February 9th, 2026
Alex Rickman
With Quinn Hughes now a member of the Minnesota Wild, the Canucks captaincy will remain vacant until the end of this season. Whether or not they will choose to do so or leave the captaincy vacant remains to be seen, but there is already plenty of speculation as to who may take on the C. From veteran names like Filip Hronek, Brock Boeser, and Tyler Myers to others wanting to see it left open for Braeden Cootes, there is no shortage of opinions floating around.
Like myself and Canucks Chronicles co-founder Ryan Gurevitz did before Hughes was named captain following the departure of Bo Horvat, we have gone to several members of our writing crew to ask their opinion on who should take over as captain. Let’s go down the list and see who our team think should take on the responsibility of the captaincy.
Alex Rickman’s Pick: Tyler Myers
Chaos giraffe may not seem like captain material to some. With a reputation for erratic play, and at 36 years of age, Myers may not be the kind of player who screams captain to everyone, and will not play for long enough to wear the C for more than a year or so before retirement. However, there is method to my madness. Firstly, while Myers may be mistake-prone on the ice, he is probably the best, most respected leader this team has off it. For a locker room that has been unstable seemingly since the start of the 2024-25 season, having a seasoned veteran like Myers with a respected voice donning the C could help bring some much-needed calm to the room. Additionally, it’s hard to pin a specific player who has emerged as a clear captain in the absence of Hughes. By making Myers captain, the Canucks give themselves some time to pick out the next long-term captain, be it someone on the roster now like Hronek or Boeser, or a player currently in the system like Braeden Cootes. It may not be the sexiest pick, but Myers offers the Canucks much-needed stability and flexibility as they rebuild.
Isaac Henry’s Pick: Filip Hronek
While not necessarily the first player that comes to mind when you think of captain material, Hronek has been a top professional and key contributor in a variety of roles since the beginning of his time in Vancouver. Additionally, he benefits from other candidates having larger reasons not to be made captain than he does. Tyler Myers, while an excellent leader, is likely to retire after next season. Brock Boeser, a long-serving player for the organization, has been inconsistent with his play as of late, and I believe he would set a dangerously low standard should he be made captain. Elias Pettersson, my runner-up candidate, has shown leadership in the adaptation of his game, but perhaps carries too much past baggage between his issues with JT Miller and his fall off in point production. The appointment of Hronek, who is by no means perfect (he needs to be more vocal), would serve as a stable force through this period of transition and help bridge the gap until a new
Jaden Teja’s Pick: Brock Boeser
I believe the next captain of the Vancouver Canucks should be Brock Boeser. As the longest-tenured Canuck, Boeser has been with the organization through its highs and lows and understands what it means to be a Canuck. He is also the only player on the current roster who played alongside the Sedins, and he definitely learned important leadership lessons from them. Add in the fact that Boeser is one of the most respected and well-liked players in the locker room, and his case becomes even stronger. He has been a consistent professional his whole career and is comfortable speaking to the media. He would definitely be a trusted voice in the room and lead by example to the young players as well.
Kaja Antic’s Pick: Tyler Myers
I love it when a random old guy is the captain. Like, obviously, it shouldn’t be just a random guy assigned a leader based on age or experience (side-eyeing you, New York Rangers, you know what you did). But there is a reason Tyler Myers has survived this many years wearing the orca on his chest. He carries veteran presence and Calder Trophy-winning swagger, chaotic energy and clutch performances (on occasion). He’s only third this year in penalty minutes, compared to his previous six seasons, switching between one and two on the team. He may be fourth in defensive scoring on this team, but he’s number one in my heart. Give unc his flowers.
Ryan Gurevitz’s Pick: Nobody
Call me jaded, but since the Sedins retired and vacated the leadership group, both captains have failed to capitalize on their own individual winning seasons just to be sent off the next year to recuperate as many assets as possible. With the state the team is in now and the roster they currently have, I would not be comfortable giving anyone the C for at least the next season or two after this one ends. This buffer period will give the guys that management decides to build around time to develop into leaders in time for a new core to be taken seriously in the league again. Currently, it is unclear whether anyone currently wearing a letter will still be here at that time. Of the current leadership, I believe Brock Boeser would be the most suited for the captaincy based on tenure alone. I also see leadership prospects in Filip Hronek and Marco Rossi, but all three of them need to take a couple more strides before they are truly captain material. It also would not surprise me to see Braeden Cootes become a leader quickly, given the praise he has received for leadership already in juniors. Given the state of things with this team, I truly believe no one has a strong case to take the reins in the near future and that the club should be in a very different state the next time the C is given out.