This past season, 30 of 32 teams had a captain by the start of the 2025-26 season. After trades and free agent exits, 10 teams are entering the 2026-27 season without a captain.

Captains are vital to an NHL team’s success. They are the player the team looks to in difficult situations, the player they trust to communicate with coaches and even referees during games. Being named captain is one of the highest honors a professional athlete can receive. 

With 10 captain vacancies, here are the best candidates are for each team.

One of the Anaheim Ducks’ veterans, like Alex Killorn, Chris Kreider or Mikael Granlund, could be viable candidates to wear the ‘C’ for the franchise, but with the money the Ducks are investing in their youth, it’s time for them to be the leaders as well.

The most obvious candidate is the No. 1 center and the team’s highest draft pick, Leo Carlsson. But if the organization has any animosity towards the 21-year-old signing a record-breaking $18-million-per-year offer sheet, the Ducks could select No. 1 defenseman Jackson LaCombe instead. 

They are both among the rising polished two-way players at their positions.

The Boston Bruins have been without a captain since they traded Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers at the 2024-25 trade deadline. After making the playoffs in 2025-26, expectations have grown.

The goal isn’t just to earn a playoff berth; it’s to advance further. Solidifying your leadership group is a must in that sense. The Bruins have two options: David Pastrnak or Charlie McAvoy.

Pastrnak took a big step forward with his leadership this past season and has been as consistent as any offensive player in the league over the past four seasons. He changed into more of a playmaker in 2025-26 because that’s what the team needed.

On the other hand, McAvoy does it all for the Bruins. Chips in offensively, shuts down the opponent’s best players, and brings physicality from the blueline. McAvoy is also an American, which could add to the appeal of being the leader in Boston. Either way, Pastrnak and McAvoy are both respected voices in the Bruins’ locker room. 

There’s only one correct answer for the Chicago Blackhawks, and it’s Connor Bedard. The Blackhawks asked Bedard to be more aggressive on the forecheck and ratchet up the intensity, and he answered the bell. 

His defensive game may be far from perfect, but Bedard has kept the Blackhawks offense afloat through his first three seasons in the NHL, and he proved that he can compete offensively with the NHL’s best prior to his injury. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets are a tricky case. On the one hand, Zach Werenski is the perfect candidate to replace Boone Jenner as captain. He was drafted by the Blue Jackets in 2015 and has spent his entire NHL career with the organization.

But earlier this off-season, reports indicated he could want out down the road, and with two more seasons until he becomes a UFA, the Blue Jackets are at serious risk of having to move on from him.

If they are worried that’s the case, Adam Fantilli could be an option. He’s still developing, so naming him captain immediately is likely off the table, but waiting until he’s ready could be an option, especially if he signs a long-term contract. 

Whether this is his final season as a member of the Los Angeles Kings or not, it’s Drew Doughty’s turn to be the captain of the franchise.

Doughty has spent his 18-year NHL career with the Kings, winning two Stanley Cups and a Norris Trophy. Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar have served as captains of the Kings throughout Doughty’s tenure. But with both players retired, it’s only fitting that Doughty is allowed to don the ‘C’ next.

Matthew Schaefer is wise beyond his years and as mature an 18-year-old athlete as you’ll find. If any player is deserving of becoming the youngest captain in NHL history, it’s Schaefer. 

The New York Islanders have an intense fan base, and playing on Long Island comes with a lot of pressure, but Schaefer has shown he is equipped to handle it. 

The Islanders could wait to announce Schaefer as captain or use a placeholder like Bo Horvat in the meantime, but Schaefer is their franchise player, and giving him the ‘C’ will happen sooner rather than later. 

With Brady Tkachuk out of the fold, the Ottawa Senators are left without a captain. The Senators could be a team that decides to play the season without one, but Thomas Chabot is more than deserving of being named captain.

He’s spent all parts of his 10 years in the NHL with the Senators and has shown high admiration for the city and its fans.

While Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson are better overall players than Chabot, they might not bring the same level of leadership as Chabot. 

Similar to Bedard with the Blackhawks, Macklin Celebrini is who you think of when you think of the San Jose Sharks. The best player on the team, a Ted Lindsay finalist from this past year and the recent captain of Team Canada at the World Championship, Celebrini is beyond ready to wear the ‘C’ on his chest for the Sharks.

Aside from Celebrini, Tyler Toffoli could have a claim due to his experience and evident guidance of the youngsters. Still, there is uncertainty about how much longer Toffoli might have in San Jose. Celebrini is the clear choice. 

With Brayden Schenn out of the picture, the St. Louis Blues are also without a captain. The two candidates who could fill that vacancy are Robert Thomas and Colton Parayko.

Thomas is the Blues’ best forward and has shown a desire to remain in St. Louis despite trade rumors.

The same can be said for Colton Parayko, who has been with the organization for even longer. The trade rumors surrounding Parayko have grown more concrete, and the Blues may revisit those discussions. 

A quiet candidate is Philip Broberg, who took a big step forward last season and has become a favorite within the Blues organization.

The Vancouver Canucks have candidates like Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser who have been with the Canucks through thick and thin. However, the Canucks desperately need to rebuild, and to do so, they will likely be required to trade Pettersson and Boeser. 

The best course of action for the Canucks is to keep the captaincy vacant until they draft a player they believe will turn the franchise around, or one of their top youngsters such as Braeden Cootes, Caleb Malhotra, or others who are still to come. 

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