By Andrew Phillip Chernoff | CanucksBanter
July 30, 2023
Speculation is heating up in Canucks media circles as to who will be, should be, the next captain of the Vancouver Canucks.
Vancouver has been without a captain since January 30, 2023 when Captain Bo Horvat was traded to the New York Islanders by the Vancouver Canucks for forwards Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Räty, and a conditional first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
The Canucks then went with four assistant captains for the rest of the season.
CanucksArmy, in their roundtable article, on July 28, 2023, asked the question, including speculation on when it will happen.
Ben Kuzma wrote in a Province article on July 28, 2023 about why Quinn Hughes should eventually be captain of the Canucks.
The top two choices for captains according to Canucks media writers, podcasters, and influencers are Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson.
Pettersson has not signed an extension to continue as a Vancouver Canuck after this season, so I ask, is it premature to expect him to be named captain before he does?
Quinn Hughes is arguably a fine choice, as Ben Kuzma documented in his article, but is it better to give Hughes one more year since Pettersson isn’t signed long-term?
I am of the belief that the Canucks need to put answers to certain questions and put a NHL competitive opening day roster that can consistently play great than not.
I believe Vancouver should have 4-assistant captains on the opening day roster for the 2023-24 campaign.
As a fan, I want to continue to see Pettersson, Hughes, Thatcher Demko, J.T. Miller continue to demonstrate leadership off the ice and leadership through their play on the ice.
I don’t want petty, distracting issues affecting “TEAM” effort negatively.
Put all the damn energy and effort on the ice and leave it all on the ice. Game in and game out. If they can’t or won’t do it, put players in the lineup that will. Until Vancouver is playing consistently well and sufficient, leadership is not up to the level it should be.
And name a captain that will do it game in and game out, and off the ice as well aka the Sedins.
It’s about “WE”, “US”, not “I”, ME”.