List of current NHL captains and alternate captains
The National Hockey League (NHL) is a professional ice hockey league with 32 teams founded in 1917. Each team can select a captain, who has the "sole privilege of discussing with the Referee any questions relating to interpretation of rules which may arise during the progress of a game".[1][2] Each team is also allowed to pick alternate captains, who work when the captain is not on the ice.[1] Captains have to wear the letter "C" on their uniform to show who they are; alternate captains wear the letter "A". Both letters are 3 inches (7.6 cm) in height.[1]
Some teams in the NHL do not have a captain. Rule 6.2 of the 2008–09 Official NHL Rulebook says that "[only] when the Captain is not in uniform, the Coach shall have the right to designate three Alternate Captains. This must be done prior to the start of the game."[1] Many NHL teams with a captain select more than two alternate captains and change who wears the "A" for different games during the season.[3]
Goaltenders are not allowed to be captains during games.[1] This rule was made in 1948 after teams did not like that it took Montreal Canadiens goaltender Bill Durnan too long to skate to talk with the officials and back to his crease.[4] However, Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo was the team's captain, but because of the NHL rule against goaltender captains, the league did not allow Luongo to act as captain on-ice.[5] Because of this, the Canucks were allowed to have three alternate captains in games, instead of two that most teams have.[5] Two (of the three) alternate captains took care of Luongo's on-ice work: Willie Mitchell (then alternate captain) talked to the officials.[5] Luongo was not allowed to wear the "C" on his jersey, but it was part of the artwork on the front of his mask.[4] Other than Durnan and Luongo, five other goaltenders have been captain o their team: John Ross Roach of the Toronto St. Patricks, George Hainsworth of the Montreal Canadiens, Roy Worters of the New York Americans, Alex Connell of the Ottawa Senators, and Charlie Gardiner of the Chicago Black Hawks.[6]
When Connor McDavid was named captain of the Edmonton Oilers, he became the youngest permanent captain in NHL history. Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche and Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, are the second- and third-youngest players to be named captain in NHL history, respectively. In 1984, Brian Bellows was named interim captain of the Minnesota North Stars when Craig Hartsburg was injured, and is the youngest player to captain a team in NHL history. However, because Bellows served only on an interim basis, McDavid retains the distinction of being the youngest permanent captain in the League's history. Mark Messier is the only player to captain two separate teams to Stanley Cup championships, those being the 1990Edmonton Oilers and the 1994 New York Rangers. Sidney Crosby also became the youngest captain to win the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009. The oldest permanent captain in league history was Mark Messier of the New York Rangers, who turned 43 years old, during his last NHL season, 2003–04. The longest tenure in league history was Steve Yzerman of the Detroit Red Wings, who served as captain of the Red Wings for (nineteen seasons) twenty years.
Key
Spent entire NHL career with team
| Abbreviation | Definition |
|---|---|
| C | Centre |
| LW | Left wing |
| RW | Right Wing |
| D | Defenceman |
Captains
Twenty-six of the thirty-one NHL teams currently have a captain. The five teams without a captain are the Detroit Red Wings, New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, and the Vegas Golden Knights. Of the twenty-six captains, twenty of them have been with their team for their entire career. The current longest-tenured captain in the League is Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who has served in the role since May 31, 2007.
Alternate captains
Thirty of the thirty-one NHL teams have named at least the regulation two alternate captains. The one team having less than the regulation two named alternate captains is the Buffalo Sabres. Of the eighty alternate captains, forty-nine of them have been with their team for entire career. Teams that have named more than the regulation two alternate captains, excluding those without a captain, are required to rotate the two "A"s between those players by methods of their choosing. The current longest-tenured alternate captain in the League is Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who has served in the role since October 3, 2008.
List Of Current NHL Captains And Alternate Captains Media
Sidney Crosby, the longest tenured captain in the NHL, and captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins since 2007. The captain can be identified by the large "C" on his jersey.
Alexander Ovechkin, captain of the Washington Capitals since 2010
Gabriel Landeskog, captain of the Colorado Avalanche since 2012
Jamie Benn, captain of the Dallas Stars since 2013
Steven Stamkos, captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning since 2013
Evgeni Malkin, the longest tenured alternate captain in the NHL, and alternate captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins since 2008
Brendan Gallagher, alternate captain of the Montreal Canadiens since 2015
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, alternate captain of the Edmonton Oilers since 2015
Notes
- a Player is currently on the injured reserve list
- b Player is injured and expected to miss the remainder of the season.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Rule 6 - Captain and Alternate Captains". National Hockey League. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
- ↑ Rossi, Rob (2008-10-02). The A-B-Cs of the 'C' and 'A'. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/archive/s_591131.html. Retrieved 2008-10-04.[dead link]
- ↑ Kings' Brown, Sabres' Rivet named captains. Canwest News Service. 2008-10-08. http://www.faceoff.com/story.html?id=bc842c71-fd42-480b-84c2-32c3bb246d2a. Retrieved 2009-02-20.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Luongo sports captain's 'C' on goalie mask. CBC Sports. 2008-10-05. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2008/10/05/luongo-mask.html. Retrieved 2009-02-14.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Canucks name goaltender Luongo as team captain. The Sports Network. 2008-09-30. https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=251272. Retrieved 2009-02-20.
