There isn’t a captain for the Chicago Blackhawks right now.
Lessons the Blackhawks Could Learn From Auston Matthews’ CaptaincyPublished 5 hours ago on August 13, 2024By Vinnie Parise
The Chicago Blackhawks do not currently have a captain. They went the entire 2023-24 season without one as it was their first season without Jonathan Toews who had been their captain since 2009. Now, there are a few ways they can go about this.
Everybody knows that the long-term plan is to make Connor Bedard the captain. Sometimes, your skill level forces a certain level of leadership on you. Bedard is no stranger to that.
We’ve seen some young captains in this league. When Toews was first named, he was the second youngest behind Sidney Crosby. Since then, we’ve seen other young captains like Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers), Nico Hischier (New Jersey Devils), and Gabriel Landeskog (Colorado Avalanche).
We’ve also seen teams wait. In fact, according to multiple reports, the Toronto Maple Leafs are going to make Auston Matthews the captain. This news is expected to become official on Wednesday as John Tavares is playing a big role in him taking over that job.
Which route should the Blackhawks go? Do they wait until his age 27 season as the Leafs have with Matthews? Do they name him young like the other guys mentioned before?
Blackhawks Can Afford To Be Patient or Creative
It could also be a hybrid of those two options. They could make Nick Foligno, who has been a captain in the NHL before, the captain for the duration of his contract and then hand it to Bedard when Foligno is done.
There isn’t much risk with either. Bedard is going to be an elite player no matter what letter is on his chest. If anything, he is the type of guy who may unlock another level just by being handed that responsibility.
This kid has what it takes to live up to everything expected of him both on and off the ice. Being the captain of the Chicago Blackhawks will be an incredible honor and one that he won’t take lightly. Chicago is lucky to have a great young player waiting in the wings for a job like this.
It is fair to assume that Chicago will make some sort of decision before opening night. Whether it’s Foligno, Bedard, or a guy like Seth Jones, they will have a good leader. Bedard will dominate no matter what. With all of this Matthews news coming out, wondering what the Hawks will do next is only natural.
