Speculation: Who should be our next captain? - Update: it's Staal

[My Special Purpose]

I'm generally not comfortable with giving anybody under the age of 25 the captaincy. No matter how good Aho is, usually younger captains are picked either when there is no established leadership structure on the team (Toews, McDavid, and Crosby were all centerpieces at the time for fledgling cores) or if the older captain decides to pick a young player as his successor to the throne (as Hejduk did for Landeskog right before he retired). The only way that I would be OK with Aho as captain is if the entire veteran core agrees to do it. If not, make Jordan Staal the captain.

The thing I think what we're skipping over entirely is that guys like Toews, McDavid and Crosby were named captain at a young age because they have exhibited leadership skills at every level and were abundantly qualified for the job. It had nothing to do with age. Toews is such a leader that he was probably named captain of street hockey games growing up.

The bottom line here is that we're trying to shoehorn somebody into a role for which they have no experience. We can argue all week (and we have) about who deserves the job, but at the end of the day, the list of players on our team who have *established* leadership abilities at any level of hockey is a very short one. Put it this way, if Aho is such a born leader, and the easy answer for us, why have his leadership abilities never been recognized at any level growing up in Finland, aside from a two-week gig as alternate on the 2016 WJC team?

Captain is not a new role for these guys. They start naming captains around age 10 or 11. And even then, it's a pretty easy call. My kid wanted to wear a letter so bad, but when the coach named the captains of his U10 team, my 9-year-old looked at me and said, "that makes sense." Two years later, the same kid who was captain of my kid's team was named captain of the Junior Hurricanes team that went to Quebec.

The fact remains, we don't have a Messier. We don't have a Toews. We don't have a Crosby. We don't even have an Owen C. And age has nothing to do with it.

 

[Cane mutiny]

According to this N&O article, it was Dundon, unless you are referring to a different time.

https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/nhl/carolina-hurricanes/canes-now/article234173802.html

Unless Dundon was charging for the flight and Slavin had to give him Jordo's timeshares. He is cheap, after all.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

The thing I think what we're skipping over entirely is that guys like Toews, McDavid and Crosby were named captain at a young age because they have exhibited leadership skills at every level and were abundantly qualified for the job. It had nothing to do with age. Toews is such a leader that he was probably named captain of street hockey games growing up.

The bottom line here is that we're trying to shoehorn somebody into a role for which they have no experience. We can argue all week (and we have) about who deserves the job, but at the end of the day, the list of players on our team who have *established* leadership abilities at any level of hockey is a very short one. Put it this way, if Aho is such a born leader, and the easy answer for us, why have his leadership abilities never been recognized at any level growing up in Finland, aside from a two-week gig as alternate on the 2016 WJC team?

Captain is not a new role for these guys. They start naming captains around age 10 or 11. And even then, it's a pretty easy call. My kid wanted to wear a letter so bad, but when the coach named the captains of his U10 team, my 9-year-old looked at me and said, "that makes sense." Two years later, the same kid who was captain of my kid's team was named captain of the Junior Hurricanes team that went to Quebec.

The fact remains, we don't have a Messier. We don't have a Toews. We don't have a Crosby. We don't even have an Owen C. And age has nothing to do with it.

With all due respect, Kev, this may be the dumbest thing I've ever heard you say.

Was he supposed to be named Captain of Karpat when he was 17? Was he supposed to be named Captain of Karpat U20 when he was 16? Was he supposed to be named Captain of Karpat U18 when he was 15? Was he supposed to be named Captain of Karpat U16 when he was 14?

It's not like he played college hockey. It's not like he played Junior hockey. It's not like he's ever been in the position where he could even remotely reasonably be the captain, because he's been the super-talented under-ager for literally every team he's ever played for. Many Finns Who Would Know say he's likely to be the Captain of the Finnish National Team someday.

This is a bad take. Wow, so bad.

 

[MinJaBen]

With all due respect, Kev, this may be the dumbest thing I've ever heard you say.

Was he supposed to be named Captain of Karpat when he was 17? Was he supposed to be named Captain of Karpat U20 when he was 16? Was he supposed to be named Captain of Karpat U18 when he was 15? Was he supposed to be named Captain of Karpat U16 when he was 14?

It's not like he played college hockey. It's not like he played Junior hockey. It's not like he's ever been in the position where he could even remotely reasonably be the captain, because he's been the super-talented under-ager for literally every team he's ever played for. Many Finns Who Would Know say he's likely to be the Captain of the Finnish National Team someday.

This is a bad take. Wow, so bad.

Just to add to this, his father was also the head of this organization. Unlike some notable politicians, some people go out of their way to avoid the appearance of nepotism.