- ↑ Joe Pelletier (2008-09-30). "Captain Puckstopper". Joe Pelletier. Retrieved 2009-02-14.
- ↑ "Ducks Name Getzlaf Team Captain". National Hockey League. Retrieved December 31, 2013.
- ↑ "Ekman-Larsson named Coyotes Captain". National Hockey League. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ↑ "Bruins Name Patrice Bergeron 20th Captain In Team History". National Hockey League.
- ↑ "Eichel named Sabres Captain". National Hockey League. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ↑ "Flames name Giordano captain". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on December 31, 2013. Retrieved December 31, 2013.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Canes PR (September 29, 2019). "Canes Name Jordan Staal as Team Captain". National Hockey League. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
- ↑ "Toews Named 34th Captain In Team History". National Hockey League. Retrieved December 31, 2013.
- ↑ "Landeskog Named Avalanche Captain". National Hockey League. Retrieved December 31, 2013.
- ↑ "Earned, not given: Foligno's rise makes him 'obvious choice' for captain". National Hockey League. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ↑ "Jamie Benn Appointed Captain of the Dallas Stars". National Hockey League. Retrieved December 31, 2013.
- ↑ "Red Wings name Dylan Larkin captain". National Hockey League. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
- ↑ "Aleksander Barkov Named Captain of the Florida Panthers". National Hockey League. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ↑ "Kings name Kopitar team captain". TSN. 16 June 2016. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
- ↑ "Spurgeon named captain of Wild, replaces Koivu". National Hockey League. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Shea Weber becomes the 30th captain in Canadiens history". National Hockey League. Retrieved 2018-10-01.
- ↑ "Roman Josi Named Captain of the Nashville Predators". National Hockey League. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ↑ "Lee named captain of Islanders". National Hockey League. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ↑ "Claude Giroux named Captain of the Flyers". National Hockey League. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Penguins Name Crosby As Captain". National Hockey League. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
- ↑ "Couture named captain of Sharks, replaces Pavelski". National Hockey League. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ↑ "O'Reilly named captain of Blues". National Hockey League. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ↑ "Lightning Name Steven Stamkos the 10th Captain in Franchise History". National Hockey League. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
- ↑ "Tavares named captain of Maple Leafs, first in three seasons". National Hockey League. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ↑ "Bo Horvat Named 14th Captain of the Canucks". National Hockey League. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ↑ "Mark Stone Gets the C". National Hockey League. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
- ↑ "Capitals Name Alex Ovechkin Team Captain". National Hockey League. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
- ↑ "Blake Wheeler named captain". National Hockey League. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ↑ Coyotes Announce Leadership Group for 2017-18 Season. AZ Central. 4 October 2017. https://www.nhl.com/coyotes/news/coyotes-announce-leadership-group-for-2017-18-season/c-291565576. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
- ↑ "David Krejci Named Bruins' Third Alternate Captain, Taking Andrew Ference's Spot". WBZ-TV. October 1, 2013. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
- ↑ Kempenaar, Adam (October 8, 2008). "Keith, Sharp Earn A's". National Hockey League. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 https://www.facebook.com/bluejacketsnhl/photos/a.131741573917/10156129252318918/?type=3&theater
- ↑ "'All heart': Letter won't change how Comeau plays, leads".
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 "Edmonton Oilers name Leon Draisaitl and Darnell Nurse as alternate captains". Oilers Nation. October 2019. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
- ↑ "BLOG: A is for Adam". Edmonton Oilers. 4 October 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
- ↑ "Oilers name alternate captains for 2015-16 season". Edmonton Oilers. 7 October 2015. Retrieved 7 October 2015.[dead link]
- ↑ 42.0 42.1 Halford, Mike (July 9, 2012). "Minnesota introduces Parise and Suter — its new alternate captains". NBC Sports. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- ↑ "Brian Gionta becomes the 28th captain in Canadiens history". National Hockey League. September 29, 2010. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- ↑ "Islanders Alternate Captains Ladd, Hamonic, Clutterbuck". 12 October 2016.
- ↑ Hall, Jordan (October 3, 2019). "2019-20 Flyers season brings a new alternate captain as Kevin Hayes joins Sean Couturier, Jakub Voracek". Retrieved October 3, 2019.
- ↑ Hall, Jordan (January 12, 2021). "Flyers Set 2021 Opening Night Roster and Captains". Retrieved January 12, 2021.
- ↑ Driver, Steph (February 28, 2018). "Jake Voracek is announced as Flyers alternate captain". Archived from the original on July 7, 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
- ↑ Rossi, Rob (October 3, 2008). "Orpik, Malkin named Penguins' alternate captains". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
- ↑ Capitals name defenseman John Carlson an alternate captain. October 1, 2019. https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/10/01/capitals-name-defenseman-john-carlson-an-alternate-captain/. Retrieved October 4, 2019.