Which Koivu should be captain in Sochi?

[FiLe]

What the public thinks is a whole another can of worms. Of course we can always ask how much they should care about it or if they should care about it at all. In this case it would probably be for the best if they did care. After all, if it has little meaning to the team but a big meaning to the people, why stir things up on purpose? The way I see it, Erkka has not been into creating unnecessary public drama or rocking the boat (in regards to the public) knowingly in the past.

Is this really an issue that would cause any kind of public discord? I mean, Saku as captain is no oddball sight to most people, even those of us who do prefer Mikko. And why should the management care about the media or fans crying over a "wrong" captain, as long as the team doesn't feel so?

Besides, can we really say that majority of the people care either way? True, most of us here in HFBoards are pretty devoted followers of the sport and have strong opinions over the issue, but can we really mirror ourselves to the wider public? Like I said, most casual followers would probably have no issue with Saku at all, since he's always been the captain.

And if there were flames over the issue, all it still would take to quell them is Mikko coming out and saying he's fine with it. Which he will no doubt do if there's any kind of attempt to rouse the rabble.

Seriously, I just don't see any way how Erkka might consider picking Saku a bad call. Save for Saku himself telling so, of course. After all, Erkka's the one who builds and coaches the team, and he will no doubt think he's still making the best call here - no matter whether said call really is shrouded by waxin' nostalgia or not.

 

[Gaps]

Is this really an issue that would cause any kind of public discord? I mean, Saku as captain is no oddball sight to most people, even those of us who do prefer Mikko. And why should the management care about the media or fans crying over a "wrong" captain, as long as the team doesn't feel so?

Besides, can we really say that majority of the people care either way? True, most of us here in HFBoards are pretty devoted followers of the sport and have strong opinions over the issue, but can we really mirror ourselves to the wider public? Like I said, most casual followers would probably have no issue with Saku at all, since he's always been the captain.

And if there were flames over the issue, all it still would take to quell them is Mikko coming out and saying he's fine with it. Which he will no doubt do if there's any kind of attempt to rouse the rabble.

Seriously, I just don't see any way how Erkka might consider picking Saku a bad call. Save for Saku himself telling so, of course. After all, Erkka's the one who builds and coaches the team, and he will no doubt think he's still making the best call here - no matter whether said call really is shrouded by waxin' nostalgia or not.

Us here may be a bad example, but even among average fans there's a clear favorite. I think people would feel more disappointed than angry, and the message you would send with that choice would be one of the past and I can see why people would feel disappointed over that.

 

[FiLe]

Us here may be a bad example, but even among average fans there's a clear favorite. I think people would feel more disappointed than angry, and the message you would send with that choice would be one of the past and I can see why people would feel disappointed over that.

No argument here. Still, I just don't see what should happen to make Erkka aware that he might be sending such a message, let alone it be a bad idea.

 

[mattihp]

Mikko. A non-issue.

 

[GalchenyukSting*]

Saku

 

[Ilves Tampere]

Easy one. Mikko!

 

[FiLe]

Here's something authoritative. Teemu and Saku have spoken and made their call: Mikko.

/thread

 

[bminucci]

Ducks fan here so I am biased, but Saku is still a great player. He may not be on the top scoring line anymore, but his hockey acumen, especially defensively, is top notch. In fact in the last Ducks/Wild game is was Saku's line that kept Mikko's line in check on 5v5.

All that said, I can't argue with making Mikko captain just because the torch needs to be passed and this is as good of a time as any. But based on level of compete and what Saku brings to a locker room, he would still make a very fine captain.

 

[behemolari]

Mikko with C, Saku with A this is a no brainer really. Who is the second A is a question.

 

[Mogo]

Saku but it will be Mikko

 

[Joe MacMillan]

Saku should be the captain as long as he plays for the national team. He's the greatest captain and one of the most looked-up-to players on the Finnish national team ever and quite honestly I find it a little disrespectful to him to strip him off the captaincy because his little brother has become a better player.

 

[FiLe]

I find it a little disrespectful to him to strip him off the captaincy because his little brother has become a better player.

I don't think there's anything disrespectful in it if the man himself says it should be his brother.

 

[skillhockey]

Saku was great captain but he's already given away that position. It will be mikko even i don't like it. he's more about himself than the team, the opposite of his older brother.

 

[mattihp]

Saku was great captain but he's already given away that position. It will be mikko even i don't like it. he's more about himself than the team, the opposite of his older brother.

 

[Gaps]

Saku should be the captain as long as he plays for the national team. He's the greatest captain and one of the most looked-up-to players on the Finnish national team ever and quite honestly I find it a little disrespectful to him to strip him off the captaincy because his little brother has become a better player.

