UPDATED: Should Pronger Stay Captain? / Homer leaning towards not naming new one

[hf101]

Not taking into account the Captaincy curse of the Flyers.....knowing that Pronger is out for the entire the season and playoffs, I do think the team should make Timonen Captain. (interim Captain then) But nontheless Timo should wear the C.

[Flyerguy]

They should make Timonen or Briere captain.

[LeafSuck16]

Flyerguy, I agree. I think Kimo is the best bet. So what now? Who do we get now that everybody knows we are desperate?

[JackStraw]

I would go with Timo, but either Timo or Briere would be good choices.

[jammer2]

At this point, Pronger may never play again, sounds dire, but given his age and how bad this concussion appears to be, it's not out of the question. Given the long term prognosis, naming a new captain only makes sense. Not disrespecting Prongs at all, it's just business....they need a new leader.Maybe naming Briere gives him a spark, he seems like the type to shoulder that type of responsibility with no problem....although Kimo would be a excellent choice also. Is this team cursed or what?

[Flyerguy]

At this point, Pronger may never play again, sounds dire, but given his age and how bad this concussion appears to be, it's not out of the question. Given the long term prognosis, naming a new captain only makes sense. Not disrespecting Prongs at all, it's just business....they need a new leader.Maybe naming Briere gives him a spark, he seems like the type to shoulder that type of responsibility with no problem....although Kimo would be a excellent choice also. Is this team cursed or what?

This is true giving Briere Captaincy most likely will give him the boost he needs. Briere has experience of being Captain too.

[s3x]

I was a proponent of Briere with the C but lately I've been doubting whether or not his voice is loud enough in the room.

[JackStraw]

This is true giving Briere Captaincy most likely will give him the boost he needs. Briere has experience of being Captain too.

I'm not exactly clear why Briere needs a boost, 24 pts in 27 games is not too shabby. That projects to 72 pts over 82 games which would be tied for the 2nd best points total of his career.

[LeafSuck16]

I don't think that extra pressure the C brings, is going to do Briere any good.

[doom88]

I would go with Timo, but either Timo or Briere would be good choices.

Agreed.

Any takers on three As and no C?

[Poulin20]

I was a proponent of Briere with the C but lately I've been doubting whether or not his voice is loud enough in the room.

If memory serves, the legend was that he gave a mean speech in the locker room during game 6 of the Buffalo series last year that seemed to inspire the team to victory.

[s3x]

If memory serves, the legend was that he gave a mean speech in the locker room during game 6 of the Buffalo series last year that seemed to inspire the team to victory.

It was. And I agree he has the voice. He was the face of the team to the media throughout the end of the season and the playoffs.

But lately, he's seemed to shy away from it a bit. I guess I'm just not as sure anymore, is all.

[AJgoal]

Guess I'm in the minority, but I don't think the team can assign someone else the "C" at this stage. Pronger hasn't retired, and you don't take the captaincy away from a guy due to injury, it sends the wrong message. What if Pronger comes out of this perfectly fine at the start of next year (I realize it's a long shot, but not outside the realm of possibility)? Do you give it back to him, thereby stripping your newly anointed captain of the "C"?

On the other hand, if Pronger were to voluntarily give it up, stand in front of the team and say, "Thank you for letting me be captain, but you need a leader on the ice," then you can assign a new captain, and then I think it goes to Kimmo. I think he's really been quietly leading the team all season, has a great presence on the ice, and is a natural choice.

[Vincent05]

Not taking into account the Captaincy curse of the Flyers.....knowing that Pronger is out for the entire the season and playoffs, I do think the team should make Timonen Captain. (interim Captain then) But nontheless Timo should wear the C.

If it is curse, why not give it to Shelley? I'm sure you all would agree we need his cap and roster space.

[hf101]

Guess I'm in the minority, but I don't think the team can assign someone else the "C" at this stage. Pronger hasn't retired, and you don't take the captaincy away from a guy due to injury, it sends the wrong message. What if Pronger comes out of this perfectly fine at the start of next year (I realize it's a long shot, but not outside the realm of possibility)? Do you give it back to him, thereby stripping your newly anointed captain of the "C"?

On the other hand, if Pronger were to voluntarily give it up, stand in front of the team and say, "Thank you for letting me be captain, but you need a leader on the ice," then you can assign a new captain, and then I think it goes to Kimmo. I think he's really been quietly leading the team all season, has a great presence on the ice, and is a natural choice.

I think that is basically what I was suggesting as assigning an interim captain. ie. Hatcher

When Primeau stepped down from the captaincy, that team was going through some rough times, and needed some leadership in the room. I'd rather see a pro-active approach here rather than wait and see.

[OzFlyer]

Matt Read for Captain!!!! Just kidding, Keep Pronger as C and just A's until the end of the season. If they had to make someone a Captain I would vote for Kimmo.

