TheNational Hockey League (NHL) is a professional ice hockey league composed of 32 teams, founded in1917. Each team may select acaptain, 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 selectalternate 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 2008–09 Official NHL 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][2] Many NHL teams with a named captain select more than two alternate captains and rotate the "A"s among these players throughout the season.^[3]

Goaltenders are not permitted to serve as captains during games.^[1] This rule was instituted in 1948 after teams complained that it tookMontreal Canadiens goaltenderBill Durnan too long to skate to talk with the officials and back to his crease.^[4]Vancouver Canucks goaltenderRoberto Luongo served as captain for two seasons (2008–09 and2009–10), but because of the League's rule, he was not allowed to serve as captain on-ice or wear the "C" on his jersey, though it was incorporated into the artwork on hismask.^[4][5] As a result, the Canucks were allowed to dress three alternate captains in games, as opposed to the League standard of two. Two (of the three) alternate captains handled on-ice duties in Luongo's place.^[5] Other than Durnan and Luongo, five other goaltenders have captained their team:John Ross Roach of theToronto St. Patricks,George Hainsworth of theMontreal Canadiens,Roy Worters of theNew York Americans,Alec Connell of the originalOttawa Senators andCharlie Gardiner of theChicago Black Hawks.^[6]

WhenConnor McDavid was named captain of theEdmonton Oilers, he became the youngest permanent captain in NHL history.^[7]Gabriel Landeskog of theColorado Avalanche andSidney Crosby of thePittsburgh Penguins, are the second- and third-youngest players to be named captain in NHL history, respectively. In 1984,Brian Bellows was named interim captain of theMinnesota North Stars whenCraig Hartsburg was injured, and is the youngest player to captain a team in NHL history. However, because Bellows served only on an interim basis, McDavid retains the distinction of being the youngest permanent captain in the League's history.^[8]Mark Messier is the only player to captain two separate teams toStanley Cup championships, those being the1989–90 Edmonton Oilers and the1993–94 New York Rangers.^[9] Sidney Crosby also became the youngest captain to win the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in2009, when Crosby was just 21 years old. The oldest permanent captain in league history wasZdeno Chara of theBoston Bruins, who turned 43 years old during his last NHL season (2019–20) with the Bruins. The longest tenure in league history wasSteve Yzerman of theDetroit Red Wings, who served as captain of the Red Wings for nineteen seasons, over a span of twenty years.

 †  Spent entire NHL career with team

Thirty of the thirty-two NHL teams currently have a captain. The two teams without a captain are theBoston Bruins and theSan Jose Sharks. Twenty-two of the thirty captains have been with their team for their entire career. The current longest-tenured captain in the league isSidney Crosby of thePittsburgh Penguins, who has served in that role since May 31, 2007.

All thirty-two NHL teams have named at least the regulation two alternate captains. Of the eighty-seven alternate captains, forty-six of them have been with their team for their entire NHL 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 isEvgeni Malkin of thePittsburgh Penguins, who has served in that role since 2008.

• List of current AHL captains

Team rosters

Specific

• Lists of National Hockey League players
• National Hockey League players
• Ice hockey captains

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