MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. – The St. Louis Blues crown Brayden Schenn as the 24th captain in franchise history.
Schenn becomes the first Blues captain since the team moved their previous one, Ryan O’Reilly, last February ahead of last year’s trade deadline.
“It’s a pretty special day standing up here and being captain of the St. Louis Blues,” said Schenn. “Something I’ll remember forever, but I’ll also remember [my teammates] showing up for me. These are the guys I go to battle and war with every day, and I enjoy being at the rink with them.”
Although the NHL does not require every team to have a captain, they are oftentimes tasked with pivotal leadership roles. That includes building camaraderie as locker room leader, serving as a franchise face, and consulting with coaches and referees as a key voice.
Generally speaking, the captain’s honor is one a team awards to a player with hopes they will lead for the long haul. Schenn was an obvious choice as the longest-tenured Blues forward and one of few pieces remaining from the 2019 Stanley Cup run. He also has five years remaining on his long-term deal.
“Ultimately, our belief is each group functions best with a focal-point leader that has the trust of his coaches, teammates, and the organization as a whole,” said Blues general manager Doug Armstrong. “Brayden Schenn has experience, courage, toughness and knowledge that is needed for this group now and moving forward.”
Serving as an alternate captain for the last three years, Schenn has also evolved as one of the most vocal Blues and has shown a willingness to drop the gloves for his teammates. He embodies a lot of qualities of a leader, even if his standalone stats don’t rank among the league’s best scorers and enforcers.
“He brings toughness. He brings scoring. He brings all the intangibles that come with a captain,” said Blues head coach Craig Berube.
Schenn takes over after last season ended up with a rare playoff miss for the Blues, just the tenth time in over 55 years. He says this group is determined to bounce back.
“If you look at our locker room right now, we have guys that come here early, skate early, and are getting together,” said Schenn. “There’s a good energy and vibes, and guys are showing they were not happy with last year. We have a lot of work to do leading up to the season, but we feel guys have the right mindset, and that’s most important.”
Based on their experience and current roles with the team, Robert Thomas, Colton Parayko and Justin Faulk were all strong candidates to be considered for captain as well. All three are expected to serve as alternate captains throughout the year.
“We’re the guys to get this team in the right direction,” said Schenn. “We lean on each other and keep pushing it forward.”
Blues training camp begins on Sept. 21. Fans can watch the new captain Schenn lead practices for free at Centene Community Ice Center on Thursday and Friday this week. The Blues’ regular season starts on Oct. 12.
