NHL: Where the Captaincy Really Means Something

Outside of battling and baffling offer sheets, it’s been the hot topic in hockey this past week.

It’s Toronto.

It’s a new captain.

And his name is Auston Matthews.

Which hauls me into today’s discussion and debate – does it really, truly matter who your captain is in this day and age in the National Hockey League, and what if any impact does said player have on your team?

Having worn the captaincy on just a few noteworthy occasions during my auspicious and lengthy lifetime (that would be for my much-celebrated NFL Fantasy winning teams of 2009, 2010 and 2011 as well as my vaunted MLB winners of 1996), and having played competitive hockey only up and through the age of 15 where our captain’s main duty was complaining about the lack of juice boxes in the room post-game, I decided to go to a source. And a source I’ve gone to a few times in this space.

Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame member Tim Higgins – also a key cog in the 67’s wheel for years – took a few letters during his time through 11 years of play in the NHL.

In the latter stages, Tim functioned as both an assistant captain and – while Steve Yzerman was on the shelf recovering from a vicious knee injury – donned the captain’s ‘C’ with the Detroit Red Wings.

Your thoughts, sir?

“It does matter (who wears the ‘C’),” said Tim.

“It’s the standard. Few players have that privilege and through all my years of playing, my captains lead by example. Both on the ice and in the room.”

“In Toronto, this is John Tavares passing the torch and saying this is Auston Matthews’ team right now.”

Some would argue the Big Letter has simply become symbolic. The ‘best’ player on your team becomes captain. Case closed.

A sampling from the fan base and here’s what you get on hockey chat boards:

“A letter stitched on Matthews’ jersey. That is it. Literally nothing else.”

“This changes nothing. Its all optics.”

“Still seems like an optics move more than anything. No major moves up front so they think this will be a change to help them figure it out? I don’t buy it.”

“. . . this is more symbolic than anything else . . .”

“So how does wearing the C change anything?”

Fans in Ottawa might tend to disagree.

When Brady Tkachuk was given the lead a few years back, it wasn’t so much to do with his talent as with his drive. Is Brady the best player on the Senators? From his overall game you might agree but from a pure talent perspective, Tim Stutzle and now the emerging Jake Sanderson are a step ahead.

Even well before Tkachuk came on the scene, and prior to Daniel Alfredsson going on an extended run as Ottawa boss, the Senators didn’t really hand out the letter to the most adept and skilled roster player.

Names like Randy Cunneyworth, Laurie Boschman and Gord Dineen don’t jump out in the ‘gifted’ category.

“And then again,” Tim continued. “You look at the Montreal captains in the past. Bob Gainey was the best shut down guy in the league and went against the other team’s best players which opened up room for guys like Guy Lafleur and Jacques Lemaire.”

Guy Carbonneau would be another prime example.

Clearly Toronto management is counting on Matthews – about to enter his ninth season with the Buds – following the lead of more recent claimers of captaincy. Those being Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon, Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, Washington stud Alex Ovechkin and the king of the bunch, Sidney Crosby. All four are uber-skilled but all four are also uber-driven and have that unbending, unwilling-to-yield personality that leads to success.

More precisely – playoff success; something I don’t have to tell you (but I will) has been absent in Toronto for decades.

And if that’s the case then where does Auston fit in the picture? Does he elevate now to Crosby-esque drive and desire?

“Well, you would certainly hope so. The city and the team have put their faith in Auston right now,” said Tim.

“And don’t forget the market.”

Good point there. Toronto, like Montreal, is a media madhouse. Nick Suzuki’s been managing the clamoring and badgering quite well since taking over from Shea Weber with the Habs in September 2022.

Matthews has already shown a propensity for handling the chaos as an assistant captain in the centre of the hockey universe.

Now with the heat fully cranked up, Auston Matthews sits on the front burner in, yet another season where very much sits squarely on the line in Leaf land.

thegrossgame@yahoo.com

Photo: Courtesy the Toronto Sun