Ignoring the rule, who thinks that goalies should be allowed to wear the "C" and be captain? Why or why not?

Question

You'll see my answer/reasons when i choose best answer. I just want to hear some opinions and dialogue.

food for thought....(some of you must be starving)....

who created the "C"? the players/teams wanting to show who was their designated leader so all of us non-playing "armchair hockey players" can tell who is the official leader?

OR

the league so that the refs would know who was designated to discuss w/ them penalties or calls?

Answer 1

no need to be sarcastic.

i don't think goalies should be allowed to wear the C. it doesn't make any sense. like loggereh said...goalies can't see the whole ice from their goal, and they're not going to be as effective as someone closer to the play, when it comes to talking to the refs....which is the main point of assigning the C.

just like you said. that's why they put them on. not so that the team declares their heroic leader. like someone said in the naslund/linden/C question...you don't need to have a letter on your jersey to be a leader. besides, most of that comes from how hard you work on the ice and what your words are in the lockeroom. but you gotta bring it on the ice.

so goalies can still be a leader. but the C and A are to let the refs know who to talk to.

Answer 2

Goalies were allowed to be captains at one time. The reason they changed this rule was because goalies used to skate all the way over to where the referee was, sometimes at center ice or in the other team's zone. As some of you know, some goalies aren't the greatest of skaters and this delayed the next faceoff for some time. Now, if it happened once in a while, it wouldn't be an issue, but the NHL felt the goalie captains were sometimes using this to their advantage, to give their team's top line a rest or to delay the game while the other team had the momentum. Also, the goalies don't play all 82 games. This makes a team go through the effort of rotating an extra A or C when the goalie is resting or have the backup goalie skate off the bench to argue a call which would be even more frustrating to watch. Other than those 2 reasons, there is absolutely no support in not giving a goalie a C or A. There have been some and still are some great leaders in net and would definately be captains if not for the rule, such as Roy, Brodeur and Luongo.

Answer 3

well, i'm a goalie. if they took out the rule about no crossing the blue line to talk to the ref, then i think that if a goalie was mentally tough enough to talk to the ref then get back in net and not think about that, then, why not? many goalies are true leaders on their teams. they would have to be mentally strong to do that though, because you would talk to the ref, and then get shot at and you have to get back in your "zone" real quick.
martin brodeur was captain for his primus world allstar team, but they had another forward as captain. that was probably because marty cant cross the blue line. if a goalie is a leader, he should be able to wear that fact on his jersey. that would show real mental toughness!

Answer 4

I think they should, look at the Devils, Elias is no leader. Brodeur should be wearing that "C" he is that team, he leads them onto the ice every game.

Although, it's good to yield leadership to the skaters as well, being as they've more of a intimate work relationship than say the goalie does with the rest of the skaters, which is probably the biggest reason goalies can't be captains.

Answer 5

Making the goalie the captain would be like having an outfielder jog in to have a word with the home base umpire while the catcher just twiddled his thumbs.

Answer 6

I think so. Captains should be the leader of your team and there is no reason why a captain cant be a leader just because they arent checking and fighting. Kipper should be captain of the Flames. He carried that team and Iginla is just a dirty player with some skills.

Answer 7

I think Goalies are actually allowed to wear a C on their jersey as recognition from the team, but he's not allowed to leave the crease to talk to the refs, so its pretty worthless

Answer 8

They generally shouldn't start a fight. A good captain will stir things up a bit if necessary. Ron Hextall from the old Flyers would have made a good goalie captain.

Answer 9

yes they should, BUT other rules stop them from doing so, usually the captain has to do what you said, talk to the refs and coach when situations arise. the goalie cant cross the blue line though, so hes stuck to one side of the ice.

Answer 10

Why not?

They aren't out on the field, some crap goes down on the other side of the field, your stuck in the goals.
Basically, they can't talk to the ref, can't talk to individual players in the middle of a game and can't make calls as effectively as a player on the field.