Should Lupul be captain?

[ZBBM]

Riffing off the discussion Nik started in the GDT.

I am not bashing Phaneuf by bringing this possibility up ? really, I'm not.  He's going to be here for years in all likelihood, and I am setting about rooting for him as best I can.  But Lupul's comments after the game were comments that a captain makes, and should have made. 

It's pretty obvious that Phaneuf is a fairly quiet guy who doesn't seek out the media.  Nothing wrong with that.  But two of the biggest responsibilities of a captain are (a) motivate the team when things are going wrong and (b) take responsibility when things are going wrong.

I wonder whether Phaneuf would be better off wearing an A ... less pressure, more scope to "play within himself" which he absolutely needs to do to be at his best (as evidenced by his play much of this season).  By the same token, if Lupul wore the C maybe it would lift his game even further?  He certainly seems to "bring it" most nights, more than any of the other top forwards IMO.

I know the captaincy is probably overrated in importance, but it does mean something.  The downside of making a switch is the slight to Phaneuf and what the media would make of it.

 

[2badknees]

Heh, probably. He's out of the lineup a lot, though.

But you have to like the attitude he brings, and he's certainly a lot more comfortable/accessible to the media.

To quote austin powers however, that train has sailed.

 

[Stickytape]

I agree that Lupul has seemed like the better leader this season, especially over the last quarter season after things officially went off the rails, and if this was a new team and I had to pick a captain, without much question it would go to Lupul. 

I'm a bit more hesitant to take it away from Phaneuf, but I admit that I never see him say anything to the players during the game, nor does he say much of anything that sounds like taking responsibility for the team's performance.

I also wonder what the relationship is like between Carlyle and Lupul these days, and whether that would factor in at all.

 

[AvroArrow]

No, he should be traded.  He's older and injury prone, but should have good value.  It could also open some much needed cap space to improve the roster.

Edit: I also meant to note that it ought to provide a shakeup, too.  Even though, that likely won't help with Carlyle still running the show.

 

[moon111]

No, he should be traded.  He's older and injury prone, but should have good value.  It could also open some much needed cap space to improve the roster.

Can they trade him?  They've been handing out trade clauses like candy.  JFJ would be proud.

 

[AvroArrow]

No, he should be traded.  He's older and injury prone, but should have good value.  It could also open some much needed cap space to improve the roster.

Can they trade him?  They've been handing out trade clauses like candy.  JFJ would be proud.

Limited NTC (player can submit 14-team trade list

As per capgeek.

 

[2badknees]

No, he should be traded.  He's older and injury prone, but should have good value.  It could also open some much needed cap space to improve the roster.

5.25 cap hit until 2018. I could see a better return if he was at the end of his term, but that's substantial. I could see them moving the contract with the way he's played when healthy, but I wouldn't expect much back.

 

[Jalili]

It's difficult to say, because we only have a narrow scope of what goes on behind the scenes.

Watching them on camera, at first glance it seems like Lupul would be the better choice; Phaneuf has zero social grace whereas Lupul appears articulate. He definitely makes a better first impression.

I'm not convinced though that Lupul is or isn't a better captain.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

It's difficult to say, because we only have a narrow scope of what goes on behind the scenes.

Watching them on camera, at first glance it seems like Lupul would be the better choice; Phaneuf has zero social grace whereas Lupul appears articulate. He definitely makes a better first impression.

I'm not convinced though that Lupul is or isn't a better captain.

What does social grace have to do with being captain?  I thought the captain was someone the team believed was the best overall leader for the team.  I've never heard of Phaneuf shirking the media after a loss or avoiding the public spotlight.  If being a better interview is a criteria it should be pretty low on the list.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I agree that Lupul has seemed like the better leader this season, especially over the last quarter season after things officially went off the rails, and if this was a new team and I had to pick a captain, without much question it would go to Lupul. 

I'm a bit more hesitant to take it away from Phaneuf, but I admit that I never see him say anything to the players during the game, nor does he say much of anything that sounds like taking responsibility for the team's performance.

I also wonder what the relationship is like between Carlyle and Lupul these days, and whether that would factor in at all.

