Colorado Avalanche Should Alter Captaincy Structure

The Colorado Avalanche should consider alternating the leadership structure with Erik Johnson as captain.

A popular pastime among Colorado Avalanche fans is analyzing left wing Gabriel Landeskog’s captaincy. He was so young when he became captain and still remains the youngest man to ever be named an NHL captain.

Landeskog was named captain at then-captain Milan Hejduk’s suggestion. Hejduk’s rationale was that Landeksog was going to be a franchise player, destined for the captaincy anyway, so why not get it done?

No one but the players know exactly what goes on in the locker room, especially during all-important players-only meetings. (Those tend to happen when things are going badly with the team.) It’s also true that you don’t have to wear a letter to be a leader — more on that in a minute.

I propose that the captaincy structure of the Colorado Avalanche should be altered to better reflect the evident leadership within the team. As it stands right now, Gabriel Landeskog is the captain and Cody McLeod and Jarome Iginla are his alternates.

A while ago contributor Will Radke floated out what he thought should be the characteristics of an NHL captain in the following post:

To summarize, Will felt building relationships within the locker room and with the coaching staff was important, but on-ice action is paramount. In short, everyone should notice whenever the captain is on the ice.

I agree with that description. However, if the captaincy is a leadership position — which, obviously, it is — the position also required more complex leadership. An NHL captain should serve not only as the liaison between coach and players, but between team, media and fans. The NHL is a public sphere, so an NHL captain should have a public role.

(I know that’s an unpopular opinion. On this site I tend to be the queen of unpopular opinions.)

Erik Johnson Should be Captain

Defenseman Erik Johnson’s leadership has long impressed me. I’ve noticed it a lot when I go to practices, how he takes charge of the blueliners. And he’s always liaising between the coaching staff and the players.

He’s also a player you notice on the ice. Yes, he sometimes makes costly mistakes — I’m not suggesting him for canonization — but he’s fast, strong on the puck and a big hitter. (Can’t fight to save his life, but oh, well.)

I was already highly impressed with Johnson. However, his poise during Roy-pocolypse really showed of what he’s capable in the public sphere. He spoke on the radio — the only player to speak publicly — only about an hour after the news had hit. It had to be pretty unplanned on his part (though I’m willing to bet he ran it by GM Joe Sakic first), yet he literally said all the right things.

Even in the midst of my rage — and it was great — I could recognize how well he was doing. Here’s the audio:

A I believe Erik Johnson is also that locker room guy. Not only is he likely vocal about what he’s seeing on the ice, I think he’s that presence. On the Player’s Tribune, players talk about what it’s like to be the new guy on the team, especially after a trade. They mention that you don’t feel part of the team until the other players are joking with you.

I think Johnson is the kind of guy to lead that charge — possibly with a fistful of menthol shaving cream, but the kind of presence that let’s a newbie know, “Yep, you’re in.”

All of that is conjecture. However, I know as far back as 2011 — before even Milan Hejduk had taken on the captaincy — Colorado Avalanche insider Adrian Dater was posing Johnson as captain.

Gabriel Landeskog Should be Alternate

More from Mile High Sticking

I like Gabriel Landeskog, and I think he’s probably doing just fine as the captain. I am not going to slam him nor suggest he deserves to be stripped of his captaincy.

However, in a perfect world, Landeskog would be the alternate to Erik Johnson. He has more of a tendency than Johnson to disappear on the ice. And, as we saw last season, he has some impulse control.

I don’t blame him for not speaking out yet after Roy-pocolypse. He’s in Sweden, and he may have been unavailable. He’s known for being a leader who will call potential free agents or the newest members of the team to serve as a liaison. And he’s very community minded, with his speaking out about concussion awareness and anti-bullying. (Unrelated issues.)

Gabriel Landeskog is not a bad captain. I just think Erik Johnson would be better.

Matt Duchene Should be Alternate

If your NHL captains should be the best players on the ice, then Matt Duchene should have a place in the structure. Yes, Nathan MacKinnon is possibly going to eclipse him one day, but that hasn’t happened yet.

There’s something that makes me hesitate with Duchene, and that’s chemistry. It looks as if, ever since Paul Stastny left in free agency, Matt lacks some chemistry with the team. I’m not saying he’s an outsider. However, he doesn’t always seem to be in tune with the other players. Watch the now-infamous goal celebration:

Lost in the turmoil that came after is his teammates’ reaction. Sure, newbie Mikkel Boedker reaches down to get the puck, but everyone else’s reaction is tepid at best. Johnson actually skates away.

Anyway, I like Matt Duchene a lot, and there’s no questioning his skill and commitment to the team. There’s also no questioning that, when Duchene steps on the ice, you’d better be aware he’s out there or he’s going to blow past you. He’s also awful feisty for a smaller guy. Remember his manly goal:

Related Story: Duchene's Manly Goal

Duchene is also an excellent ambassador to the team. He answers the tough questions, too, when called upon. A dynamic and determined individual, I also imagine he speaks up in the locker room as well. He deserves a letter on his chest.

Ousted Alternates

I’m not going to claim that the current alternates, Jarome Iginla and Cody McLeod, lack leadership qualities. Indeed, Iginla is renowned for them. He seems a very calming presence in interviews, so I imagine he brings that to the locker room. He’s also know as the perfect liaison between the team and the officials.

And we all know that McLeod is fiery and will ask the tough questions in the locker room.

This is where I return to the assertion that you don’t have to wear a letter to be a leader. Iginla will be a leader because that’s who he is as a future Hall of Famer. McLeod will be a leader because that’s who he is as a personality and as a grinder.

I reiterate that I’m not suggesting the captaincy structure actually be changed. Stripping Landeskog of his C and replacing it with an A so that Johnson could be captain — no, I don’t think that’s wise.

However, in a perfect world, Johnson would be the captain with Landeskog and Duchene as his alternates for the Colorado Avalanche.

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