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The Next Captain


Commandant

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I've been back and forth on who I would like to see as Captain a few times now....
I really think the some of the younger guys may be great Captains in the future, but for now Markov is the obvious choice. I mean on the ice he is the Captain, and I think he may even want to take it now.

If the reporters need a presser darling, and an interview in French, get DD to translate what Markov says... :nuts:

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You've just signed one of the best players in the NHL to a long-term deal. Make him the captain and build the team around his firewagon-style hockey. Subban for C.

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Andrei Kostitsyn should have been Ryan Getzlaf. Or Jeff Carter. Or at least Dustin Brown.

Plekanec was a great pick in the third round. Flyers got luckier later with Patrick Sharp but you can't complain having Pleks. We almost had a busting Jozef Balej instead. Glen Sather had a choice between Balej and Plekanec when we traded for Kovalev and he picked Balej.

Well, that's all true, but I meant more that a certain segment of the fan-base just doesn't like Pleks, even though he has been THE absolute glue guy at FW for this team for a number of years. And the dislike seems vaguely reminiscent of the resentment that haunted Koivu: in both cases, the complaint is not quite that the player is a bad player, and more that the player is taking too big a role. With Koivu, it was "he should be a #2 C, not a #1 C." With Pleks, it's "he should be a #3 C, not a #2 C." Indeed, some fans went from the argument that "Koivu is not a #1C" to the argument that he was not, therefore, a good captain; and they're making exactly the same kind of move with Plekanec. As if these are valid complaints about players who, whatever their limitations, give their all every night and are huge assets for the team.

KoRP, my favourite off-the-wall choice for captain is Desharnais :nuts: Imagine the bedlam that would ensue!!

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I've been one of Pleks biggest supporters over the years - even during the "playing like girl" period. I also think he is a solid #2 centre. But that's part of the problem, I think we have too many players that are at the same slot on the depth chart and that's preventing us from giving a real opportunity to the only player who has potential to be a bona fide # 1 centre. It's is. Great situation to be in to have a true number 1, and two solid # 2's. We have pleks, DD and Eller and I think one of these two can help solidify the wing. The player with the mist value is pleks. The player who is also heading into his declining years is also pleks and the player with the highest cap hit is pleks. DD us joined at the hip with Maxpac. Eller has already shown good chemistry with Galchenyuk and has more creativity to complement Galchenyuk than pleks does. I think pleks value will never be higher and despite how good of a player he is, I think you have to be a bit ruthless to improve the team. I really believe Eller can fill pleks defensive role AND contribute more offensive.

I also don't think that just because someone is a good or hard working player doesn't necessarily mean he should be captain. Lafleur, Shutt, lapointe would never have been considered as captains, despite how good they were.

Even if Pleks is retained long term, I also don't that pleks holds much credibility with the refs. Some of his dives were downright embarrassing. Is that the guy we want arguing a call?

Well, that's all true, but I meant more that a certain segment of the fan-base just doesn't like Pleks, even though he has been THE absolute glue guy at FW for this team for a number of years. And the dislike seems vaguely reminiscent of the resentment that haunted Koivu: in both cases, the complaint is not quite that the player is a bad player, and more that the player is taking too big a role. With Koivu, it was "he should be a #2 C, not a #1 C." With Pleks, it's "he should be a #3 C, not a #2 C." Indeed, some fans went from the argument that "Koivu is not a #1C" to the argument that he was not, therefore, a good captain; and they're making exactly the same kind of move with Plekanec. As if these are valid complaints about players who, whatever their limitations, give their all every night and are huge assets for the team.

KoRP, my favourite off-the-wall choice for captain is Desharnais :nuts: Imagine the bedlam that would ensue!!

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I've been one of Pleks biggest supporters over the years - even during the "playing like girl" period. I also think he is a solid #2 centre. But that's part of the problem, I think we have too many players that are at the same slot on the depth chart and that's preventing us from giving a real opportunity to the only player who has potential to be a bona fide # 1 centre. It's is. Great situation to be in to have a true number 1, and two solid # 2's. We have pleks, DD and Eller and I think one of these two can help solidify the wing. The player with the mist value is pleks. The player who is also heading into his declining years is also pleks and the player with the highest cap hit is pleks. DD us joined at the hip with Maxpac. Eller has already shown good chemistry with Galchenyuk and has more creativity to complement Galchenyuk than pleks does. I think pleks value will never be higher and despite how good of a player he is, I think you have to be a bit ruthless to improve the team. I really believe Eller can fill pleks defensive role AND contribute more offensive.

