Carolina Hurricanes Captaincy: Who Really Deserves It?
The Carolina Hurricanes are without a captain this season. Cardiac Cane looks and sees if anybody’s play deserves the honor.
With the loss of Eric Staal at the trade deadline last season, the Carolina Hurricanes did not name a captain to replace him. This season continues the no captain look to the team. Raleigh’s News and Observer reported:
"Canes coach Bill Peters said Jordan Staal, Justin Faulk, Jeff Skinner and Victor Rask would wear A’s this season. Skinner will be an alternate captain at home games and Rask on the road."
And that’s been the story this season. No captain. No mention of even thinking about naming a captain. Ron Francis and Bill Peters seem content with the team not having a captain for the foreseeable future. And who can blame them, both men have more important things to worry about like the Hurricanes 5-6-4 record. They don’t need to be distracted by the trappings of ritual that surround what is basically a ceremonial position.
But what if they want to name a captain? What if they decided to end the quadrumvirate of Staal, Rask, Skinner, and Faulk, and pick one person for the face of the team? Who would they choose? Well, we’ve compiled each camp’s arguments so you can decide the best option.
Jeff Skinner
I know this may come as a shock to some of our readers, but Jeff Skinner is the most talented player on the Carolina Hurricanes. I’ll give you a moment to rise up from your fainting couch before I continue. Good? Okay, now that’s been established this is perhaps Skinner’s strongest argument to the captaincy. NHL teams have a long history of the team’s best player wearing the C. Stamkos, Crosby, Ovechkin, Thornton (till he lost it), Karlsson; the list goes on and on. Wonder how Eric Staal got the C before he was traded? You guessed it he was the best player on the team. Some would say he is too young, but Connor McDavid earned the C to start the season and he’s only been in the league one year. If you want to follow tradition then Skinner is the route.
Jordan Staal
If you like the idea of dynasties then Jordan Staal is a perfect choice. Like handing a crown to the next of kin, the Carolina Hurricanes could do the same by giving Jordan Staal the C. A lot of people
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would hold his last name against him, but they really shouldn’t. Jordan Staal is a completely different person from his brother. He brings a lot of other qualities to the table as well. If you like veteran leadership he has it at the ripe old age of 28 as one of the Canes’ grizzled veterans. He’s also won a Stanley Cup before so he brings a culture of winning as well. And like Skinner, Jordan is also immensely talented if not quite the most talented on the team. One could do a lot worse than giving another Staal the captaincy of the Carolina Hurricanes
Justin Faulk
The face of the franchise, two-time all-star, and U. S. Olympian, Justin Faulk is arguably one of the top defenders in the league. How couldn’t you pick Justin Faulk? After reading that I’m not sure myself. Maybe it’s the fact that Faulk might not even be the best dman on the Hurricanes anymore? Sure he’s still putting in goals but the young guns are nipping at his heels. Still, you can’t go wrong with this pick either.
Somebody Else
The clamor about Jaccob Slavin grows louder every day about his candidacy from Hurricane fandom and his play backs it up. Hainsey has the super old veteran angle wrapped up and naming him could give the Hurricanes playoffs quest a “Do it for the Gipper” vibe since he’s never been. So who’s it going to be? Which one of these choices gets your vote? You know what let’s just say screw it and give it back to Brind’Amour. I mean he’s already on the bench anyway so why not?