Round Table: Who Should be the Anaheim Ducks Next Captain?

Jonathan Maxfield — Contributor, Pucks of a Feather

Out of the players on the current roster, I feel as though Josh Manson or Adam Henrique would be the best options to take over for Ryan Getzlaf if Cam Fowler is traded. Manson is the kind of player who leads by example. He isn’t afraid to speak his mind to the referees but seems to share Getzlaf’s fairly calm demeanor while doing so.

Manson is a physical shutdown player who I feel would be a great leader. I also get a feeling when I see him that he commands respect without trying. It’s an unquantifiable characteristic that a lot of captains have, and I see it in Manson.

Henrique would be a good option as well, he’s a veteran who has a great attitude. I have never heard anyone utter a bad word about him, not counting how he plays sometimes. He’s a heart and soul player that I truly think contributes more to the team than his stats tend to show.

Outside of those two, I see some leadership qualities in Troy Terry and eventually Isac Lundestrom, but I feel that they’re still quite a ways out. There’s also the obvious fact that our draft pick this year could end up being very high, which usually commands leadership at some point, in the same vein as Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, and Connor McDavid. All of which are now or pinned to be the next captain of their respective teams.

Overall, there’s not a standout name currently on the roster and, like everything else surrounding this franchise currently, there are far more questions than obvious answers.