The Anaheim Ducks named Mikael Granlund the 10th captain in franchise history this week, passing over Leo Carlsson in the process. According to TSN’s Bryan Hayes, that decision wasn’t about leadership at all.
The choice raised eyebrows on its own merits. Granlund has played just 58 games for Anaheim since arriving on a three-year, $21 million deal, while Carlsson is the second overall pick from 2023 and the player the organization committed $18 million a season to over five years this summer after matching Philadelphia’s offer sheet.
Leo Carlsson snubbed
Speaking on OverDrive during a Confirm or Deny segment, Hayes argued the offer sheet cost Carlsson the ‘C’.
“If Leo Carlsson had not signed that offer sheet, he would have been named the captain of the Anaheim Ducks. Well, that guy screams captain, dude. He screams Jonathan Toews, he’s Anze Kopitar. That’s who he is,” Hayes said. “He is the man in Anaheim, and I think out of spite they said screw that. You’re not the captain.”
Hayes went further, suggesting head coach Joel Quenneville had been frustrated by how the contract situation unfolded, and that management and ownership were irritated enough that an ‘A’ was the most Carlsson was ever going to get.
Co-hosts not buying it
His co-hosts weren’t buying it. Jeff O’Neill called it an “idiotic take” and turned the blame back on the front office, arguing that general manager Pat Verbeek created the problem by not locking Carlsson up earlier at a more reasonable number. O’Neill also said punishing a player that way is something a coach simply wouldn’t do.
Jamie McLennan took a different line, questioning the timeline rather than the motive. Granlund is 34 and turns 35 shortly, which means Anaheim could be looking for a new captain again within a couple of years. McLennan was careful to praise the pick, calling Granlund widely respected and noting he wore the C for Finland at the Milano Cortina Olympics, but admitted the news surprised him. He also said Carlsson has the leadership traits to wear it himself eventually.
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Granlund, who replaced Radko Gudas, put up 41 points in his first season with the Ducks and was complimentary about the organization when the appointment was announced.
“This is an incredible honor to be the captain of the Anaheim Ducks and join the many other great captains in the organization’s history,” Granlund said. “I am grateful to Pat, the coaching staff and the other players in this locker room to trust me with this responsibility.”
The Ducks have not publicly explained the reasoning behind the choice.
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