Why Connor McDavid should be the next Edmonton Oilers captain
It’s time for the Edmonton Oilers to let Connor McDavid take the wheel and be their next captain.
They say that a ship is only as strong as its captain. If you consider that an NHL team is a lot like a ship, a strong captain is a must. While the position of captain technically only grants the player the right to discuss things with the referees, it’s still a very important position. The Edmonton Oilers are one of the teams without a captain. They will name one at training camp. And they really only have one choice: Connor McDavid.
“We’ll select a captain at some point throughout training camp,” Oilers head coach Todd McLellan said, via NHL.com. “We’ll pick a captain when we’re all around and together as a group.”
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McDavid was drafted by the Oilers with the first overall pick of the 2015 NHL Draft. He had incredibly high standards to live up to as the best prospect since Sidney Crosby. McDavid managed to exceed those expectations, finishing with 1.07 points per game, the third highest mark in the NHL. A collarbone injury kept him out for 37 games but he still finished the season with 48 points in 45 games.
But there’s much more to being a captain than producing. Captains must lead by example. McDavid already has a reputation for his terrific work ethic and is a leader in the locker room. Is McDavid ready to accept the responsibilities of a captain? Absolutely.
“If I was ever the captain at any point,” said McDavid, via the Toronto Star, “I think it would be one of the greatest honors and one of the accomplishments that I would definitely take the most seriously.”
It’s not like the Oilers have any better options. Jordan Eberle likely isn’t mature enough to handle it. Milan Lucic would be a solid option except that he has never even served as an alternate captain. Veteran defenseman Andrej Sekera has served as an alternate captain in the past, but is he really a better option than McDavid?
Everyone claimed that Sidney Crosby was too young to be a captain. All he has done is lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to two Stanley Cups. McDavid won’t be doing it alone. The Oilers have veterans like Eberle, Lucic, and Sekera who will help McDavid along the way.
Edmonton drafted McDavid to lead the Oilers. It’s time to let McDavid fulfill his destiny.