Detroit Red Wings: Who Will be the Next Captain?

With rumors circulating of Henrik Zetterberg‘s retirement following the 2018-19 season, it leaves many Red Wings fans speculating who they feel will fill the captaincy

By no means are the Detroit Red Wings scrambling to find a captain at the moment, but they are preparing for the future. With plenty of young talent and seasoned veterans in the Red Wings organization, they have plenty of candidates to fill the captaincy role.

Of all the candidates there are three main players that will be best suited to take the lead of the locker room when Henrik Zetterberg departs. Justin Abdelkader is the most likely candidate to be the next captain for the Red Wings.

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Abdelkader has been with the Red Wings since the 2007-08 season and is a native to the state of Michigan. After attending Michigan State University, he was taken 42nd overall in the 2005 NHL Draft by the Red Wings.

At 31 years of age, Abdelkader has already grasped the Stanley Cup, served as an alternate captain, and played in over 600 games in the NHL. The good part about his age is that he is about the median age of the team, therefore he can relate to both the younger and older players. By naming Abdelkader captain, they are guaranteed long-term leadership because he is not a free agent until the end of the 2022-23 season.

Another likely candidate to be the captain of the Red Wings is Anthony Mantha. Mantha is a former 1st round pick for the Wings in 2013 and has been their knight in shining armor ever since. He debuted with the Wings in the 2015-16 season and since then has played 150 games with Detroit.

At only 23 years of age, Mantha is going to be a long-term player with the Wings. For a rebuilding organization, having a young, franchise player leading the team would be great in regards to long term leadership.

At 6’5” and 225 pounds, Mantha is suited for any style of game, whether that be offensive or physical. Because he’s a player that is young and well equipped for every facet of the game, that makes him a prime candidate to serve as captain of the Detroit Red Wings.

The final candidate that could serve as captain is Dylan Larkin. Larkin has been a phenom for the Red Wings ever since his rookie season (2015-16). Since entering the league, he has played 242 games and has been to an NHL All-Stars Skills Competition. At 21 years of age, Larkin only shows signs of improvement.

He knows what it means to be a Detroiter because he himself is from the Detroit area. Much like Abdelkader who went to college at Michigan State, Larkin went to college at the University of Michigan. His success at the University of Michigan landed him getting drafted 15th overall by the Wings in the 2014 NHL Draft.

Since his rookie season, Larkin has been a consistent player averaging 47 points per season. The level of consistency that Dylan provides is crucial when looking for a leader. When a player has consistent success, it makes the players around him better because when they play, they must be at the same level.

On the surface, Larkin may seem too young to lead an Original Six team, but in reality, he is prepared for the responsibility. Ever since being taken in the 1st round by the Wings, Larkin has had to learn how to mature and handle pressure. So far, Dylan has managed to keep both in perfect harmony, which in return has helped the team.

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The upcoming 2018-19 season will be one of great interest to many because not only will it showcase some of the Red Wings young players, but it will also show who is fit to be the best captain. There is no questioning that the Red Wings are in a rebuilding stage, that it is why it is so important to make the right moves now so in the future the Wings are not scrambling to find pieces to fit. Choosing a captain is crucial to team success and chemistry that is why the Red Wings must assess all of their players to truly identify the right person for the job.

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