The Capitals wanted to take their time after last week’s trade of captain Chris Clark. The position is a crucial one in an NHL dressing room, but in deference to Clark – a well respected figure who’d worn the “C” for three years – coach Bruce Boudreau and general manager George McPhee opted to leave the position open. But it didn’t take them long to make a final decision. Star forward Alex Ovechkin skated onto the ice at Verizon Center tonight wearing the “C” on his chest. He is the 14th captain in club history and the first non-North American so named.
There were other candidates. Brooks Laich had taken a leadership role even before Clark left when he volunteered to serve as the team’s NHLPA representative. Nicklas Backstrom is a strong two-way player with the stable make-up of a future captain. Mike Knuble is in his first year with the club, but the 37-year-old forward also provides a veteran voice.
But Ovechkin has been the face of the franchise since the day he arrived from Moscow in the summer of 2005 for his introductory press conference. His No. 8 jerseys are seen everywhere around town. No one on the team is more competitive. Teammates laud him for playing hard every shift. It’s the right fit. Earlier concerns about his language skills have faded as he’s become more fluent.
“Our team has adopted his personality and the energy, passion and drive to win that are his hallmarks have become our team’s as well,” McPhee said in a statement. “He sets the tone – on the ice as well as off. He’s respectful to everyone and a great ambassador for our team and our sport. We look forward to him leading the Washington Capitals for a long time.”
