Philadelphia Flyers: GIVE ME a "C"!! Top Candidates for Flyers Captaincy

The Philadelphia Flyers are without a captain. Chris Pronger is not walking through the locker room door this year, and it is likely he may not ever again. The vacant captain's C has not been placed on a teammate's jersey as much out of respect for the veteran Pronger as for the indecision at naming a new captain.

Though the captain's chair may be empty, the Flyers certainly are not lacking in veteran leadership. While Jaromir Jagr, had been out of the NHL for a couple of years, he's back at age 40, and has gelled extraordinarily well with Claude Giroux and the rest of the Broad St. gang. With Danny Briere, Kimmo Timmonen and new D-man Pavel Kubina all in their mid 30's, the Flyers have a wealth of experience, but are certainly not long in the tooth.

The core of this team are all in their prime. This is the pool of players from which the Flyers must draw their new captain. Quite frankly, there is no time like the present to do so. With Philly positioning itself for a strong playoff run this year, rallying around a new captain might provide a new spark.

A team captain isn't always the best player, but often is. Leadership, maturity, confidence are also characteristics to consider. Here are the top candidates to replace Pronger.

Braydon Coburn

Braydon Coburn might seem like a surprise pick to the Flyers faithful. But to others he personifies the Flyers rugged, blue collar spirit. At 6'5", the left-handed blue liner draws immediate physical comparisons to Chris Pronger, though his career thus far has been significantly less celebrated.

Though he is not the Flyers most vocal leader, he is well respected in the locker room for his toughness and team first attitude. Taking a puck to the grill cemented Coburn's commitment to teamwork, and no one can question his work ethic.

He is the right age (27) and has five years with the Flyers. Though he's not the name that surfaces first, Coburn would be a solid choice to replace Pronger, and captaincy would immediately raise his profile to the next level.

Kimmo Timmonen

Kimmo Timmonen would be an easy choice as captain, except that he is getting ready to turn 37 in a week. The veteran blue liner was named captain in Nashville a year before being traded to Philly. He responded by posting career highs in goals, assists and points.

Perhaps the same could happen with the Flyers? While Timmonen's numbers have predictably declined over the years, the drop off is minimal.

Realistically, Timmonen could channel fellow Scandinavian Nick Lidstrom's fountain of youth and play another three-four years if he was given the C. But it makes more sense to look elsewhere. If the team's captaincy was a lifetime achievement award, Kimmo would be our lead candidate.

Ilya Bryzgalov

Ok, maybe I put Bryzgalov here as some sort of palette cleanser til we get to the last three. While his age, personality and experience would make him an ideal candidate if he wasn't a goalie, Bryz' tenure doesn't make him the best choice.

The trials of this year alone have shown us all that Bryz has a pretty thick skin, and a steely resolve. Mired in a statistical toilet swirl, Bryz has been stellar lately. He certainly doesn't shy away from the camera, and seems to appreciate the passion of Philadelphia, even if the feelings aren't always reciprocated.

I can't even begin to imagine the nightly quotes that could come out of the Russian philosopher's mouth. Let's face it though, as a captain, we want someone with a few more years wearing the orange and black. There have only been six NHL goalies to wear the C, so we're not quite ready to welcome Bryzzie to that club.

Daniel Briere

Daniel Briere has had the captain's C on his jersey in Buffalo and saw his offensive stats explode. He finished his contract in Buffalo and chose to come to Philadelphia in 2007, even after the Flyers had finished last in the NHL. Something to be said for his character, eh? Though he was also given $52 million other reasons to come to Philly too.

Briere hasn't matched his numbers offensively in Buffalo, but has been an alternate captain for Philly soon after his arrival. He is a quiet leader who works hard on both ends of the ice.

On the back side of his career at age 34, he seems content to let the younger players fill the stat sheets the way he used to. Still capable of scoring bursts here and there, Briere seems to be a more complete two way player than he used to be. He would be a great captain in Philly, but age is not in his favor.

Scott Hartnell

Scott Hartnell is a consensus fan favorite for the job. A gritty, tough winger whose hands are as adept for goalscoring as they are for face smashing. Hartnell is one of the most recognizable players in the league as much for the pile of ginger cabbage under his helmet as he is for his all out playing style.

Though Scotty H does pile up the penalty minutes, he has become a more responsible leader of late. He is one of the most vocal Flyers on and of the ice, and has been embraced by the Broad St. faithful since his arrival from Nashville with Kimmo Timmonen in 2007.

The rugged winger has already set a career high for goals this year with 32 so far, while his 60 points match his career high. With 14 games left to play, Hartnell will be putting the finishing touches on his best season to date. The captain's C would be the a nice addition to Hartnell's resume.

Claude Giroux

To many fans, Claude Giroux is the most logical choice. He has taken his game to a new level, and seems to have really flourished with the presence of Jagr on his wing. As the only one of the six candidates to play his entire pro career in the Philly system, Giroux's star is still on the rise. At the time of publication, Giroux sits three points behind Steven Stamkos for the league lead.

Though the youngest of our candidates, Giroux has a natural flair and charisma, and a ton of confidence. He makes everyone on the ice better around him, and seems to really have embraced the A on his sweater as a symbol of leadership.

He has a huge heart and surprising toughness for his size. Concussed earlier in the season, Giroux only missed only four games before returning to the ice. He fits the mold of best player equals captain, but also possesses the other intangibles to lead the Flyers.

So there are the top candidates to take over the captain's C for the Philadelphia Flyers. Each candidate brings a lot for consideration, and I believe the Flyers need to put a C on a sweater sooner rather than later. They have been good so far, but naming a definitive leader will help them moving forward. It is also a transitional move, and a significant change in leadership, that will bring a new face to the Flyer's for years to come.