It was an emotional day when Sharks captain Logan Couture announced the end of his playing career due to injury. Couture was a consistent producer and presence on and off the ice, which was made evident when the team named him captain prior to the 2019-2020 season. With Couture no longer with the team, however, the Sharks find themselves without a Captain, and there are some interesting options to fill that void next season.
Tyler Toffoli
If the Sharks were to name a new captain for the start of next season, my money would be on Tyler Toffoli being the choice. Signed to a four-year deal last offseason, Toffoli had a solid first-year campaign with the Sharks, notching 30 goals and 54 points. Where Toffoli shines, however, is in the room. He’s won a Stanley Cup and has been on numerous contenders. In addition, he has shown to be an excellent mentor for the young talent on the Sharks. Between his experience and the respect he has earned from his teammates, Toffoli has an exceptional resume if the Sharks want to give the captaincy to a veteran presence in the room.
Mario Ferraro
Ferraro is the longest-tenured Shark to wear a letter, and he is also one of the longest-tenured Sharks, as crazy as that feels. On the ice, he is the embodiment of a team guy, consistently sacrificing his body for the team game after game. Where I think Ferraro falls short of earning the captaincy is his status with the organization. While the Sharks have not been openly shopping Ferraro, they have been willing to entertain moving the defenseman for years now. Considering this, I doubt the Sharks would give the captaincy to a player Ferraro's age (26) that they don’t see as a long-term piece.
Macklin Celebrini
I have no doubt that Macklin Celebrini will one day be the captain of the San Jose Sharks; the young star has the mentality and skill to lead by example in the NHL; it’s just not the right time. While we have seen guys like McDavid and Toews receive the C at a young age, it is a lot of pressure to put on a young player, especially on a team like San Jose that will likely be losing a lot of games next season. This sentiment was echoed by Mike Grier himself when asked about the topic in a recent availability, though he did not shut down the idea. However, This leads to the final possibility I will touch on.
No Captain
Much like the Sharks have operated the last 2 seasons with Couture injured, we could see another captain by committee next season with multiple alternates. Doing so would let the Sharks ease Macklin Celebrini into leadership more naturally in the coming seasons without forcing the issue. Teams tend to reserve the captaincy for their top players and don’t like giving it to just anyone, even if they are excellent leaders. It’s not the rule, however, and it will be interesting to see how the Sharks decide to address the captaincy in the coming season.