Next Blackhawks captain may have been chosen

It's officially the end of an era in the Windy City that saw a franchise resurrected from the dead, the return of home games actually being broadcast on television, and a trio of unforgettable Stanley Cup runs. 

Jonathan Toews, the longtime captain of the Chicago Blackhawks, played his final game with the franchise this past spring at a packed United Center against the Philadelphia Flyers. Toews scored a goal for good measure, and got a proper sendoff from the crowd afterward. And now, the face of the franchise is young phenom forward Connor Bedard, whom the Blackhawks selected with the 1st overall pick in the NHL Draft. 

So, who will be the official successor to Toews? While the team has yet to officially name a new captain, there is one veteran player on the roster in defenseman Seth Jones who would be open to the opportunity. 

“I’ve always wanted to be a captain,” Jones told NHL.com on Tuesday. “I’ve learned from some great leaders – Shea Weber, Nick Foligno, Jonathan Toews – I mean, I played with some of the greatest captains that we’ve seen. It would be pretty special.”

The last time that the Blackhawks did not have a captain was the 2007-08 season; the young Toews was the successor to the rotating tandem of veterans Martin Lapointe and Adrian Aucoin.

“I understand where the organization is at,” Jones said. “I’m focused on going and just playing my game and leading whether I have a C, an A or nothing on my jersey. I don’t think that should change." 

“‘Tazer’ always used to say that in the room the past couple of years: ‘Everyone has a voice in here, everyone is allowed to speak up and say what they want. It shouldn’t be just four or five guys who are able to talk.’ If you’re an 18-year-old, you should be able to speak your mind. So, I really took that to heart.”

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