mmmm... no. Talent is always a consideration, but it's the guy who displays the most on/off ice professionalism, important to the team on and off the ice and is always leading by example.

Why Ovi is the captain of the Caps is beyond me.
- TheSabresTaco

I don't think it has to be your most talented player, but it must be taken into account. Your captain should be a leader both on(talent) and off ("leadership") the ice

Point is Gilmore needs to shut the (frank) up saying Odell Beckham is not that great it's just stupid
he probably the second best wide receiver in the game behind Julio Jones
- gerbe75pts

Gilmore shut him down, he can say whatever he wants to say.

12 targets 5 catches 38 yards and the longest of 9...yeah he shut him down

World Juniors
- buffalofan19

Meh. Theres a reason Eichel is in the top 6 right now and Reinhart is not. But its cool im happy he made the squad

mmmm... no. Talent is always a consideration, but it's the guy who displays the most on/off ice professionalism, important to the team on and off the ice and is always leading by example.

Why Ovi is the captain of the Caps is beyond me.
- TheSabresTaco

That is the perfect example of giving it to the most talented not hte best choice. That is us giving it to Vanek/Pommer.

Then again... who are the other choices even possible in WSH??? If I was the coach.. I'd give it to Oshie.

Meh. Theres a reason Eichel is in the top 6 right now and Reinhart is not. But its cool im happy he made the squad
- MCGUIZZY

Eichel is more polished than we expected. He looked great all throughout the preseason. Reinhart kind of disappeared at the middle of the preseason a bit and needed to find his game again.

Reinhart is a smaller guy who needs time to put more weight on to play with the big boys. Eichel is already ready to smash and has hte size to play HIS game that he has always played. Reinhart is having to change his game and understand how to play it with his dimensions I think.

Reinhart is also moved to wing now so he has to learn a new position.

Gilmore shut him down, he can say whatever he wants to say.

12 targets 5 catches 38 yards and the longest of 9...yeah he shut him down
- Stripes77

I'd hit the Like button here if I could.

The C will go to our best player like it should (aka Eichel in a year or two)

Eichel-C
Girgensons-A
Ennis-A
- MCGUIZZY

The best player isn't always the best captain though. There's more to it than that. It could very well end up Eichel. It's all going to depend on how the locker room responds to different guys. But through the last 2 years, the guys gravitated toward Girgs. It's his room. When he talks, everyone listens. Doesn't mean that can't change with Eichel in town now though either.

I agree about ROR too. i think that he is the "safe bet" that they would throw it onto if they didn't think that Eichel or Girgensons is ready.

Skill wise... Girgensons proved that he could play top line minutes and was our leading scorer last year too if I remember right. So its not like this is 1C vs 3C argument.
- JVince11

As good as Girgs is, the difference between the two players will be like night and day. Even now you can tell Girgensons isn't the best playmaker (his primary assist rate is really low relative to his points) while Eichel makes incredible passes all the time. Girgensons is a much better finisher than playmaker

That is the perfect example of giving it to the most talented not hte best choice. That is us giving it to Vanek/Pommer.

Then again... who are the other choices even possible in WSH??? If I was the coach.. I'd give it to Oshie.
- JVince11

Ovi vastly imporved last year as a leader.... He played his heart out last year you could see him out there yelling and begging to go back out after 30 secs on the bench. He looked like a completely different person last year. I hope that continues.

As good as Girgs is, the difference between the two players will be like night and day. Even now you can tell Girgensons isn't the best playmaker (his primary assist rate is really low relative to his points) while Eichel makes incredible passes all the time. Girgensons is a much better finisher than playmaker
- MattFreaknEllis

Yea... all the time... like in 5 preseason games.

I love Eichel and I think he is going to be great but lets not sound ridiculous here now.

I'm not comparing Girgensons and Eichel either.


We will see how it comes to fruitation.... I just LOVE having this dilemma between 2+ deserving guys to wear the C rather than the purgatory of where we have been!!

The best player isn't always the best captain though. There's more to it than that. It could very well end up Eichel. It's all going to depend on how the locker room responds to different guys. But through the last 2 years, the guys gravitated toward Girgs. It's his room. When he talks, everyone listens. Doesn't mean that can't change with Eichel in town now though either.
- HonkFortheGoose

Eichel was captain of Team USA. I think we will see a very similar effect in 2 years

Ovi vastly imporved last year as a leader.... He played his heart out last year you could see him out there yelling and begging to go back out after 30 secs on the bench. He looked like a completely different person last year. I hope that continues.
- CoHo_to_B-Lo

I didn't watch a ton of hockey last season so I'll take your word for it. I just remember how poorly him and the rest of team Russia looked at the Olympics. It was awful.


Did Crosby wear the C immediately in Pitt? Did Getz in Ana? Or Weber in NSH? I can't remember.

