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When was the last time a team where the captain played in the third or fourth line won the Cup?

jalapenoWithAnH

jalapenoWithAnH

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Mar 25, 2025
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Team is lead from the front as are many groups. Could the captains placement regards to lineups have an affect to how your team plays? Meaning does your captain playing on the third or fourth line signal something (like weakness) that could affect the confidence of the whole team?

Seems like there has been a trend for the past years:

2024: Barkov - 1. line
2023: Mark Stone - (2. line?)
2022: Landeskog (2. line?)
2021: Stamkos - 1. line
2020: Stamkos - 1. line (edit oka Stamkos did play 3rd line so it's this one)
2019: Pietrangelo - 1. line
2018: Ovechkin - 1. line
2017: Crosby - 1. line
2016: Crosby - 1. line
2015: Toews - 1. line
2014: Brown - 1. line
2013: Toews - 1. line
2012: Brown - (I assume 1. line)
2011: Chara - (I assume 1. line)

I don't care to look up older teams but is there some truth to this? Or is it just rarer that a captain plays in the less skillful lines?
 
Last edited:
Stamkos 2020

1746904808620.png
 
NHL teams don't really put 3rd/4th liners as captains. Especially if they have big time superstars, which nearly every Cup winner will have.

It's part marketing... does anybody think McDavid was the Oilers leader when he was named captain at age 19? Of course not. It's just the style in NHL.
 
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TrKB PAM said:
NHL teams don't really put 3rd/4th liners as captains. Especially if they have big time superstars, which nearly every Cup winner will have.

It's part marketing... does anybody think McDavid was the Oilers leader when he was named captain at age 19? Of course not. It's just the style in NHL.
Click to expand...

Well that's my point because it doesn't seem like it's only relating to marketing but also that it affects the team. Maybe teams gain from the fact that they have skilled players as captains? Like there's some sort of natural hierarchy then.

So that's why I'm thinking if Stars will have problems due to their non-linear hierarchy as Benn is playing in the third line.
 
jalapenoWithAnH said:
Well that's my point because it doesn't seem like it's only relating to marketing but also that it affects the team. Maybe teams gain from the fact that they have skilled players as captains? Like there's some sort of natural hierarchy then.

So that's why I'm thinking if Stars will have problems due to their non-linear hierarchy as Benn is playing in the third line.
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I doubt that that's the causal relationship here.
 
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jalapenoWithAnH said:
What is this site? I tried googling past line combinations but didnt have much luck.

Also is it third or fourth line?
Click to expand...
frozenpool.dobbersports.com

Line Combinations - Frozen Tools

NHL line combinations, NHL lineups from dobberhockey.com
frozenpool.dobbersports.com frozenpool.dobbersports.com

Stamkos didn’t even play 3 minutes in the one game he played those playoffs, so I’m not sure it’s fair to count him here.
 
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TrKB PAM said:
NHL teams don't really put 3rd/4th liners as captains. Especially if they have big time superstars, which nearly every Cup winner will have.

It's part marketing... does anybody think McDavid was the Oilers leader when he was named captain at age 19? Of course not. It's just the style in NHL.
Click to expand...
Still, there's a few, Benn and Jordan Staal come to mind.
 
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Bgav said:
Tavares, Brown and Jumbo Joe are the exception - it has rarely happened
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If we know one thing that is certain it's that nothing is certain. Teams do their due diligence and pick good captains. Doesn't mean that they won't strip you in a heartbeat if they feel there is a better option.
 
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TrKB PAM said:
It's part marketing... does anybody think McDavid was the Oilers leader when he was named captain at age 19? Of course not. It's just the style in NHL.
Click to expand...
Why not? The best player naturally carries a lot of cache that translates to “leadership”. I don’t think he was telling the veterans to make sure to get a good night sleep or anything like that but I think everyone will sort of naturally defer on ice to him as a guy who is level above everyone else.
 
If you’re a 4th liner or a third pair dman then grit or leadership might be a big part of your game already. If you’re the type they’d make captain then you’re already vocal in the locker room and lead by example on the ice in terms of work rate and sacrifice.
These players are more likely to wear As or be cited in interviews as great leaders/locker room guys.

If you’re a skill player your bread and butter is being great. You think of Ovechkin for example. Was he always going to be a good leader? Maybe. The franchise wants to get their stars to play with fight, passion and the commitment of a hard working, vocal leader because if the guy at the top is doing that it sends a message everybody should follow.

If Strudwick is doing it the locker room might praise him, but they also know that’s his job. That’s why he is in this team. So although they might be very inspirational it is more valuable to have a super skilled player who also has those attributes because it shows players that everybody must buy in, nobody can take a shift off.

Presumably guys like Lowry are either really great leaders or else the Jets have some doubts about putting the C on their star players
 
FissionFire said:
Maybe Guy Carbonneau in 1993? Not sure if he was playing the top 6 then.

Peplinski wasn’t top 6 for the 1989 Flames I don’t think. He was co-captain with Lanny McDonald.

Gainey for the 1986 Habs was he playing in the top 6?
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I don't recall exactly who carbo was playing with but he was probably a top 2 center in terms of importance along with Muller.

Damphousse was playing wing at the time, and Denis savard was hurt.... I don't even recall if they used savard at center regardless.

Andreychuk in 04 seems like the best answer.
 
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JianYang said:
I don't recall exactly who carbo was playing with but he was probably a top 2 center in terms of importance along with Muller.

Damphousse was playing wing at the time, and Denis savard was hurt.... I don't even recall if they used savard at center regardless.

Andreychuk in 04 seems like the best answer.
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Andreychuk was after him.
 
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