List of current AHL captains and alternate captains
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league composed of 32 teams, founded in 1936. Each team may select a captain, who has the "privilege of discussing with the referee any questions relating to interpretation of rules which may arise during the progress of a game."[1] Each team is also permitted to select alternate captains, who serve when the captain is not on the ice.[1] Captains are required to wear the letter "C" on their uniform for identification while alternate captains wear the letter "A"; both letters are 3 inches (7.6 cm) in height.
Rule 6.2 of the 2023–24 Official AHL Rulebook indicates that "[only] when the captain is not in uniform, the coach shall have the right to designate three alternate captains. This must be done prior to the start of the game."[1] Many AHL teams with a named captain select more than two alternate captains and rotate the "A"s among these players throughout the season.
Goaltenders are not permitted to serve as captains during games.[1] This rule follows that which was instituted in the National Hockey League (NHL) in 1948 after teams complained that it took Montreal Canadiens goaltender Bill Durnan too long to skate to talk with the officials and back to his crease.[2] As a result, no goalie has ever served as captain of an AHL team.
Key
[edit]† Spent entire AHL career with team
| Abbreviation | Definition |
|---|---|
| C | Centre |
| LW | Left wing |
| RW | Right wing |
| D | Defenceman |
Captains
[edit]Fifteen of the thirty-two AHL teams currently have a captain. The seventeen teams without a captain are the Bakersfield Condors, Belleville Senators, Bridgeport Islanders, Calgary Wranglers, Chicago Wolves, Cleveland Monsters, Colorado Eagles, Iowa Wild, Manitoba Moose, Ontario Reign, Providence Bruins, Rochester Americans, Rockford IceHogs, San Diego Gulls, San Jose Barracuda, Tucson Roadrunners, and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Of the fifteen captains, two of them have been with their team for their entire career. The longest-tenured captain in the league is Zac Dalpe of the Charlotte Checkers, who has served in that role since October 14, 2021.
- ^ Most recent captain, Brad Malone, retired at the end of the 2023–24 season.
- ^ Most recent captain, Dillon Heatherington, left as a free agent following 2023–24 season and signed with the San Diego Gulls.
- ^ Most recent captain, Seth Helgeson, left as a free agent following the 2023–24 season.
- ^ Most recent captain, Brett Sutter, retired at the end of the 2023–24 season.
- ^ Most recent captain, Chris Terry, left as a free agent following the 2023–24 season.
- ^ Most recent captain, Brendan Gaunce, left as a free agent following the 2023–24 season and signed with the Minnesota Wild of the NHL.
- ^ Most recent captain, Brad Hunt, left as a free agent following the 2023–24 season and signed with the Hershey Bears.
- ^ Most recent captain, Dakota Mermis, left as a free agent following the 2023–24 season and signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL.
- ^ Most recent captain, Jimmy Oligny, left as a free agent following the 2023–24 season.
- ^ Most recent captain, T. J. Tynan, left as a free agent following the 2023–24 season and signed with the Colorado Avalanche of the NHL.
- ^ Most recent captain, Josiah Didier, left as a free agent following the 2022–23 season and signed with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
- ^ Most recent captain, Michael Mersch, left as a free agent following the 2023–24 season.
- ^ Most recent captain, Garrett Mitchell, retired at the end of the 2022–23 season.
- ^ Most recent captain, Chase De Leo, left as a free agent following the 2023–24 season.
- ^ Most recent captain, Radim Šimek, was traded to the Detroit Redwings of the NHL by the Barracuda's NHL affiliate, the San Jose Sharks, in March 2024.
- ^ Most recent captain, Steven Kampfer, left as a free agent following the 2023–24 season and signed with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL.
- ^ Most recent captain, Taylor Fedun, left as a free agent following the 2023–24 season.
Alternate captains
[edit]Twelve of the thirty-two AHL teams have named at least the regulation two alternate captains (the twenty exceptions being the Abbotsford Canucks, Calgary Wranglers, Charlotte Checkers, Chicago Wolves, Cleveland Monsters, Coachella Valley Firebirds, Colorado Eagles, Hartford Wolf Pack, Henderson Silver Knights, Iowa Wild, Laval Rocket, Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Milwaukee Admirals, Ontario Reign, San Diego Gulls, Syracuse Crunch, Toronto Marlies, Tucson Roadrunners, Utica Comets, and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins). Of the forty-three alternate captains, twelve of them have been with their team for their entire career. Teams that have named more than the regulation two alternate captains (or three in the case of teams without a captain) are required to rotate the two (or three) "A"s between those players by methods of their choosing. The current longest-tenured alternate captain in the league is Daniel Walcott of the Syracuse Crunch, who has served in that role since 2017.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "2023–24 AHL Rule Book". theahl.com. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
- ^ "Luongo sports captain's 'C' on goalie mask". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. October 5, 2008. Retrieved February 14, 2009.
- ^ "Chase Wouters named first captain in Abbotsford Canucks history". CanucksArmy. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
- ^ "Elite Prospects – Team Captains of Charlotte Checkers". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 2022-07-26.
- ^ Arredondo, Bailey (2022-10-16). "Firebirds win first ever game over Calgary, assign team captains and roster spots". KESQ. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
- ^ Kuehl, Tyler (2023-10-27). "Griffins name Josiah Didier as 18th captain in franchise history". mlive. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
- ^ "Elite Prospects – Team Captains of Hartford Wolf Pack". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 2022-07-26.
- ^ "Jake Bischoff Named Captain of Silver Knights". Henderson Silver Knights. October 12, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
- ^ "Bears Name Dylan McIlrath 45th Captain in Team History | NEWS | Hershey Bears Hockey". www.hersheybears.com. Retrieved 2022-10-15.
- ^ "GABRIEL BOURQUE OFFICIALLY NAMED CAPTAIN OF THE LAVAL ROCKET – Rocket Laval". 2023-10-09. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
- ^ Rotruck, Bob (2023-10-13). "Garrett Wilson Named Phantoms Captain". Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
- ^ "Gravel Named Admirals Captain". OurSports Central. 2023-10-14. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
- ^ Rooney, Brendan (2023-10-15). "Springfield Thunderbirds drop home opener to Hartford". masslive. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
- ^ "Elite Prospects – Team Captains of Syracuse Crunch". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 2022-07-26.
- ^ "Stars Name Curtis McKenzie Captain, Alex Petrovic and Andreas Borgman as Alternate Captains". oursportscentral.com. Retrieved 2023-01-16.
- ^ "Toronto Marlies Announce 10th Captain In Franchise History – Toronto Marlies". Retrieved 2022-12-13.
- ^ "Elite Prospects – Team Captains of Utica Comets". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 2022-07-26.