Speculation: Next captain of the Canucks?

[MS]

I don't want the captaincy anywhere near Horvat this early in his career. Give him an A and let him continue developing as a player without the distraction.

Honestly, if I were coaching this team Biega would be an everyday player and would be my first choice, but that obviously won't happen.

 

[PM]

I hope it’s Bo but he doesn’t even have an A this season. If Edler had a completely different personality I think he’d be a lock but I don’t think he would even want it. Tanev is injured too often, same with Gudbranson who I could see management wanting to have the C being rugged and Canadian and all that jazz. Basically leaves Sutter or no C next year as my guess.

 

[Shareefruck]

Ugh, if it's Sutter..... gross.

Horvat (or even Boeser) would be the obvious choices if not for the fact that it might hurt their development to heap all of that on them so early. That said, he's admirably handled everything else that's been thrown at him like a veteran so far, and doesn't strike me as someone who could be phased by that, so maybe it would be fine to just give it to him.

Three As is probably the best option right now. Nobody is perfect for the role.

It's not ideal, but I wouldn't mind giving it to Tanev as a stop-gap until Horvat is ready though, to be honest. Despite being a soft-spoken guy, he's not as passive and anti-wanting-to-take-on-a-leadership-role as Edler is, he's the best and most important player on the team by a country mile, has the best work ethic, consistency, and influence on other players, and in my opinion, it's not a good idea to trade him. On meritocracy, performance, and on-ice-leadership, he's the clear choice, and on personality, his lack of suitability is blown out of proportion, IMO.

My off-the-wall dark-horse pick would be Sven Baertschi. Will likely be around for a while playing a pivotal role on the team with our best players, isn't too young to heap that responsibility on him, has been a key piece on the team for long enough that it wouldn't feel like a complete joke, pretty well rounded and hard working player, more suitable demeanor than Tanev or Edler, and seems like the kind of guy who thrives with added responsibility or a spark lit under him. While he wasn't the captain, he handled carrying the team on his back and having massive amounts of pressure heaped onto him admirably that one year in Utica. It honestly wouldn't surprise me if slapping a C on him works the best out of everyone on the team. Unlikely to even be considered, though.

 

[petrishriekandgo]

If it's not Tavares then it'll be Karlsson.... keep that run of Swedish captains going.

 

[M2Beezy]

Granlund

 

[LordBacon]

Goal Scorevat. If not him then just run with three A's

 

[ProstheticConscience]

I don't want the captaincy anywhere near Horvat this early in his career. Give him an A and let him continue developing as a player without the distraction.

Honestly, if I were coaching this team Biega would be an everyday player and would be my first choice, but that obviously won't happen.

Oh, c'mon. I'm sick of this team acting like young players will shatter like Faberge eggs under any sort of pressure.

This is Bo's team now. Maybe Boeser's. I'd definitely let them lead the way.

Biega? Uh...no. I know you like the guy (and to be sure, he's a likable guy) but gimme a break. Give the C to someone with real NHL talent.

 

[lawrence]

Bo's the Captain, Boeser wears the A following year. It's Bo and Bro's teams.

 

[lawrence]

edit

 

[Vman]

If the Canucks somehow win the lottery and draft Rasmus Dahlin, would you go with him as the captain or Bo?

 

[2011 still hurts]

If the Canucks somehow win the lottery and draft Rasmus Dahlin, would you go with him as the captain or Bo?

What? Why would you want an 18 year old rookie to shoulder that responsibility when he'd still be learning his role and getting acquainted with the city/north america?

that'd be a huge mistake imo

 

[Blade Paradigm]

What? Why would you want an 18 year old rookie to shoulder that responsibility when he'd still be learning his role and getting acquainted with the city/north america?

that'd be a huge mistake imo

In the event that Dahlin, or another player, becomes a much more important piece of the puzzle than Bo, the Canucks might be in a Los Angeles-type situation.

That said, the team's current captain received the captaincy upon another player being stripped of the title, so this would be nothing new to the Canucks.

The team could opt to name Bo the captain and then, if he is proven to be inadequate, he plateaus as a player, or someone else becomes the face of the franchise, take it away at some point in the future. They could, alternatively, wait until its core is set and designate one of their veterans to be the captain in the meantime.

Personally, I believe that Bo Horvat will be the captain next season.

 

[Shareefruck]

Horvat's a pretty good bet to be a leader regardless of the makeup/talent of the team though, to be honest. Even if you have a player like Dahlin playing the superstar role or if Boeser proves to be a better player overall.

There is merit to the idea that its better to wait until a core actually begins to form before deciding on a captain, though.

 

[JAK]

Giving the C to Bo alone would spark some jersey sales, Bo-hard fans will want one with the C, casual fans might be enticed into buying one, just need the proper marketing campaign to spark it.

just re-do the whole campaign they did when Henrik got the C, and it will sell some jerseys.

 

[F A N]

They don't have to decide now. Plenty of teams now choose to go without a captain and it might be a good idea and see who emerges as the leader of the team. Obviously, Bo is the young veteran on this team, but Brock is a leader as well.

