Taking shape
Islanders leadership group emerging as regular season approaches
The Charlottetown Islanders haven’t named a captain and might not before Friday’s opening night.
Head coach Jim Hulton said he would like to have one announced, along with the assistants, by next weekend.
“I like the players to vote because it’s their captain,” he said before Tuesday’s practice.
“It’s always difficult when some of your potential leaders are away at pro camps, especially in a transition year when it’s not a returning captain. We have a core of guys that we think are going to be the leadership group here.”
Nikita Alexandrov and Thomas Casey arrived back from pro camps with the
St. Louis Blues and Detroit Red Wings, respectively, on Monday. Defenceman Xavier Bernard is the lone Isles player remaining at pro camp.
The Islanders haven’t had a captain since Pierre-Olivier (P.O.) Joseph was dealt on Dec. 27 to the Drummondville Voltigeurs.
Brendon Clavelle, Brett Budgell and overage defenceman Hunter Drew were assistant captains in the team’s final playoff game against Cape Breton on March 31. Drew, Daniel Hardie and Jordan Maher have since graduated from junior hockey.
That leaves Clavelle, Budgell and fifth-year goalie Matthew Welsh as key returning leaders, but Hulton said he has also noticed the maturation of younger players like Zac Beauregard and Lukas Cormier, who are both in their second season in Charlottetown.
“There’s a quiet professionalism around this group that I really, really like,” he said.
Joseph and assistant captain Keith Getson were traded a few days apart, and it left a bit of a leadership void inside the dressing room.
“We always knew how great of leadership we had with P.O. and Keith, but do you ever notice when they’re not there,” Hulton said.
“Those are difficulty people to replace, but I think you’ll really see the difference this year with people like Clavelle, Welsh, Budgell, even some of the younger guys like a Beauregard, who got exposed to quality leadership in the first half of their rookie season.”
Budgell called it a privilege to be part of last year’s leadership group.
“It’s definitely an honour to wear a letter” he said. “There’s some big shoes to fill who have been here.”
He said leadership goes far beyond a couple of players with letters on their uniform, and that was evident in a couple of recent games.
“Even if you don't have a letter, I think, the guys are going to step up and be leaders.”
Welsh said it hurt losing Joseph and Getson a year ago, calling them “irreplaceable.”
He is confident in the team will have strong leadership this year, noting the youngsters are mature and professional.
“We have a lot of guys in this room who won’t wear a letter this year who are definitely leaders on this team,” he said. “That makes it really easy when you have a large leadership group.”