 

[MinJaBen]

According to this N&O article, it was Dundon, unless you are referring to a different time.

https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/nhl/carolina-hurricanes/canes-now/article234173802.html

I know Jordan loaned him time on a plane he had access to for one of the times Jaccob had to do something involving the adoption of his daughter. My guess is he had help on multiple occasions from multiple people as your link points out.

 

[My Special Purpose]

With all due respect, Kev, this may be the dumbest thing I've ever heard you say.

I am due no respect. And that is indeed a very high bar to clear.

My only point is that "captain" isn't a role that a player is groomed for, or pushed into. Generally, these guys show leadership traits along the way. I may have erred in choosing Aho as my example because he was always "playing up."

Do we know if he was captain of his U10 team?

 

[A Star is Burns]

This argument of lack of captain experience reminds me of all the people that were so worried about Brindy not having been a head coach. I wasn't thrilled with his hiring, but I did call out that as bad reasoning. Seemed to work out okay. I think being a captain before, or not, really isn't that big of a deal.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Do we know if he was captain of his U10 team?

THAT WOULD CHANGE EVERYTHING

@Lempo, go to your sources. It all hinges on this.

 

[My Special Purpose]

This argument of lack of captain experience reminds me of all the people that were so worried about Brindy not having been a head coach. I wasn't thrilled with his hiring, but I did call out that as bad reasoning. Seemed to work out okay. I think being a captain before, or not, really isn't that big of a deal.

Oh come on. Is this bad take day? Yeah, Brindy didn't show *anything* during his career as Captain Carolina and five seasons as an assistant that would lead anyone to believe he'd be a good head coach someday.

 

[Lempo]

THAT WOULD CHANGE EVERYTHING

@Lempo, go to your sources. It all hinges on this.

https://www.oulunkarpat46.fi/materiaalipankki/?download=16579 [pdf]

Page 41, E2-juniors. I can't see who's wearing the C, but the coach's greeting is from one Harri Aho.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

https://www.oulunkarpat46.fi/materiaalipankki/?download=16579 [pdf]

Page 41, E2-juniors. I can't see who's wearing the C, but the coach's greeting is from one Harri Aho.

Enhance. Magnify. MAGNIFY!!!

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Also, these ads are amazing.

 

[MinJaBen]

Also, these ads are amazing.

"The Theory and Practice of Catching the Moon"

 

[Lempo]

Also, these ads are amazing.

And we're twice as lucky as there's so plenty of them!

I got a Defa Termini heater in my car.

Donskoi and Granlund pg 15.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Donskoi and Granlund pg 15.

I saw that. Pretty impressive.

 

[AD Skinner]

Pierre McGuire would know and shouldn't be too busy...

 

[WreckingCrew]

This argument of lack of captain experience reminds me of all the people that were so worried about Brindy not having been a head coach. I wasn't thrilled with his hiring, but I did call out that as bad reasoning. Seemed to work out okay. I think being a captain before, or not, really isn't that big of a deal.

Reminds me of trying to find an Entry Level Engineering job. "Sorry, we can't hire you because we picked/preferred someone with previous experience"..."How about an internship position that requires no experience?"..."Sorry, those are only for undergrads who are trying to get some experience"..."................................."

 

[A Star is Burns]

Reminds me of trying to find an Entry Level Engineering job. "Sorry, we can't hire you because we picked/preferred someone with previous experience"..."How about an internship position that requires no experience?"..."Sorry, those are only for undergrads who are trying to get some experience"..."................................."

You weren't captain of your junior engineering team, so you clearly will never be an engineer.

 

[caniac247]

After the Marty party tonight and speaking with Martinook, he should be captain. Tomorrow he is already bringing the guys together to go golfing. He’s spoken to the new guys about the storm surge, and they are all in, but that’s all he would divulge. Plus the way he took Svech under his wing last season. He isn’t the superstar player or the most well known, but he should be captain until Aho is ready. Just my 2 cents. And he wants the lifetime deal Dundon offered Waddell cause he said he absolutely loves it here and wants to be here forever.

Martinook for captain

 

[Canes]

Staal or Aho for me. But there are a lot of good candidates I wouldn't mind.

 

[My Special Purpose]

Jake Gardiner.

 

[behemolari]

don't underestimate Aho, so many have

 

[Ole Gil]

I think aho is underrated because of size/youthful appearance. If he were a 6'2" 205 Canadian farm boy, I bet this would be unanimous.

 

[Lempo]

Jake Gardiner.

"Look at me. I'm the captain now."

 

[AD Skinner]

Jake Gardiner.

Matt Damon.