[mojo1917]

I'm in the Timmonen and/or Briere camp.

this team is young and needs its leader with them...

what happens with his cap hit and contract if pronger retires ? does it come off the books ? can he be bought out ? does he have to sell cokes on game nights ? how's that work ?

[flyercanuck]

We went through this last year with "Pronger should wear the C" like there's a big difference in leadership if an actual letter is sewn on. Pronger has the C and isn't even there, and the team has gone 12-2-2 in his absence...so much for that theory. Looks to me like the Flyers as a team have figured out their leadership without Richards, or Pronger. And without anyone wearing the C. Maybe this is the way to go, at least for the remainder of the season.

Then give it to Schenn.

[AJgoal]

what happens with his cap hit and contract if pronger retires ? does it come off the books ? can he be bought out ? does he have to sell cokes on game nights ? how's that work ?

It sticks with the Flyers until his contract expires in five years, as he was over 35 when his extension kicked in. The Flyers will likely LTIR him each season if he is done to get relief to get around this, but it's not as "clean" as just getting his cap hit removed from the books. The Flyers would want to be right at the cap when they place him on LTIR to get maximum credit, and it may hamper what they can do in the offseason. The over 35 rule was intended to prevent teams from signing guys to ridiculously long contracts in order to circumvent the cap, knowing full well that the player wouldn't be playing that long. But a guy retiring due to a severe injury is quite different from someone retiring because he doesn't feel he's competitive anymore. Case in point: Everyone knows Lappy "retired" last season, but they're keeping up the charade just because he has to pretend that he's coming back. There's no penalty being handed out, so what's the point?

This is something I'd like to see addressed in the new CBA.

[JackStraw]

Guess I'm in the minority, but I don't think the team can assign someone else the "C" at this stage. Pronger hasn't retired, and you don't take the captaincy away from a guy due to injury, it sends the wrong message.

Sure you do. When Pronger was with Anaheim he was given the C when Niedermayer was injured.

[AJgoal]

Sure you do. When Pronger was with Anaheim he was given the C when Niedermayer was injured.

Niedermeyer wasn't injured. He had contemplated retirement and skipped training camp. Pronger was named Captain in the beginning of the season to replace an apparently retired player. Completely different situation.

I also don't see the need to give someone the "C." You already have Timmonen, Briere, Talbot, and Giroux wearing A's. Is changing one of those to a "C" really going to matter all that much? There's leadership in place, designating one of those guys the Captain for the remainder of this year isn't going to make him any more of a leader on and off the ice. It's not like the team has been losing without Pronger and needs something to get them motivated.

[flyercanuck]

Niedermeyer wasn't injured. He had contemplated retirement and skipped training camp. Pronger was named Captain in the beginning of the season to replace an apparently retired player. Completely different situation.

I also don't see the need to give someone the "C." You already have Timmonen, Briere, Talbot, and Giroux wearing A's. Is changing one of those to a "C" really going to matter all that much? There's leadership in place, designating one of those guys the Captain for the remainder of this year isn't going to make him any more of a leader on and off the ice. It's not like the team has been losing without Pronger and needs something to get them motivated.

For some reason I'm having this feeling of deja vu.

[radoran]

If you were a relatively healthy player, why on earth would you want to take the Flyers' C?

I say they just retire the C permanently and go with three As.

[flyerrod]

I like the idea of an interim Captain while Pronger is off the ice and out of the Locker room. I think Timmo is the best choice to replace him as he seems to have a better on ice rapport with officials than Briere ever had or will have. It would not be an affront (or it should not be) to Pronger while he is not here. That said, upon his return he would don the "C" immediately.

[JackStraw]

Niedermeyer wasn't injured. He had contemplated retirement and skipped training camp. Pronger was named Captain in the beginning of the season to replace an apparently retired player. Completely different situation.

I also don't see the need to give someone the "C." You already have Timmonen, Briere, Talbot, and Giroux wearing A's. Is changing one of those to a "C" really going to matter all that much? There's leadership in place, designating one of those guys the Captain for the remainder of this year isn't going to make him any more of a leader on and off the ice. It's not like the team has been losing without Pronger and needs something to get them motivated.

Ok, I forgot about the retirement business. At any rate, I don't see any problem at all naming someone else captain. Timo and Briere are both former captains, and are now two of the longest tenured Flyers. They've been consistent leaders on the team since they arrived. Pronger is not some god-like figure who has led the Flyers to multiple Cups. Especially seeing is how there is no way to know when, if ever, he'll return, just go ahead and give someone the C. As you yourself are pointing out, essentially it's just a letter on a jersey. It's not going to drastically (or at all) change the dynamic and leadership on the team. Do it and move on. If Pronger comes back and wants the C back, give it to him. It's not that big a deal.