Buffalo Sabres coach to name captain after camp
By Cory Buck
The Buffalo Sabres need to name their fourth captain in less than two years, so you can’t blame head coach Ted Nolan for taking his time on this one. At least until training camp is over, the Sabres will continue to play without a C labeled on anyone’s sweater.
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The only hint we’ve had to this point as to who Nolan may be leaning toward are the alternate captains who have been named in advance of Tuesday’s preseason game, per Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald. Newcomers Brian Gionta and Josh Gorges as well as the returning Matt Moulson will each don an ‘A’, which serves as a strong sign of Nolan’s thinking.
The safest bet for captain out of those three would be Brian Gionta, who served as captain of the Montreal Canadiens last season when the team advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. Gionta has Stanley Cup experience and a never-say-die attitude that is perfect for a team was that mostly directionless last season.
Gorges and Moulson make fine choices as well, which means that whoever ends up captain will likely have the other two serving as assistants along the way. The Sabres may not have a playoff-caliber team this year, but adding veterans like these three have allowed the team to at least secure someone, anyone, who can serve with pride as captain for a whole season.
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