Report: Rangers will not name a captain this season
Larry Brooks of the New York Post is reporting that we will all have to wait to see the next Ranger to wear the “C”
Larry Brooks of the New York Post has reported that the New York Rangers will not name a captain for the 2019-20 season.
Rangers will not name captain for this season, Post has learned.
— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) October 2, 2019
During the Rangers training camp and preseason, there was a great deal of of buzz about center Mika Zibanejad being “captain material” and being ready to step into a larger role this year. Zibanejad, 26, is under contract through the next three seasons. He’s coming off of a career year and is a widely respected by his teammates and members of the media.
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh was the last player to wear the “C” for the Rangers. McDonagh was the team’s captain for four seasons — for a total of 270 regular games — before the Rangers sent him to Tampa in a blockbuster trade. The Rangers last three captains, including McDonagh, have all been American players. Zibanejad would (or will eventually) have been the third European-born player to captain the Rangers.
It's becoming abundantly clear that Mika Zibanejad will be the next captain of the New York Rangers. He will be the third European-born captain in Rangers history and the first since Jaromir Jagr (Walt Tkaczuk was born in Germany).
— Mike Murphy (@DigDeepBSB) September 19, 2019
For the time being, Henrik Lundqvist remains the team’s unofficial captain. This marks the second consecutive season where the Rangers will not have a player with the “C” on their chest on the ice.
Brooks also reported that Zibanejad, Marc Staal, Jesper Fast, and Chris Kreider will be the team’s alternates this season.
