Legendary Leafs broadcaster Joe Bowen pleads with team to name captain “right now”

Legendary Toronto Maple Leafs  broadcaster Joe Bowen has never been one to bite his tongue. The bombastic play by play man has been calling Leafs games for radio and television since 1982 and has made a career off of his enthusiasm for the game and his love for the Leafs. His catchphrase of "Holy Mackinaw!" is well known to just about any hockey fan.

Maybe we shouldn’t have been surprised then when the outspoken Bowen took to social media yesterday and pleaded for the Leafs to name defenseman Morgan Rielly as the team’s next captain.

Check it out:

The Leafs, of course, have been without a captain since trading Dion Phaneuf to the Ottawa Senators three years ago. When John Tavares signed a massive seven year deal with the Leafs in the offseason it was assumed that he’d receive the “C” on his chest, but the Leafs elected to enter a second consecutive season with no team captain.

Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews are also in the discussion, but it’s hard to argue that anyone else on the team has been as instrumental in the Leafs’ accession than Rielly. The 25 year old blue liner has emerged as a leader the past two seasons and is having a franchise record setting season with 19 goals and 67 points in 70 games.