With no official captain, here is an inside look on which players on the Coyotes have stepped up as leaders this season.
There are only five teams in the NHL that currently do not have a captain. One of those teams happens to be the Arizona Coyotes.
With no official captain, who are the leaders of the Coyotes?
Lawson Crouse, Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz hold the title of alternate captain for the team this season.
Crouse is arguably the most vocal leader of the three assistant captains. He is known as ‘The Sheriff’. Crouse is humble, always giving credit to his teammates while never putting the spotlight on himself.
Keller and Schmaltz are more reserved but lead by example through their hard work and exceptional play on the ice.
Despite having more of a quiet demeanor, Keller has been the face of the Coyotes franchise for many years and continues to fully embrace that role.
The Coyotes may be a primarily younger team but added some veterans this offseason that have helped boost the culture.
Nick Bjugstad is at the forefront of this culture shift. Bjugstad’s positive energy and lighthearted spirit has spread rapidly throughout the rest of the team and has really brought joy to the locker room.
Jason Zucker is another veteran that has made a tremendous impact for the Coyotes this season. He specifically has made an effort to help mentor Logan Cooley, the Coyotes 2022 third overall pick. Zucker has really taken the rookie under his wing even staying with Cooley on the ice after some practices.
On the defensive side, the Coyotes added Matt Dumba who also serves as a great veteran presence. He is the older voice on Arizona’s young defensive core.
The Coyotes new sense of leadership has helped them make major strides this season as they currently hold the second wild card spot in the Western Conference standings.
It may be a little non-traditional to not have a captain, but the Coyotes are filled with players who are capable of stepping up as leaders.