Next Sabres Captain

[I-90 W]

I really like the idea of whoever the players vote on but my vote would be for ROR. He's already an A, plays both sides of the ice very well and does all the little things to help win us games. He's by far my favorite player besides Jack.

 

I'd like to see

 

ROR C

Jack A

Risto A

[WildCard]

His work ethic is great but I heard him in an interview a few months ago and he was talking about how he wished he had been a better, more vocal leader. He is great on the ice but it REALLY sounded like he was not built for Captain

Agreed 100%. He's just not the leader we all thought he was. Eichel is

[stuuuuuuuuu]

I don't think O'Reilly gets the C in any scenario.  This is Jack's team and he will be the captain someday.  If he isn't ready this year you give it to a respected vet who will be gone in a year or two (Pominville?).  This creates a clear path for Jack and you don't have to deal with stripping the C from a guy like O'Reilly.

[Randall Flagg]

I wouldn't mind going captain-less for a season or two.

[I-90 W]

I don't think O'Reilly gets the C in any scenario. This is Jack's team and he will be the captain someday. If he isn't ready this year you give it to a respected vet who will be gone in a year or two (Pominville?). This creates a clear path for Jack and you don't have to deal with stripping the C from a guy like O'Reilly.

I know this is a dominant thought process but I respectfully disagree on this. I don't think best player automatically means captain. ROR is definitly C material.

 

We're gonna lock Jack up another 8 years anyway no need to rush it. When he naturally grows into it we just put ROR back as an alternate.

[Trettioåtta]

I wouldn't mind going captain-less for a season or two.

 

I would. This team needs direction. Next season is critical for the rebuild. We can't afford last year to be anything more than a blip, as a result I want a clear structure in our locker room - a player who is ultimately accountable for this team. Going leaderless either means someone steps up (in which case they should be made captain the moment they do), or you have a ton of alternates and there is no clear voice. I don't want a leadership by committee like we had post Drury/Briere

I know this is a dominant thought process but I respectfully disagree on this. I don't think best player automatically means captain. ROR is definitly C material.

 

We're gonna lock Jack up another 8 years anyway no need to rush it. When he naturally grows into it we just put ROR back as an alternate.

 

Plus if ROR is a good leader he should accept it if Eichel passes him.

 

I also think ROR criticising his leadership abilities does not make him a bad leader - I would argue that it makes him a self-aware man with a drive to improve, which usually makes for a pretty good leader. Plus he strikes me as a man who is basically never happy with his performance in any manner. He always looks at the faults and tries to improve them

[Cityo'Rasmii]

I really like the idea of whoever the players vote on but my vote would be for ROR. He's already an A, plays both sides of the ice very well and does all the little things to help win us games. He's by far my favorite player besides Jack.

 

I'd like to see

 

ROR C

Jack A

Risto A

 

^

This

[Sabel79]

I wouldn't mind going captain-less for a season or two.

I absolutely would. The Ruff practice of handing out three "A"s (including Doug Gilmour) and later on slapping the "C" on the majority of the roster in turn reeked of a team with no identity, no real spine.

 

Slap it on Eichel and we go forward.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

It does not appear (? - who knows for sure) that a natural captain is on the current roster.  The captain is not always the best player.  11 didn't become captain until the 80s.

 

So, ?????

[Randall Flagg]

Toronto, the NHL team in the most similar situation to us roster-wise, didn't have a captain last year. It wouldn't be a big deal. Jack can focus on putting a healthy season together with his developed ability to be a point per game player, and then when he does that and starts his mega-deal the following season he can take the C. 

[Trettioåtta]

It does not appear (? - who knows for sure) that a natural captain is on the current roster.  The captain is not always the best player.  11 didn't become captain until the 80s.

 

So, ?????

 

What's your view on ROR?

Toronto, the NHL team in the most similar situation to us roster-wise, didn't have a captain last year. It wouldn't be a big deal. Jack can focus on putting a healthy season together with his developed ability to be a point per game player, and then when he does that and starts his mega-deal the following season he can take the C. 

 

IMO, Toronto was lightning in a bottle. Not to mention their season could basically go any direction and it not matter - we don't have that luxury

[Randall Flagg]

What's your view on ROR?

