So, When Does Larkin get named Captain?

[jkutswings]

What if it's Larkin hit by a bus?

Then he would stop being captain and they'd eventually name somebody else. My point was that, regardless of how well Seider is developing, he hasn't even had a chance to show whether he belongs on an NHL roster, let alone wear a letter on one.

I'm counting the days until Seider plays in Detroit, and I think he will be a really really good player. But none of that is a reason to just keep the captaincy in limbo. You name a captain based on who's playing right now, not who might be fantastic in a few years.

3-5 years from now, if Seider is destroying the NHL and leaving no room for doubt that he's captain material, then ask Larkin to switch to an A at that time - if he's truly a team first guy, he should have no problem stepping aside if there's clearly a better guy available. But Larkin would be fine for the C this year, so give him the C this year.

 

[MBH]

Still have hard time to find Larkin's Captaincies from his old teams. He has usually been A.

I think in bigger picture, it would be better him to have the side role, because as Michiganer his role is already too big with media etc. I wouldn't grow it anymore.

He would be ideal to be that "media-captain" with A and somebody else to be that real on-ice and lockerroom Captain.

In favor of who?
Posts like these leave me scratching my head.

Dylan Larkin has been the captain of this team since Kronwall retired.
He went out there and faced the music night after night after suffering through the worst season in modern NHL history.

So I;m really not sure what he was spared by not having the captainship.

I'm not a huge Larkin slappy. I've contended he's been overrated at times.

But he is without a doubt the leader of this team.

 

[Frk It]

Seider hates to lose most of our group = Captain.

I'd like him to be our identity. Every guy should play like like Seider. That would be a war at every shift.

Larkin and Raymond A's in the near future.

2022 first pick could also come in consideration.

Like... eventually? Or are you saying we should name a guy captain who has yet to play a game in the NHL?

Larkin should be named captain. Seider can maybe make this a conversation down the line.

I think that Mantha gets his A.

I would be beyond shocked.

 

[Retire91]

I am probably against popular opinion. Larkin is the clear choice "for now". The problem I have with Larkin is he seems likely a career wing but if he is named captain I don't see him as captain enough to stay captain. That is the problem I have with naming him is eventually it has to be taken away. The red wings have a good chance at drafting top 5 for two or 3 more seasons. Someone is going to out captain him and soon. In my life experience I have not seen people deal well with something being taken away.

He proves me wrong I would be ecstatic but I don't feel it in my gut.

 

[Frk It]

I am probably against popular opinion. Larkin is the clear choice "for now". The problem I have with Larkin is he seems likely a career wing but if he is named captain I don't see him as captain enough to stay captain. That is the problem I have with naming him is eventually it has to be taken away. The red wings have a good chance at drafting top 5 for two or 3 more seasons. Someone is going to out captain him and soon. In my life experience I have not seen people deal well with something being taken away.

He proves me wrong I would be ecstatic but I don't feel it in my gut.

You don’t wait on it because you might have to do this some day, though.

We have been spoiled with HOF after HOF wearing the C. The bar was set unrealistically high. A lot of other teams have stretches where guys like Larkin wear the C. I don’t really think there anything wrong with it.

 

[Retire91]

You don’t wait on it because you might have to do this some day, though.

We have been spoiled with HOF after HOF wearing the C. The bar was set unrealistically high. A lot of other teams have stretches where guys like Larkin wear the C. I don’t really think there anything wrong with it.

I don't really disagree with you its just that other teams usually go with a vet or someone who's contract is probably moving on so there is room for their long term captain. I don't think many teams choose someone in their long term plans knowing that they are going to name someone else. I would rather see like Glendenning or someone that fits the role.

I could be wrong, its just the off season and what else is there to discuss lol

 

[newfy]

I am probably against popular opinion. Larkin is the clear choice "for now". The problem I have with Larkin is he seems likely a career wing but if he is named captain I don't see him as captain enough to stay captain. That is the problem I have with naming him is eventually it has to be taken away. The red wings have a good chance at drafting top 5 for two or 3 more seasons. Someone is going to out captain him and soon. In my life experience I have not seen people deal well with something being taken away.

