If the Canucks make another early playoff exit, should there be a new Captain?

[TheCammer]

Henrik will be captain until he retires. As he should be.

[Hunter56]

Well since the Canucks playoffs is over (and I made sure to keep quiet until it was all over) and no admin locked the thread when I requested, I'm continuing this thread.

I'm dissapointed of course, but I saw this coming a mile away. There were many things wrong with the team, but the worst one was -- you guessed it -- not showing up for 90% of the series.

Now do you guys see what I was talking about when I made this thread? Henrik was responsible for rallying the troops and this team played with no passion and no heart, just lethargic and robotic for most of the series. They only decided to show up for the last ten minutes of getting swept.

I greatly dissagree with everyone that said wearing the C was "no big deal" it is a very big deal. The captain is the player with the greatest leadership qualities, not necessarily the most skilled or the one who scores the most goals. IMO this core team never had great leadership with Luongo or Henrik being captain; 2011 was a combination of skill and luck. Lucky that they were able to get past the Blackhawks without being humiliated, then they were able to handle the next two rounds through sheer skill alone. When they faced the Bruins however, they became overwhelmed and they had no response for getting manhandled the entire series and just faded away in the next two games. It has gotten worse over the next two seasons.

The Sedins are great players, but I think it's time that they possibly move to the second line. Great in the regular season I'll agree all day long on that but get shut down in the playoffs way too much.

Who should be Captain now? The guy who actually showed up for all four games. K-E-S! Kes! Kes! Kes!

It's funny how much crap I got for this thread, only to have everything I was talking about in the OP happen pretty much exactly like I was saying (but believe me, I didn't want it to happen) There were even people in other threads during the series saying that Henrik should not be Captain anymore. Ironic ain't it?

I take back my posts earlier about apologizing, I'm not sorry for anything now. Doesn't look like such a moronic thread now, does it J.R.?

[aGENT]

Yup. Still moronic.

[TheFastOne21]

Sedins are good at answering to their failures and standing up for their lack of play this series. They were dormant the entire series until late in the 2nd and the 3rd period of game 4. So was the whole team.

I dont know that Henrik should be stripped of captaincy, that seems like a dumb move as it could create rifts larger than we can overcome. This series was on management and coaching. I say let it stay as is, at least for another season. There is no point in doing this for any reason right now.

[ForsbergTheGreat]

I agree with you that Henrik doesn’t really show that leader qualities. He doesn’t seem to elevate his game with the team needs him the most. You want your Captain to be able to bear down and show some heart and determination to win games and that’s not at all what Henrik shows in the big games. He realizes purely on his skill and when teams figured him and Daniel out they really just disappeared.

On the other hand I don’t think Kelser is the answer. He has games where he shows up but other that one 3^rd period that was it from him. He gets his head to into the game and dives or chirps or tries to draw penalties, He plays playoffs to mentally and needs to leave that part of the game alone. You look at some of the games best captains. Sakic and Yzerman. These two were true leaders. They just went out there and played the game hard. Always first to the puck, take the hit, block the shot, and scored the big goals. You never would see them embellish to draw a call, they just out worked and wanted to win more than their opponents.

I don’t see that type of player on the Canucks roster. Maybe Gaunce can show that in a few years down the road. Maybe the Canucks can pick up a player like that in a trade (not likely). So for now, until someone steps up to become that type of leader, Henrik is the best option.

[AppleJack]

So before y'all start slinging mud at me for my thoughts on this topic I would to point something out. I am a not a fair weather fan! I have been a canucks (and redwings fan) pratically my entire life and so I know hockey and I know this team. I like the sedins and I want them on this team but it is very clear to me (and a few others) that Hank is not getting through to his team mates anymore! A lot of fans (myself included) have been disgusted with the way van has played this year and in the series. They played without heart, without purpose, without direction. If it wasn't for the post game interviews I would have not even thought the canucks cared that they lost! In fact Hank calling out the refs for that joke of a call is the only time I saw him show emotion all season. Yet there has been one player who went out there every night and gave his all (even playing with the flu) and that was kesler! He also was the only one who was able to fire his team mates up twice in this series game 2 and game 4, yes it was a little to late and yes it didn't matter in the end but if you ask me who would you rather have as a captain? Someone who is complacent and whose team mates don't even show up or one who can fire his team mates up and plays with fire and emotion, who actually has another gear for the playoffs? Time to give the C to kes make Hank the A...

[Nosaj]

The frack? Why would Kesler be captain?

He is moody, he dives, he is hurt half of the time. When was the last time Kesler elevated the play of those around him?

Kesler is a good player, but not captain material.

