Blues Captaincy Candidates: Breaking Down Five Possible Scenarios
Brayden Schenn
I think the majority of Blues fans just assumed that if and when O’Reilly was dealt away, Brayden Schenn would be the obvious choice to replace him as Blues’ Captain. He is, after all, a veteran player with documented leadership traits.
The young guys look up to him and the veterans around the locker room, and the league for that matter, respect him. He is a guy that plays with a lot of heart, providing skill and physicality. He’s willing to drop the gloves to either spark the team when things are a bit flat or to stand up for a teammate.
While these all seem like a tailor-made captain, some aren’t so sure that he’s the guy for the job, and Doug Armstrong may be one of those guys. Schenn is clearly a leader on the team, but a leader does not always make a captain.
There is a reason why it hasn’t been a cut and dry designation. The Blues clearly want to see someone take the mantle and not have it handed to them. Brayden has training camp and the preseason to prove that he deserves the honor of following the likes of Barclay Plager, Brian Sutter, David Backes and the other great leaders in Blues history… if he wants it.
Robert Thomas
The consensus seems to be that if the Blues are going to name a captain, and his name is not Brayden Schenn, then it will be Robert Thomas. Thomas has been considered the future of the Blues since he entered the league at age 19 and hoisted the Stanley Cup at the end of his rookie season.
He first donned an “A” at age 22 when Vladi Tarasenko and the aforementioned Schenn were out with injuries, leaving only Colton Parayko as a designated “Alternate” Captain. This sent a rather clear message of how the Blues felt about the young center’s leadership abilities and left many fans wondering if he was the Captain of the future.
Like Schenn, Thomas clearly hasn’t ripped the Captain’s “C” out of Army’s clinched fingers, but that’s not necessarily a reflection on his leadership potential. After all, Robert Thomas was living in Brayden Schenn’s basement less than two year’s ago.
Brayden took “Tommer” under his wing and provided a lot of guidance on and off the ice early in his career. Now, the mentee is being looked at as the possible leader for the entire team, including his own mentor.
Robert had a slight regression last season after a breakout ’21-’22 season, but so did everyone else on the team. It’s entirely possible that Robert Thomas will be the future captain of the St. Louis Blues, but it may not be this season. He is going to need to kick it into the next gear both in terms of his on-ice production as well as the example he sets for his teammates.
Pavel Buchnevich
Next is a guy that I have not heard many, if any, rumblings about wearing the “C”, but I believe he could be a legitimate candidate. Pavel Buchnevich has quietly been the Blues most productive offensive player in terms of points-per-game over the past two seasons, averaging 1.05 PPG.
He is the first Blues player to average more than a point per game over the course of back-to-back full seasons since Pavol Demitra (’98-’99 & ’99-’00). Buch plays a strong two-way game, logging plenty of minutes on both the power play and penalty kill.
Not one to shy away from the dirty areas on the ice, he provides some occasional and surprising physicality. He has been arguably the best skater wearing the Blue Note since he came to town. He’s not often referred to as a particularly vocal guy, but he’s a smart player who is well liked by his teammates. The loudest guy is not always the best leader, after all.
Buchnevich’s biggest problem is staying healthy. While he has managed to avoid long-term stints on the IR, he has often missed a handful of games here and there, amounting to 28 games missed over his two seasons in St. Louis. This could play an important role in whether or not he could be considered as not only a potential Captain, but also a player that deserves a long-term extension when he enters the final year of his four year contract in ’23-’24.
Colton Parayko
Now, hear me out. I know that Blues fans everywhere are either thinking Parayko has one more chance, or they’ve been done with him for a while and can’t wait to see the 6 foot 6 inch defenseman shipped out of town while he may still be worth something.
I have a bit of a different perspective than most on CP55. While many believe that Colton has not lived up to his potential, the fact is he was not a top-5 pick like Alex Pietrangelo was. Yes, he had a very poor season last year, but so did just about everyone on the Blues roster. I see no reason why he can not only rebound this season, but be an example for the next crop of young Blues coming up.
I am fully aware that he’s probably as much of a long shot to wear a Captain’s “C” as anyone on this list, or maybe on the roster. The Blues don’t need him to be Alex Pietrangelo, though.
Colton needs to be a steady defender who leads by example and can be instrumental in solidifying a defensive core that was one of the worst in the league last year. Obviously he won’t be able to accomplish all of this before opening night, but if the Blues go into this season without a captain and Parayko can prove he can be that guy, then it’s possible that a guy that has worn an “A” for the past three seasons, and is still under contract until 2030, could be tabbed to sport a “C” on his sweater.
No Captain
What happens if no captain is named before the start of the season? Well, nothing really.
The Blues are one of eight teams in the NHL to not have named a captain yet. It may take some or all of the ’23-’24 season for a Captain to emerge.
It’s also possible that the next captain for the St. Louis Blues is not currently on the roster. There are a couple of highly touted prospects in Dalibor Dvorsky and Jimmy Snuggerud that have both taken on leadership roles at their respective levels.
It’s also possible that the Blues just lay an egg this season and end up with another top pick in next year’s draft. A season like that would most definitely see another fire sale of veterans that provide another stockpile of draft picks.
It could even open the door for the Blues to free up enough cap space to be active in free agency or in the trade market. The next captain of the Blues could be playing for another team when the season starts on October 12th.
My Thoughts and Prediction
Personally, I believe that any of the guys I’ve mentioned could take on the role of captain, but there are a million reasons why it may or may not make sense for all of them. While some of them need to prove that last year was a blip, other’s need to show that they are the type of leader that wears the “C”.
My feeling is that Brayden Schenn is going to step up in a big way in the preseason and prove that he is the guy for the role. However, my confidence level in my prediction is around 51%.
Next. Blues Prospects Hit Or Miss In Showcase. dark
No one knows how this will turn out and Army continues to play his cards close to the vest. We may be about start the first captain-less season for the St. Louis Blues since ’07-’08.