I decided that the easiest way to identify my opinion and reasoning for it was to walk through all the options listed.
Jason Blake- Blake has always been identified as an individualist and has a history of attitude problems, now as a star player this can be excused as the Jagr syndrome, but as a captain it could not be tolerated as Clarke proved during the Philly-Lindros controversies. I think it is necessary for a Captain to be more of a team guy then say a 155 shots and 5 goals guy.
Bryan McCabe- McCabe has all the makings of a good captain and I for the longest time thought he would be the logically inheritor of the captaincy in Toronto, as he is a great character guy, always gives his all and is a real building stone for the franchise. This all mixed with him being a former captain on NYI and a assistant captain in Toronto since his arrival, but after his contract disputes and him showing that he may desire to play elsewhere, one couldn't not support his petition for captaincy, I think one of the best defining characteristics of a captain like Sundin, is despite knowing he could play elsewhere he never threatened to leave Toronto, though the media has rarely been on his side since he was traded for the Wendel back in the nineties.
Darcy Tucker- Former captain in T-bay and in Montreal Darcy emulates the very essences of leadership, but alas he plays about 50 games a season, and if the captain was a part-time job then he would be the obvious choice, but it is not.
Tomas Kaberle- Team discount, dedication to Toronto after mass media assaults and team's lack of success, apparently a major reason players like Tlusty and Kubinia signed with Toronto (Tlusty was thinking about NEVER playing in North America until a fishing trip with Kaberle which ended with him signing with Toronto and playing in the Sue three weeks after being drafted). All of this from one guy, if he isn't the next captain of this team then it truly speaks volumes of the incompetence of this franchise.
Matt Stajan- Leaps and bounds is all you can say about Matt this season, but he is on a team loaded with veteran presence and has very limited experience outside of being a fringe 3rd liner for the last 4 seasons. He could be the the successor of the successor but I doubt he will even be an assistant captain following Sundin's departure.
they'll sign somebody else -Who do you think we are Chicago? This is a team with more veteran presence then a remembrance day parade, and we are just gonna import our leadership? Doubt it.
Other- With the exception of maybe Kilger, or if Sundin sticks around a couple more seasons, maybe Tlusty, I can't see the Leaf's finding other good captaincy candidates in their roster
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