San Jose Sharks Next Captain: Prediction Edition!

News came out yesterday that the San Jose Sharks will go into training camp with no players as captain or alternate captain, meaning any player in camp can end up with the captaincy. To me the captaincy still means something. A lot of teams just give it to the best player on the team and call it a day, but the captaincy shouldn’t just be the best player, it should also be about leadership. Since the Sharks just took the C away from Thornton, clearly they believe it still means something as well. So let’s dive into who will be the Sharks captains next year.

Who I Think The Next Captains Should Be

Alternates: Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton

Quite frankly I think the Sharks are completely overreacting to this whole captaincy thing. Yes, it was truly an embarrassing loss, but I doubt it was an issue of leadership. The Kings just kicked it up another gear and a key injury loss for the Sharks was the difference. I understand the team wanting to make a leadership change based off of what happened, but you don’t need to strip the letters off them all together. Marleau and Thornton are still important leaders, and even though they don’t have the C, it’s still important for them that they get the A, especially if the next Sharks captain is a first time captain. The veterans behind him could help.

Captain: John Scott

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha just kidding. Could you imagine?

Actuall Sharks Captain: Marc-Edouard Vlasic

The loss of Vlasic during the playoffs was basically the nail in the coffin for the series. Not only did it give the Kings momentum, but the Sharks lost their best defenseman and basically all hope in the series. The importance of Vlasic to the Sharks can not be overstated; and he’s very mature. He keeps a cool head and stays relaxed and plays his game. Some people like a captain that loses his temper and gets angry, but I’d rather have a captain that’s focused on playing the best possible game no matter what the circumstances. That’s Marc-Edouard Vlasic. If they give him the C, they’ll be very happy with their choice.

More from Sharks News

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• Red hot Couture provides a much needed boost
• Sharks return to SAP in sight
• Ryan Donato shines in his revenge game
• Tomas Hertl is off to a hot start

Now, that was just my opinion on who the Sharks captains will be. Who do I think they will actually make captain?

Who The Sharks Will Likely Make Captain

Alternates: Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski

It’s going to be weird not seeing Thornton with a letter on his chest, but I truly believe with what happened last year, they’ll refuse to give him a letter all together. Patrick Marleau has been a captain for a long time here in San Jose and, as I said earlier, it’s nice to have veteran leadership on a team. Joe Pavelski had a great year last year, even though those stats were benefitted by playing with Thornton for most of the year, but Pavelski would still be a good alternate captain. He has a leadership quality about him and he plays in every situation. He’d be a good leader for young players.

Captain: Logan Couture

This one isn’t really surprising, is it? Logan Couture is the San Jose Sharks golden child. They have a massive love affair with number 39 and why shouldn’t they? Logan is a great hockey player and has a fantastic future ahead of him. One of the main reasons they’ll make him captain could be what we saw against the Kings. He knew the Sharks were losing momentum and needed a spark, so he decided to fight. That could be something you want from a captain. As I said earlier, some players and fans like a player that isn’t afraid to light a spark under the team. My biggest issue is also what he did against the Kings. He tried to light a spark for Sharks by getting them angry heading back home for Game 7. Good job, Logan. The main issue? He hurt his hand so badly he needed surgery on it in the offseason. He still played, but the last thing you want to avoid in a game 7 is one of your best players playing injured. Who did he fight? Mike Richards, who did turn it around in that series, but still wasn’t a crucial part of the Kings roster. Sometimes, Logan lets his emotions get the better of him, which could be a good thing. But sometimes it could end up hurting himself and the team. Obviously, once he gets the C on his chest he could completely change that around.

Only time will tell who ends up being the next Sharks captain. However, one thing is certain. They won’t give it to a player based on his merit alone. He’ll have to earn it. Who knows? It could actually end up being John Scott!

Please no.