Breaking News: Rangers to Announce Team Captains Tomorrow

The hockey season is almost here, but some breaking news has just occurred for Rangers fans. Jim Cerny, beat writer for the New York Rangers, tweeted that the Rangers will be naming their captains tomorrow.

He did not elaborate on who the captain could be or a time for the announcement. Tomorrow I will have a full write-up after the news is announced. What is interesting is this: The tweet said "the Rangers will announce their captain and their two alternates."

I had speculated that the Rangers could possibly roll with three alternate captains.

Just in case you haven't been following the Rangers recently, I will once again go over who some of the prospective candidates are.

Coach John Tortorella has a decision to make with his current group of players. He will have a couple of choices which all would make sense but who should be the next captain?

Ryan Callahan

Callahan was drafted by the Rangers in 2004 and was a product of the Hartford Wolfpack.

He has many characteristics that make him worthy of being the captain. One of these characteristics is he is a natural leader. In the absence of Chris Drury, Callahan had often been the focus during interviews conducted by media members in the dressing room. 

Callahan is a nitty-gritty player who loves to grind and isn’t afraid to drop the gloves when necessary. It is this attitude and heart that has made Callahan an instant fan favorite

When you take his leadership abilities both on the ice and in the locker room into consideration, you have a strong candidate for the next Rangers captain. 

Marc Staal

Marc Staal is also a product of the Rangers farm system and who played for the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Staal was given the "A" by coach John Tortorella early last season. Tortorella leaned on Stall heavily last season, especially on the penalty kill.

Staal was very influential this year with the young defensive core, mentoring younger players like Michael Sauer and Ryan McDonagh. As a result, even though the Rangers had the youngest defense in the league, they were near the top when it came to hits and blocked shots. 

Marc Staal will continue to grow as a leader and player, and he has many great years ahead of him.

This appeared to be a two-horse race for the most part because the general consensus assumed that Chris Drury was going to be bought out. However, this all changed during the offseason.

Brad Richards

Brad Richards is 31 years old, and he has league seniority compared to Marc Staal and Ryan Callahan.

For a player with his experience and credentials, Richards has more than earned the captaincy.

When you logically think about it—regardless of who wears what letters—the players, the coaches and, more importantly, the fans will all look at Richards as the leader and solution.

If a player is as highly touted and has been handed as large of a contract as Richards was, it is expected that he will be looked upon to lead in the face of adversity.

Richards is a Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe winner. He has played in many high-pressure situations and has had success. He is a proven player and can carry the load and burden of a team.

The Rangers would be well represented by any of the men listed above as their captain.

With these players all currently leading by example, they can continue to mentor young players like Derek Stepan, Ryan McDonagh and Michael Sauer.

The future is bright for all these young players, and the fans can expect greatness in the years to come.

Tom Urtz is an NHL Featured Columnist and New York Rangers Featured Columnist.

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