American-born Team Captains - Who was the best?

[Goose]

If you had to pick an American-born player who served as captain for an NHL team, who would you pick?

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[GarretJoseph*]

Brian Leetch.

 

[SChan*]

Mike Modano. Easily.

 

[God Bless Canada]

Are we talking the best leader, or the best player. I'd need to see a list of American-born captains to pinpoint the best leader. But who's the best player among those who have served as a captain? Chris Chelios.

 

[arrbez]

Was Chelios a captain? If so, him.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Rod Langway.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Chelios.

 

[SChan*]

Wasn't Modano the first american captain to win a cup? could be wrong...

 

[statistics]

Rod Langway.

He was born in Taiwan, but he is American.

 

[12# Peter Bondra]

Wasn't Modano the first american captain to win a cup? could be wrong...

Hatcher was the captain back then.

 

[SChan*]

Hatcher was the captain back then.

oops I forgot..

 

[espo*]

Yeah,Chelios.

 

[DungeonK]

Mr. T

 

[Foy]

Another vote for Langway.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

1. Hatcher
2. Chelios


Leetch and Modano were great players, but weren't great captains.

Langway's Caps never won squat when in mattered.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

For leadership, Hatcher.

 

[frontsfan2005]

Chelios

 

[Shane]

Hatcher is the only American to captain a team to a Cup. Hard to argue with that.

 

[statistics]

Hatcher is the only American to captain a team to a Cup. Hard to argue with that.

He is also currently only NHL player, who can't skate.

 

[MXD]

Either Langway or Chelios.

Even if Hatcher won a Cup, he doesn't even deserve a sniff of being mentionned in the same sentence than those two greats.

 

[Shane]

He is also currently only NHL player, who can't skate.

I thought we were debating leadership, not player skills.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

Langway captained one of the biggest choking teams ever. Hatcher is a way better captain. Chelios is a way better player and a solid captain, but on pure leadership ability, Hatcher gets the nod IMO.

He is also currently only NHL player, who can't skate.

He could back in the day. He was never a great skater, but he wasn't a liability for the first 10 years of his career. Players that size tend to get worn down a bit quicker.

 

[statistics]

I thought we were debating leadership, not player skills.

If you can't play, I don't care how much you have "leadership qualities". Generally I think leadership qualities are totally overrated here HFBoards.

 

[statistics]

He could back in the day. He was never a great skater, but he wasn't a liability for the first 10 years of his career. Players that size tend to get worn down a bit quicker.

Yes, he was probably little better than now, but he's never been even an average skater in the NHL.

 

[statistics]

He could back in the day. He was never a great skater, but he wasn't a liability for the first 10 years of his career.

He wasn't a liability, thanks to clutch and grab era.