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Captain (ice hockey)

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Jarome Iginla wears the "C" on his jersey as captain of the Calgary Flames.

In ice hockey, each team has a designated captain, who wears a "C" on his or her jersey.

Responsibilities and importance

According to International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and National Hockey League (NHL) rules, the only player allowed to speak with referees about rule interpretations is the captain, or, if the captain is not on the ice, an alternate captain.[1][2] Goaltenders may not be designated as captains or alternate captains because of the logistical challenges of having the goaltender relay rules discussions between referees and coaches and then return to the crease. The last NHL goaltender who served as team captain prior to this rule coming into effect was Bill Durnan of the Montreal Canadiens in the 1947–48 NHL season.

Although the rules do not specify any other distinction between the captain and his teammates, in North American professional hockey the captain has numerous responsibilities to the team. The captain is expected to be a locker room leader and is often considered the primary representative of the team to the public. The captain also represents the players' concerns to management and sometimes is responsible for organizing the team's social functions.[citation needed]

Captains are selected by team management; some teams hold a vote among the players to choose the team's captain. Captains are usually veteran players, though on occasion younger players are chosen. The selection is often seen as an important moment for a team, and one that can affect the team's (and newly appointed captain's) performance.

NHL teams need not designate the same player as captain from game to game, though most teams do. Some teams name two (such as the Buffalo Sabres during the 2005–06 and 2006–07 NHL seasons) or three (such as the Vancouver Canucks during the 1990–91 NHL season) captains for a season. Some teams rotate captains rather than keep one for an extended period of time (the Minnesota Wild have never had a permanent captain, instead choosing to rotate captains every one or two months). During each NHL game, however, only one player can officially be designated as captain.[2]

Traditionally, at the end of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the NHL commissioner presents the Stanley Cup to the winning team's captain.

Alternate captains

Luc Robitaille, 2005: the "A" is commonly on the left side of the jersey

Teams may designate alternate captains, who are sometimes referred to erroneously as "assistant captains". Alternate captains wear the letter A on their jerseys in the same manner that team captains wear the C. In the NHL, teams may appoint two alternate captains if they have a captain, or they may appoint three alternate captains and no captain.[3] In the CHL, teams are allowed to have a captain with up to three alternate captains. International rules stipulate that "each team shall appoint a Captain and no more than two Alternate Captains."[1] When the captain is off the ice, any alternate captain on the ice is responsible for fulfilling the captain's official role as liaison to the referees.

Teams need not appoint the same players as alternate captains from game to game, though they generally do. NHL alternate captains perform many of the same leadership and team building roles as the captain.

Records

Steve Yzerman served as the captain of the Detroit Red Wings for twenty seasons (1986–87 season to 2005–06 season), the longest term in the history of the NHL.[4] Charlie Gardiner was the first captain born in Europe to lead his team to a Stanley Cup title (1934), Lars-Erik Sjoberg was the first NHL captain born and trained in Europe, while Nicklas Lidstrom was the first captain born and trained in Europe to lead his team to a Stanley Cup title (2008).

Brian Bellows was the youngest captain in NHL history, serving as the interim captain of the Minnesota North Stars from January 1984 until May 1984. The youngest permanent NHL captain is Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who became captain on May 31, 2007.[5]

Youngest NHL captains
Name Team Birth date Captaincy
announced 		Age at
announcement 		First game
as captain 		Age at
first game 		Type
Brian Bellows Minnesota North Stars September 1, 1964 January 10, 1984† 19 years, 131 days Interim
Sidney Crosby Pittsburgh Penguins August 7, 1987 May 31, 2007[citation needed] 19 years, 297 days October 5, 2007[citation needed] 20 years, 59 days Permanent
Vincent Lecavalier Tampa Bay Lightning April 21, 1980 March 1, 2000[citation needed] 19 years, 315 days March 1, 2000[citation needed] 19 years, 315 days Permanent
Jonathan Toews Chicago Blackhawks April 29, 1988 July 18, 2008[citation needed] 20 years, 80 days October 10, 2008‡ 20 years, 164 days Permanent
Steve Yzerman Detroit Red Wings May 9, 1965 October 7, 1986[6] 21 years, 151 days October 9, 1986[7] 21 years, 153 days Permanent

Table Notes:

† An exact date for Brian Bellows' captaincy has not yet been determined. The previous captain, Craig Hartsburg, was injured on January 10 1984, and Bellows became interim captain shortly thereafter in January 1984.[8]

‡ The Chicago Blackhawks' 2008-2009 first regular season game is scheduled for October 10 2008[9] and is the earliest possible date for Toews' first game as captain.

Designation on uniform

The letter "C" or "A" is sewn on the jersey of the team captain and alternate captains. The designation is traditionally placed on the left side of the jersey. The Detroit Red Wings are the only team in the NHL where the designation is placed on the right side, due to the positioning of the Red Wings crest with the Rbk EDGE jersey design, which leaves insufficient space on the left for the letter.

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b International Ice Hockey Federation. "IIHF Official Rules" (PDF). International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 2007-10-20.
  2. ^ a b National Hockey League (2007). "National Hockey League Official Rules" (PDF). Triumph Books. Retrieved 2007-10-20.
  3. ^ "Rule 14 Captain of Team". Retrieved 2007-09-15.
  4. ^ "Steve Yzerman". NHL.com. Retrieved 2007-09-16.
  5. ^ Molinari, Dave (2007-05-31). "Crosby to be youngest team captain in NHL". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Retrieved 2007-09-15.
  6. ^ Detroit Free Press (2006). "Captain, My Captain". The Captain. Detroit Free Press. pp. pp. 25. ISBN 978-1572439351. Red Wings coach Jacques Demers named Steve Yzerman team captain on October 7, 1986. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  7. ^ 1986-87 Detroit Red Wings season showing their first game played on October 9 1986 at the Quebec Nordiques and Steve Yzerman's career stats showing he played in all 80 games that season.
  8. ^ "Brian Bellows, 1982 NHL DRAFT PICK". Retrieved 2008-07-18. Became youngest team captain in Minnesota history as a 19-year-old when he filled in for injured Craig Hartsburg after Hartsburg was injured on Jan. 10, 1984. Bellows continued to wear the "C" through the end of 1983-84 season.
  9. ^ Chicago Blackhawks - Schedule
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