Watch all the 24/7 episodes.  Phaneuf says tons of things in-game, in-room, during practice.  And that's just the clips of what they show.  I'm sure others do as well, but there's no basis in fact to say that Phaneuf doesn't say things to the team during the games.

And how has Lupul seemed like the better leader this season?  What has he done when the team 'went off the rails'?

 

[Redleaf]

I don't see it helping one ioda. It would only be another disruption and distraction that this team needs like a fork in the eye.

 

[Stickytape]

I agree that Lupul has seemed like the better leader this season, especially over the last quarter season after things officially went off the rails, and if this was a new team and I had to pick a captain, without much question it would go to Lupul. 

I'm a bit more hesitant to take it away from Phaneuf, but I admit that I never see him say anything to the players during the game, nor does he say much of anything that sounds like taking responsibility for the team's performance.

I also wonder what the relationship is like between Carlyle and Lupul these days, and whether that would factor in at all.

Watch all the 24/7 episodes.  Phaneuf says tons of things in-game, in-room, during practice.  And that's just the clips of what they show.  I'm sure others do as well, but there's no basis in fact to say that Phaneuf doesn't say things to the team during the games.

And how has Lupul seemed like the better leader this season?  What has he done when the team 'went off the rails'?

I've only seen pieces of the first 24/7 episode; I'll try to find the time to check them all out.  And I didn't say that Phaneuf never says anything to the team, only that I haven't seen it.

As for Lupul, he's at least talked to the press and taken responsibility for the team without just making excuses.  He's made promises on the team's behalf, and so far he's mostly kept them.

Don't get me wrong: Phaneuf has some good leadership qualities, too. I just prefer Lupul.

 

[Kin]

Just to clarify the attribution here, what I said in the GDT was that I, as a fan, would be more comfortable with Lupul as the Captain. I didn't say that it would drastically improve the team or even that it "should" happen. Just that it would be my personal preference.

Still tough to hear for the people who think membership in his fan club should be mandatory and for life, clearly, but it was not an appeal to hard fact. 

 

[Jalili]

It's difficult to say, because we only have a narrow scope of what goes on behind the scenes.

Watching them on camera, at first glance it seems like Lupul would be the better choice; Phaneuf has zero social grace whereas Lupul appears articulate. He definitely makes a better first impression.

I'm not convinced though that Lupul is or isn't a better captain.

What does social grace have to do with being captain?  I thought the captain was someone the team believed was the best overall leader for the team.  I've never heard of Phaneuf shirking the media after a loss or avoiding the public spotlight.  If being a better interview is a criteria it should be pretty low on the list.

Relax, no need to defend these guys at any perceived slight against them.

I agree, it has very little to do with whether or not he's a good captain. But it plays against Phaneuf when it comes to how a lot of fans perceive him as captain. I know a lot of casual observers who consider him a bonehead, and a lot of those people deduce that he's also not a good captain. My guess is that it's something similar to the confirmation bias.

Like I said, I'm not subscribing to the idea that he isn't a good captain. But it affects how some people outside the org. perceive him.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

No, he should be traded.  He's older and injury prone, but should have good value.  It could also open some much needed cap space to improve the roster.

If 'we' as fans on a message board know that Lupul is 'old' and injury prone, what are the chances that a GM out there doesn't know the same thing?

 

[LittleHockeyFan]

 

[TML fan]

I say yes, just so we could see that the Leafs would still suck and we'd have to listen to one less complaint about Phaneuf.

 

[Kin]

I say yes, just so we could see that the Leafs would still suck and we'd have to listen to one less complaint about Phaneuf.

No fair stealing my rationale for firing Carlyle.

 

[TML fan]

I say yes, just so we could see that the Leafs would still suck and we'd have to listen to one less complaint about Phaneuf.

No fair stealing my rationale for firing Carlyle.

It's a good rationale. I just disagree with it in Carlyle's case.

 

[Syntax McLawdog]

I'm a bit more hesitant to take it away from Phaneuf....

That is the only required answer to this question. Handing over the captaincy would cause new problems in a situation where the preexistent concerns are much more important to the continued development of the squad.