RealGM Hockey: Shift Change - Let Luongo Wear The ‘C’

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Let Luongo Wear The ‘C’

Authored by Michael Sonday - 2nd October, 2008 - 2:10 pm

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The Vancouver Canucks made a classy move on Tuesday by announcing that goalie Roberto Luongo will be their new captain. Luongo will be the first goalie in 61 years to captain an NHL team. Although Luongo will have the captain moniker he will not be entitled to all of the captain’s duties, something Commissioner Bettman and the NHL must change.

The last goalie to captain an NHL team was Bill Durnan of the 1947-48 Montreal Canadiens. During that season many opposing teams complained that Durnan left his crease too often to argue with the referee, a strategy they felt he used to give the Canadiens deliberate timeouts to rest their top players in key situations. The league agreed with their arguments and prior to the start of the 1948-49 season the NHL introduced a new rule prohibiting goalies from being captains.

So here we are in 2008 and a goalie is a captain once again, but this time there will be three major restrictions. Among the limitations of Luongo’s captaincy is that he is not allowed out of his crease to argue calls, which is understandable since this is the reason the rule was made in the first place. Another restriction is that he will not be allowed to take the ceremonial faceoff before the game. Again, this is understandable and who cares? It would look silly for a goalie to faceoff with the other team’s captain. The last major restriction seems to be a bit unnecessary as the league will not allow Luongo to wear the Captains ‘C’ on his jersey.

The reasoning on why the NHL does not want Luongo to come out of his crease to argue a call or having him take the opening ceremonial faceoff is legit and the Canucks have already assigned Luongo’s restricted duties to alternate captains Willie Mitchell, Mattias Ohlund and Ryan Kesler. The league not letting Luongo sport the ‘C’ on his jersey is ridicules. Wearing the ‘C’ is the most noticeable privilege that a captain has, a symbol of his leadership, so why not let him wear it?

Although Luongo hinted in statements to the media that he would like to wear the ‘C’ on his jersey, it is unlikely that the Canucks will challenge the rule. The NHL should take it upon themselves to take the necessary steps in allowing him to wear the ‘C’.

The time for a goalie to be captain was long overdue. Many goalies over the past 61 years have been deserving of the honor but have been bypassed due to the “Durnan Rule”. The most important part of being a captain is leadership and that’s just what Luongo has displayed during his two seasons in Vancouver. Luongo becomes just the seventh goalie to be named captain and is the 12th captain in Canuck history. Even with the restrictions, the captaincy is a great accomplishment for Luongo.

Since the lockout the league has marketed themselves as the new NHL. Well Commissioner Bettmen, step up and make a change that would allow Luongo to proudly display something he has earned and deserves. This is the new NHL right? If so, change this old rule.

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