don't want your best player being your captain.

Teams where a non-star or non-former star is the captain.

Florida: MacKenzie
Toronto: No captain
Carolina: No captain
Columbus: Foligno
New Jersey: Greene
Arizona: No captain
Vegas: No captain

Two best teams of this era had elite 1C's as their captains. The third best team of this era had a 1st line winger at his best as their captain, even though he probably shouldn't have been captain, and was rightly stripped of it to give it to a better player.

The teams that win in this league have elite players as their captain. Its not a hard formula. You want your best player setting the tone, not your 8th best player.

 

[Fvital92]

It sends an awful message. How many of the best players in the league play for a team where they aren't the captain and in their place it's a complimentary player?

So Kane should be captain for the Blackhawks. I'm not in favor to give the C for a 4th line, but if you give to a real leader that is part of the core I'm ok with it.

 

[Profet]

It won't be Staal. He will be bought out.

Why would they buy him out? Cap room isn't an issue. Better to get his salary over with before entry level contracts expire.

If they buy him out it extends how long his salary is on the books.

There is ZERO reason to buy out Staal at this juncture.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

Don't see a point in naming a new captain. Everyone is saying Zucc but he might be dealt in the offseason, and I personally am just iffy on him for the captaincy.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

So Kane should be captain for the Blackhawks. I'm not in favor to give the C for a 4th line, but if you give to a real leader that is part of the core I'm ok with it.

Thats missing the point. Toews was an elite player at his best. You don't need to hand it off to the best player just because someone else has slightly surpassed them for who's the best player on the team.

Why would you give the captaincy to a complimentary player instead of a generational player? How many teams have done that?

 

[Fvital92]

Thats missing the point. Toews was an elite player at his best. You don't need to hand it off to the best player just because someone else has slightly surpassed them for who's the best player on the team.

Why would you give the captaincy to a complimentary player instead of a generational player? How many teams have done that?

He never was the best player of the team. Not complementary, a core player. Dustin Brown was for years captain of the team with Doughty and Kopitar on the team, that went well for them.

 

[Fvital92]

Don't see a point in naming a new captain. Everyone is saying Zucc but he might be dealt in the offseason, and I personally am just iffy on him for the captaincy.

To be truthfull, I dont think captaincy is an important thing for us, as long as Lundqvist is on the team he is the real captain.

 

[Kaapodonna]

C- Staal
A- Zucca
A-Krieder

 

[Kaapodonna]

It won't be Staal. He will be bought out.

I think Staalzy will be around for some time. They need a veteran D for the young ones. Why have to deal with the buy out implications?

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

I think Zucc is probably gone in the summer

Kreider doesn’t seem like a captain guy

I think Zibby and Shatty are in the running for captain honesty. Staal too, maybe he gets the advantage due to his tenure

My guess would be they don’t name a captain next training camp and go into the year with 4 A’s

Staal
Fast
Shattenkirk
Kreider/Zibanejad

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He never was the best player of the team. Not complementary, a core player. Dustin Brown was for years captain of the team with Doughty and Kopitar on the team, that went well for them.

Still besides the point. Toews was a top 5 center in the NHL at his best, maybe top 3, he was an elite NHL'er, just like Kane. Whether Kane was slightly better is irrelevant. If the Rangers have two players that good and want to choose captain intangibles, go ahead. What I don't agree with is having a generational player and giving it to a complimentary player.

Brown was also stripped of the captaincy when he stopped being a first liner. Now their captain is Kopitar, an elite 1C. I also think it should've went to Doughty all along, but giving it to a first liner is different than deciding to give it to a complimentary player when you have a generational player on your team.

 

[will1066]

Why would they buy him out? Cap room isn't an issue. Better to get his salary over with before entry level contracts expire.

If they buy him out it extends how long his salary is on the books.

There is ZERO reason to buy out Staal at this juncture.

To me, there is little chance he is in the lineup next year. And they're not going to bury him like Redden, with his pedigree.

 

[Profet]

To me, there is little chance he is in the lineup next year. And they're not going to bury him like Redden, with his pedigree.

What advantage do they gain by buying him out?

We don't want his salary on the books for any longer than it has to be.

Cap isn't going to be an issue for 2-3 years at least.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

I think Staalzy will be around for some time. They need a veteran D for the young ones. Why have to deal with the buy out implications?

Yea, there is absolutely no reason to buy him out anymore.

We do want at least one vet back there to help the kids for starters, second he hasn't even been that bad this year, and third we aren't going to be starving for cap room next season so there is no need to buy him out.

 

[will1066]

What advantage do they gain by buying him out?

We don't want his salary on the books for any longer than it has to be.

Cap isn't going to be an issue for 2-3 years at least.

What should they do with him then?