A captain in ice hockey is the player designated by his team as the only person authorized to speak with the game officials regarding rule interpretations when he is on the ice.

At most levels of play each team must designate one captain and a number of alternate captains (usually two) who speak to the officials when the captain is on the bench.

The captain wears a "C" on his sweater while the alternate captains wear an "A".

Officially the captain has no other responsibility or authority although he may (depending on the league or individual team) have various informal duties such as participation in pre-game ceremonies or other events outside the game.

As with most team sports that designate captains, the captain is usually a well-respected player and a de facto team leader.

Alternate CaptainEdit

Teams may designate alternate captains (often erroneously called "assistant captains").

Alternate captains wear the letter "A" on their jerseys in the same manner that team captains wear the "C".

In the NHL, teams may appoint a captain and up to two alternate captains, or they may appoint three alternate captains and no captain.

NHL teams may choose alternate captains from game to game or appoint regular alternate captains for the season.

In North America, alternate captains perform many of the same leadership and team building roles as the captain.

In the 1969–70 season, the Boston Bruins had three alternate captains (Johnny Bucyk, Phil Esposito and Ed Westfall) instead of a captain sporting the "C." However, as Bucyk was the most senior of the alternate captains, he was first one to be presented the Stanley Cup when the team won the championship in 1970 and 1972.

NHL CaptainsEdit

List of current NHL Captains
Team Captain Since Pos
Anaheim Ducks Getzlaf, RyanRyan Getzlaf 2010–11 C
Arizona Coyotes Doan, ShaneShane Doan 2003–04 RW
Boston Bruins Chára, ZdenoZdeno Chára 2006–07 D
Buffalo Sabres Gionta, BrianBrian Gionta 2014–15 RW
Calgary Flames Giordano, MarkMark Giordano 2013–14 D
Carolina Hurricanes


Chicago Blackhawks Toews, JonathanJonathan Toews 2008–09 C
Colorado Avalanche Landeskog, GabrielGabriel Landeskog 2012–13 LW
Columbus Blue Jackets Foligno, NickNick Foligno 2015–16 LW
Dallas Stars Benn, JamieJamie Benn 2013–14 LW
Detroit Red Wings Zetterberg, HenrikHenrik Zetterberg 2012–13 LW
Edmonton Oilers


Florida Panthers Mitchell, WillieWillie Mitchell 2014–15 D
Los Angeles Kings Brown, DustinDustin Brown 2008–09 RW
Minnesota Wild Koivu, MikkoMikko Koivu 2009–10 C
Montreal Canadiens Max Pacioretty 2015–16 LW
Nashville Predators Weber, SheaShea Weber 2010–11 D
New Jersey Devils Greene, AndyAndy Greene 2015–16 D
New York Islanders Tavares, JohnJohn Tavares 2013–14 C
New York Rangers McDonagh, RyanRyan McDonagh 2014–15 D
Ottawa Senators Karlsson, ErikErik Karlsson 2014–15 D
Philadelphia Flyers Giroux, ClaudeClaude Giroux 2012–13 C
Pittsburgh Penguins Crosby, SidneySidney Crosby 2007–08 C
St. Louis Blues Backes, DavidDavid Backes 2011–12 C
San Jose Sharks Pavelski, JoeJoe Pavelski 2015–16 C
Tampa Bay Lightning Stamkos, StevenSteven Stamkos 2013–14 C
Toronto Maple Leafs


Vancouver Canucks Sedin, HenrikHenrik Sedin 2010–11 C
Washington Capitals Ovechkin, AlexanderAlexander Ovechkin 2009–10
Winnipeg Jets



