Edmonton’s made a fairly significant shift in its leadership group.
The big news is the Oilers won’t have a captain this season, as Andrew Ference will relinquish the “C” he’s worn for the last two years.
Ference will, however, remain part of the group and wear an “A” as part of a four-man alternate captain collective, one that also includes Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Taylor Hall.
The news of Ference being removed as captain doesn’t come as a huge surprise. The veteran d-man is a well-respected leader, but isn’t expected to be in the lineup every night this season.
The decision to go without a captain, though, is something of a surprise, especially given what new head coach Todd McLellan endured during his final season in San Jose.
The Sharks’ captaincy issue -- stripping Joe Thornton, then going with four rotating alternates -- was an ongoing problem, something that players, coaches and GM Doug Wilson had to repeatedly address until it blew up in spectacular fashion.
That said, the circumstances in Edmonton are quite different.
It’s believed the club’s intentionally keeping the captaincy vacant, on the assumption that Connor McDavid will evolve into a superstar and, subsequently, the club’s unquestioned leader.
Finally, McLellan noted that with Eberle currently sidelined, a fifth Oiler would be added to the leadership group -- veteran forward Matt Hendricks, who will serve as a temporary alternate.