He proves me wrong I would be ecstatic but I don't feel it in my gut.

Even if Detriot ends up with a better number one center or D than Larkin, hes going to be the stud number 2 who dragged the team through its worse years in decades, is going to do everything out there, kill penalties, win matchups, score goals etc and hes never going to be outworked.

Yzerman knows he isnt going to get a player that works harder than Larkin. There might be guys who end up on his level but hes never outworked. Hes got the skill already to be a borderline number one center which means he has enough talent that every guy on the team should be able to look up to him.

Thinking the wings might get a better player shortly is a bad reason to not name Larkin captain when he checks literally every single box you want in a captain

 

[RayMoonDoh]

Just give it to Larkin now and burn this thread to the ground.

Worrying about Larkin being outcaptained down the line is just such off-season thinking. Let Larkin grow in that role and learn from Stevie, Z, and Nick’s experiences.

Let Raymond and drafted forwards just focus on scoring and controlling the puck. Let Mo and drafted D just focus on shutting down opponents and build-up play.

Let Larkin bear the C, and by the time the wings are contenders, he’ll be The Guy in those crucial playoff situations.

 

[Frk It]

I don't really disagree with you its just that other teams usually go with a vet or someone who's contract is probably moving on so there is room for their long term captain. I don't think many teams choose someone in their long term plans knowing that they are going to name someone else. I would rather see like Glendenning or someone that fits the role.

I could be wrong, its just the off season and what else is there to discuss lol

I think even if Seider ends up better, it will take some time. And there’s no guarantee he does. And similar with Raymond/Zadina. And similar with whoever we draft 21/22.

Landeskog isn’t the best player on Colorado, but he wears the C there. They seem to be doing ok despite that.

 

[TCNorthstars]

I am probably against popular opinion. Larkin is the clear choice "for now". The problem I have with Larkin is he seems likely a career wing but if he is named captain I don't see him as captain enough to stay captain. That is the problem I have with naming him is eventually it has to be taken away. The red wings have a good chance at drafting top 5 for two or 3 more seasons. Someone is going to out captain him and soon. In my life experience I have not seen people deal well with something being taken away.

He proves me wrong I would be ecstatic but I don't feel it in my gut.

How does someone out captain someone else?

 

[TCNorthstars]

I think even if Seider ends up better, it will take some time. And there’s no guarantee he does. And similar with Raymond/Zadina. And similar with whoever we draft 21/22.

Landeskog isn’t the best player on Colorado, but he wears the C there. They seem to be doing ok despite that.

Is Landeskog even their 3rd best player anymore?

 

[evolutionbaby]

If he’s the true leader of this team, give the C to him. Who’s to say future draft picks can command a room like him (not saying he does this but...). Just because a generational talent comes along, it doesn’t mean they need to be captain, especially right away. If we get Wright and once he’s signed to that lifetime redwing contract, sure give him the C from Larkin. That’s 5 years down the road at least.

 

[Frk It]

Is Landeskog even their 3rd best player anymore?

Nah.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

How does someone out captain someone else?

The same way George Costanza "out-Neiled Neil", per Jerry, it's not easy, but it can be done. Shameless Seinfeld plug, I'll show myself out.


Agree. Larkin is the C (& has been since Kronner retired), he just hasn't been given the letter yet. It's his time now.


For the Larkin isn't a Captain crowd: how will you react when he rattles off (5-7) 70-80pt+ seasons w/solid 2-way play ? He hasn't had the cast ar0und him to do so, but those days are just around the corner, '21-'22.

 

[jaster]

How does someone out captain someone else?

I can't stop laughing over this term. I mean, there's been cases in NHL history where a locker room changes over several seasons and the C is moved from one player still on the team to another. I guess, in that way, someone can be.... "out-captained"? But this term and the idea behind it is seemingly being used in a different way in this particular case, and it's pretty silly. There seems to be some misunderstanding of leadership in general, and leadership in hockey, in this thread.

