Throughout the summer, we’ve talked about the possible choices for the Ottawa Senators’ next captain. Rumors have hovered around the usual suspects, Jake Sanderson, Tim Stutzle, and even Claude Giroux.
All of them would be fine options. Stutzle would probably make the most sense given the role he’s played on the team.
But there’s one option staring right at the Senators: Thomas Chabot.
In an August 21 piece in the Ottawa Citizen, Bruce Garrioch dropped a very interesting hint at who could be the next Senators’ captain, naming Chabot atop the list.
“Defenceman Thomas Chabot is a top candidate to be named the next captain, along with blueliner Jake Sanderson. Stutzle’s name has also surfaced as a possibility.”
So, Stutzle and Sanderson are hardly surprising names. Neither is Chabot. But what is surprising is the fact that Chabot hasn’t gotten much attention.
That’s a shame.
The 29-year-old has been a stalwart for the Senators for nine seasons. He’s racked up 569 regular-season games, totaling 335 points in that time. We’re talking about a guy who can consistently play 20+ minutes a night without really skipping a beat.
Yes, there have been some injury issues to worry about. But no one can question his mettle. Last season. Chabot was expected to miss about eight weeks after sustaining a broken arm in late March. He returned 17 days later, playing over 21 minutes in a 5-1 victory over the Florida Panthers to secure a playoff spot.
If that’s not captain material, who the heck knows what is.
There’s one issue that could prevent Chabot from wearing the C
On the flip side, there could be one issue that might preclude Chabot from wearing the C in Ottawa. Chabot will be entering the seventh year of an eight-year deal. That means that Chabot would be on track to become a UFA in 2028.
Of course, that does not mean that Chabot will be leaving anytime soon. But it’s something that may weigh on the back of the organization’s mind as it decides who could take over the captaincy.
Perhaps the Senators might approach Chabot to gauge where his interest in re-signing lies. While Chabot can’t technically extend until next summer, there could be a handshake deal in place.
That might be enough to persuade the Sens that Chabot is their guy.
Senators could certainly use younger, veteran leadership
It’s sometimes hard to remember that Chabot is still only 29. Sure, that’s getting a bit long in the tooth in pro sports. But the Sens’ longest-tenured blueliner still has plenty of tread on his tires.
As such, he’s a sort of younger veteran that up-and-coming teams like the Senators could really use. He’s old enough to where he’s racked up plenty of flight hours. He can lead the charge with younger stars like Stutzle and Sanderson rallying around him.
Meanwhile, Chabot is young enough that he could easily play well into his late 30s.
It would certainly be nice to see Chabot, the 18th overall pick from 2015, remain a lifelong Senator.
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