Looking at the captaincy situation of the Vancouver Canucks

Canucks fans may be ready to name Bo Horvat the franchise’s 15th captain, but the team is not quite there yet. Seeing what the club could face next year, it’s understandable if not sad.

For a game that prides itself as a team game, there is a lot of focus on individuals. It’s not just star players that get all of the spotlight. Captains are the biggest talking point in the sport. When you look at coverage, Canada tends to get really hung up on this figure.

Don’t get me wrong, leadership is an important quality. Personally, I wouldn’t look for it in free agency or trade. Instead, you can allow your future leadership to grow from within. Your best players can become your greatest leaders, but the lens in which we view this from is not always the same.

Which brings me to the 2018-19 season. With the retirement of the Sedins, Vancouver Canucks fans were ready to turn over the “C” to Bo Horvat right away. However, the team wasn’t sprinting towards that idea. They are hesitant and I can understand why.

Despite teams naming captains much younger than Horvat at the time (Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Gabriel Landeskog and more), I’m sure there are concerns that the young Canuck is not ready yet. This is not an issue of talent. There is a level of maturity involved and honestly, Horvat has had that in spades since his NHL debut.

Fear and sheltering

But the real trepidation comes from the upcoming season. It’s going to be bad. We’ve said this time and time again, but there is no sugar-coating it. In the past, Henrik Sedin absorbed every “bullet” from the media, answering questions night after night. He protected his players, especially when they were lit up for seven goals.

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The coach can only put so much spin on a bad game, but the captain bears the burden responsibility. Forgetting the incredible talents that they were, filling in the same shoes as the Sedins is easier said than done.

Since the team is not ready to make Horvat the captain, that tells me that they don’t want him to be mentally broken down. Broken by a year of losing and having to explain nearly every night why the Canucks are not as bad as they seem. It’s a nice thought, but horribly insults Horvat.

The team is assuming he isn’t mentally tough enough to handle that role. If we are so certain he is the next captain, then why would we question his mental toughness? I’m willing to bet he will hold up to questioning far better than anyone on this roster, including the leadership brought in to “insulate” the team.

Personally, I don’t think the team is doing this just for Horvat’s sake. It’s also for their own. Let’s say Horvat can’t handle the pressure (unlikely, but indulge me), it won’t look good for the team. The Montreal Canadiens made that mistake with Max Pacioretty and it has continued to look bad ever since.

But that is ridiculous. Horvat would not have come this far if he could not handle the pressure. Losing isn’t fun and we don’t expect Horvat to enjoy it. He’s one of the leaders on this team already. By not acknowledging that with a letter on the jersey, the team insults what he contributes.

Alternative plans

It looks like the team will run with three alternate captains per game, allowing for rotation. Three alternate captains return from last season, Alex Edler, Chris Tanev, Brandon Sutter and Michael Del Zotto.

We can add Horvat to that group and I have an odd feeling Jay Beagle will join them as well. Maybe Loui Eriksson too? Jim Benning did mention him when asked about leadership without the Sedins. Although, Loui never talks to the media.

A good guess would be two forwards and one defenceman alternate captain per game. Maybe Horvat will get to wear the “A” during home games. There are several ways to do this to avoid anymore negative PR.

I just hope the team finally gives Horvat a letter. Rotating through alternate captains is fine. Many teams have done that in the interim of finding a captain. Just don’t forget which player will be part of the future. If all the names I listed above will be alternate captains, remember that only one of them will still be with the team five years from now.

The Canucks should make sure they keep that in mind when making their selections. If you are serious about selling a youth movement, you have to show it. Increasing the leadership role for Bo Horvat is a good start. If the Canucks want to sell more tickets, give people what they want to see. What else do you have to lose?