POLLS     NHL STATS     SEARCH

TRENDING NOW


HOCKEYLATEST  |  NHL  |  NEWS

Expert columnist doesn't want Nick Suzuki as captain

PUBLICATION
MarcO
September 3, 2022  (8:41)
SHARE THIS STORY

In his column on the new BPM Sports channel (formerly 91.9 Sports), Radio-Canada sports columnist Martin Leclerc took the time to explain why naming Nick Suzuki as captain would be a big mistake.

Even though Nick Suzuki shows a great deal of maturity despite his young age, he doesn't fit the boxes dictated by the biggest dynasties according to Leclerc.

Based on a book that looks at leadership in sports by examining the 16 greatest sports dynasties in the history of the sport, the captain should not necessarily be your best player or the player with the most talent.

At 23, Nick Suzuki has just signed a big contract. The pressure is likely to be intense on the organization and the young man. With the big responsibilities as an offensive forward to produce and the pressure that comes with it, to add this responsibility to him would be a mistake according to Martin Leclerc.

He drew a parallel with former captain Max Pacioretty who happened to be the team's leading scorer. The appointment was a big mistake. In his last season, the number 67 yelled at his teammates after a 10-0 win, as he had no points. He complained to his teammates that he had not been fed enough. This is a far cry from the reaction of a captain after such a victory.

Most of the great captains in the Montreal Canadiens organization were named after the age of 30. The list is long, but guys like Jean Beliveau, Serge Savard and Guy Carbonneau are examples. Experience in the NHL is important to have leverage with the coach. One of the roles of a captain is to be the players' representative to senior management.

In the discussion, the names of Brendan Gallagher and Joel Edmundson rise above that of Nick Suzuki to assume the role of team captain. Both players are respected. Shea Weber wasn't the best player on the team, but he ticked all the boxes like leadership and putting his teammates ahead of himself.

POLL
3 SEPTEMBRE   |   66 ANSWERS
Expert columnist doesn't want Nick Suzuki as captain

Would you name Nick Suzuki as the captain of the Montreal Canadiens?

Yes3654.5 %
No3045.5 %
List of polls
Latest 10 stories
HOCKEYLATEST.COM
COPYRIGHT @2024 - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
TERMS  -  POLICIES  -  CONSENT