Jonathan Toews Named Captain

[Smitty34 0]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned anything about Brian Campbell. Not necessarily to wear the "C" but he might be another one of those young guys who could wear at least an "A"

I'm not a fan of guys joining a team and being given a letter. There are exceptions (Gretz, obv.) but I think you gotta earn it.

I agree, I'm not a big fan of new guys stepping into a new team and getting the "C" or "A" without having played for them yet. That's not to say that Campbell shouldn't ever get the "C" or "A", but like you said, I think you need to earn it.

[WingsVK97 0]

I'm not a big fan of the "kids" of the team getting the C this early. I feel like it's ploy to sell jerseys and market a name. You can argue it challenges the player to up their game, but a 19 year old just hasn't seen enough. If a 19 year old started taking issue with someone older, it's hard to listen to them instead of going, "Who are you and what have you done!?!" If I'm 35, been thru a number of playoff ups and downs, and am in the closing seasons of my career, he learns from me not the other way around.

The capitan doesn't needs to be a star. It's nice if it can be, but you need substance first. Jayson Smith with Edmonton and Philly wore the C and he's not setting any stat sheet on fire.

[razrbladz12 0]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned anything about Brian Campbell. Not necessarily to wear the "C" but he might be another one of those young guys who could wear at least an "A"

I'm not a fan of guys joining a team and being given a letter. There are exceptions (Gretz, obv.) but I think you gotta earn it.

I agree, I'm not a big fan of new guys stepping into a new team and getting the "C" or "A" without having played for them yet. That's not to say that Campbell shouldn't ever get the "C" or "A", but like you said, I think you need to earn it.

I would agree with that too...Campbell was just another name to throw in the mix more so for the future.

[Chadd 916]

Hopefully he goes the way of Crosby and not Lecavalier. Some guys have the ability to lead and score points. Some have to pick one or the other. Its a big burden for a young lad. I wonder how the Hawks will develop his leadership skills further? Time will tell...

If he was such a great leader why did Hossa walk away from more money to go play in Detroit?

I'm not a big fan of the "kids" of the team getting the C this early. I feel like it's ploy to sell jerseys and market a name. You can argue it challenges the player to up their game, but a 19 year old just hasn't seen enough. If a 19 year old started taking issue with someone older, it's hard to listen to them instead of going, "Who are you and what have you done!?!" If I'm 35, been thru a number of playoff ups and downs, and am in the closing seasons of my career, he learns from me not the other way around.

The capitan doesn't needs to be a star. It's nice if it can be, but you need substance first. Jayson Smith with Edmonton and Philly wore the C and he's not setting any stat sheet on fire.

If the kid is ready to lead, why not give it to him? The Pens had no choice, sid was lobbying for it a year before the team made him captain. Had they given it to anyone else, there would have been more problems in the locker room. It's also not like they had any a lot of other great options to pick from.

A good leader is one who inspires his teammates and makes them feel like a valued member of a team. Telling everyone to follow you because you're better than they are isn't really leadership.

[Dougie8 0]

I don't know what to think about this. I don't like having a kid come in who has played half an NHL season be the captain of a team. I also don't think guys coming in on their first year with a club should be letters, but with a team like Chicago with the veteran depth (or lack there of) that they have, I would much rather see Campbell have the C. I just don't feel that Toews has done enough to prove that he can lead an NHL franchise yet, but then again i'm not in the room everday seeing what he does off the ice?

[WhiskeyTango19 0]

Hopefully he goes the way of Crosby and not Lecavalier. Some guys have the ability to lead and score points. Some have to pick one or the other. Its a big burden for a young lad. I wonder how the Hawks will develop his leadership skills further? Time will tell...

If he was such a great leader why did Hossa walk away from more money to go play in Detroit?

Don't jump down my throat, and maybe I missed it, but where was the Hossa reference? Was he wearing an A in Pittsburgh?

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Hopefully he goes the way of Crosby and not Lecavalier. Some guys have the ability to lead and score points. Some have to pick one or the other. Its a big burden for a young lad. I wonder how the Hawks will develop his leadership skills further? Time will tell...

If he was such a great leader why did Hossa walk away from more money to go play in Detroit?

Don't jump down my throat, and maybe I missed it, but where was the Hossa reference? Was he wearing an A in Pittsburgh?

He's implying that if CROSBY were a great leader, Hossa wouldn't have left.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned anything about Brian Campbell. Not necessarily to wear the "C" but he might be another one of those young guys who could wear at least an "A"

I'm not a fan of guys joining a team and being given a letter. There are exceptions (Gretz, obv.) but I think you gotta earn it.

Only happened once to Gretz - in St. Louis.

Didn't get a letter in LA in 88, didn't get a letter with the Rangers. He picked up Leetch's A when Mess took off to Vancouver.

Funny, huh?

[RadioGaGa 162]

Was Nichols the Captain in '88? I wasn't paying as close attention then...I always assumed he was Capt from Day 1 in LA.

[BMcDonald19 0]

Hopefully he goes the way of Crosby and not Lecavalier. Some guys have the ability to lead and score points. Some have to pick one or the other. Its a big burden for a young lad. I wonder how the Hawks will develop his leadership skills further? Time will tell...

If he was such a great leader why did Hossa walk away from more money to go play in Detroit?

I'm not a big fan of the "kids" of the team getting the C this early. I feel like it's ploy to sell jerseys and market a name. You can argue it challenges the player to up their game, but a 19 year old just hasn't seen enough. If a 19 year old started taking issue with someone older, it's hard to listen to them instead of going, "Who are you and what have you done!?!" If I'm 35, been thru a number of playoff ups and downs, and am in the closing seasons of my career, he learns from me not the other way around.