If you're going around trying to always have the best player on the team named captain, you're doing it wrong. The better the player is, the more of a leg up they have on their competition for that C, true. But, they often have to check certain boxes as well. These guys do have personalities that are detached from their talent level, and those personalities matter. On a non-dysfunctional team, a captain must be a good leader, must set the example, have a requisite work ethic, be accountable, be vocal when needed, and, most of all, be respected in the room. Likely, the most respected in the room. This means that a lot of what goes into who is chosen captain on a given team is not seen by us, the fans. The players often choose, directly or indirectly, the captain on hockey teams, even in the NHL. Any coach worth his salt, who is choosing his captain, is at least reading the room and getting a sense of who the rest of the team is falling in line behind. In Detroit's case, from every account I've read, that is currently Dylan Larkin.

Seider? Raymond? A future pick? These players literally do not matter one iota in choosing the captain of the Detroit Red Wings for the 2020-21 season.

 

[Oddbob]

What do people expect from a Captain? All you have to do is look at who goes through all the BS interviews after each stupid loss, and answers the inane questions, that is a Captain. That is what Captains do, on top of the fact he is our best player and works hard every night. What else do we need? Where in the Captain's handbook does it say, that your Captain must be an impending Hall of Famer?

 

[Retire91]

I don't mind being disagreed with but the responses are just too off the mark. In any organization its damaging to have one person own a title that represents a specific responsibility when another person is clearly the reality behind the title without officially having the title. Especially when the perks of that responsibility are not accessible to the person unofficially filling the role. Mitigating this is of course simply awarding the title to the person who has overtaken the job but in doing so you can also damage relationships by taking away a title.

People don't stop being human just because buck up buddy this is professional sports.

I also NEVER said a captain has to be heading to the HOF or that a captain has to be the best player on the team. Allow me to repeat, I never said either of those things. And just to be clear I never said either of those things. And just in case there is any misunderstanding neither of those things are something I said. What I said was giving someone the C who is in your long term plans and then facing the eventuality of taking away that C when someone takes over the team is not a situation I think would be good for the organization, so why rush.

I don't mind if people 100% don't care, and I don't mind if people think the impact is not worth worrying about. But to actively dismiss the reality of organizational politics and behavior I do take exception to. I think the fact that Yzerman has waited this long to name a captain shows something like this conundrum has impacted their decision and is taken under consideration. If it flat out didn't matter then a captain would have been named long ago.

 

[Retire91]

How does someone out captain someone else?

I don't really appreciate semantics being weaponized to chip away at the underlying point just for the sake of being mean.

 

[newfy]

I don't mind being disagreed with but the responses are just too off the mark. In any organization its damaging to have one person own a title that represents a specific responsibility when another person is clearly the reality behind the title without officially having the title. Especially when the perks of that responsibility are not accessible to the person unofficially filling the role. Mitigating this is of course simply awarding the title to the person who has overtaken the job but in doing so you can also damage relationships by taking away a title.

People don't stop being human just because buck up buddy this is professional sports.

I also NEVER said a captain has to be heading to the HOF or that a captain has to be the best player on the team. Allow me to repeat, I never said either of those things. And just to be clear I never said either of those things. And just in case there is any misunderstanding neither of those things are something I said. What I said was giving someone the C who is in your long term plans and then facing the eventuality of taking away that C when someone takes over the team is not a situation I think would be good for the organization, so why rush.

I don't mind if people 100% don't care, and I don't mind if people think the impact is not worth worrying about. But to actively dismiss the reality of organizational politics and behavior I do take exception to. I think the fact that Yzerman has waited this long to name a captain shows something like this conundrum has impacted their decision and is taken under consideration. If it flat out didn't matter then a captain would have been named long ago.

How do you figure anyone is going to take over the captains role from Larkin realistically? No one is going to come in with more experience going through hard times, no one is going to outwork him, no one is going to be more committed to playing a two way game, and no one is going to have the experience dealing with the press like him.

