In an unsurprising move, Chris Pronger has been named the next captain of the Flyers. Danny Briere and Kimmo Timonen will be the alternate captains.
It has been discussed for weeks which of the three should be named the official captain. All are former NHL captains who have demonstrated both on-ice and off-ice leadership throughout their careers.
The truth, though, is that it doesn’t make much of a difference which one wears the ‘C’. Pronger will certainly be the figurehead for the team, but all three will be active voices in the locker room.
What I expect to be different this year from previous years- that is, Pronger’s affect on the team versus former captain Mike Richards’- is personal accountability. Pronger has spent the bulk of his career being the first player to arrive to practice and the last to leave. I won’t speak to the rumors that some former players were unprepared for practice, but don’t be surprised if the phrase “maintenance day” is heard much less frequently.
Pronger has also not been shy of calling out teammates; the media caught him dishing out Claude Giroux last season just as the locker room doors were opening for reporters. It doesn’t matter if you’re the future star of the franchise or not- if you made noticeable mistakes that need correcting, you will be made swiftly aware.
I still consider Jaromir Jagr to be the wild card under Pronger’s captaincy, but the two did speak before the Czech superstar signed in July. If there’s anyone that should be able to manage Jagr, it’s Prongs.
