Number three: Marc Staal
Let’s get the obvious out of the way, just because Marc Staal is the longest tenured skater on the team, does not mean he should be named captain. At one point. this would have been a logical choice. The veteran defenseman is amongst the most successful first round picks in the team’s recent history and is climbing the ranks in terms of team history.
At this point in his NHL career, Staal is seasoned veteran that looks slow in the modern National Hockey League. It is a philosophical choice, but it just does not look good when a team has a captain that is a bad player. There is no realm in which Staal is even a league average defenseman at age 31.
This would be a sentimental choice, but aside from his level of play, there is the obvious contractual issue. It is no secret that the Staal contract is probably the worst deal the Rangers have on their books. With three years remaining, Staal will likely only get worse which makes him a candidate for a buyout.
There is no point in naming a captain that does not figure into the long term future of the team which will be a recurring theme in this list.