With the season drawing closer every day, general manager Ron Francis‘ decision to choose a captain becomes a bigger question.
As you may know, the Hurricanes played last season without a captain, selecting four alternate captains instead, consisting of Jordan Staal, Jeff Skinner, Justin Faulk, and Victor Rask. Francis saw this as the right move due to the lack of veteran presence on the team and he was recently cited saying he would feel comfortable doing it again this season.
After the heart-pounding end to last season, I would say there is someone on the team worthy of leading the team. Here are the three players who deserve the captain’s role.
Justin Williams
The acquisition of Justin Williams via free agency was one of the sneakiest moves in the offseason this year. Helping Carolina win their first and only Stanley Cup, Williams returns in ceremonious fashion. Being known as an unselfish player, he brings wisdom and leadership to a young team.
His playoff experience and 21 game winning goals since 2009, including three in the playoffs, are welcomed with open arms. Hockey fans are excited about the return of Williams and his sage presence make the case to dub him captain. He will also be helping maintain one of the best defensive units in hockey this season, already full of experienced talent.
Justin Faulk
If your argument is that a captain must be a lifelong player for the franchise, look no further than Justin Faulk. The biggest personality on the team, Faulk has won the approval of his hockey community in Raleighwood while being one of the best defenders in franchise history. Faulk’s absolute mastery on the power play makes him a uniquely offensive-minded defender, and his 31 power play goals and 42 power play assists since 2011 certainly are persuasive.
In terms of leadership, Faulk knows everything about this team, including its flaws. He understands the system and embraces the culture of coach Bill Peters. He undoubtedly has the fan vote for the captaincy and most likely has the approval of his teammates. There is really no better option than Faulk when it all boils down. I expect to see the “C” on his chest this season.
Sebastian Aho
This is the hottest take of the three but could be more realistic than one would imagine. Sebastian Aho blew up the rookie season in 2016, being second to only rookie phenom Auston Matthews in many categories. Amongst all rookies, he ranked third in goals (24), ninth in assists (25), fifth in points (49), and fifth in power-play points (17). His energetic and progressive style of play helped shock Carolina’s offense to life and he was often the centerpiece on fast breaks and up-front plays.
Aho could easily turn into the most valuable player on the team if he keeps this kind of play up and it could earn him more than a pay raise. A player that has the ability to take over a game like Aho is bound to carry the poise it requires to be captain. At just 20 years-old it seems like a longshot for such a youngster to lead a team, but the most excellent of athletes always harness the ability to lead at a young age. This one is an optimistic (and yes, bias) nomination, but nothing is impossible.