Alternate CaptainsEdit

List of current NHL Alternate Captains
Team Alternate Captain(s) Since Pos
Anaheim Ducks Perry, CoreyCorey Perry 2014–15 RW
Kesler, RyanRyan Kesler 2015–16 C
Arizona Coyotes Ekman-Larsson, OliverOliver Ekman-Larsson 2014–15 D
Hanzal, MartinMartin Hanzal 2011–12 C
Boston Bruins Bergeron, PatricePatrice Bergeron 2006–07 C
Kelly, ChrisChris Kelly 2011–12 C
Krejci, DavidDavid Krejci 2013–14 C
Buffalo Sabres Ennis, TylerTyler Ennis 2015–16 C
Gorges, JoshJosh Gorges 2014–15 D
O'Reilly, RyanRyan O'Reilly 2015–16 C
Calgary Flames Monahan, SeanSean Monahan 2015–16 C
Wideman, DennisDennis Wideman 2014–15 D
Carolina Hurricanes Faulk, JustinJustin Faulk 2015–16 D
Staal, JordanJordan Staal 2012–13 C
Chicago Blackhawks Keith, DuncanDuncan Keith 2008–09 D
Seabrook, BrentBrent Seabrook 2015-16 D
Colorado Avalanche Iginla, JaromeJarome Iginla 2014–15 RW
McLeod, CodyCody McLeod 2013–14 LW
Columbus Blue Jackets Dubinsky, BrandonBrandon Dubinsky 2012–13 C
Jenner, BooneBoone Jenner 2015–16 C
Dallas Stars Fiddler, VernonVernon Fiddler 2014–15 C
Goligoski, AlexAlex Goligoski 2015–16 D
Detroit Red Wings Datsyuk, PavelPavel Datsyuk 2006–07 C
Kronwall, NiklasNiklas Kronwall 2011–12 D
Edmonton Oilers Eberle, JordanJordan Eberle 2012–13 RW
Ference, AndrewAndrew Ference 2015–16 D
Hall, TaylorTaylor Hall 2012–13 LW
Nugent-Hopkins, RyanRyan Nugent-Hopkins 2015–16 C
Florida Panthers Bolland, DaveDave Bolland 2014–15 C
Campbell, BrianBrian Campbell 2011–12 D
Jokinen, JussiJussi Jokinen 2015–16 LW
MacKenzie, DerekDerek MacKenzie 2014–15 C
Los Angeles Kings Greene, MattMatt Greene 2008–09 D
Kopitar, AnzeAnze Kopitar C
Minnesota Wild Parise, ZachZach Parise 2012–13 LW
Suter, RyanRyan Suter 2012–13 D
Montreal Canadiens Gallagher, BrendanBrendan Gallagher 2015–16 RW
Markov, AndreiAndrei Markov 2008–09 D
Plekanec, TomasTomas Plekanec 2014–15 C
Subban, P. K.P. K. Subban 2014–15 D
Nashville Predators Fisher, MikeMike Fisher 2011–12 C
Josi, RomanRoman Josi 2015–16 D
Neal, JamesJames Neal 2014–15 LW
New Jersey Devils Cammalleri, MichaelMichael Cammalleri 2015–16 LW
Elias, PatrikPatrik Elias 2007–08 LW
Henrique, AdamAdam Henrique 2015–16 C
Zajac, TravisTravis Zajac 2013–14 C
New York Islanders Nielsen, FransFrans Nielsen 2014–15 C
Okposo, KyleKyle Okposo 2009–10 RW
New York Rangers Girardi, DanielDaniel Girardi 2013–14 D
Staal, MarcMarc Staal 2010–11 D
Stepan, DerekDerek Stepan 2014–15 C
Ottawa Senators Neil, ChrisChris Neil 2013–14 RW
Phillips, ChrisChris Phillips 2006–07 D
Turris, KyleKyle Turris 2015–16 C
Philadelphia Flyers Simmonds, WayneWayne Simmonds 2014–15 RW
Streit, MarkMark Streit 2014–15 D
Pittsburgh Penguins Kunitz, ChrisChris Kunitz 2012–13 LW
Malkin, EvgeniEvgeni Malkin 2008–09 C
St. Louis Blues Pietrangelo, AlexAlex Pietrangelo 2012–13 D
Steen, AlexanderAlexander Steen 2011–12 LW
San Jose Sharks Couture, LoganLogan Couture 2015–16 C
Thornton, JoeJoe Thornton 2014–15 C
Tampa Bay Lightning Callahan, RyanRyan Callahan 2014–15 RW
Toronto Maple Leafs Bozak, TylerTyler Bozak 2015–16 C
Hunwick, MattMatt Hunwick 2015–16 D
Vancouver Canucks Burrows, AlexandreAlexandre Burrows 2015–16 RW
Hamhuis, DanDan Hamhuis 2015–16 D
Sedin, DanielDaniel Sedin 2010–11 LW
Washington Capitals Backstrom, NicklasNicklas Backstrom 2010–11 C
Orpik, BrooksBrooks Orpik 2014–15 D
Winnipeg Jets Stuart, MarkMark Stuart 2011–12 D
Wheeler, BlakeBlake Wheeler 2014–15 RW