Anaheim Ducks
Actual Captain: Ryan Getzlaf
Right Captain: Ryan Getzlaf
When you think of the Ducks, the first name to come to mind is Getzlaf’s. As the only member from the 2007 Stanley Cup champion Ducks’ team, Getzlaf is the face and leader of the team.
Arizona Coyotes
Actual Captain: Oliver Ekmann-Larsson
Right Captain: Phil Kessel Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Really wanted to pick Kessel here, but Ekman-Larsson is the right choice. Coyotes G.M. John Chayka said it best when they resigned him in 2008.
"”He’s a special player and person and we want to build our team around him. You can’t win in this League without a star, elite defenseman and we’re fortunate to have that in OEL. We look forward to many years ahead with him as our leader on and off the ice.”"
Calgary Flames
Actual Captain: Mark Giordano
Right Captain: Matthew Tkachuk
Giordano is a great player and leader but the future of the Flames is through Tkachuk. Leadership and captaincy is in his blood as well, as his father Keith is a two-time captain in the NHL.
Edmonton Oilers
Actual Captain: Connor McDavid
Right Captain: Connor McDavid
It’s obviously McDavid. Next.
Los Angels Kings
Actual Captain: Anze Kopitar
Right Captain: Anze Kopitar
You have to be a special player to take the captaincy away from a current player who’s been the teams captain for two Stanley Cups and that’s exactly what Koptiar did to Dustin Brown. Currently in a rebuild, Kopitar is the perfect leader to help the Kings get back to glory.
San Jose Sharks
Actual Captain: Logan Couture
Right Captain: Brent Burns
Couture is a solid player but doesn’t seem right as the captain in San Jose. Just look at Burns’ face. This man deserves to be the captain of the Sharks.
Vancouver Canucks
Actual Captain: Bo Horvat
Right Captain: Bo Horvat
At 25-years-old, Horvat is the veteran in the Canucks dressing room. Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes may be the future, but Horvat is a player who’s been through tough times in Vancouver and a deserving leader.
Vegas Golden Knights
Actual Captain: Vacant
Right Captain: Mark Stone
Vegas is the first of four teams that currently don’t have a captain. Maybe that’s why they never won the Stanley Cup in this inaugural season because who’s going to lift the Cup first if you don’t have a captain?
Regardless, after recently signing an eight-year contract extension, 28-year-old Stone’s going to be in Vegas for a while and has a ton of leadership experience that makes him perfect to become the teams first ever captain.