Remembering Saku Koivu and the Search for the Canadiens' New Captain

(Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)

The obvious suggestion is Andrei Markov. He's worn the A, and is the club's best player. But it isn't known whether he would accept it.

Naturally soft-spoken and linguistically limited, Markov is more of a lead-by-example type of player. That isn't a bad thing, but the captain should be someone vocal enough to address any issues that arise.

Another popular suggestion has been newcomer Scott Gomez. He's worn the A with the New York Rangers and before that the New Jersey Devils, with whom he won two Stanley Cups.

But even New York isn't like the fishbowl that is Montreal. Considering the amount of pressure on Gomez—partly due to his contract—to immediately step in and perform, it might be unfair to throw on the additional stress of replacing the second longest serving captain in team history. 

A candidate that should be receiving more discussion is Josh Gorges. Though he has only been with the team for two-and-a-half seasons, Gorges has been one of the Canadiens' most improved players each year.

He played his best hockey with the added pressure of first line duty with Markov when Komisarek went down with injuries, he was second on the team in plus minus this past season, put up 23 points, and is solid in his own end. 

But more important than his skills are the intangibles that he brings. He is articulate and witty in his interviews, he never makes excuses, and he seems to be well liked within the locker-room, (the guys "sacrificing" his stick to end his goal drought is one example for those that remember). Not the best fighter, he's still willing to stand up for his teammates. 

Additionally, you can tell he's willing to sacrifice to win games. He never quits on the play while constantly battling larger players. Gorges may get knocked down, but gets back up and goes right back after the guy.

One moment that stands out for me, and many Habs fans may remember, was in the last 15 or so games of the season (the exact game escapes me at the moment). On the penalty kill, Gorges blocked two shots in succession, and limping over to the loose puck, managed to clear the zone. That's the kind of play I expect a captain to make.

Luckily for us, none of our opinions have any impact. The players will vote on who becomes captain, and as Jacques Martin has said, if no one proves themselves, he has no problem starting the season without a declared captain until one emerges. 

So as we anticipate and guess who will be the next captain, all we can do is sit and wait, and spend hours on articles that will only be read by a few. Thanks for taking the time.

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