Ottawa Senators: 3 Candidates To Be Named Next Captain

At this said time, there are six teams who do not have a captain. Thus, in this short segment, we will be discussing three players from each team who could end up being given this honor. It is important to note that there is a chance that some of these teams may hold off from naming one. Yet, it is still entertaining to go over their options at this juncture.

In this piece, we will be looking at the Ottawa Senators. Head coach D.J. Smith has stated that "it's time" for the team to pick their next leader. It's hard to disagree with him, as the Senators have not had a new captain since they traded Erik Karlsson during the 2018 off-season. There are two prime candidates who have been deemed as the frontrunners, but perhaps this third player could be a dark horse.

Brady Tkachuk LW: The contract negotiations with Brady Tkachuk have not led to an extension yet, but that surely will change. He is one of their most important players and very well could be wearing the C this upcoming season. He not only is skilled offensively, but plays the game with a real edge and will protect his teammates at all costs. The 2018 fourth overall pick is heading into his just his fourth season, but he's already playing like a grizzled veteran. Thus, it would be hard to complain if he's named captain.

Thomas Chabot D: Thomas Chabot is the other frontrunner, which makes a lot of sense. He's a legitimate top-pair defenseman in this league and is only getting better with each season. If you include the one game he played during the 2016-17 campaign, he is heading into his sixth NHL season with the team. He's been in Ottawa longer than Tkachuk and is integral to the team as well.

Connor Brown RW: Although Connor Brown's chances of being named captain are extremely low, he deserves some love. The 27-year-old winger has become a solid top-six winger in the league since being traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs. In 56 games this past season, he scored 21 goals and recorded 35 points as well. He's also an alternate captain for the team and has previous experience with the role, as he was captain of the Erie Otters during the 2012-13 season.