MS
1%er
Traditions are important for our players to navigate this chaotic universe and the archetype of the hero is an important role to uplift and orient them towards their own inner hero archetype. That’s relevant and that’s that.
On the other hand, NHL teams themselves place a great importance on the team's captaincy relative to other pro sports.
Some teams place importance on it.
1/4 of the NHL didn't have a proper full-time captain last year and there was no statistically significant difference in their results. Teams have won Cups without full-time captains. It's a nothing thing that teams and fans and media attach ridiculous levels of false importance to.
In this day and age, the main reason for having a captain is to make your best player feel more important so he's less likely to leave.