List of current NHL captains and alternate captains facts for kids
The National Hockey League (NHL) is a professional ice hockey league with 33 teams. It was started way back in 1917. Each team gets to choose a special player called a captain. This player has the important job of talking to the referee about any rule questions during the game. Teams can also pick "alternate captains" who help out when the main captain isn't on the ice. Captains wear a big "C" on their jersey so everyone knows who they are, and alternate captains wear an "A". Both letters are about 3 inches (8 cm) tall.
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What Do Captains Do?
The captain is like the team's leader on the ice. Their main job is to be the only player allowed to discuss rules with the referee. If the main captain isn't playing, the coach can choose three alternate captains to help lead the team. Many teams with a captain still have more than two alternate captains and take turns wearing the "A" throughout the season.
Why Goalies Can't Be Captains
There's a special rule that says goaltenders (the players who guard the net) can't be captains during games. This rule started in 1948 because it took too long for goalies like Montreal Canadiens' Bill Durnan to skate all the way to the referee and then back to their net.
Even with this rule, some goalies have been named captain! For example, Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo was captain for two seasons (2008–09 and 2009–10). But because of the rule, he couldn't wear the "C" on his jersey or do the on-ice captain duties. Instead, the Canucks were allowed to have three alternate captains who handled those jobs for him. Besides Durnan and Luongo, five other goalies have been captains in NHL history.
Amazing Captain Facts
Some captains have made history with their leadership!
- Youngest Captains: Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers became the youngest permanent captain in NHL history. Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche and Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins are also among the youngest captains ever. The very youngest player to captain a team was Brian Bellows in 1984, but he was only a temporary captain.
- Stanley Cup Winners: Mark Messier is the only player to captain two different teams to win the Stanley Cup, first with the Edmonton Oilers in 1990 and then with the New York Rangers in 1994. Sidney Crosby was the youngest captain to win the Stanley Cup in 2009, when he was just 21 years old.
- Oldest and Longest-Serving: The oldest permanent captain in NHL history was Zdeno Chára of the Boston Bruins, who was 43 years old in his last season with the team. The player who served as captain for the longest time was Steve Yzerman of the Detroit Red Wings. He was their captain for 19 seasons, which is an incredible 20 years!
Key to Understanding Captains
This symbol means the player has spent their entire NHL career with that team.
| Abbreviation | What it Means |
|---|---|
| C | Centre |
| LW | Left wing |
| RW | Right wing |
| D | Defenceman |
Current NHL Captains
Most of the 32 active NHL teams currently have a captain. Only a few teams, like the Anaheim Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks, don't have a captain right now. The Arizona Coyotes team is currently inactive. Out of the current captains, many have played for their team for their entire career. Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins has been a captain for the longest time among current players, holding the role since May 31, 2007.
Current NHL Alternate Captains
Most NHL teams have at least two alternate captains. The San Jose Sharks and the new Utah NHL team are the only exceptions. If a team has more than the usual two or three alternate captains, they take turns wearing the "A" on their jerseys. The player who has been an alternate captain for the longest time in the league right now is Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who started in 2008.
