Captain McCarron?

[cuhockey93]

I love the guy, but does he really have captain qualities? Pretty hard for a captain to talk to the refs when he's the one always in the box. Johnny Mac is in the top 10 in total penalty minutes and given Cornell's shorter season may be top 5 in Penalty minutes per game. I know this unheard of in the NHL, but maybe it's more common in college hockey. Do you know of anyone that has led their team in penalty minutes and was captain, and what are your takes on making Mr. Game Misconduct team captain? I feel like Bardreau would have made the best captain assuming he is ready to play.

[redice]

I know that captaincy is typically the players' decision.    But, is it possible that Coach found a way to "recommend" McCarron in an effort to get him to mature and spend less time in the box?

[JasonN95]

Maybe the letter on his chest will help him find restraint knowing his added responsibility to the team.

[Scersk '97]

One name:  Matt Cooney.  Great captain; learned from one of the best.  And 3.06 PIMs/GP became 1.96 PIMs/GP.

Too bad he was injured for much of his senior year.

[peterg]

There's a lot of value - and locker room respect - for a player who sticks up for his teammates and is all about winning, even if it means taking a penalty.

[jtn27]

Being a captain does not automatically make a player more mature or force them to demonstrate restraint. Players should become captains because they already are mature, demonstrate restraint, and are good leaders (we obviously don't know if McCarron is a good leader or not since we're not in the locker room). In 2011, the Jets attempted to use the captaincy to make Mark Sanchez a better leader and make Santonio Holmes act more mature with disastrous results. I don't think the Jets are a team you want to model your decisions on.

[redice]

Being a captain does not automatically make a player more mature or force them to demonstrate restraint. Players should become captains because they already are mature, demonstrate restraint, and are good leaders (we obviously don't know if McCarron is a good leader or not since we're not in the locker room). In 2011, the Jets attempted to use the captaincy to make Mark Sanchez a better leader and make Santonio Holmes act more mature with disastrous results. I don't think the Jets are a team you want to model your decisions on.

I'm not sure the Jets are valid for use as a comparison tool here either.....    Those are the Jets, remember.   Disaster, looking for a way to happen!!

[Robb]

If this really is a ploy to get his PIMs down, that seems like high risk/low reward gamble to me.  Risking bad leadership for the entire team  for the payoff of improving one player?  Makes no sense.  I have to think that McCarron must have qualities not readily apparent to those of us examining the penalty sections of the box scores.

[css228]

There's a lot of value - and locker room respect - for a player who sticks up for his teammates and is all about winning, even if it means taking a penalty.

A lot less value for a guy who takes penalties in the offensive zone while on a power play. His penalties aren't just of the sticking up for teammates variety. A significant amount are of the so stupid you're being cut from the ECHL variety.

[rgc4]

Mike Schafer led the team in PIM his junior year. He was a tri-captain his senior year, when he again led the team in PIM. And a lot of those were pretty stupid penalties, but the team won the ECAC.

[billhoward]

We're overthinking this. We're not in the locker room. It's not unusual that the most natural leader might be a person with two not three years of varsity play. I think we're all trying to extend a disappointing season and we don't have "Iles Is Not the Answer" to kick around.

[cuhockey93]

The issue is that most ECAC refs view McCarron as a goon. As captain you are not only a locker room guy, but also a representative of the team. McCarron arguing with the refs would be comical. Captains are also supposed to lead by example, not by leading the ECAC is game misconducts.

[Trotsky]

Let's see how he manages as captain before we evaluate him as captain.

[redice]

The issue is that most ECAC refs view McCarron as a goon. As captain you are not only a locker room guy, but also a representative of the team. McCarron arguing with the refs would be comical. Captains are also supposed to lead by example, not by leading the ECAC is game misconducts.

I seriously doubt that any of us know how "most ECAC refs" view anyone/anything in the ECAC....   Not a reasonable statement.

I'm with Trotsky, let's see how he manages as captain.   I doubt the captaincy will be pulled based on our disapproval anyway.

[ugarte]

What if I just don't care at all? I'm sure it is an honor to be chosen captain but from the outside I do not give a shit who gets an extra patch.