We knew change was coming. It was presented yesterday that the Winnipeg Jets would hold a press conference announcing their new captains and alternate captains today at the MTS Centre. So what happened next was speculation ran rampant as one would think.
This morning I tweeted out this:
My predictions
— Peter Tessier (@Teddier) August 31, 2016
C- Wheeler
A- Scheifele
A- Byfuglien
A- Little
In fairness I could not remember if it was two or three alternates but I nailed it and yes, I'm bragging! Seriously though, what were the other options?
Myers? While he is liked by the Jets he's only been here 1.5 years and while a nice enough guy does he command the respect like Wheeler or Buff or even Schiefele?
Perreault? A great player and key cog but is he the commanding type?
Thoburn? He's on the last year of his deal, why go to that trouble?
Enstrom? See Perreault.
Little was the only other option and with only 2 alternates it made sense to go with 55, Mark Scheifele.
Wheeler has 3 years left on his deal and will be 33 when it ends and at that point Scheifele will be 27 and have 5 years left on his deal. It's an easy transition if Wheeler is no longer a Jet or if he is ready to hand over the reigns of the team. As for Byfuglien, who some call Snufalufugus as he is rarely seen outside the inner sanctum of the Jets locker room, this makes sense too.
Byfuglien, as many would say, doesn't need a letter on his chest to lead, he just does. But when you are the highest profile player on the team with the richest deal you basically have to take on a bit more of a public role and being an alternate under Wheeler is the best fit.
Wheeler was the only choice and on his 30th birthday today he was anointed the second Jets 2.0 captain after Andrew Ladd. Wheeler has always been honest, forthright and candid in his interviews and opinions, both to fans/media and his colleagues. As one reporter told me a few years ago, when the microphones are away and cameras off Blake Wheeler still has his heart on his sleeve just like he does when they are on. How many times have fans seen Wheeler carry a listless team on his back- he cares, almost too much.
As for Scheifele I don't think any fan could miss the effect he had on rookie winger Nik Ehlers last year. So often you could see the two talking coming off a shift, on the bench or starting one. Scheifele took the young Dane under his wing and mentored him knowing full well what it's like to be in this hockey market with those kinds of expectations.
Notably absent but not surprising was former alternate Mark Stuart. Now I've already made more than a few twitter cracks about this but let's be honest. This is a changing of the guard and there is that chance Mark Stuart is part of that change in a different way, that being not on the starting roster and maybe in the AHL. The writing is on the wall for that direction but when it comes is anyone's guess, and for some the sooner the better. Stuart's play does not warrant that leadership but as a person he still might but not if that person is not in the longer term plans of the team. He only has 2 years left and at this point it's fair to ask how much of a role he will have in those two years. If it's reduced it's time to move on and that's a fair and smart decision.
The change has begun and now and the question is does this signal more to come as this team develops more youth and prospects into it's roster?