Toronto Maple Leafs Unconventional Vacant Captaincy Works Well
The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the six NHL teams without a captain. And it makes all the sense in the world for them.
There is perhaps no more revered role in all of hockey than the role of captain. Most of its importance comes in its prestige. On the ice, the only meaningful thing a captain can do that others players can’t is talk to the referees about rule interpretations. All but six NHL teams have a captain. Of the 16 teams to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs last year, only the Toronto Maple Leafs did so without one.
While the Nashville Predators currently don’t have a captain, their Stanley Cup Finals appearance was with now retired center Mike Fisher wearing the “C”. The last team to win a Stanley Cup without a captain is the Boston Bruins, who did so twice in the 1970’s. Toronto hasn’t had one since trading then “C” wearer Dion Phaneuf to the Ottawa Senators in February of 2016.
Usually, not having a captain hasn’t worked out well for NHL teams. However, the Maple Leafs are a special case. They had the seventh youngest roster in the league last season. Their best players were young. Since most captains are veterans, it made zero sense to have a captain last season. The leadership by committee approach works well for them.
Why It Works
Many people value the “C”. It means a lot to be the captain of a hockey team. But most of its value is a bit overrated. You don’t need to wear a letter to be a leader. The addition of the first or third letter of the alphabet doesn’t magically increase your leadership. Aside from speaking to the refs about rules, the “C” could be done away with and there would probably be no tangible effect.
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The Leafs have a perfect blend of young players and mentors. Right now, they don’t need anyone to be their captain because they have a variety of them. Center Nazem Kadri is an underrated voice on their team. He has become one of their most reliable players under head coach Mike Babcock. Defenseman Morgan Rielly is a natural with the media, which might make him a future captain. And of course, Auston Matthews is already their best player, so he’s a strong candidate as well.
Luckily, the Leafs’ leaders don’t need a letter to lead. They don’t rely on any one person to carry their team, which is a good thing for them as a team. On any given night, any of their top three forward lines are capable of taking over. If one falters, more often than not, the other two pick up the slack.
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Eventually, Toronto will likely choose a captain. If nothing else, for the sake of tradition, which holds a lot of value with the Maple Leafs. But seeing as how well it’s working for them without one, they shouldn’t be in a rush. As a wise man once said, “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it”.