In the world of the NHL, having a strong captain is essential for team leadership and morale. Currently, five NHL teams are without a captain, creating a unique situation in the league. These teams include the Boston Bruins, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, and Vancouver Canucks. Recently, the San Jose Sharks named Macklin Celebrini as their new captain on September 25, filling their vacancy. Meanwhile, Sidney Crosby continues to be the longest-serving active captain, leading the Pittsburgh Penguins since May 31, 2007.
Current Team Captains in the NHL
As of now, the NHL has a diverse group of players serving as captains for their respective teams. Here’s a look at the current captains:
- Anaheim Ducks — Mikael Granlund
- Buffalo Sabres — Rasmus Dahlin
- Calgary Flames — Mikael Backlund
- Carolina Hurricanes — Jordan Staal
- Chicago Blackhawks — Connor Bedard
- Colorado Avalanche — Gabriel Landeskog
- Dallas Stars — Jamie Benn
- Edmonton Oilers — Connor McDavid
- Florida Panthers — Aleksander Barkov
- Los Angeles Kings — Drew Doughty
- Minnesota Wild — Jared Spurgeon
- Montreal Canadiens — Nick Suzuki
- Nashville Predators — Roman Josi
- New Jersey Devils — Nico Hischier
- New York Islanders — Bo Horvat
- New York Rangers — J.T. Miller
- Philadelphia Flyers — Sean Couturier
- Pittsburgh Penguins — Sidney Crosby
- San Jose Sharks — Macklin Celebrini
- Seattle Kraken — Jordan Eberle
- St. Louis Blues — Robert Thomas
- Tampa Bay Lightning — Victor Hedman
- Toronto Maple Leafs — Auston Matthews
- Utah Mammoth — Clayton Keller
- Vegas Golden Knights — Mark Stone
- Washington Capitals — Alex Ovechkin
- Winnipeg Jets — Adam Lowry
Teams with Vacant Captaincies
While several teams have appointed captains, five teams still have vacant captaincies that they will need to address in the near future. The teams currently without captains are:
- Boston Bruins — Vacant
- Columbus Blue Jackets — Vacant
- Detroit Red Wings — Vacant
- Ottawa Senators — Vacant
- Vancouver Canucks — Vacant
The search for new captains can significantly impact team dynamics and performance, as a strong leader can often inspire better play from teammates. As the NHL season progresses, it will be interesting to see how these teams handle their vacant captaincies and if any new leaders will emerge.