No Captain, My Captain

Todd McLellan and the Edmonton Oilers decided to make a change with the captaincy of the team for the upcoming season. We as fans knew that this was likely to be coming down the Oilers pipeline but the reactions to todays news were mixed from what I’ve read on social media. I’m going to give my opinion of the changes, and while I do that I want to add a caveat.

I don’t know any of the players personally, I’m obviously not around the team, haven’t been in the room and my opinions come from what I see on the TV, Live at games and from the interviews done by the media. Take my opinion for what it is worth, because it is just that, and opinion.

So Ference was the captain of the team and reports are that he approached the coaching staff about giving up the “C” this season. Apparently he could see the writing on the wall, his playing time was going to be reduced to the point that he’ll probably finding himself watching some games with a bag of popcorn in the press box. So McLellan and Ference made a decision, is it the right one? I think there are good things and bad with the new move.

McLellan announced that the Oilers are going to go with four assistant or associate captains this year; Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Andrew Ference. I like the idea of maintaining Ference with a letter, and I really like the idea of Nuge having one too. Jordan Eberle, hard to argue that choice to. But I’m not sold on Hall being a leader on this team, don’t worry I know it’s not a popular opinion and I’ll tell you why.

Taylor Hall is one of the best players on the Oilers, if not the best right now. He plays hard most nights and can make magic happen when he has the puck on his stick. However, it’s the little things we see from Taylor that make me wonder if he’s really a leader on the team. Maybe saying he’s not a leader might not be right, but when the ref make a call Hall doesn’t like and he starts swearing at the ref, or how about when he doesn’t make a play or a player doesn’t get the puck to his tape and he starts hitting the ice or board with his stick. Then there’s the famous throwing the water bottle on the bench. Those are not qualities I’d want in a captain on my team.

To play devils advocate though, I think Hall put’s a tonne of pressure on himself, I said above he does play hard, maybe the outbursts we see are because he’s just upset at himself for not getting it done out there. We know that McLellan won’t put up with much of that this season, Hall has already found himself on the bench for an extended period of time after a bad penalty in a pre-season game. Maybe there are things we, as the viewing public, don’t see Hall do that exemplify great leadership qualities. Maybe this is a good move, and I’m just reading to much into it. Maybe.

WWID

Here’s what I would have done if it was up to me. I would have said the Andrew Ference will have and A in every game he plays this year, and the other three A’s would be rotated among the players through out the year. They have some leaders in the room.

Matt Hendricks (Who will wear the A in Eberle’s absence) has worn it in the past. Anton Lander has been a leader on every team he’s played on, most recently wearing the C with the OKC Barons, he was also captain of team Sweden in the World Junior hockey championships. Klefbom signed a long term deal, what’s to say he won’t become a leader on the team. And then there is Connor McDavid.

McDavid is destined to be the captain of this team, IMO that’s going to happen next year. But if the letters were to be rotated this season, young Connor could have a stint with it.

I guess what I’m saying is; why do you have to set your season on these four specific players? Why not give others a chance. I’m sure the players don’t think this is as big of a deal as we the fans do. But hey it’s news, and we all have our opinions, for what that’s worth. Feel Free to comment below and let me know what you think of the moves.

Only a few hours to the start of the season!!!!!

Thanks for Reading.