Nobody's stripping him of anything. He wants to hand it over because he's a smart man. Times change, and he knows that. There's nothing disrespectful about that. Every generation needs their own leaders. It's the natural course of life. You shouldn't hold onto things for too long or you become like Tami. This goes for everything starting from the player choices to who should captain the team. You shouldn't have a VIP ticket to the team no matter who you are if your recent performances don't imply that you'd be useful and you shouldn't be captain just because that's how it's always been.

Saku was great captain but he's already given away that position. It will be mikko even i don't like it. he's more about himself than the team, the opposite of his older brother.

What the????? You clearly have no idea what you're talking about.

 

[Joe MacMillan]

Nobody's stripping him of anything. He wants to hand it over because he's a smart man. Times change, and he knows that. There's nothing disrespectful about that. Every generation needs their own leaders. It's the natural course of life. You shouldn't hold onto things for too long or you become like Tami. This goes for everything starting from the player choices to who should captain the team. You shouldn't have a VIP ticket to the team no matter who you are if your recent performances don't imply that you'd be useful and you shouldn't be captain just because that's how it's always been.

Can't say I fully agree with you on the bolded part. Saku is to us what Sundin was to the Swedes, in terms of leadership that is. They have earned that reputation and it should be honored. Mikko's time will come as the transition from the current generation of players to the next is completed.

Carrying the letter is symbolic more than anything and which ever player is being awarded with it doesn't affect the performance on the ice in any way. That's why I think Saku should remain as the captain. Some things just should not change.

I don't think there's anything disrespectful in it if the man himself says it should be his brother.

What did you expect him to say though? Obviously he was not going to suggest himself as the captain. He took the classy approach, as did Mikko. The approach that every great leader would have taken.

 

[Gaps]

Can't say I fully agree with you on the bolded part. Saku is to us what Sundin was to the Swedes, in terms of leadership that is. They have earned that reputation and it should be honored. Mikko's time will come as the transition from the current generation of players to the next is completed.

Carrying the letter is symbolic more than anything and which ever player is being awarded with it doesn't affect the performance on the ice in any way. That's why I think Saku should remain as the captain. Some things just should not change.



What did you expect him to say though? Obviously he was not going to suggest himself as the captain. He took the classy approach, as did Mikko. The approach that every great leader would have taken.

I think we will just have to agree to disagree on this. I believe all things should change when the right time comes. In this case it has come. If we think about who's the player people respect the most, it would be Teemu and he's not going to be captain. Simply handing out the C because of respect is IMO not a good enough reason.

In no occasion has Saku said this time that he'd even be particularly interested in it. It's quite the opposite actually. Doesn't he have the right to feel it's not his anymore and to actually want to give it away, which seems to be the case? Nobody's forcing him to do it.

 

[FiLe]

Can't say I fully agree with you on the bolded part. Saku is to us what Sundin was to the Swedes, in terms of leadership that is. They have earned that reputation and it should be honored. Mikko's time will come as the transition from the current generation of players to the next is completed.

Again, Saku himself trumps your words. Things don't have to wait til the transition is "complete" - similar change also happened in the last cycle. The Nagano team was full of great, veteran leaders - yet the one who got the C was the young Koivu.

It's obvious from those statements that similar changing of the guard will happen here. And Saku will be its greatest proponent.

 

[Joe MacMillan]

Again, Saku himself trumps your words. Things don't have to wait til the transition is "complete" - similar change also happened in the last cycle. The Nagano team was full of great, veteran leaders - yet the one who got the C was the young Koivu.

It's obvious from those statements that similar changing of the guard will happen here. And Saku will be its greatest proponent.

Of course they are not going to force him to be the captain if he's not willing to. According to the article he wants to pass on the captaincy to his brother and whether his feeling is genuine or not is irrelevant.

My post that you quoted was about the factors and circumstances on which the captaincy should be based. I think Saku's reputation and track record should be taken into account and hold serious value as a decisive factor. It seems you and others, Saku included, disagree with me.

What it comes to the Nagano team and its captaincy the circumstances weren't exactly the same. The former NT captain at the time, Jutila, wasn't chosen to the Olympic squad so they were forced to go through the change.

 

[QnebO]

What it comes to the Nagano team and its captaincy the circumstances weren't exactly the same. The former NT captain at the time, Jutila, wasn't chosen to the Olympic squad so they were forced to go through the change.

I read today that it was Kurri who passed the captaincy for Saku in Nagano.

 

[Teppo]

I would not be surprised if Mikko's foot is fractured. Hopefully he will be able to play and be captain.

 

[Teppo]

I would not be surprised if Mikko's foot is fractured. Hopefully he will be able to play and be captain.

Mikko's ankle was fractured. He had surgery today. He is out for at least 4 weeks. Not good for the Wild - not good for Finland at Sochi.