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Have the Rangers found their future captain?

By Steve Paulus

MONTREAL, QC - NOVEMBER 23: Brendan Lemieux #48 of the New York Rangers celebrates after scoring a goal against the Montreal Canadiens in the NHL game at the Bell Centre on November 23, 2019 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - NOVEMBER 23: Brendan Lemieux #48 of the New York Rangers celebrates after scoring a goal against the Montreal Canadiens in the NHL game at the Bell Centre on November 23, 2019 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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OTTAWA, ON – NOVEMBER 22: New York Rangers Left Wing Brendan Lemieux (48) sporting a black eye skates during the first period of the NHL game between the Ottawa Senators and the New York Rangers on Nov. 22, 2019 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Steven Kingsman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
OTTAWA, ON – NOVEMBER 22: New York Rangers Left Wing Brendan Lemieux (48) sporting a black eye skates during the first period of the NHL game between the Ottawa Senators and the New York Rangers on Nov. 22, 2019 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Steven Kingsman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Why it can’t happen

It’s easy for observers to speculate on what is best for a team.  While Brendan Lemieux can check off a lot of the characteristics of a captain in our eyes, what goes on behind the closed doors of a locker room is something none of us know.

It’s up to the coaches to determine who the right candidate is to provide that leadership and if they feel that Lemieux is not the right fit, it is not going to happen.  While he played spectacularly last night, he also was the culprit when the Rangers took their too many me on the ice penalty, jumping into play when he shouldn’t have.

Perhaps putting the “A” on his uniform a few times could serve as a test to see how he responds.  His father served as an Alternate Captain for the Coyotes and the Avalanche so it runs in the family.

What could be an even bigger hurdle for Lemieux is his future with the team.  As a restricted free agent last summer, he signed a qualifying offer of $950k.   That deal expires next summer and he will be an RFA again, but this time with arbitration rights.  If he keeps playing this way, he may price himself out of the Rangers’ budget.  Then again, if the team wants to lock him in, there is nothing to stop them from signing him before he hits the RFA marketplace.

The good news is the coach likes him.  After the game when asked about his play, Quinn said ” I’d like to give him another black eye for that too many men on the ice, but he played too well so I won’t do that.  Listen, I’ve talked about him a lot, I love him as a player, he’s a great kid, he works hard, he’s everything you want in a hockey player and I’m happy for him that he got rewarded statistically.”

If that wasn’t enough of a rousing endorsement, listen to what Quinn said about what it takes to be a winner:

"“There’s a lot of things that goes into winning.  Talent obviously, would be one of them, but you better have resolve, you better have mental toughness, you better have conditioning, you better have leadership, you better fight through adversity.  And we showed all of that tonight.”"

All of those characteristics sound an awful lot like Brendan Lemieux.   Let’s see what happens.

Related Story. 21 thoughts after 21 games. light

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