Eichel was captain of Team USA. I think we will see a very similar effect in 2 years
- MattFreaknEllis

i didn't realize that. I knew he was the captain at Boston but I didn't realize he was for Team USA. That makes more sense to me now. He just needs to prove his NHL game and get respect from players too.

The best player isn't always the best captain though. There's more to it than that. It could very well end up Eichel. It's all going to depend on how the locker room responds to different guys. But through the last 2 years, the guys gravitated toward Girgs. It's his room. When he talks, everyone listens. Doesn't mean that can't change with Eichel in town now though either.
- HonkFortheGoose

Im not just talking about anyone. Im talking specifically Eichel. He will be our best player and clearly he has the right attitude. From all accounts he is fitting in well. The captain should be our best player. The guy that will be out there in clutch situations and winning us games. those are the players that get the most respect at the end of the day. That will be Eichel in my opinion. Obviously they need to be respected on and off the ice. I dont think that will be an issue with eichel. Love Girgensons too

Yea... all the time... like in 5 preseason games.

I love Eichel and I think he is going to be great but lets not sound ridiculous here now.

I'm not comparing Girgensons and Eichel either.


We will see how it comes to fruitation.... I just LOVE having this dilemma between 2+ deserving guys to wear the C rather than the purgatory of where we have been!!
- JVince11

I agree. Much better than having a new captain every year since Drury and Briere left.

Regarding Eichel: not just the preseason games, its more his play style as a whole. If you watch highlight tapes there are quite a few nice passes, setting teammates up, whereas Girgs has more of incredible finishes.(not trying to compare, just mentioning their styles of play)

Eichel was captain of Team USA. I think we will see a very similar effect in 2 years
- MattFreaknEllis

You can go through this entire lineup and pick out guys that have been captains at some point in their careers. There's a lot of them. That doesn't mean anything at the end of the day.

It's all going to depend on how the guys respond to one another in the locker room. And since none of us know any of that without the media/players talking about it, it'll be awhile before we know.

I just know that over that last 2 years, Ray mentioned dozens of times how incredible it was to see the veteran guys gravitate toward Girgensons and how much of a difference there was in the team mentality with him in and out of the lineup.

I would assume that the possibility of seeing the same things happen around Eichel are pretty great, but we don't know. Yet.

I agree. Much better than having a new captain every year since Drury and Briere left.

Regarding Eichel: not just the preseason games, its more his play style as a whole. If you watch highlight tapes there are quite a few nice passes, setting teammates up, whereas Girgs has more of incredible finishes.(not trying to compare, just mentioning their styles of play)
- MattFreaknEllis

I remember us saying the same things about Grigorenko and Armia. I just hate putting the carriage before the horse. Lets see things happen in the NHL.

Im not just talking about anyone. Im talking specifically Eichel. He will be our best player and clearly he has the right attitude. From all accounts he is fitting in well. The captain should be our best player. The guy that will be out there in clutch situations and winning us games. those are the players that get the most respect at the end of the day. That will be Eichel in my opinion. Obviously they need to be respected on and off the ice. I dont think that will be an issue with eichel. Love Girgensons too
- MCGUIZZY

It's a great problem to have, that's for sure. I think they'll have several choices, none of which would be detrimental to the team at all.

I didn't watch a ton of hockey last season so I'll take your word for it. I just remember how poorly him and the rest of team Russia looked at the Olympics. It was awful.


Did Crosby wear the C immediately in Pitt? Did Getz in Ana? Or Weber in NSH? I can't remember.
- JVince11

Crosby got the C in the 06-07 season at 20 years old... youngest NHL captain.

Crosby got the C in the 06-07 season at 20 years old... youngest NHL captain.
- CoHo_to_B-Lo

Same age as Eichel would be.

hahahha, picture on the Hawks board, comment was about having Cambria on speed dial:

I'd hit the Like button here if I could.
- stashu

I'll never understand why people get on players for playing the scheme the coaches implement. What I mean by that Rex Ryan is totally fine with giving up the short yardage plays, he said so himself. So they put Gilmore on the best receiver and let him get the 3-4 yards as their scheme allows it. Gilmore made all the plays to make sure there was nothing more given up which is exactly what the coaches planned for.

i didn't realize that. I knew he was the captain at Boston but I didn't realize he was for Team USA. That makes more sense to me now. He just needs to prove his NHL game and get respect from players too.
- JVince11

He actually was made an Alternate Captain this season (even though everyone knew he was leaving) he wasn't captain at BU.

But he was for team USA.

Crosby got the C in the 06-07 season at 20 years old... youngest NHL captain.
- CoHo_to_B-Lo

that would be my Bust Capatain Landeskog (according to one of you sabre faithfuls who considers him a bust)

that would be my Bust Capatain Landeskog (according to one of you sabre faithfuls who considers him a bust)
- DDM-Coga

Who ever that Sabre Faithful is.... we don't claim him as our own.