Torts to Pick Richards as Captain?
Andrew Gross at the Bergen Record writes that while Ryan Callahan may be the fans' choice for Captain, Brad Richards might be John Tortorella's choice..."Tortorella was asked June 30 – two days before the team signed Richards – about his selection process for the new captain.
"I think those decisions will come about come camp," Tortorella said. "We'll have our talks, we'll see. Maybe our team changes even more this summer, along the way."
That last sentence could be interpreted as a vote in Richards' favor."
...that will not be a very popular choice among Rangers fans and the last thing Richards needs is the additional pressure of being an unpopular captain pick going into his first season in New York. Callahan is the only choice. Period.
...what are your thoughts?
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i understand evryones argument for wanting cally to be the captain. he is home grown talent and is also from new york. he has proven himself to us over the years and is a fan favorite but lets be real.... Richards is a proven SUPERSTAR and has been an MVP. if anyone deserves it, it is him. i understand that he just came to the rangers and he has to prove and earn his stripes but guess what, he has proved himself and has earned enough stripes to be OUR captain. i know he is no messier but he is the closest thing to him that we have had since the messier days!
please be happy for him (and us) when he is crowned the CAPTAIN.
cant wait to hear the words " captain brad richards, come pick up the stanley cup" out of bettmans mouth!!!
I appreciate the positivity, but I'm sorry Richards is not a Superstar. Ovechkin is a Superstar. Crosby is a Superstar. Richards is a very good player.
Clearly, obviously, evidently, naturally and completely unnecessary to state. Who claimed it wasn't? I find it to be useless and silly not to mention a waste of time, therefore I choose not to indulge in it. Continue to "speculate away" all you like. I don't comment or condemn others for their opinions. But you do what makes you feel comfortable.
@jamswells Nice. Post a quote calling someone's opinion "unecessary," then proceed to state that you "don't comment or condemn others for their opinion." I'm impressed, it takes a lot of talent to contradict yourself in just one paragraph. You should be proud.
still want Dubinsky as captain, he's the most energetic player on the team and has the most spunk. Callahan wouldn't be a terrible choice but I'd rather Dubinsky's with his fire and willingness to get dirty wearing.
It would be tough on Richard and the rest of the team to give him the C straight out of the gate.
There's always the possibility of having no captains at first. I don't necessarily like the idea, but it's happened in the past. The team has changed a bit, so you start with a trio of alts and let them go until someone separates himself.
@AJK , I was going to say this! You beat me to it.I went back and read the previous posts first or I would have repeated you.
I think Torts will decide whenever he wants to decide. Who it will be is anybody's guess. I'd be happy with Cally or Dubi, but here's a question:
What about Hank?
I never hear people talking Hank for Captain. I think he's already the Captain in terms of how he leaves it all out there every night. Nobody competes harder. You can agree other compete as hard.
Funny, this never seemed to be an issue when Messier came and was annointed Captain. In hindsight, that was obviously the best move, but at the time couldn't these same "earn their stripes" arguments have been used for guys like Leetch, James Patrick, Brian Mullen,and Jan Erixon. Very similar situation, previous Captain no longer on the team, young core of decent players that didn't win anything yet. Obviously, Messier had a much more esteemed pedigree than Richards, but who knows maybe Richards would be an excellent choice. Whomever it is, they should not be chosen until the very end of training camp.
i wouldnt mind it but i think that it should be dubi or callahan. callahan just reminds me of a younger chris drury in a way and i feel like he may not be so much a vocal leader and i feel like that is kind of what this team needs
This would be a PR disaster, I'm of the opinion that we don't need a captain this season...we have been working off this core motto and i think the core can lead as a unit for this year, Richards has to earn his stripes just like everyone else just because your getting paid doesn't mean you deserve a letter out of the gate...cally of course would be great but his new contract kind of limits his standing doesn't it? three years then what....i say let them earn it this season and see what cream rises to the top...then again, you could always just give it to lundy
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Bad news if Richards is captain. Just kind of undermines what the rangers have tried to do post lockout.
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Torts has worked hard over the last couple of years creating a strong sense of team identity with his "core group of guys", and the players seem to have bought into it. For Torts to give Richards, an outsider, the captain's C might undo all that groundwork...
I disagree with both choices and I won't offer an opinion either. Speculation is silly, someone will be chosen and the fans will have to deal with it..
