For the last 8 years, the Los Angeles Kings have been led by Ithaca, New York native Dustin Brown. Fans have grown to know him as a quiet leader, who leads by example throwing his body at anything and everything on the ice. Whether it be pucks, sticks, skaters, or goalies, our captain has made his name by excelling in the physical aspect of the game.
As most people are well aware of the brand of hockey that Dustin plays, most people forget how he arose from being the 13th overall selection in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Coming into an organization that lacked identity, and struggled to make a deep run into the post season since the years of Wayne Gretzky, Brown had his work cut out for him.
After multiple seasons where he saw improvement each year in production, as well as his role in the locker room, head coach Terry Murray placed a “C” on his chest. Now for most people, casual or non-hockey fans, a captain on a hockey team doesn't mean all that much. For anyone that has ever stepped foot in or near a locker room, you know that this means a whole hell of a lot more.
A captain is not only the leader of the team, but someone who takes responsibility for every aspect of all 20-25 guys in that locker room. If a teammate is late, misses practice, gets himself into trouble, or even under preforms, it all falls on the captain. A captain must lead by example and must never waiver from that. The team, coaches, fans, media, and everyone else with eyes on the game, are all watching. The way you walk, talk, play, carry yourself, all ultimately sets a bar that everyone on your team strives to reach.
When Dustin was appointed, he became the youngest captain in Los Angeles King’s history. With all of his personal accomplishments, I am certain he is most proud of 2012, where he was the first ever Los Angeles King to hoist the Stanley Cup, only to repeat that same glory 2 years later.
After the conclusion of this past season, the team has decided to remove Dustin Brown as captain, and take the role in a newer, younger direction. With the core of the team in their prime, Kopitar, Doughty, Carter, and the others look to regain the success that led them to 2 Stanley cups in 3 years. So all of this bodes the question: Who will be the 16th captain of this franchise’s history? Many have differing opinions on the matter.
Will it be franchise star center Anze Kopitar? He has led the kings in points over the last 9 seasons, and also been a Selke award nominee (best defensive forward) twice. He is a quiet leader who plays the game the right way. He is counted on in clutch situations to provide offense, as well as shut down roles defensively late in games. You could argue he is not a “rah-rah” kind of leader, and is very similar to Dustin Brown in that way. So is that really what the kings are looking for moving forward?
Will it be outstanding defensemen Drew Doughty? Drew has led the Kings, and even the entire NHL in multiple occurrences in time-on-ice, nearly playing half the game night and and night out. Along with being the offensive leader on the back-end, the Kings rely on him to shut down the opposition’s top players each game, which could take a toll on his body. Those who have watched, notice the Drew wears his emotions on his sleeve, and often times gets too fired up for his own good. Over the years, King’s fans have watched Doughty grow into an all-star, olympic gold medalist, and Stanley Cup Champion. Are the King’s ready to hand the reigns to the star defensemen?
With Kopitar and Doughty the obvious choices, could we be in for a surprise move by management? Would they appoint any veterans such as goal scoring forward Jeff Carter, unsung hero Trevor Lewis, or body bangin’ forward Milan Lucic? What about up and coming star winger Tyler Toffoli?
As the question goes unanswered for now, who do you feel will be the next captain of the Los Angeles Kings? Who is ready to take this team back to the throne of the NHL? Any direction this goes, the future looks bright for this young Los Angeles team.
