When it comes to team leadership, the San Jose Sharks are in an interesting position. Team captain Logan Couture isn’t fully certain he’ll ever play another NHL game, and after him, the organization doesn’t have a clear choice for the next skater to wear the C. Between a roster heavy on young players and many veterans appearing to be short-term fillers, the Sharks’ current situation is a far cry from the period in the 2000s and 2010s where each of their captains logically succeeded the previous one. But given Couture’s status, the Sharks should start examining who might be next in line, even if a decision won’t come this season. Here are four players currently on the roster who the Sharks could look at as their possible future captain.
Mikael Granlund
In terms of both playing ability and status in the NHL, forward Mikael Granlund is one of the more obvious possibilities to fill the captain role. Despite the poor play of the Sharks as a team in 2023-24, Granlund had one of the better seasons of his career, posting a team-high 60 points and serving as an offensive focal point throughout the campaign. He was essential to the few good stretches the Sharks had during the season. At age 32, he is one of the team’s oldest and most experienced players, with more than 800 regular-season games on his resume. He also served as an alternate captain for part of last season and held the same role for two seasons with the Nashville Predators. He is undoubtedly someone the Sharks could build around both on and off the ice.
Granlund is only under contract for one more season but could be more likely to remain in San Jose if given a new leadership title. He was already establishing himself as a veteran leader, but he and the Sharks could find meaning in strengthening their partnership even further.
Mario Ferraro
Among San Jose’s defensemen, Mario Ferraro would be the most likely to take up the mantle of captain, having also served as an alternate. He was the Sharks’ best blueliner in 2023-24, putting in maximum effort every night for a defense that struggled mightily. Despite being just 25 years old, he is already one of the most-established players within the Sharks organization. He led San Jose defensemen with 21 points, but perhaps more importantly for captaincy consideration, he served as a beacon of hope and optimism for the Sharks throughout the season. His name was mentioned in trade rumors many times, but he repeatedly made clear his desire to be a part of the franchise’s efforts to turn their fortunes around and return to the playoffs. He demonstrated a willingness to fight through the bad years for the rewards at the end, and that sort of commitment is exactly what a team should look for in their captain.
As the Sharks build up one of the most promising young forward groups in the NHL, their blue line is less certain and could use more stability. Making Ferraro captain would not only recognize his contributions and commitment to the Sharks but also solidify his position group.
Fabian Zetterlund
If the Sharks see the selection of their next captain as more of a pivot towards their next era, forward Fabian Zetterlund could be the choice. Like Granlund, he was one of San Jose’s best offensive players in 2023-24, scoring 24 goals in his second full season in the NHL. He is part of the younger generation of Sharks rather than part of the veteran group, but as a 24-year-old with two NHL seasons under his belt, he is older and more experienced than many of their up-and-coming players. As such, a possible Zetterlund captaincy would signal San Jose’s transition to their next era while also maintaining an emphasis on experience and leadership, albeit to a lesser extent than Granlund’s and Ferraro’s potential captaincies would.
Related: San Jose Sharks 2024-25 Projected Lineup
Zetterlund spent last season showing why he could be a very important part of the Sharks’ future from an on-ice scoring perspective. If he gets even better, he could be in line for an even bigger role with a much wider scope. During the 2024-25 season, the Sharks should evaluate his ability to carry out one of the most crucial duties on a hockey team for many seasons to come.
Macklin Celebrini
This is by far the least likely of the options discussed here, but it’s worth considering. It wouldn’t happen for at least a season or two — possibly including a period during which the Sharks go without a captain — but as a clear part of the Sharks’ plans, forward Macklin Celebrini could establish himself as worthy of the captaincy very soon.
Very young captains aren’t incredibly common, but they do happen. Connor McDavid was named Edmonton Oilers captain in 2016 at the age of 19, ahead of his second NHL season. Other players to earn the C before turning 20 include Sidney Crosby, Gabriel Landeskog, and Vincent Lecavalier. Three of the four were first-overall picks like Celebrini. In all of these cases, the coaching staff recognized the talent and maturity of their franchise centerpieces and made a bold decision to highlight their elite status. And the moves mostly paid off — of the four players in question, only Lecavalier’s captaincy was a disappointment, with each of the other three captaining their team to at least one Stanley Cup Final appearance.
Given that Celebrini hasn’t played a single game in the NHL yet, it wouldn’t be fair to ask him to take on a leadership role any time soon. But if he quickly adapts to the professional game and excels in his first couple of campaigns, the Sharks coaching staff could be forced to make some serious decisions about the possibility of naming him one of the youngest captains in recent NHL history.
Sharks’ Captain Decisions Will Take Time
The Sharks don’t need to rush the process of choosing their next captain, even if Couture never plays for them again. If no one emerges from the current uncertainty and proves themselves worthy of the title, the Sharks can simply go without a captain for a time, as four teams are currently doing. Their long-term picture is becoming clearer, but it isn’t all the way there yet, and being captain-less for a little while as they sort out their roster would be understandable. If Couture does play and continues his captaincy, they don’t need to make any changes. But either way, they should still be observing players currently on the team who could serve in the role. Granlund, Ferraro, Zetterlund and Celebrini — perhaps in that order — should be the starting point.
