The latest topic of conversation with the Winnipeg Jets is who should be the next captain of the team. Names like Joshua Morrissey, Adam Lowry, Mark Scheifele, and Kyle Connor have been thrown around, but which of the four should receive the captaincy?
Mark Scheifele
The first of the Winnipeg Jets’ first-round draft picks that they have developed and turned into a star player. The Kitchener, Ontario, native is in the last year of his eight-year contract worth $6.125 million annually. This should be the first of many reasons why the Jets shouldn’t give Scheifele the captaincy. However, homegrown talent is incredibly hard to develop and keep, especially with the limited cap space league-wide right now. Contending teams have certainly had a hard time keeping their talent. Though, I will mention that this does make things far more interesting when it comes to the league’s dynamic on a year-to-year basis.
Related: Mark Scheifele Stats
Mark Scheifele is known for quitting on defensive plays, especially when put into a position where it is tougher to defend the play. Why would you want your captain modeling a quitting mindset for your young prospects? This should be the first and most prominent reason alongside his expiring contract that he shouldn’t be considered as the next Winnipeg Jets captain.
Kyle Connor
Here’s another strong candidate for the vacant captaincy; however, I believe that Kyle Connor will be wearing an alternate captain crest on his jersey instead.
Related: Kyle Connor Stats
Connor’s NCAA dominance and strong play since joining the Winnipeg Jets organization have certainly made him worth considering the captaincy. Connor also has a nice contract, just over $7.1 million for the next three seasons. Connor is also 26 years old and could lead the charge and usher in a new era for the current Winnipeg Jets roster. While this is shorter than I had hoped, the Jets are going to certainly consider Connor as a possible captain.
Josh Morrissey
Let’s get right to it, Josh Morrissey is the leader of the current defense core of the Winnipeg Jets. Whether he is wearing an alternate captain crest or dawning the captaincy, he is a leader no matter what is on his jersey. Morrissey is 28 with five years left on his current contract and rose to prominence when he stayed with the Winnipeg Jets after they lost a ton of defensemen in one offseason. This is definitely something they have considered, especially with the role Morrissey took on when the team needed him to step up.
Related: Josh Morrissey Stats
What Rick Bowness is going to look at is the heart of the player; if you leave it all on the ice and play till the final buzzer, you should be considered a leader. What the Winnipeg Jets desperately missed during their 2023 Stanley Cup Quarterfinals Series against the Vegas Golden Knights was Josh Morrissey. The Jets felt the effects of losing their number one defenseman, and it trickled throughout the entire team’s play against the eventual Stanley Cup Champions. Morrissey’s impact on the team is definitely something Bowness is considering.
Adam Lowry
Adam Lowry has shown year after year that he is meant to be a Winnipeg Jet. Lowry is certainly a locker room leader and a leader on the ice. There are endless examples, but he wears his heart on his sleeve, never backs down, and gives his fullest effort night in and night out. The argument against Lowry becoming the Jets’ third captain since returning to Winnipeg is that Lowry is a third-line player.
Related: Adam Lowry Stats
My argument is the fact that Lowry never backs down, he doesn’t have people answer the bell on his behalf. Take into consideration the first time Ryan Reaves and Adam Lowry fought. The Jets bench was desperately trying to get Adam Lowry off the ice, but Lowry stayed on and answered the bell. Lowry has been the best example of what you want in an NHL captain, hard nose player who can score and is strong defensively. Lowry is easily the Jets’ best penalty killer by a mile, and I see Bowness giving Lowry the captaincy because of his work ethic and how he leaves it all on the ice.
Final Thoughts
I fully think that Adam Lowry will be the next captain of the Winnipeg Jets, although I wouldn’t be surprised if Morrissey gets it. Both Lowry and Morrissey have shown the best examples of what a leader is supposed to be both in the locker room and on the ice.
Whoever is selected as the next captain of the Winnipeg Jets, I’m certain that it will be the start of a new era for the team. After years of controversy surrounding the locker room of the Winnipeg Jets, Rick Bowness will certainly have a large task after the next captain is picked.