I also don't think that just because someone is a good or hard working player doesn't necessarily mean he should be captain. Lafleur, Shutt, lapointe would never have been considered as captains, despite how good they were.

Even if Pleks is retained long term, I also don't that pleks holds much credibility with the refs. Some of his dives were downright embarrassing. Is that the guy we want arguing a call?

That seems fair. I guess it depends on what you think a captain's role is. Keeping in mind that there are many different styles of leadership, I tend to focus mainly on the degree to which a player seems to be a leader within the team (rather than with the refs) - is this a guy other players can respect and look up to, who sets a strong example of how to excel, etc.? My impression is that Pleks is a players' player, a guy who delivers in all sorts of ways every night, night after night; a player that coaches can point to and say, "be like that guy," akin to Gio in his prime in that respect. That the player be seasoned and experienced is also important, especially in Montreal, where there are so many traps and so many crazy highs and lows. For these reasons, my first choice would be Markov (unquestionably held in awe by everyone on the team) and secondarily Pleks. (You know who else would be a great choice based on these criteria? Price. But the disastrous Luongo experiment rules that out).

I just don't know how important having credibility with the refs is. "Arguing a call" - great, but when was the last time the refs changed their minds because a respected captain contested their decision? Carbo was a notoriously dirty irritant of a player, yet nobody ever said he was a bad captain. If, however, we think Pleks is on the way out, then obviously he shouldn't be made captain; but that's a slightly different issue from his intrinsic merits or demerits as captain material.

What I definitely don't think the Habs should do is slap the "C" on a young star like PK or Patches. Those guys have enough pressure on them as it is, and don't need extra distractions. The "C" in Montreal should go to someone who isn't still in the "learning" phase of their career but someone who has seen everything Montreal can throw at you and has handled it with aplomb.

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Before the Bruins won the Cup, some of the guys on 98.5 the Sportshub wanted Chara stripped of the captaincy if they lost game 7 vs MTL in 2011.

Before that year he was 0-5 in Game 7s, and the year before they had arguably the biggest choke ever versus Philadelphia. Just goes to show you how much a little success can change things.

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That seems fair. I guess it depends on what you think a captain's role is. Keeping in mind that there are many different styles of leadership, I tend to focus mainly on the degree to which a player seems to be a leader within the team (rather than with the refs) - is this a guy other players can respect and look up to, who sets a strong example of how to excel, etc.? My impression is that Pleks is a players' player, a guy who delivers in all sorts of ways every night, night after night; a player that coaches can point to and say, "be like that guy," akin to Gio in his prime in that respect. That the player be seasoned and experienced is also important, especially in Montreal, where there are so many traps and so many crazy highs and lows. For these reasons, my first choice would be Markov (unquestionably held in awe by everyone on the team) and secondarily Pleks. (You know who else would be a great choice based on these criteria? Price. But the disastrous Luongo experiment rules that out).

I just don't know how important having credibility with the refs is. "Arguing a call" - great, but when was the last time the refs changed their minds because a respected captain contested their decision? Carbo was a notoriously dirty irritant of a player, yet nobody ever said he was a bad captain. If, however, we think Pleks is on the way out, then obviously he shouldn't be made captain; but that's a slightly different issue from his intrinsic merits or demerits as captain material.

What I definitely don't think the Habs should do is slap the "C" on a young star like PK or Patches. Those guys have enough pressure on them as it is, and don't need extra distractions. The "C" in Montreal should go to someone who isn't still in the "learning" phase of their career but someone who has seen everything Montreal can throw at you and has handled it with aplomb.

Very good post and exactly why Markov is the only choice for captain

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With Gionta gone, and the favorite to replace him, Josh Gorges, also going to Buffalo.

Who is the Canadiens next captain?

A look at some candidates.

http://lastwordonsports.com/2014/07/02/montreal-canadiens-next-captain/

Good article Commandant.

Gotta be Pleks.

