Who Will Be the Lightning’s Next Assistant Captain?
With Steven Stamkos signing a four-year deal with the Nashville Predators, the Lightning must now appoint a new captain to lead the franchise. Fortunately, this is a straightforward decision, as Victor Hedman is clearly the most suitable candidate to become the 11th captain in franchise history. Naming anyone else captain would be a huge mistake by management, and the odds of this happening are less likely than Matt Rempe winning the Lady Byng Trophy.
Some might argue that Nikita Kucherov is more deserving, and while scoring is important, a true leader must possess many other qualities to be a successful captain in the NHL. A captain’s ability to build and maintain close relationships with every player on the team and also holding them accountable, is crucial. This is something a more reserved player like Kucherov, may struggle with.
Despite recently losing Steven Stamkos and Mikhail Sergachev, the Lightning still have many players remaining from their core group that made it to three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals. The next assistant captain will likely be someone from this group rather than a new addition to the team…
…Unless you’re talking about Ryan Mcdonagh, who technically is an exception to this, having spent the last two seasons in Nashville. As many will remember, Mcdonagh previously played five seasons in Tampa Bay from 2017 to 2022 and was one of their best defensemen throughout this period. During that span, Mcdonagh’s leadership played a pivotal role in transforming the Lightning into a championship-calibre team that could keep its cool in almost any situation.
