Jonathan Toews Becomes 34th Blackhawks Captain; Third Youngest in NHL History

It's not like we didn't see this one coming. 

The Chicago Blackhawks announced Friday that Jonathan Toews would become the franchise's 34th captain. The changing of the guard also makes Toews the third youngest NHL captain of all time at 20 years and 79 days, with Vincent Lecavalier and Sidney Crosby being the others.

This was a move many saw coming from the day he was drafted. Coming out of the University of North Dakota, Toews' leadership both on the ice and in the dressing room was well documented. Last December, Hawks management acknowledged this leadership by naming him an alternate captain. That was one of the final steps in an obvious plan to ease Toews into a leadership role.

"It's a natural fit," said head coach Denis Savard. "Personally, when I sit down with the staff and my coaches, I know that I've got my mind made up. I don't care how young you are. He's that type of person that is going to be a great captain for us."

Some argue that at only 20, Jonathan Toews is not ready and does not have the experience needed to be a successful team captain at the NHL level. That argument, however, should be seen as a weak one when the facts are presented.

First off, Toews is no stranger to holding a captaincy, as he held the position at times throughout his minor league career. He also has many high pressure situations to draw from through several international experiences.

Last year when Toews was named an alternate captain, it was very clear that he had quickly established himself as a leader in a young Blackhawks dressing room. Finally if any more proof is needed, just look at the career a young captain named Steve Yzerman had. Better yet, what a first-year young captain named Sidney Crosby was able to accomplish last year.

This year's Blackhawks will be quite a different team from last year. The free agent signings of goalie Cristobal Huet and defenseman Brian Campbell were just phase one. With Huet signed, last year's starting goalie Nikolai Khabibulin is rumored to be involved in a three-way trade involving the L.A. Kings and Ottawa Senators, with the Hawks potentially receiving center Anze Kopitar in return.

On top of all these moves and potential moves is the growth of key young players Andrew Ladd, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, just to name a few.

So yes, the changes have come fast and furious in Chicago and the naming of Toews as captain is the latest (but surely not the last) in what has been a busy summer so far for the Blackhawks. This year's version of the Blackhawks is primed to be the best team the fans in Chicago have seen in years.

Jonathan Toews quite simply is not too young to be team captain. He has lots of career experience to draw from, no matter how brief his NHL time has been.

Chapter One of the Toews Era in Chicago will begin this coming season and with it comes franchise stability and hopefully success, both on and off the ice.