[RUPERTKBD]

So before y'all start slinging mud at me for my thoughts on this topic I would to point something out. I am a not a fair weather fan! I have been a canucks (and redwings fan) pratically my entire life and so I know hockey and I know this team. I like the sedins and I want them on this team but it is very clear to me (and a few others) that Hank is not getting through to his team mates anymore! A lot of fans (myself included) have been disgusted with the way van has played this year and in the series. They played without heart, without purpose, without direction. If it wasn't for the post game interviews I would have not even thought the canucks cared that they lost! In fact Hank calling out the refs for that joke of a call is the only time I saw him show emotion all season. Yet there has been one player who went out there every night and gave his all (even playing with the flu) and that was kesler! He also was the only one who was able to fire his team mates up twice in this series game 2 and game 4, yes it was a little to late and yes it didn't matter in the end but if you ask me who would you rather have as a captain? Someone who is complacent and whose team mates don't even show up or one who can fire his team mates up and plays with fire and emotion, who actually has another gear for the playoffs? Time to give the C to kes make Hank the A...

[Monty]

They absolutely should assign a new captain. Had Kesler, Bieksa, Garrison, Schneider, etc, etc, etc, been given the captaincy, the Canucks would have won 16 straight games to win the cup.

Different captain would have made zero difference.

[AppleJack]

Yes I know hockey I grew up on hockey, I live and breathe hockey, I will watch two teams I hate play eachother just for the sake of seeing a game and learning more! I am 34 and been watching since I was 13! So try and sit there and tell I don't know hockey! I am not trying to be disrespectfull against the sedins and have been very vocal against my dislike of the coaches! I am not blaming this whole mess on the sedins I am simply stating a fact that without heart or grit teams will go no where! Vancouver needs a leader who plays with these things and who can fire his team mates up yes kes isn't perfect and yes he isn't the 'ideal' leader but he is the only canuck who actually acts like he gives a damn!

[Monty]

Yes I know hockey I grew up on hockey, I live and breathe hockey, I will watch two teams I hate play eachother just for the sake of seeing a game and learning more! I am 34 and been watching since I was 13! So try and sit there and tell I don't know hockey! I am not trying to be disrespectfull against the sedins and have been very vocal against my dislike of the coaches! I am not blaming this whole mess on the sedins I am simply stating a fact that without heart or grit teams will go no where! Vancouver needs a leader who plays with these things and who can fire his team mates up yes kes isn't perfect and yes he isn't the 'ideal' leader but he is the only canuck who actually acts like he gives a damn!

[aGENT]

Yes I know hockey I grew up on hockey, I live and breathe hockey, I will watch two teams I hate play eachother just for the sake of seeing a game and learning more! I am 34 and been watching since I was 13! So try and sit there and tell I don't know hockey! I am not trying to be disrespectfull against the sedins and have been very vocal against my dislike of the coaches! I am not blaming this whole mess on the sedins I am simply stating a fact that without heart or grit teams will go no where! Vancouver needs a leader who plays with these things and who can fire his team mates up yes kes isn't perfect and yes he isn't the 'ideal' leader but he is the only canuck who actually acts like he gives a damn!

[AppleJack]

I am not talking about last year I am talking about this year! Hank's whole casual "we played good" attitude has been just asd determental to this team as AV's awful coaching! We need grit, and heart and a leader who leads by example! Not a super star who just sits back and wonders what went wrong!

[Monty]

I am not talking about last year I am talking about this year! Hank's whole casual "we played good" attitude has been just asd determental to this team as AV's awful coaching! We need grit, and heart and a leader who leads by example! Not a super star who just sits back and wonders what went wrong!

[aGENT]

Nobody, not even you, can say what is said behind closed doors when the team talks. The Sedin's are professionals and conduct themselves as such. Beaking off to the media does not a leader make.

[AppleJack]

There performance on the ice speaks for itself! I hope I am proven wrong but mark my words the canucks will NEVER win the cup with Hank as captain! They need someone who actually cares to lead them! For what ever reason the Sedins are not cutting it in the playoffs! I fail to see why everyone refuses to see this! Look at the rest of the NHl look at the last few teams who have won the cup (we may hate them) but those teams captains... Chicago, Boston, LA actually play like they give a damn!

[aGENT]

Did you see Hank with his feet up on the boards having a smoke and a cocktail?

[AppleJack]

No I saw Hank skating around the ice (like 99% of the canucks) without direction, without spunk, like he didn't even care! Meanwhile Kes went out there to play (in game 2,3 and 4) but once again his temamates, coach and the refs screwed him over!

[Ride the red Pony]

There performance on the ice speaks for itself! I hope I am proven wrong but mark my words the canucks will NEVER win the cup with Hank as captain! They need someone who actually cares to lead them! For what ever reason the Sedins are not cutting it in the playoffs! I fail to see why everyone refuses to see this! Look at the rest of the NHl look at the last few teams who have won the cup (we may hate them) but those teams captains... Chicago, Boston, LA actually play like they give a damn!

[RUPERTKBD]

Yes I know hockey I grew up on hockey, I live and breathe hockey, I will watch two teams I hate play eachother just for the sake of seeing a game and learning more! I am 34 and been watching since I was 13! So try and sit there and tell I don't know hockey! I am not trying to be disrespectfull against the sedins and have been very vocal against my dislike of the coaches! I am not blaming this whole mess on the sedins I am simply stating a fact that without heart or grit teams will go no where! Vancouver needs a leader who plays with these things and who can fire his team mates up yes kes isn't perfect and yes he isn't the 'ideal' leader but he is the only canuck who actually acts like he gives a damn!