 

IMO, Toronto was lightning in a bottle. Not to mention their season could basically go any direction and it not matter - we don't have that luxury

I'm just not convinced that a season of there being no 'C' stitched on somebody's jersey is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

 

We've just had about 5 disastrous seasons with captains. Meh

[Sabres Fan in NS]

What's your view on ROR?

 

I think he is the Sabres 'best' player (not most skilled, which is Jack).  I have thought that ROR would be the next captain after Gionta.  I still think that would be a good choice.  I like what you said about him and his view on his take of his lack of leadership.

 

There is merit in saying that this is Jack's team and he needs to run with it, but that could be a disaster if he is not ready, which I don't think he is.  I did say upthread that it would / should be Jack, but that is what I think is likely to happen, not that I think it is a good idea.

 

Someone said upthread that ... C = ROR; A = Risto and Eich.  I like that combo.

[Doohicksie]

C: Gorges

A: Deslauriers

A: Ennis Moulson

 

Nice.

That would be my hope, but not sure until contract is signed, interim ROR if not.

 

There won't be a captain until no earlier than Training Camp.  I would expect Jack is signed by then.

ROR. His work ethic and leadership have been praised by basically everyone who has ever played with him.

 

It is tricky because I think this is Eichel's team in the future, but he isn't ready for leadership now. I would liken it to Washington giving Ovechkin the C at least 3 years too soon in my eyes (and suffering for it).

 

Personally I would be up for a ROR / Eichel co-captain situation. It worked in our glory days and I see a lot of Drury / Briere dynamic in their two games. ROR on the road, Eich at home.

 

[WildCard]

I'm just not convinced that a season of there being no 'C' stitched on somebody's jersey is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

 

We've just had about 5 disastrous seasons with captains. Meh

Pretty sure Toronto is going without a C this year 

[Doohicksie]

Anyway, I voted Other.

 

Other = McCabe.

Pretty sure Toronto is going without a C this year 

 

For that reason alone we can't do the same.

[Randall Flagg]

Anyway, I voted Other.

 

Other = McCabe.

 

For that reason alone we can't do the same.

Darkhorse candidate, probably too young/undeveloped as a player still though.

[darksabre]

Pretty sure Toronto is going without a C this year

I'm not interested in being Toronto. We're better than them.

[WildCard]

I'm not interested in being Toronto. We're better than them.

Well the situation is the same. Matthews and the core are deemed to young / not ready to take the C. So they go without one for a year, and give it to him next year

[dudacek]

I think Jack is the kind of player you give the C to with the expectation that he'll rise to the occasion.

 

This. After all, it's about communicating to the players a clear message.

 

It will combine with the contract extension to make an unquestioned statement of how JBot and Housley view this team moving forward. ROR and KO assistants.

[Randall Flagg]

I'm not interested in being Toronto. We're better than them.

In what way are we better than Toronto?

 

I don't think going captainless is an attempt to mimic Toronto, they just showed that it's not the end of the world if the kid you want to be captain is still putting his game together.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Pretty sure Toronto is going without a C this year 

 

I would be surprised if they went another season without one.  Therefore, I predict Shanahan will wear a big C pinned to his shirt.

[Doohicksie]

In what way are we better than Toronto?

 

The Buffalo Sabres and their fans are clearly morally superior to Laff Nation (baby eating aside).   :angel:

[darksabre]

Well the situation is the same. Matthews and the core are deemed to young / not ready to take the C. So they go without one for a year, and give it to him next year

It's not the same.

 

Eichel is THE guy. He needs to be wearing the C. I'm not going to have this undefined roles garbage that coaches use on teams to try to see who floats to the top of the garbage heap. Loser teams do that.

 

As soon as he signs his new deal he's the franchise #1 center. You give that guy the C. He's the face.

 

And I don't buy for a second all that rhetoric from players about not caring about the C. You bet your ass they care.

In what way are we better than Toronto?

 

I don't think going captainless is an attempt to mimic Toronto, they just showed that it's not the end of the world if the kid you want to be captain is still putting his game together.

Eichel is still putting his game together? Nahhhh. He's the best player on this team. Give him the C.

[Sabel79]

Pierre Turgeon was given the C. You think Eichel doesn't deserve it, considering the floor?