The only realistic thing he can be overtaken on is skill. Someone could come in and be a better player than him.But like you said, you dont need to be a hall of famer. Larkin has already shown he is a capable first line center in the league so he has enough skill that no players should be able to look down on him and not care about what hes saying. Hes got a lot of international experience wearing a letter as well.

And to be fair, with a guy like him being so capable of being captain, if a younger guy with less experience really is captain material, they will come in and wear an A and be a leader. They'll realise Larkin has put in his time and deserves the C and that their time will come later. Literally the only thing someone is going to be able to do over Larkin is put up points and thats not a good enough reason to strip a captaincy

 

[Retire91]

How do you figure anyone is going to take over the captains role from Larkin realistically? No one is going to come in with more experience going through hard times, no one is going to outwork him, no one is going to be more committed to playing a two way game, and no one is going to have the experience dealing with the press like him.

The only realistic thing he can be overtaken on is skill. Someone could come in and be a better player than him.But like you said, you dont need to be a hall of famer. Larkin has already shown he is a capable first line center in the league so he has enough skill that no players should be able to look down on him and not care about what hes saying. Hes got a lot of international experience wearing a letter as well.

And to be fair, with a guy like him being so capable of being captain, if a younger guy with less experience really is captain material, they will come in and wear an A and be a leader. They'll realise Larkin has put in his time and deserves the C and that their time will come later. Literally the only thing someone is going to be able to do over Larkin is put up points and thats not a good enough reason to strip a captaincy

Those are all great reasons for him to be captain and honestly make me feel more comfortable with the decision. I just feel like we have more time and it's the same way I feel about coaching and not minding that Blash is still here. When the team is this far in the gutter we have the luxury of time IMO and I still feel who gets the C is something that has room to evolve. Especially when we might land, or maybe even have already landed, a legendary redwing talent in these drafts. If it was my team I would give out the A's and tell them captain is up for grabs until we are ready for the playoffs. But its not my team its just my opinion and I might be making a bigger deal than necessary about assigning a better fit captain if it ultimately comes down to that in the future. At any rate I feel like its some awesome discussion.

 

[jaster]

Those are all great reasons for him to be captain and honestly make me feel more comfortable with the decision. I just feel like we have more time and it's the same way I feel about coaching and not minding that Blash is still here. When the team is this far in the gutter we have the luxury of time IMO and I still feel who gets the C is something that has room to evolve. Especially when we might land, or maybe even have already landed, a legendary redwing talent in these drafts. If it was my team I would give out the A's and tell them captain is up for grabs until we are ready for the playoffs. But its not my team its just my opinion and I might be making a bigger deal than necessary about assigning a better fit captain if it ultimately comes down to that in the future. At any rate I feel like its some awesome discussion.

I think there's too much important work to do between now and when Detroit is in the playoffs to not have a captain. The time for not having a captain was up until right now. It was during the descent down to whatever last season was. It was during a time when naming a young captain introduces too much risk for too little (or even no) reward. But now? Now the ship needs to be appropriately steered in order to stay on course on the way to the playoffs. Detroit should have a named captain to provide further, needed identity, both in and out of the locker room.

And on that point, I think for the people who think Blashill is a shit coach, they should be advocating hard for his removal right now (some have, I know). Because just like with naming a captain at this point, we should have a coach who can at least competently begin the organization's ascent into something more competitive. And presumably, shit coaches can't do that. Personally, I think Blashill is fine enough to at least begin the ascent. I'm not a fan, but I also don't think he's as bad as some people say. And I think he'll be replaced, maybe as soon as next off-season, at the appropriate time with someone more capable of taking Detroit to the finish line, if we ever get there.

 

[FabricDetails]

Should be any day now, right?

 

[odin1981]

Should be any day now, right?

Probably a day or two before the season starts.

 

[Marky9er]

Captain Larkin with Power/Lambos and Wright/Lambert on ELC.... Zach Werenski and Mark Scheifele come on down!!

 

[FabricDetails]