As training camps begin in a month, the Chicago Blackhawks have a decision to make regarding their captaincy.
Rookie phenom Connor Bedard, who has just 68 games of NHL experience under his belt, could get the “C,” as we’ve seen other organizations go that route with their franchise players.
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Connor McDavid was named captain of the Edmonton Oilers at age 19.
The same can be said for Sidney Crosby, who was 19 when the Pittsburgh Penguins made him captain.
Sometimes, despite age, the best players on the team are the best leaders.
But what does a 19-year-old know about what it takes to win in the NHL?
What does a 19-year-old know about leading 30-year-olds?
Fun fact: A 19-year-old doesn’t know either.
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This is not to say that McDavid, Crosby, and potentially Bedard aren’t born leaders. You either have that skill or you don’t, but experience matters — not just skill.
John Tavares was drafted first overall by the New York Islanders in 2009 and named captain at 23 ahead of the 2013-14 season.
He took over for Mark Streit, who was dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers in the summer of 2013.
Tavares had his flaws as captain, such as being robotic with the media, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t a solid leader.
But at 23, there were other options, players who had more NHL experience and more experience on Long Island.
For example, Kyle Okposo had served as an assistant captain for the last four years and would have been a perfect candidate to wear the “C,” which he eventually did when he signed with Buffalo.
Anders Lee, the current captain, was 28 when given the “C”.
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Going back to the pre-Dynasty days, the late Clark Gillies was awarded the captaincy at the age of 23 during the 1976-77 season.
Despite showcasing that leadership gene, Gillies didn’t feel comfortable as the captain before allowing Denis Potvin to take the “C” ahead of the 1979-80 season.
Potvin was entering his fifth NHL season, his age-26 season, and had already won the Calder Trophy and the Norris Trophy three times and was a five-time All-Star.
It was a move that paid dividends.
In his first season with that honor, he captained the Islanders to their first Stanley Cup victory, doing the same in the next three seasons.
Experience matters. Winning matters. Losing matters.
The last thing any team should do is put pressure on its young players, especially as mental health is becoming a major topic in player evaluations.
There’s no question Bedard will be the captain of the Blackhawks one day, but with no NHL leadership experience and barely a career under his belt, give him a chance to come into his own as a person and as a player before the pressure of captaining an Original Six franchise amid a significant rebuild.
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