Confirmed with Link: Andrew Ference 14th Captain of the Edmonton Oilers

[rec28]

I like it. Turning a new page and all that. In my view an effective captain has to be one of two things:

1. Someone with exceptional skill, a good work ethic, and the ability to single-handedly change the outcome of a game, almost at will
2. Someone who is simply a born leader and has the integrity & wherewithal to back up his words with actions. He's maybe not the most skilled guy in the room (though not a scrub, either), but he's someone that everyone naturally looks to for guidance in almost any given situation.

Ideally, your captain has both of these attributes, but I think that's a relative rarity. We have tons of skill but it's very young skill and there's really no need to add the extra burden of the captaincy to a youngster still trying to figure himself out.

Re: the seniority issue, this isn't a union. Seniority doesn't (or at least shouldn't) matter. You're either a leader or you're not.

It's a simple truism that people want to be led and Ference seems like a born leader to me. As such, I think it's a great pick.

 

[McClelland]

How do you possibly figure that?

Life experience working in a leading group!

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

What does that have to do with his ability to captain a team?

Didn't the Canadiens do the same with Gionta?

 

[KuemperTantrum]

Already on Wikipedia as our captain.

And what does #oilers mean? How can that fit into a sentence.

How is it under that rock?

Great choice for captaincy, I really thought Hall was going to get it, but Ference is probably the better choice.

 

[patty59]

Life experience working in a leading group!

The Oilers have been complete crap for the past 5 years and they just got a fresh face who played a major leadership role on a winning team.

It's a great choice. He's a great leader.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

He didnt earn it serving as a oiler, he got the C from the new coach as a new member of the team, thats a unusual way to grab a C.

He can be a great captain or not, we has to wait and see.

I played hockey into the juniors, no way a new guy was named captain in our group, if he didnt was atleast the best player and made others better.

You must understand that the thrust for our org. isnt the best true out the last decade, you can make it easy like some posters and say that the org. knows best, but they have failed big time in the past.

Yeah so unusual.

 

[unifiedtheory]

This is awesome news. He deserves it and I'm sure he's earned it. His leadership was key in Boston, always there too defend teammates and an off-ice leader as well.

 

[Moonlapse Vertigo]

This is awesome news. He deserves it and I'm sure he's earned it. His leadership was key in Boston, always there too defend teammates and an off-ice leader as well.

The only things I'm concerned about are his age and his earlier injury history. He seems to be staying relatively healthy over the past three years so hopefully that trend continues. We'll need it.

 

[AK Dandyman]

Just finished watching all the interviews and pressers.

Ference is the right choice for captain at this moment in time imo. It is due to us not having any existing player before this season with enough veteran leadership, as well as the young players being ready due to them either being too young or not quite at that level of maturity. After watching the training camp and preseason, Hall is definitely not ready yet imo.

Interesting that Eakins said Ference has been selfless and he wanted someone selfless as captain to unite the team. First thought I had was how Hall kept repeatedly saying he preferred center during this camp. Hope that selflessness of Ference will rub off on Hall. To be fair to Hall, Eberle even Gagner, they never really have any good captains/leaders on this team to really show them the way.

It also buy us more time to have a look at how the young guys develop as leaders before time comes for Ference to pass the baton. As I've said before, I like Nuge better as that person at this early stage.

Ference have never been a captain and is just coming in to a new team, it's going to be a good challenge for him. Quite glad and confident that he is going to be better than Horcoff and Moreau.

 

[Spawn]

Despite my earlier comments it sure is interesting seeing how many Bruins fans endorse the idea. It's not that often we manage to pick up a guy that the old teams fan loved and still love.

Hopefully he is an awesome captain, even if he isn't my first choice.

 

[sepHF]

Anyone skeptical about the choice for Ference as Captain should read this thread on the Bruins forum http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1448207&page=13

 

[StoveTopStauffer]

None of the kids are captain material imo. They all lack certain qualities. Nuge seems too anti-social (hemsky-ish), Hall doesn't seem like he could handle it (it would get to him) and Eberle doesn't seem like he'd have much of a locker room voice. But that is just my opinion. Probably OK captains for Juniors but NHL is a cut above and requires certain personality traits. Could be assistant captains but none of them have that all-around leadership quality. I can't think of an Oiler (prior to Ference) who really fit the captain mold.


