Junior captain pivotal to success
Nugent-hopkins to lead national team on ice and off
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins doesn’t strike anyone as a reactionary. One of those theatrical Gatorade-dispenser tippers. A high-decibel, death grip/up-against-the-locker type.
“Naw, I’m probably more of a calm guy than that,” the newest choice as Canadian Junior men’s hockey captain said in self-assessment. ”But I think that if it comes down to it, and something needs to be done, something needs to be addressed, I’m sure all the leaders here will be glad to do it. “But this is an honour. “The biggest thing, for me, is to lead by example. People see what you do and they want to try to be like that. The more respect you have, the better leader you’re going to be.”
There’s something intrinsic, unteachable, about being the followed, not the follower. The taking-on of responsibility for a group is organic, inborn. And is accomplished in various ways. Gretzky glowed. Messier menaced. Mario dazzled. Stevie Y made everyone feel, no matter how tense or tricky the circumstances might be, that everything was going to be all right in the end.
On Thursday, Canada’s junior nats lined up for the annual team photo on the ice at Markin MacPhail Centre, with their newly-minted captain front and centre. As he has been since this camp opened.
“There are so many great leaders,” said Nugent-Hopkins. “You’ve got guys like Gretzky, Messier in Edmonton. Mario Lemieux ... So many.
“(Shawn) Horcoff last year helped make the transition (to the NHL) easier for me last year. Overseas, when I went to the World Championships, those guys were great, too.
In case anyone still harboured a lingering doubt, this is indisputably RNH’s team. His show. The rest are planets revolving around his sun. The ‘C’ announced Friday only puts an official stamp on matters. And marks another step in the lightning progression of Nugent-Hopkins’ development: From precocious improvisationalist to a far broader scope of commitment.
The Oilers, no doubt, are tickled.
As Canadian junior captain, he follows in the foot- steps of predecessors like Karl Alzner, Mike Richards, Eric Lindros, Theo Fleury and last year’s model, Jayden Schwartz.
Any of the six returnees to a team that felt such heartbreak at the hands of the Russians at the Scotiabank Saddledome nearly 12 months ago would’ve been a fine choice to wear the C. They, after all, have fought this very particular battle before. But in anointing NugentHopkins, marking a first, unexpected trip to the WJC, Steve Spott and his coaching staff have struck a new path.
The easy, convenient thing is to just make the “best” player captain and be done with, but bestowing such responsibility on skill-level alone rarely works. In Nugent-Hopkins, though, the Canadian coaching staff is obviously convinced it has that rare sort of centrepiece to lean on.
“Last year, I didn’t get the chance to do this,’’ mused Nugent-Hopkins. “I thought I might never get that chance. So this is unexpected, special. I’m really happy for the opportunity. I’ll savour it, believe me. I’ve had a couple chances now to play internationally and every time I do, I think it makes me a better player because it is so different.’’
Already, in the span of only a few days, the Oilers’ wunderkind has managed to win over his teammates.
“He’s a great guy,’’ lauded Mark Scheifele, shifted from the middle to right wing in order to play on RNH’s line. “We kind of knew each other before but over the past few days, we’ve hung out a bit, become friends.
“He’s an unbelievable guy and, of course, an unbelievable hockey player. The kind of guy that every team wants.”