Mark Giordano, Seattle Kraken.
In their inaugural season, the Seattle Kraken named Mark Giordano as the first captain in franchise history. The veteran defenseman and former Calgary Flames captain, once again, took on the responsibility of leading a team. However, his job in Seattle presented him with a new set of challenges, leaving him to lead an inexperienced team with little to no direction.
While he took the job in stride, the team floundered throughout the year. Instead of extending his contract, the Seattle Kraken flipped Gio at the trade deadline, along with Colin Blackwell, to Toronto for a pair of second-round draft picks (2022 and 2023) and a 2024 third-rounder.
With Giordano now gone, Kraken General Manager Ron Francis, the front office, and the coaching staff face a tough decision about their on-ice leadership ahead of the 2022-23 NHL season. Who should be the team’s next captain? Do they have someone fit to lead this organization?
Considering the results of last season’s venture, leadership on this team seems to be in short supply. During free agency, the front office made a lot of smart moves to try and rectify this situation. In addition to several players such as Jordan Eberle, Jamie Oleksiak, and Jared McCann, who stood out as integral leaders last year, the Kraken has a strong candidate pool.
There is another valid option for the front office to consider. Should the Seattle Kraken name a captain for the 2022-23 season? If the answer is unclear, then not naming a captain is a justifiable conclusion. It could be the right call going into the new year.
In recent years, we’ve seen several rebuilding teams opt out of naming a new captain after losing their previous one. The Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers are two teams that didn’t choose a captain for an extended period. Instead of naming a captain, they appointed a larger group of alternate captains.
This allowed their players to grow together as a leadership core and take the pressure off of just one person. It also allowed the respective coaching staff and front office people to observe players for a longer period of time. Detroit is a good example.
After Henrik Zetterberg retired, Detroit GM Steve Yzerman decided not to name a captain. Dylan Larkin and Justin Abdelkader served as their two full-time alternate captains, while Frans Nielsen and Luke Glendening split the duties for home and away games.
In a hockey-mad city like Detroit, there is a big legacy to uphold. Remember, it’s a job that was held by all-time greats like Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, Nicklas Lidstrom, and Yzerman.
After proving himself to the organization, Larkin got the “C” on his sweater. Being given a small role gave him the motivation to step up his leadership. However, he still had the chance to grow into the role slowly and focus on the further development of his game as he entered the prime of his career.
Did this logic stand up to the test? That is your judgment call to make. Nevertheless, the same argument can be used for the Seattle Kraken.
Where there is an argument for, there is always an equally as strong argument against. There is no rule that says a team must have a captain. But having a captain is a long-standing hockey tradition. It’s hard to stray from tradition.
This is not an easy job or one to be taken lightly. While he may not be the most skilled player on the roster, he is often the most respected. The captain represents his team both on and off the ice.
He must be confident because the way he carries himself could be the strength or weakness of his team. The captain sets the example and drives the energy of the game. He is the one who builds a strong foundation for the rest of his team. He cannot waiver.
The Seattle Kraken haven’t had very much consistency in their short time as an NHL team. Naming a captain with strong alternates behind him could give the Kraken players something they severely lacked last season. This will be another season with plenty of learning curves. Many players will need to “grow up” at the NHL level.
With up-and-comers like Matty Beniers and Shane Wright likely joining the team full time, the Seattle Kraken youngsters will benefit from having a strong and self-assured leader. They need a reassuring voice to guide them during times when they are doubtful or feel uncertain.
Seattle has something to build on from last year, but with so many new faces joining the fold, the one thing this team really needs going forward is stability. Having a rotating team of alternate captains may not offer them the dependability they really need.
As the age-old adage states: many hands might light work. In the case of the Seattle Kraken, there is so much to figure out. And they don’t have a lot of time to do it. Delegating the responsibilities of the captain to several players could be one of their keys to success this season.
This solution could allow the leadership core to put a little more focus on their individual games, aiding in the team’s overall quality. Leadership isn’t going to fix all of the Seattle Kraken’s deficiencies. However, splitting up the workload could help in more ways than one.
While there are several players on the team who have quality leadership skills, sometimes taking on the role of captain is a heavy load to carry.
They are the one who lifts their team up and inspires them. However, they often receive the brunt of criticism if things aren’t going right. Much like Giordano did last year with the Seattle Kraken.
While Vegas is used as an example to hold the Seattle Kraken to unrealistic expectations, they are yet another team who were tremendously successful without a captain. Eventually, Mark Stone earned the Knights’ captaincy, but it wasn’t until 2020. And just like Vegas, a Kraken player will fill the void and reveal by their actions that they should wear the “C.”
Maybe the Seattle Kraken jumped the gun a little bit in their inaugural season by naming Giordano as their captain. Forcing the responsibility of the captaincy on one player when the team doesn’t know each other and has yet to develop chemistry or had the chance to figure things out seems a little premature.
What direction do you think the Seattle Kraken should about naming their next captain?