| Team | Alternate Captain(s) | Since | Pos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim Ducks | Cam Fowler |
2022–23 | D |
| Alex Killorn | 2023–24 | C | |
| Arizona Coyotes | Inactive | 2024–25 | — |
| Inactive | 2024–25 | — | |
| Boston Bruins | |||
| Charlie McAvoy |
2023–24 | D | |
| David Pastrnak |
2023–24 | RW | |
| Buffalo Sabres | Rasmus Dahlin |
2022–23 | D |
| Zemgus Girgensons |
2021–22 | LW | |
| Calgary Flames | |||
| Rasmus Andersson |
2023–24 | D | |
| Jonathan Huberdeau | 2022–23 | LW | |
| Carolina Hurricanes | |||
| Sebastian Aho |
2021–22 | C | |
| Jordan Martinook | 2019–20 | C | |
| Jaccob Slavin |
2019–20 | D | |
| Chicago Blackhawks | |||
| Nick Foligno | 2023–24 | LW | |
| Seth Jones | 2022–23 | D | |
| Connor Murphy | 2021–22 | D | |
| Colorado Avalanche | |||
| Nathan MacKinnon |
2016–17 | C | |
| Mikko Rantanen |
2021–22 | RW | |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | |||
| Erik Gudbranson | 2023–24 | D | |
| Sean Kuraly | 2023–24 | C | |
| Zach Werenski |
2021–22 | D | |
| Dallas Stars | |||
| Miro Heiskanen |
2022–23 | D | |
| Esa Lindell |
2019–20 | D | |
| Joe Pavelski | 2021–22 | RW | |
| Tyler Seguin | 2017–18 | C | |
| Detroit Red Wings | Ben Chiarot | 2023–24 | D |
| Andrew Copp | 2023–24 | C | |
| David Perron | 2023–24 | LW | |
| Edmonton Oilers | |||
| Leon Draisaitl |
2019–20 | C | |
| Ryan Nugent-Hopkins |
2015–16 | C | |
| Darnell Nurse |
2019–20 | D | |
| Florida Panthers | |||
| Aaron Ekblad |
2016–17 | D | |
| Matthew Tkachuk | 2022–23 | RW | |
| Los Angeles Kings | Phillip Danault | 2022–23 | C |
| Drew Doughty |
2016–17 | D | |
| Minnesota Wild | Marcus Foligno | 2021–22 | LW |
| Kirill Kaprizov |
2023–24 | LW | |
| Montreal Canadiens | |||
| Brendan Gallagher |
2015–16 | RW | |
| Mike Matheson | 2023–24 | D | |
| Nashville Predators | |||
| Ryan McDonagh | 2023–24 | D | |
| Ryan O'Reilly | 2023–24 | C | |
| New Jersey Devils | |||
| Jack Hughes |
2022–23 | C | |
| Ondrej Palat | 2022–23 | LW | |
| New York Islanders | |||
| Cal Clutterbuck | 2016–17 | RW | |
| Brock Nelson |
2023–24 | C | |
| New York Rangers | |||
| Adam Fox |
2023–24 | D | |
| Barclay Goodrow | 2021–22 | C | |
| Chris Kreider |
2017–18 | LW | |
| Artemi Panarin | 2020–21 | LW | |
| Mika Zibanejad | 2018–19 | C | |
| Ottawa Senators | |||
| Thomas Chabot |
2019–20 | D | |
| Claude Giroux | 2022–23 | RW | |
| Philadelphia Flyers | |||
| Scott Laughton |
2022–23 | C | |
| Travis Konecny |
2023–24 | RW | |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | Kris Letang |
2017–18 | D |
| Evgeni Malkin |
2008–09 | C | |
| San Jose Sharks | Mario Ferraro |
2021–22 | D |
| Vacant | 2023–24 | — | |
| Seattle Kraken | Jordan Eberle | 2021–22 | RW |
| Yanni Gourde | 2021–22 | C | |
| Adam Larsson | 2021–22 | D | |
| Jaden Schwartz | 2021–22 | LW | |
| St. Louis Blues | Justin Faulk | 2023–24 | D |
| Colton Parayko |
2020–21 | D | |
| Robert Thomas |
2023–24 | C | |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | Victor Hedman |
2017–18 | D |
| Nikita Kucherov |
2023–24 | RW | |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | |||
| Mitch Marner |
2019–20 | RW | |
| Auston Matthews |
2019–20 | C | |
| Morgan Rielly |
2016–17 | D | |
| Utah NHL team | Vacant | 2024–25 | |
| Vacant | 2024–25 | ||
| Vancouver Canucks | J. T. Miller | 2021–22 | LW |
| Elias Pettersson |
2022–23 | C | |
| Vegas Golden Knights | |||
| Jack Eichel | 2023–24 | C | |
| William Karlsson | 2023–24 | C | |
| Alex Pietrangelo | 2020–21 | D | |
| Washington Capitals | Nicklas Backstrom |
2010–11 | C |
| John Carlson |
2019–20 | D | |
| T. J. Oshie | 2023–24 | RW | |
| Tom Wilson |
2023–24 | RW | |
| Winnipeg Jets | |||
| Josh Morrissey |
2019–20 | D | |
| Mark Scheifele |
2016–17 | C |
See also
- List of current AHL captains