 

[sandwichbird2023]

I don't want the captaincy anywhere near Horvat this early in his career. Give him an A and let him continue developing as a player without the distraction.

Honestly, if I were coaching this team Biega would be an everyday player and would be my first choice, but that obviously won't happen.

While Bo is nowhere as talented as Crosby or McDavid, he seems just as hard working and determined on the ice. Obviously we don't know what the dynamics are inside the room, but if Crosby and McDavid were not ruined by bearing the "C" on struggling teams at a young age, I see no reason why Horvat would be.

 

[I in the Eye]

I don't think that the regime would make Horvat captain, since they consider him a mentoree... and have brought to the team mentors to protect the young players. I would think a mentor would be captain. Sutter, captain... Gudbranson, alternate, is my guess.

If the Canucks go out and get an asshole like Kane, it's better to not have Horvat as part of the leadership team, anyways.

 

[CroatianCanuck]

It's gotta be Bo Horvat. Anyone else would be a joke. He's been here the longest of all the young guys that form the new core.

It's time to flip the page on the Sedin era and start the Horvat era. You want to give the C to someone that will be here a long time.

It would be a huge mistake and miss of opportunity if management don't give it to him.

 

[Pavel96]

I don't think that the regime would make Horvat captain, since they consider him a mentoree... and have brought to the team mentors to protect the young players. I would think a mentor would be captain. Sutter, captain... Gudbranson, alternate, is my guess.

If the Canucks go out and get an ******* like Kane, it's better to not have Horvat as part of the leadership team, anyways.

Yeah I think they should make Sutter the captain and Guddy an A. Erikksonn should be the other A. It's Jim's team - might as well put his key pieces (that were brought in as foundational, mentors and guys meant to be good int he room) in charge!

 

[I in the Eye]

It's gotta be Bo Horvat. Anyone else would be a joke. He's been here the longest of all the young guys that form the new core.

It's time to flip the page on the Sedin era and start the Horvat era. You want to give the C to someone that will be here a long time.

It would be a huge mistake and miss of opportunity if management don't give it to him.

This isn't a serious team... this team is a stop gap until a serious regime takes over. When Bo becomes captain, I think it would be better on a real team, with a real direction, led by real people. It would put way too much pressure on him, being a captain on this joke of a team, imo. My vote is let sutter lead this failure to the bottom... not Bo. Whomever they choose is setting this player up to fail. The job description is basically Wanted: Captain of the Titanic.

 

[Pavel96]

This isn't a serious team... this team is a stop gap until a serious regime takes over. When Bo becomes captain, I think it would be better on a real team, with a real direction, led by real people. It would put way too much pressure on him, being a captain on this joke of a team, imo. My vote is let sutter lead this failure to the bottom... not Bo. Whomever they choose is setting this player up to lose.

Plus Sutter could teach the team to have balls?

 

[PG Canuck]

Oh, c'mon. I'm sick of this team acting like young players will shatter like Faberge eggs under any sort of pressure.

This is Bo's team now. Maybe Boeser's. I'd definitely let them lead the way.

Biega? Uh...no. I know you like the guy (and to be sure, he's a likable guy) but gimme a break. Give the C to someone with real NHL talent.

Canucks naming Biega captain would be laughed at for years. Kind of like how everyone laughed when Derek MacKenzie was named captain in FLA. I mean I like Biega and all but I don’t even give him an A before Bo, Brock, Edler, Tanev.

Run with three A’s if Bo isn’t ‘ready’, whatever that means. With the Sedins gone, he’s getting the burden whether he’s ready or not - a letter on his chest isn’t going to make it easier or harder.

 

[Hemty]

Canucks naming Biega captain would be laughed at for years. Kind of like how everyone laughed when Derek MacKenzie was named captain in FLA. I mean I like Biega and all but I don’t even give him an A before Bo, Brock, Edler, Tanev.

Run with three A’s if Bo isn’t ‘ready’, whatever that means. With the Sedins gone, he’s getting the burden whether he’s ready or not - a letter on his chest isn’t going to make it easier or harder.

This. People have been talking bout him being the next leader now, well, ever since he got drafted.
Listening to that bit yesterday when he said "if i could do at least half of what the Sedins have done for this org." It just hit me that he is ready for it.

 

[Gaunce4gm]

I get the impression that the room belongs to Boeser and Horvat.

Boeser commands the respect of everyone on the team the way the Sedins did. He leads by example and is always one of the best players night in night out.

Horvat is the voice of the room and will be the one to give the speeches and speak as the Captain.

Gudbranson is probably more along the lines of Horvat in terms of his style of leadership.

I think within the next 3 or so years we will see

C Horvat
A Boeser
A Gudbranson

 

[Nucker101]

I’m fine with Horvat getting it. It’ll be his 5th year in the league. Apparently all the young guys consider him one of the leaders already. My other suggestion would be to maybe just go with 3 “A’s” for a full season and let Green assess who the new leader seems to be.

I assume Horvat/Edler/Gudbranson/Sutter/Tanev/MDZ will all be in the mix for letters. Brock will eventually get one in the future.