Insiders reveal who they believe will be the next captain in Vancouver
PUBLICATION
Mike Armenti
September 9, 2023 (11:26)
Training camps are set to open up next week and for the Vancouver Canucks, that might mean that naming a captain for the 2023-24 season is on the horizon. There are a number of good choices available to them in Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes and J.T. Miller, among others.
Elias Pettersson, with his current contract status, may find himself on the outside of this conversation looking in. The young franchise center has only 1 year remaining on his contract and may not wish to remain in Vancouver beyond this season if the Canucks cannot turn things around and compete for a playoff spot this season.
Beyond Pettersson, both Quinn Hughes and J.T. Miller have multiple years left on their contracts, with Hughes not expiring until 2027, while Miller remains signed through 2030.
This week, the crew at the Donnie and Dhali podcast discussed who they think should be named the next captain of the Canucks. Rick Dhaliwal's pick was a particularly surprising one. He believes that Miller, not Hughes, should be the team's next captain.
"People keep telling me that Quinn Hughes will be the next captain of the Vancouver Canucks... time will tell." Dhaliwal said.
"My guy is J.T. Miller. I love his passion. MIller plays the right way with his passion and enthusiasm and he's here for another seven years.
He hates to lose, I don't care if he had a couple instances where he showed bad body language. JT Miller for me is a warrior and I think he should be the captain."
While Dhaliwal is a huge Miller supporter, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman revealed this week that he has heard rumblings that the Canucks may, in fact, name Hughes the team's next captain.
The other option that the Canucks have here is to simply wait and just name 3 or 4 alternate captains this season and allow the Pettersson situation to get sorted out before perhaps choosing a captain next offseason instead.
The truth is, nobody knows what the Canucks are going to do, except the Canucks. If they don't believe that Pettersson is leadership material, they have a number of quality options available in Hughes, Miller or even Brock Boeser. Time will tell how this one gets sorted out.
Previously on HockeyUnplugged
| POLL |
9 SEPTEMBRE | 205 ANSWERS Insiders reveal who they believe will be the next captain in Vancouver Who is your pick for the next captain of the Vancouver Canucks? |
| Quinn Hughes | 77 | 37.6 % |
| JT Miller | 37 | 18 % |
| Elias Pettersson | 72 | 35.1 % |
| Other | 19 | 9.3 % |
| LIST OF POLLS |
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