Larkin vs League Captains by: Dustin Hannel
As a fan, what do we expect from our Captain? Is it leadership? Is it a high point total? Time on
Ice? What do you expect from your Captain?
I think it would be fair to assume that a majority of fans want to see scoring, and that is what
matters most. It is what wins games after all. However, there is a little bit more to being Captain
than just being the best scorer on your team. Sometimes you aren't even in the top of scoring
for your team, however they are contributing in other aspects - on and off the ice.
I wanted to focus on Dylan Larkin and his Captaincy. I know there were quite a few people who
didn't like the move by Yzerman, some just said he wasn't a quality player, and when he was
scoring he was surrounded by the likes of Zetterberg. However, this year paints a different story,
as Conn Smyth winning Zetterberg hasn't skated since the 2018 season and Larkin now had a
rookie on his line. Some could point to the skill of Bertuzzi (line mates most of the year) and
Raymond similar to Datsyuk and Zetterberg, however, watching Larkin night and night out tells
the story of a hard working 2-way forward who plays the 200 foot game for 60 minutes night in
and night out. Larkin is on pace for one of his best seasons to date. and is second overall with
goals scored and 4th overall in total points, trailing Ovechkin, McDavid, and Stamkos all getting
paid much more than Larkin. Which also brings up another point the average Captain getting
paid around 7.8 mil a year, Larkin on his current contract is getting paid 6.1 mil until the end of
the 2022-2023 season. He is 23rd lowest paid out of 28 teams for his current contract. With him
being at the top of the list in scoring and total points, I would say we are getting our money's
worth in this regards.
However, if you are one of the few that looks at the other aspects of the game to determine if he
is a good Captain, then I would say look how he plays night in and night out. He is always
hustling, even if he is getting beat he will not give up! He is going to battle in the corners, he will
even drop the gloves (Opening Night TB vs Joseph) you can guarantee he is going to put in 60
minutes every night.
If you have a different insight, I'd love to hear about why or why not you think Larkin makes a
good Captain.
Or what are you looking for in a captain as a fan?
Dylan Hannel - Wing Sauce Pod/ Olde City Sports Network