Very good post and exactly why Markov is the only choice for captain

Apparently he gets offered the role and refuses it. So he probably will get the offer again and refuse it.

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huh?

The article on the first post stated that Markov has been offered the captaincy before but has always declined it. He'd be my first choice as well, for no particular reasons other than stature and record, but next with me is the phenomenal hockey player named Pleks

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KoRP, my favourite off-the-wall choice for captain is Desharnais :nuts: Imagine the bedlam that would ensue!!

Haha, yep, there would be plenty for the Toronto media to talk about! DD wouldn't make a bad C imho... think of his story of how he made the NHL, and how he pulled out of that funk last year, and had a great season all told, and he really does lead by example and work ethic out the wazzooo :clap: and of course is fully bilingual :thumbs_up: check!

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I would be quite surprised if DD was named captain, but does have that language thing going for him and might not be worse choice, but real long shot I think

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I would be quite surprised if DD was named captain, but does have that language thing going for him and might not be worse choice, but real long shot I think

It wasn't a serious suggestion. He is simply too limited as player - I'm a fan, but there's no getting around the fact that he is a somewhat one-dimensional guy - and yet another smurf is probably not what we want as the face of the team. That said, I think DD could do rather well in the role if it were handed to him. He's a guy who can be counted upon to rise to challenges, as his entire career shows.

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I know it was bit tongue/cheek; but in hindsight, DD is signed for several more years and the language thing with Montreal media may be tempting PR bonus for Molson?

But, I imagine they will go with media darling Subban which is fine.

I think Markov/Plekanec should be Captain, but really not a big deal which guy it is.

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This is a rather sensitive thing.

You can't really do what San Jose just did, and strip captaincy from a player they intend to keep.

You either have to give the captaincy to someone you expect will still be here in several years, or someone you wouldn't mind losing if you want to change it. So a guy like Markov (if he'd accept it) is a great choice. He's only got 2-3 more years anyway, then you can see who among the formerly young team is most up to it.

Subban would be a great choice, except we're not sure if he's up to it, and it's not like you can take it away from him later and still expect him to be happy out there on the ice for the next few years. Same with Pacioretty.

Pick a veteran with a shelf life, and you can't really go wrong.

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Exactly why I go with Markov (if he accepts) or Plekanec.

Transition between now and the next leader.

All the other prospects are not obvious choices, so I'd be in favour of waiting another 2 years to see who really stands out in terms of leadership.

Pax and Subban come out strong as top candidates, obviously.

Talent wise, Galchenyuk looks a lot like the next Landeskog.

Heart wise, Gallagher.

If Tinordi was 2 years older and already part of the team's regulars, I would not write him off too soon. Always liked the fact that a captain is able to beat up someone to wake up the team (see Iginla in his prime).

But he's still not part of the official top 6 so I doubt he will ever be captain for the Habs, unless we trade or next captain or if he leaves via FA.

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Tinordi seems to be captain material, but he will need to prove he can consistantly play a regular shift first.

Gallagher is another, but still too young.

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Remember, the last captain who took us to the Cup was our 4th line center at the time.

Of course, saying he was a "Fourth line center" doesn't do Carbonneau justice. He was our defensive shutdown specialist and penalty killer. (The other three centers were Kirk Muller*, Stephane Lebeau and John LeClair.)

* - A lot of sites seem to list Muller as a left wing and Damphousse as the center, but I watched that season. Muller centered Damphousse and Bellows all season, he took the majority of the faceoffs.

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* - A lot of sites seem to list Muller as a left wing and Damphousse as the center, but I watched that season. Muller centered Damphousse and Bellows all season, he took the majority of the faceoffs.

Damphousse was definitely a left winger. He played left wing in Toronto and Edmonton as well. Didn't convert into a center until around the time Muller was traded. It's a big reason why I tell people to be more patient about Galchenyuk. Damphousse and Messier converted to center late.

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Yeah, and the clowns running the team felt they "had" to trade Pierre Turgeon because Damphousse and Koivu had surpassed him at C and he didn't want to be a bottom-6 centreman. We couldn't just swing Damphousse back to his natural position on the wing and solved the problem that way. Laws, no :crazy: The result was that when Koivu blew out his knee, we went from having unbelievable depth at C to having nothing except a converted winger. Those were the days. Not.

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