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Toronto Maple Leafs: Re-Evaluating the NHL’s Choice of Captains

By Stephen Nixon

SAN JOSE, CA - JANUARY 26: Auston Matthews #34 and John Tavares #91 of the Toronto Maple Leafs pose prior to the 2019 Honda NHL All-Star Game at SAP Center on January 26, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA - JANUARY 26: Auston Matthews #34 and John Tavares #91 of the Toronto Maple Leafs pose prior to the 2019 Honda NHL All-Star Game at SAP Center on January 26, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON – JANUARY 06: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs . (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – JANUARY 06: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs . (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

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.

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