Max Pacioretty: The Right Choice to Captain the Canadiens

A few weeks ago, the Montreal Canadiens named Max Pacioretty their new team captain. Pacioretty is the 29th captain, and the third American born captain in Canadiens history.

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Some questioned the management’s decision to allow the players to vote for their captain, while others saw it as a good way to get an accurate feel of who the real leaders in the locker room are. This article will look in to the decision that was made to name Pacioretty captain, and will evaluate whether or not this decision was the right one.

Some captains are more vocal, while others stay quiet, but lead by example on and off the ice. Though there are different types of leaders, one thing is absolutely necessary for any team captain: consistency.

It is far too early to determine what kind of leader Max Pacioretty will be, though he does meet the most important criteria. Pacioretty leads by example with his exemplary work ethic on and off the ice, and he is consistent.

In addition, Max Pacioretty is more than just a one dimensional player. In 2014-15, Pacioretty scored 37 goals, almost matching his 39 from 2013-14. While being the most productive offensive threat on the Canadiens, Pacioretty also excelled in his defensive play.

Oct 7, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty (67) celebrates his goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the first period at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, he was tied for first place in the NHL’s plus/minus category with a staggering +38 differential. The only other player to match Pacioretty’s +38, was Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov.

Throughout his career, Pacioretty has proven that he can be a consistent offensive threat, while staying responsible defensively at the same time. In Max Pacioretty’s case, his coaches and teammates can count on him to provide a consistent, responsible performance game-in and game-out. He has earned the trust of his teammates and coaching staff, which is probably the main reason that he was voted in as captain.

Pacioretty, 26, doesn’t have too much experience as a leader at the NHL level. He served as one of the four alternate captains last season, alongside Andrei Markov, Tomas Plekanec and P.K. Subban, though this was his first year with a letter on his jersey.

Throwing Pacioretty in to this important role alone would be irresponsible of the Montreal Canadiens’ management, but luckily for Pacioretty, he has four alternate captains, two of which, Andrei Markov and Tomas Plekanec, provide a veteran perspective and a calming influence, while the other two, P.K. Subban and Brendan Gallagher, are both great with the media and in the locker room. Pacioretty has great insulation in these alternates, and this insulation is sure to make his experience as a young captain a lot easier that it would otherwise be.

Some may wonder why Pacioretty’s alternates weren’t chosen as team captain, and the answer to that is simple. Andrei Markov could have been named captain after the departure of long-serving captain, Saku Koivu, however, Markov didn’t seem to be too interested in the extra media coverage and responsibility. Markov is also 36 now, and is inching near the end of a successful career. At this point, the Canadiens were looking for a long term captain, so Markov wasn’t the answer.

Oct 1, 2015; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Andrei Markov (79) looks to make a pass during the second period against the Ottawa Senators at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

The next option was Tomas Plekanec. Plekanec is considered one of the more underrated two-way players in the league today, who, like Markov, has been a Hab for his whole career thus far. However, with one year remaining on his contract, and with an already crowded centre position getting more crowded with prospects like Mike McCaron, Jacob De La Rose and Charles Hudon developing in St. John’s, Plekanec’s future with the organization is uncertain at best.

In fact, Plekanec was subject to many trade rumours at last seasons Trade Deadline and in the off-season. P.K. Subban provides a much less obvious answer. Many see P.K. as a lightning rod for the media, while others believe that he is not respected well enough around the league. One thing is certain, P.K. is one of the premier defensemen in the NHL, but whether or not he is the premier candidate for captain remains uncertain.

This one is left up to personal opinion. I will, however, speculate to say that the margin of votes between Pacioretty and Subban was probably pretty slim. Finally, there is Brendan Gallagher. Gallagher’s main deterring factor is his age. At 23, many see him as too young to captain a team like the Canadiens, especially in this high pressure market. It is very possible that Gallagher will captain the Canadiens one day, however, that day won’t be today. This leaves one man standing. Pacioretty seems to have a good relationship with the media, is well respected around the league, is beloved by fans and, as mentioned earlier, has all of the criteria that are necessary to be a captain.

After evaluating the decision making process that the Canadiens took in naming their 29th captain, it is clear that the right decision was made. Pacioretty got the votes from his teammates because he earned their respect by being a consistent offensive and defensive contributor, while demonstrating a great work ethic. Though he doesn’t have much experience as a leader, he is insulated very well with alternates who were also all good candidates to take the ‘C’. Max Pacioretty was the right decision as the Montreal Canadiens’ 29th captain.

I’ll end off by speculating a little further: If the Canadiens’ coaching staff and management were to have made the decision for the team, rather than allowing the players to vote, I would guess Max Pacioretty would emerge wearing the ‘C’ on his sweater. Only time will tell if Pacioretty is in fact a good captain, though at this time, it is clear that he was the right decision.

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