Three contenders have emerged in discussions regarding the 29th captain in Blueshirts' history.
We're smack in the middle of the NHL's summer siesta, but it won't stay quiet for much longer. In about a month, training camps will open across the league.
The New York Rangers are among the teams itching for a fresh start following last season's crash-and-burn − and they'll be facing more questions than most.
Can they bounce back after missing the playoffs? How much of a bump will new head coach Mike Sullivan provide? How will he arrange a once-proud lineup that's grown stale and ineffective? And has team president Chris Drury uncovered enough solutions to propel them back into the hunt?
Those will be critical storylines, but there's growing curiosity about a topic that's perhaps less urgent yet very much resonates with a frustrated fan base: When will the Rangers name the 29th captain in franchise history?
They've traded away each of the last three players to wear the "C," most recently Jacob Trouba. A messy divorce resulted sent the defenseman to Anaheim on Dec. 6 while leaving a leadership void that's yet to be formally filled.
It's possible the Rangers could enter the 2025-26 season without a captain − they went four-and-a-half seasons without one from 2018-2022 − but Drury has previously voiced his preference to have a defined leader.
As for the new coach, he indicated it was still to be determined as of May 8.
"We haven't gotten that far," Sullivan said at his introductory press conference. "We'll work through those challenges here over the next little while."
"What I will tell you is I've spoken to virtually every player on the roster in the last three days just to introduce myself and let the players know how excited I am to be their coach," he added. "The one takeaway that I have from those conversations is I think there's a fair amount of leadership in that room."
Sullivan didn't name names, but a few obvious choices have pushed themselves to the forefront of those discussions.
Here, we'll examine the cases for the three leading contenders:
Adam Fox
If the goal is to pick the best player from the younger segment of the core and put a captain in place who will presumably be around for the long haul, Fox should be a prime candidate.
The 27-year-old defenseman is entering his seventh NHL season – all played in New York – and understands the history of the franchise better than anyone on the roster. He grew up as a season-ticket holder in nearby Jericho, NY and pushed for a trade to Broadway before making his debut in 2019. His passion for the Rangers runs deep, making him an ideal spokesperson for a fan base that’s endured plenty of heartbreak over the years.
The big question is whether he’s the type of leader Drury and Sullivan envision for the role. They want the team to snap out of last season's funk by embracing a ferocious style of play, but that isn't a defining trait for Fox. Unlike Trouba, he won’t be the one to set the tone with a thundering hit or rousing fight. He's also not a big rah-rah guy and far from the most vocal candidate on this list.
Choosing Fox would represent a subtler approach that’s based on leading by example and delivering on the ice. It would also prioritize stability. He’s under contract through the 2028-29 season, at which point he’ll only be 31 and motivated to stick around if all goes well.
The downside, some might say, is that it would be a vote for the status quo and wouldn’t have the same jarring effect as other options.
J.T. Miller
Miller, on the other hand, would be a stark contrast to Fox.
He, too, has a history with the Rangers, having been selected by New York in the first round of the 2011 NHL Draft, then spending the first six seasons of his career here. But his ties to the current roster don’t run nearly as deep after leaving for seven seasons and returning in a Jan. 31 trade.
The powers that be may view that as a good thing. Change has been the theme lately, with Miller brought back to jolt a locker room that lost its edge last season.
There’s nothing subtle about his style. He plays “on a sharp sword,” as the 32-year-old center described it, and is unapologetic about the intensity he brings on and off the ice. “I definitely come off as angry,” he said, but he believes that’s when he’s at his best.
For a stretch following the trade, there was a clear, positive ripple effect.
“It's exactly what we needed,” veteran Jonny Brodzinski said following a Mar. 3 win. “I don't know a lot of games (prior to Miller’s arrival) where we were putting up that many hits or creating that many loose puck battles that we’re winning. He’s definitely brought that level of bite that we needed.”
Miller’s tenacity can be contagious, and he isn’t afraid to be abrasive or call out teammates when he deems it necessary. The timid Rangers probably need more of that, but it’s worth wondering how they’d respond to a prolonged dose of in-your-face leadership. It helped elevate Miller’s previous team, the Vancouver Canucks, but eventually wore thin and resulted in a highly disruptive exit.
It wouldn’t come as a surprise if Drury and Sullivan decide to go all-in on Miller as the new face of the franchise, but they must recognize the risks of selecting a captain who could rub certain teammates the wrong way and wouldn’t love the media responsibilities that come with the title.
Vincent Trocheck
Trocheck may represent the perfect middle ground.
He’s much more outspoken than Fox, but also more delicate than Miller with deeper connections to the current core. And while the 32-year-old center didn’t wear a letter in his first three seasons with the Rangers, it was obvious to anyone inside the locker room that he took the leadership reins following the Trouba trade.
Trocheck became the primary organizer of team activities while addressing some of the never-ending drama that swirled around MSG throughout the tumultuous season. He seemed to recognize the opportunity and assert himself as someone the organization could count on to help douse the flames.
He's also embraced a mentorship role with younger players on the roster, with Brett Berard noting how Trocheck "took me under his wing" following the rookie's November debut and Will Cuylle raving about the generosity he showed by housing him throughout his 2023-24 rookie season.
“I’ve always kind of looked up to him the most,” Cuylle said late in the season. “For me, he was always the guy I went to for stuff. But now, he’s stepped up a lot. He’s been such a big leader this year – even when Troubs was still here. He does everything for us. Plays with a lot of heart, a lot of passion. I kind of always saw him like that, and I think more guys are seeing him like that now.”
Like Fox, Trocheck's deal will expire at the conclusion of the 2028-29 season. He won't carry the on-ice burden of a top defenseman or No. 1 center like Fox and Miller, respectively, but that could help him handle all the extra noise that comes with wearing the "C."
Trocheck may be in the best position to bridge the gap between the new blood and old. He and Miller are childhood friends and should be on the same page as the predominant voices in the locker room, but Trocheck also has well-established relationships with many of the team's returning players.
There's an argument that he would check the most boxes, but time will tell if Drury and Sullivan see it the same way.
Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Who will be the next NY Rangers captain? Here are 3 leading candidates
Category: Hockey
