Since the start of the 2023 NHL season, the St Louis Blues captain has been Brayden Schenn. Since becoming a Blue, Schenn has become one of the most consistent performers, contributing a minimum of 20 goals and 50 points five times. However, his points have dropped off the last two seasons, and he is on pace this season to have one of the worst years of his career with just 4 goals and 14 points in 29 games. I am not to say he is a terrible captain whatsoever, but at 33 years old, he is an aging veteran who seems to be on the decline, and at a 6.5 million dollar cap hit, the team may be looking to move on if his play does not improve. If Schenn's time as a Blue is near its end, who could be next in line to become the 25th captain in team history?
1. Colton Parayko
The longest-tenured player on the current roster, Colton Parayko, has seen it all since his debut in the 2015-16 season. Parayko has seen the highs, helping the team win the Stanley Cup in 2019, and he has seen the lows of the 2022-23 season, which saw the team miss the playoffs and trade away some of the aging core that helped the team win the Stanley Cup in Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan O'Reilly. Parayko, one of the leaders on the team, has been an alternate captain since 2020-21, and while he was in College, he was named captain in his final season for the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. If the St Louis Blues were thinking of making a captain change for the start of next season, Parayko would be a prime candidate.
2. Robert Thomas
In all likelihood, Robert Thomas will be a St Louis Blues captain one day. Thomas is another player who has seen it all with the Blues. He helped contribute to the team winning a Stanley Cup as a rookie, and while he was not in the lineup for every game, he did help set up the double-overtime winner against Dallas in Game 7. In many people's eyes, Thomas is the team's best player and has become an integral part of the leadership core. He has been an alternate captain since the 2022-23 season. If the captaincy becomes available after this season, Thomas could be the long-term solution. At just 25 years old, Thomas has the potential to wear the "C" on his jersey for ten-plus seasons, something that has not been done before in franchise history.
3. That is the List
I tried to think of a third name to include on this list, but none of the options made sense for a team that seems to be in a transition of mainstay veterans and young up-and-comers. Brandon Saad and Justin Faulk come to mind, but their age and remaining years on their contracts do not make sense for the team. It is tough to make an argument for anyone else. Considering that when naming a new captain, usually, that player has been an alternate captain before, which would rule out players like Pavel Buchnevich and Jordan Kyrou. It would make the decision clear. Go the short-term route with Parayko or the long-term plan with Thomas. Either way, I do not think the fans would be disappointed in the decision.