So as the season nears, we are still without a captain for the upcoming season. Stevens has mentioned in his "Dear John" Segment on the Flyers official website that he would like to name a captain by the opening of camp, or shortly after.
So who will it be, and why do you think that?
For me, i believe that there is no better candidate then Mike Richards.
Not only is he my favourite player because i have followed him from his day here in Kitchener but mostly because i have not seen the passion displayed from Richards on a regular basis from anyone else.
He is willing to drop with the best of them to spark the team to a comeback victory, you can always count him in for a few shorties, inspirational play, crunching hits, and from someone who has been around Richards in the room, as well as around the rink, he has great off-ice leadership abilities.
Mike Richards will be the captain within the next 2 years.... the only other candidate right now is Kimmo Timonen and that wont happen because he has 5 years left on his contract, they won't take away his captaincy to give it to Richards while he's still playing and Richards *must* get it soon.... so I think Richards will probably get it.... if not, I don't know.... Knuble?
I don't understand people's belief that Richards MUST be Captain short-term. If he doesn't want to be captain or isn't ready, and they give it to Timonen...they give it to Timonen. If that happens, no, they won't take it away from him to give it to Richards...and life will go on if Richards doesn't have the C in the next few years.
I want Mike to get it, he might not think he is ready, just cuz he is 23 and doesn't want to offend some of the older players, but he basically is the Captain of this team in my eyes.
Richards is the face of the franchise in a lot of peoples' eyes (at the Hockey Hall of Fame, it's Richards' picture in the Flyers section), and it's his team already. Giving him the C will be a formality.
Last edited by CharlieGirl: 10-07-2010 at 05:37 PM.
I still think it's going to be Kimmo. I get the impression that Richie gets a little shy around the older guys, while Timonen has the demeanor (and seniority) to speak up to anyone.
I think its pretty accurate. What other sport puts a C on the captains jersey and is actually recognizing one specific player as the leader?
Who is the captain of the phillies? Rollins because he says so? Eagles? McNabb because he says so? Sixers? Dikembe Mutumbo because I said so?
There are more sports in the world than four. He was probably referring to that one hugely popular in Europe in which they give the captain an armband.
The captain and assistant captains are the only players allowed to hold discussions with the refs about rule interpretations and stuff like that I think. I'm not positive but I don't think that is the case in football, basketball, or baseball so in that regard it is the most important captaincy of the four major sports.
Also if Richards doesn't want it it will go to Timonen. Kimmo might get it even if Richards will take it. But it will be one of those two.
Richards is the face of the franchise in a lot of peoples' eyes (at the Hockey Hall of Fame, it's Richards' picture in the Flyers section), and it's his team already. Giving him the C will be a formality.
Thats fine, but the Chicago Blackhawks of the early 90s were Roenick's team, they went as far as he would take them, he was the face of the team, etc. He wasnt the captain, I believe it was Dirk Graham at the time and I think Chelios might have taken it after he was gone and Roenick left.