The capitan doesn't needs to be a star. It's nice if it can be, but you need substance first. Jayson Smith with Edmonton and Philly wore the C and he's not setting any stat sheet on fire.

If the kid is ready to lead, why not give it to him? The Pens had no choice, sid was lobbying for it a year before the team made him captain. Had they given it to anyone else, there would have been more problems in the locker room. It's also not like they had any a lot of other great options to pick from.

A good leader is one who inspires his teammates and makes them feel like a valued member of a team. Telling everyone to follow you because you're better than they are isn't really leadership.

i highly doubt Crosby's leadership had anything to do with hossa leaving. maybe he just left for more money, end of story.

[JR Boucicaut 3804]

Was Nichols the Captain in '88? I wasn't paying as close attention then...I always assumed he was Capt from Day 1 in LA.

Dave Taylor. Gretz got the C the next yr.

[BMcDonald19 0]

how old was yzerman when he got a C? i know he held it long in hockey town. i thought for sure he was one of the youngest capatains. actually him and sakic

[Smitty34 0]

how old was yzerman when he got a C? i know he held it long in hockey town. i thought for sure he was one of the youngest capatains. actually him and sakic

Yzerman was 21 when he got the C.

[Chadd 916]

i highly doubt Crosby's leadership had anything to do with hossa leaving. maybe he just left for more money, end of story.

You would be wrong again. Hossa took less money and only over one year to go to Detroit. Pittsburgh offered more money per year and over many more years.

[Neal 41]

i highly doubt Crosby's leadership had anything to do with hossa leaving. maybe he just left for more money, end of story.

You would be wrong again. Hossa took less money and only over one year to go to Detroit. Pittsburgh offered more money per year and over many more years.

No knock on Pittsburgh, but Detroit is the best franchise in the league when you compare how frequently they put a team on the ice that is competitive and has a chance to win. In the last 10 years, has there even been a year where the Red Wings weren't considered a playoff team and at least an outside chance of making a run at the Cup?

Pittsburgh is only 2 years removed from not making the playoffs.

Just look at the records of the 2 teams since the 2001/2002 season.

Detroit Pittsburgh

115 102

113 105

124 58

109 58

110 65

116 69

111 96

Which team do you think has the best chance of consistently putting a competitive team on the ice? Perhaps Hossa is looking for a team that he will have repeated chances to win the Cup, not more $$$.

But that is way off topic. Toews will be fine as Captain. Everything you read and hear about him says that he is a level headed guy who has shown leadership ability at every level he has played at. As far as the veterans not listening to him, don't forget that he plays for the Blackhawks. There are very few players on that team that can brag about their experience on winning teams and if they aren't smart enough to see that the Blackhawks belong to Kane and Toews for the foreseeable future, team management will ship them out. They can go see if they can right the ship in Atlanta.

[Chadd 916]

i highly doubt Crosby's leadership had anything to do with hossa leaving. maybe he just left for more money, end of story.

You would be wrong again. Hossa took less money and only over one year to go to Detroit. Pittsburgh offered more money per year and over many more years.

Which team do you think has the best chance of consistently putting a competitive team on the ice? Perhaps Hossa is looking for a team that he will have repeated chances to win the Cup, not more $$.

Hossa signed a one year contract, this has nothing to do with repeated chances to win the cup. He thinks the Wings have a better shot of winning the cup next year. He gave up more money next year and passed on a long term contract with Pittsburgh in order to sign with the wings.

[Neal 41]

i highly doubt Crosby's leadership had anything to do with hossa leaving. maybe he just left for more money, end of story.

You would be wrong again. Hossa took less money and only over one year to go to Detroit. Pittsburgh offered more money per year and over many more years.

Which team do you think has the best chance of consistently putting a competitive team on the ice? Perhaps Hossa is looking for a team that he will have repeated chances to win the Cup, not more $$.

Hossa signed a one year contract, this has nothing to do with repeated chances to win the cup. He thinks the Wings have a better shot of winning the cup next year. He gave up more money next year and passed on a long term contract with Pittsburgh in order to sign with the wings.

That is very possible, but don't you think that if Hossa is a good fit for the Wings, that they will find a way to re-sign him? I can't name a player that they really wanted that they have lost. Now, no doubt Hossa's salary would be a challenge, especially once the Wings have to re-sign Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Kronwall.

I guess the real, definitive answer to the question of "did Hossa sign for short term $, short term chances to win or for the long term?" will come next summer. If he takes a discount to stay with the Wings we'll have our answer.

[Chadd 916]

I guess the real, definitive answer to the question of "did Hossa sign for short term $, short term chances to win or for the long term?" will come next summer. If he takes a discount to stay with the Wings we'll have our answer.

There's no monetary advantage to signing a one year deal, so he didn't sign for the short term money. It's a big risk to turn down so much guaranteed money.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

I guess the real, definitive answer to the question of "did Hossa sign for short term $, short term chances to win or for the long term?" will come next summer. If he takes a discount to stay with the Wings we'll have our answer.

There's no monetary advantage to signing a one year deal, so he didn't sign for the short term money. It's a big risk to turn down so much guaranteed money.

I think he wanted to win.

Detriot are going to be paying Hank $2.6 mil this year, and he will be eligible for a big raise after the season. Hossa want's a cup, and a good year on a good team will not diminish his bargaining power.

I think the one year thing was more detroit than hossa. They need to keep room for Zetterberg, Samuellson, Franzen etc, all who are eligible for RFA/UFA after this season.

I think it was a sensible move for both. If hossa gets playing on the right with Zetterberg and Datsyuk for a season, and they repeat as champions (they have to be seen as favorites at the minute), then he will be even more sought after this time next year