But I have no idea how they act behind the scenes so I won't pretend I really know what they are like.

 

[Arpeggio]

Anyone skeptical about the choice for Ference as Captain should read this thread on the Bruins forum http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1448207&page=13

Wow, seems like a lot more fun being a Bruins fan.

 

[Ladyfan]

Despite my earlier comments it sure is interesting seeing how many Bruins fans endorse the idea. It's not that often we manage to pick up a guy that the old teams fan loved and still love.

Hopefully he is an awesome captain, even if he isn't my first choice.

Bruins fans can be brutal to players . The fact that so many love Ference says so much.

I hope Andy works out well for your team.

 

[guymez]

I have no problem with naming Ference captain.

Unfortunately it wont impact the teams ability to make the playoffs.

 

[KlimasLoveChild]

Smytty said it the best


I think its great...obviously...uhhh...he's...uhhhh...got some champion behind him...he's a leader in that regards....alot of that stuff is going to rub off in this locker room and uhhhh... he is going to unify everything together and I think...uhhhh... it's a great selection...whether or not he's a new face or not he is a champion.( Gazzola smirking in the background) This stuff is priceless.

 

[Wheathead]

None of the kids are captain material imo. They all lack certain qualities. Nuge seems too anti-social (hemsky-ish), Hall doesn't seem like he could handle it (it would get to him) and Eberle doesn't seem like he'd have much of a locker room voice. But that is just my opinion. Probably OK captains for Juniors but NHL is a cut above and requires certain personality traits. Could be assistant captains but none of them have that all-around leadership quality. I can't think of an Oiler (prior to Ference) who really fit the captain mold.


But I have no idea how they act behind the scenes so I won't pretend I really know what they are like.

I actually don't think any of them were captains in junior.

Therefore, Yakupov for captain.

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

And who decides whos opinion have substance or not? You dont need to back up a subjective opinion!

If i say for example that Jason smith is a wife beater, then i has to back it up!

But if i thinking its strange to promote a new member of the team to the new captain instead of Smid, how can you back that up?

Must i change my thoughts because you get upset?

I understand what you're saying but I think Eakins doesn't care about history.

It looks like he's evaluating the team now with no regard for what happened in the past. He's purely going off merit.

 

[Moonlapse Vertigo]

I actually don't think any of them were captains in junior.

Therefore, Yakupov for captain.

I can't even recall Hall wearing a letter in Windsor.

 

[Gret99zky]

I approve of Ference being named Captain.

I nominate Nail Yakupov for next Captain.

 

[chrismancuso97]

This is why I'm glad to have Ference here. Everyone I've met and talked to from Boston has told me how lucky we are to have him.

AMAZING leader! He is a guy who 100% of the time has his players backs. I was gutted he had to leave for cap reasons but am very happy he is going to a great young team where his leadership will be needed. I have seen some people take issue with him never playing a game for the team... Chara took over as Bruins captain right away and i think that has paid off well for us.. Good luck this season i will be rooting for the OIL!!

 

[TCL40]

Bruins fan just coming in to say Ference is a great choice-sure he hasn't played a real game yet but he was a great leader here in Boston. I hated to see him go (victim of the cap not because the FO didn't want him).

He is a great team guy and I think could be a great mentor for the young players.

Also, it's a good poke in the eye for the Canucks.

Good luck this season-I will be rooting for Andy and the Oilers to have lots of success this season (except of course when playing the Bruins).

 

[CROTT]

Ference is the right choice for the short term, but hopefully he's not pressured to give the C to Hall (or other younger player) in the last years of his contract.

Would not look good for the Oilers since they gave the bums rush to their last two captians (Moreau/Horcoff), the last captian to leave on good terms was Smith. Who was close to the end of his career, and the same status as Moreau/Horcoff.

 

[Oiltankjob Fail]

Logical choice.

 

[ManByng]

I absolutely LOVE seeing Ference as captain...only because it has put a number of Canuck fans in a snit about it....