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Henrik Sedin could talk to the media for five minutes straight without really saying anything. He was a grandmaster. Bo Horvat did the aw-shucks Canadian shtick par excellence. We don't really have anyone in the lineup like those guys. Maybe Tyler Myers?

5thhorseman wrote: ↑Mon Dec 22, 2025 2:37 pm

Carl Yagro wrote: ↑Mon Dec 22, 2025 2:35 pm Co-captains.

As Cuz would say, that's gay.

Not sure I agree with ya there 5th.....

I think Cuz is more than OK with multiples for the same function.....

Carl Yagro wrote: ↑Mon Dec 22, 2025 3:28 pm So, Mëds hates all of the Canucks captains... except for Lay's potato chips.

Corn has already banned him, he just doesn't know it yet.

5th, I suspect Cuz is gay. Not that there is anything wrong with it. We welcome diversity here... as long as you toe the line.

I actually hated Messier as the Canucks captain (although I wasn't paying a ton of attention during that era). The entire acquisition of Messier was off-putting.

I liked Linden as a captain, and Steamer was really nothing more than our own Dustin Brown.....I have zero recollection of Smyl's media presence though. I just remember his hard-nosed, take no prisoners, style of play.

Cornuck wrote: ↑Mon Dec 22, 2025 3:55 pm Oh - geez - seeing that name come up was to be expected, I guess...

As for "Captain Material" - we really haven't had any in a long time - Mayber a Kesler or Bieska type, but the C was the Sedin's at that time.

Horvat was close, as you say - and likely the closest we got. Hughes - I don't know the backstory, but he seemed the logical choice at the time.

Looking at our current roster, I just see a bunch of 'meh' when it comes to Captain Material.

Looks like we'll have to either stick a C on with velcro, or wait until the next generation steps up.

Yeah. I did apologize immediately, but it was relevant to the conversation.

On Hughes, I agree, he was the logical choice considering Miller's volatility. There was not a better option that I can think of.

The current crew? In terms of tenure and commitment to the team, it's Myers and Brock. Garland wouldn't be terrible as he's a spitfire who has no quit in him, but I dunno if I see it.

Brock is too affable. I like the guy, wouldn't be sad to see him retire here if that's what he want. But he's a "good ole boy", and they don't make for the best captains.

Myers, I think, has the respect of the room, he's a tenured NHL vet, and I believe likes it in Vancity. But he makes way too many mistakes out there that I don't think hanging the mantle on him makes sense for a team that is heading into a youth movement where mistakes need to be mentored out of them.

Maybe Evander?

Horvat was an android running the captain program. You could see when he skated past the scrums Asimov's Law #1 kick in.

Kessler or Bieksa would've been beauts.

Mëds wrote: ↑Mon Dec 22, 2025 5:23 pm The entire acquisition of Messier was off-putting.

That press conference was cringeworthy. Even Messier looked embarrassed with all the greatest leader of all time heroic savior bullshit. A low that has stood the test of time.

5thhorseman wrote: ↑Mon Dec 22, 2025 5:30 pm Horvat was an android running the captain program. You could see when he skated past the scrums Asimov's Law #1 kick in.

Nice.

Lol

Bo was mentored by Henrik in the book of cliches, he truly learned from a grandmaster in the hockey media arts. Quinn didn't have that advantage.

The closer the management/ownership group approaches sanity and rationality, the more likely that they are having a series of conversations with the vets on the roster about who wants to wait out a re-build in a stabilizing, mentoring role, and who would like a chance to compete for a Cup in the next two seasons. Then they also have to decide who amongst the former group would actually be any good at that, and who would return so much trade value that it would outweigh the leadership benefits.

Then choose a captain from amongst the group that you intend to keep.

Hank is still with the organization, and can coach media interaction. I suggest looking up a lot of synonyms for "process".

Mëds wrote:Yeah. I did apologize immediately, but it was relevant to the conversation

That was taken into consideration....

Ronning's Ghost wrote: ↑Mon Dec 22, 2025 6:06 pm
Hank is still with the organization, and can coach media interaction. I suggest looking up a lot of synonyms for "process".

Yes

Henrik should consider producing a video tutorial for prospective captains in the league. I found his mastery of the hockey cliche to be grating at first, but after a while, I started to get a kick out of it. Toward the end, he began laying it on pretty thick, almost as if he was having fun with it. And the media wants it that way, they demand it that way, it's like a ritual they go through, so why not have fun with it.

Can Hronek speak to the media well? Haven’t really seen it much, but if he’s the vet d you are keeping around, he’s plays the lead by example game you want a captain to play and he has a bit of bite.

He is on record as having a distaste for the interactionary process.....

donlever wrote: ↑Tue Dec 23, 2025 7:41 am He is on record as having a distaste for the interactionary process.....

Which makes him all the better! (Not really, no reason to throw the guy into a viper's den.)

The fact it is so hard to think of a good captain is indicative of a lack of leadership or consistency among the veteran group.

If it were just interacting with the media and officials, I'd say DeBrusk because he is pretty skilled in diplomatic arts, is affable, and is treated tenderly by the media like he's in their club by virtue of Papa. I also suspect that he's very well liked by teammates.

But on the ice, he isn't made of fire. All players can have their streaks; DeBrusk's problem is that when he's cold, there's not a lot out there that's noticeable. Part of that actually isn't that bad, it only looks like he doesn't bleed black and gold and red and teal and blue and whatever the heck the colors are because (1) he doesn't take himself out of plays to make hits and (2) he's such an efficient skater (like Birdbones was) that it doesn't look like he's putting any effort into it.

I suppose Boeser is similar in disposition (even more chill), and could be considered. But I think that further distractions from the main gig will affect his game vs. DeBrusk. Boeser seems like the captain of a team that's established and doing well or so bad it doesn't really matter. The Canucks aren't quite the latter.....

As for Garland, I like the Elf, but I don't know that he can suffer fools to the extent a good captain must. Strikes me as forever a wingman.

Myers would also be a natural choice if it weren't for the fact that he's old and you want maximum flexibility to move him.

So DeBrusk?