This week, theScore's hockey editors are evaluating the best captains from each current NHL club since the 2000-01 season. The selections are based on individual and team success, as well as popularity and character.
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Boston Bruins
When the Bruins signed Zdeno Chara as a free agent in 2006, the team immediately handed him the "C." Though they missed the playoffs in his first season as the team’s leader, there’s been nearly nothing but success since.
As Boston's captain, Chara has led the Bruins to the postseason 10 times, including one Stanley Cup victory and three Cup Final appearances. While he trails franchise legend and former captain Ray Bourque in most statistical categories for defensemen, Chara's impact with the Bruins has been incredible. A towering menace on the ice who's instilled fear into opponents for quite some time, he's shown himself to be a gentle giant off of it and as good of a leader as they come.
Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres have had a remarkable 16 captains since the turn of the century, but none brought more success than Chris Drury and Daniel Briere, who both shared the "C" from 2003-04 to 2006-07. The pair put up the best numbers of their respective careers while leading the club to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals, highlighting a brief but exciting era in Buffalo. Their tenure ended bitterly, as both players departed as free agents in the same summer, leaving a hole that wasn't filled until the arrival of Jack Eichel in 2015.
Detroit Red Wings
You can't really go wrong when choosing between "Stevie Y" and perhaps the best defenseman to ever grace an NHL blue line, but if we're talking 2000s, Nicklas Lidstrom takes the cake for Detroit. The Hall of Fame rearguard earned the Norris Trophy three times during his run as captain and led the Red Wings to consecutive Stanley Cup Finals in 2008 and 2009, capturing the championship in the former year.
Dominant at both ends of the ice, the Swedish sensation led all blue-liners in points during his tenure with the "C," and his plus-152 rating during that span was 51 better than the next-closest defenseman.
Florida Panthers
While the Panthers didn't have much team success with Olli Jokinen as captain, he almost takes this spot by default. Jokinen is the only Panther to serve as captain for more than two seasons since 2000, and he had some pretty impressive individual years over that span. He posted 89 points in 2005-06 and followed that up with a career-high 91 points the next season. Aleksander Barkov will likely take over this spot in a few seasons, but for now, Jokinen stands tall.
Montreal Canadiens
Tied with Jean Beliveau as the longest-tenured captain in franchise history, Saku Koivu holds a special place in the hearts of Canadiens fans. From 2000-01 until his departure in the summer of 2009, Koivu led the Canadiens to the postseason five times.
One of the most enduring memories of Koivu was when he made an unexpected and remarkable comeback in 2002 after being diagnosed with cancer. Originally set to miss at least the entire season, he returned for the Habs' third-last game of the campaign and fans gave him an emotional eight-minute standing ovation. One of hockey's greatest moments illustrated what Koivu meant to the city of Montreal. His resilience and dedication to the Canadiens make him one of the best captains of all time for the historic franchise.
Ottawa Senators
Daniel Alfredsson is a shoo-in choice, as he captained the Senators for the majority of the last two decades. From 2000 until his departure in 2013, Alfredsson led the Senators to the playoffs 10 times. That didn't include a Stanley Cup victory, but he got extremely close in 2007 before losing in the final.
He's the franchise leader in goals, assists, and points, while sitting in second for games played, trailing Chris Phillips by just one game. Alfredsson also became the first player in modern Senators history to have his jersey retired. He left his mark in Ottawa over his 17 seasons there and will forever be enshrined in the rafters because of his accomplishments as captain.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Steven Stamkos has personified the perennial powerhouse Lightning since breaking out in his second NHL season back in 2009-10. The superstar forward - who was named captain in 2014 after Martin St. Louis was dealt for Ryan Callahan - has authored by far the best offensive numbers of any Bolts captain since 2000-01. He's also worn the "C" for Tampa Bay for longer than anyone else since that campaign.
While the team won the Cup in 2004 with captain Dave Andreychuk and reached the Eastern Conference Final led by Vincent Lecavalier in 2011, Stamkos helped the club reach the playoffs in five of six seasons prior to this year, including two conference final berths and a trip to the Cup Final in 2015.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The all-time leader in goals (420), points (987), game-winners (79), and much more for the 102-year-old Maple Leafs, Mats Sundin is a lock. The towering Swedish pivot and Hall of Famer was the face of the franchise for its most successful era in a generation, and despite a lack of competent linemates, he continued to produce big numbers when Toronto entered a decline after the 2005 lockout.
Sundin served as captain for 10 seasons, and in the seven campaigns applicable to this exercise - at ages 29-36 - he ranked eighth among all players with 533 points in 539 games.
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