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Toronto Maple Leafs Must Name a Captain Now!!

By James Tanner

TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 24: Morgan Rielly #44 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Philadelphia Flyers during the first period at the Scotiabank Arena on November 24, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 24: Morgan Rielly #44 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Philadelphia Flyers during the first period at the Scotiabank Arena on November 24, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have been without a captain since Dion Phaneuf was traded to the Ottawa Senators in 2016.

That means means that the Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t had a captain for four seasons.

To go into a fifth season without a captain is as unthinkable as pairing two offensive defensemen, or as crazy as thinking that a guy who saw his shooting percentage tank after posting back-to-back 61 point seasons as a rookie/sophomore will probably be alright.  

Which is to say that it isn’t crazy at all.

I mean, who cares?

Toronto Maple Leafs Need a Captain!

Or do they?

I’ll level with you: I don’t understand what the big deal is.

The Leafs could name Morgan Rielly captain.  Or they could go with Auston Matthews, or John Tavares. 

It’s the one topic in hockey that I don’t have an opinion on.

I think it’s actually pretty dumb.  We spend all this time talking about it and at the end of the day, what does it matter?

Whoever the leaders on the team are, they wouldn’t be very good leaders if they needed a sewed on capital “C” to lead.

What I find the most perplexing of all, is why people have such strong opinions about the topic.

I haven’t ever met or hung out with any current members of the Toronto Maple Leafs.  I do not know which of them is smart, who will challenge authority, or get their teammates pumped up with a great speech.

Given the boring nature of hockey interviews, I’m not even sure which or these guys has the personality to lead.  Since I don’t know them personally, I don’t see how I can know who would be the best to lead them into battle.

John Tavares represents a fantastic leap forward in cybernetic technologies, but shouldn’t the captain of the team be a human? Or at least own a personality?

Auston Matthews is the best player, so maybe he’s a good choice, but it kind of seems like he and the coach hate each other.  I mean, maybe they’re great friends, but it sure doesn’t seem that way.

Morgan Rielly would be a good choice, I think.  He legitimately seems like a great guy, and is my sons’ and my favorite player.  He participates in a lot of charity, goes to the Pride Parade, and seems to be the template for what an athlete should be and do, but having never actually met him, I’m not sure if he’s got the chops for the gig.

And that’s the point: only the guys on the team really know who’d make a good captain.

Next. The Path for Liljegren or Sandin to Make the NHL Is Open. dark

They’ve been this long without one, maybe they can just forgo the whole thing as an antiquated tradition it’s no longer necessary to carry on.

Either way, somebody make a trade or a signing soon.

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