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Bolts sign Sergachev, name your team's "Secret Captains"; Wed's Buzz

November 25, 2020, 1:17 PM ET [70 Comments]
Eklund
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Tampa has locked up one of their three restricted free agents, as defenseman Michael Sergachev has signed a three-year deal, with an AAV of $4.8 million.

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It's a holiday week here and as we wait for the NHL/NHLPA to get their business in order (Don't be too worried that they haven't met since Thursday "formally," I thought I would throw out a topic that I always enjoy discussing...

The NHL "C" on the sweater is a huge part of our game...Quite often, however, in the room itself, you'll see players who are obviously captaining the team...some have been Captains on other teams, some are just born leaders...and some are goalies...

The best examples of goalies who are captains...Marc-Andre Fleury, Pekke Rinne, Carey Price, Henrik Lundqvist. Perhaps the best example of this I ever saw was Martin Brodeur in NJ.

Since home base for me is Philly, I've been in the lockerroom for the Flyers more than any other team...I tend to visit the road lockerroom as much as possible, but it can be hard to get a feel for the climate in a short time..especially as a team is trying to get out quickly.

The 2010 Flyers were an interesting case where a young Mike Richards was captaining the team while Chris Pronger, who is the epitome of a Captain, was in the room. Pronger doesn't know how to do anything but be a captain and he did what I thought was an incredible job at leading while also not upstaging the young and insecure Mike Richards. Kimmo Timonen was another player who was a born leader...

The other dynamic that plays into this is what kind of current Captain do you have?

The Flyers, for the sake of example, currently have a quiet, lead by example type of captain in Claude Giroux.. Couturier also has many captain-like traits, but won't rock the boat. Hayes is more vocal and could easily be a captain...as is Provorov...

The "C" should be re-assigned with a new coach
This has always baffled me. Captains are picked by head coaches. The relationship between Captain and coach is crucial. And yet, when a coach is replaced the Captain "C" isn't also examined for fear that taking away the letter would somehow hurt the player's ego in some way...That is ridiculous. The new coach should be allowed to look at this assignment as he does every other aspect of the lines, personnel, etc... Any player who is captaining a team which is playing so poorly that the coach is sacked holds no claim to such a luxury.

What's the Buzz?

* Who are some of the players currently NOT wearing a C that you believe are your team's "secret Captains?"

* Would you like to see the letter moved to them?

* Would you be OK with the Captain "C" being re-evaluated when a coach is replaced?



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