The Colorado Avalanche announced on May 9, 2023, that captain Gabriel Landeskog would be absent the entirety of the upcoming 2023-24 NHL season due to undergoing a knee cartilage transplant surgery on his right knee. While many may see this as detrimental to the organization as a whole, the Avalanche have proven they can overcome the loss of Landeskog, and be a dominant force in the Central Division. One pivotal question remains; who, if anyone, should wear the C on the sweater for the season ahead? The Avalanche are spoiled for selection, but it may ultimately come down to how much impact or distraction a simple letter can give.
Last season saw no one wearing the C. Instead, the Avalanche went with their regular lineup of assistant captains: Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Cale Makar, and Erik Johnson. Nathan MacKinnon would be the next likely candidate to don the title of captain for the Avalanche. He was far from ready for the title during his early years in the NHL.
Head Coach Jared Bednar goes on to say, “A guy like has had that perspective for a number of years where Nate’s grown into that the last six years. It’s been getting better year after year, and last year, he was an incredible leader for us.”, at the start of the 2022-23 season. Nathan has definitely grown as a player and leader and may very well be a quality captain in his own right.
Mikko Rantanen has been the right winger scoring phenom for the Colorado Avalanche at their top line for the last several years and scoring 30+ goals in each of the last 3 years. His performance last season was a career-high in goals (55) and points (105). He’s been right there in the thick of conversation with MacKinnon and Landeskog as the top line and has been a leader in his own right for the Avalanche at times when injuries kept MacKinnon and Landeskog out of the lineup. While being a fan favorite, I’d be hesitant to place the true burden of captaincy on his shoulders, and simply let the “Moose” continue to be a top scorer and assistant captain on and off the ice.
Cale Makar took the Avalanche fandom by storm in his rookie year by scoring a goal in his first playoff game in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs against conference foe Calgary Flames. His speed and tenacity continue to amaze many fans and broadcasters alike on a nightly basis, drawing comparisons from many fans to one of the best defensemen to grace the NHL, Bobby Orr. Makar wears an A for the Colorado Avalanche and has done so since his second year with the team. Having recently signed a long-term deal with the Avalanche, Makar would be an ideal candidate for the position and is well-liked among his teammates. His relative youth in the world of the NHL also makes him an ideal future captain for his team.
Erik Johnson, who is no longer with the team, wore an A and was always the best example of a leader as the longest-tenured player on the roster, having skated with the best of both Avalanche historical players. He was there for the record-setting 48-point season the Avalanche had at the beginning of Jared Bednar’s tenure as head coach. He also knew what the team was capable of moving forward and never turned his back on the team. It seems like he was a quality leader, and you could say helped in the development of Landeskog as the team’s current captain when he entered the NHL.
So, should the Colorado Avalanche look at giving the captaincy to another fan-favorite player and current assistant captain, or should they add an additional assistant and push forward much like they did with last season? My personal vote is for the latter, or as I would say, don’t give the elephant permission to be in the room. The Avalanche have found their balance, and whether Landeskog is on the ice or not, he will make his presence known during the season off the ice. After all, he does have an experience former captain (Joe Sakic) to learn from.