Predicting who will fill the NHL's 6 captain vacancies

Players, coaches, and staff members have the best gauge of who the true leaders of a team are, but we're going to take our best guess and predict who will fill the NHL's six current captain vacancies.

Anaheim Ducks

Last captain: Ryan Getzlaf (2010-22)
Prediction: Mason McTavish (in 2025-26)

McTavish is just 21 years old and has only two full NHL seasons under his belt, so we believe the Ducks will hold off on naming a captain until 2025-26. But all signs point to McTavish being the player they ultimately assign the "C."

The 2021 No. 3 pick wore an "A" for the Ducks at times in 2023-24. He may not possess the most raw talent in Anaheim's young core, but he plays with the type of heart that teams covet in a captain. McTavish is capable of letting his play do the talking, too, as he finished third on the team with 42 points last season despite appearing in just 64 games.

The Ducks could decide to hand the "C" to a veteran like Alex Killorn or Cam Fowler until McTavish - or another young player - proves himself capable, but a stopgap solution isn't ideal for a team that's trying to build a sustainable, long-term winner.

Buffalo Sabres

Last captain: Kyle Okposo (2022-24)
Prediction: Rasmus Dahlin

Okposo served as Buffalo's stopgap captain over the last couple of seasons. He's a respected veteran leader, but it's difficult to get your teammates to follow you into battle when you're a bottom-six winger at the end of your career.

Enter Dahlin. The star defenseman consistently says all the right things in the media, is equally as talented as he is passionate, and plays with more of an edge than people give him credit for. He's also the franchise player and under contract for the next eight seasons. As a six-year NHL veteran at 24 years old, he's ready.

Alex Tuch, a native of Syracuse, New York, is another option, but his case pales in comparison to Dahlin's, and he's only under contract for two more seasons.

Chicago Blackhawks

Last captain: Jonathan Toews (2008-23)
Prediction: Connor Bedard (in 2025-26)

It's more of a matter of when Bedard will get the "C" than if. We know he's the future captain of the Blackhawks, and if they wanted to give the captaincy to a veteran stopgap like Nick Foligno or Seth Jones, they probably would've done so by now.

Sidney Crosby was named captain for his third season. Connor McDavid got the "C" for his second campaign. How long will the Blackhawks wait with Bedard? They could go ahead and give it to him now, but we predict they'll delay the inevitable and name him an alternate this season before handing him the reins in 2025-26.

Seattle Kraken

Last captain: Mark Giordano (2021-22)
Prediction: Yanni Gourde

This is easily the toughest of the six vacancies to predict. The Kraken may opt not to name a captain for the third straight season. It's also entirely possible that their next captain isn't even on the roster right now.

However, we believe it would benefit them to name one, and Gourde is arguably the most deserving. An original member of the Kraken, he's one of four players to share an "A" since the team's inaugural season, along with Jaden Schwartz, Jordan Eberle, and Adam Larsson. Each of those three have strong cases of their own, but we give Gourde a slight edge.

Gourde is tenacious. He plays in all situations. An undrafted player, he sets a strong example by giving everything he has every single shift. The only thing preventing him from being a more obvious pick is that he's entering the final year of his contract. But we believe he'll eventually sign an extension. Giving him the "C" could help convince him to re-sign, too.

Perhaps internally the Kraken view Matty Beniers as a future captain, but placing more pressure on the 2023 Calder Trophy winner after his sophomore slump would be a poor idea.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Last captain: Steven Stamkos (2014-24)
Prediction: Victor Hedman

This is the easiest choice. Hedman is a virtual lock to wear the "C" for the Lightning after the club let Steven Stamkos depart in free agency.

Hedman is entering his 16th season with the Lightning and wore an "A" for the last six years. The 2018 Norris Trophy and 2020 Conn Smythe Trophy winner also inked a three-year extension in the offseason that doesn't begin until 2025-26.

The fiery Nikita Kucherov, who wore an "A" the last two seasons, is another candidate, but let's not kid ourselves. The "C" is going to Hedman.

Utah Hockey Club

Last captain: Oliver Ekman-Larsson (2018-21)
Prediction: Clayton Keller

The Arizona Coyotes didn't have a captain for their last three seasons. Will Utah name one for its inaugural campaign? With new organizational leadership and a vastly improved roster, it would be very fitting.

Keller and Crouse are the most obvious candidates. They're the two longest-tenured players on the team and each served as alternate captains the last two campaigns. Crouse is signed for three more seasons, while Keller is under contract for another four.

It's a bit of a toss-up, but we ultimately landed on Keller, who led the team in scoring the last three seasons and consistently handles himself well in the media, albeit in a small market.