According to names and dates obtained from Hockey-Reference.com, 486 skaters have served as captains of an NHL team. Meanwhile, NHL.com states that 8,572 players (7,695 players and 877 goalies) have played at least one game in the league, meaning only 5% of the all-time registry have served as captains.
Related: Notable NHL Captains Who Got Traded
Obtaining the honor of being a team leader is pretty special, but wearing a letter on a sweater for an extended period is one of the few personal milestones anyone can achieve. Furthermore, only 111 players reached five seasons as captain, with the list dwindling to just 25 at the 10-year mark.
Ultimately, the deeper we look into the list, the fewer players there are who reach a decade as a leader, with only ten going 13 seasons, the cut-off for the longest-serving captains in NHL history.
* – Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame
Shane Doan – Arizona Coyotes
13 Seasons (2003 – 2017)
Shane Doan spent his entire career with the Arizona Coyotes franchise, transferring to the desert when the team relocated from Winnipeg in 1996. As the leader in games played, goals, assists, and points, it seems fitting that he is also the longest captain in team history.
After the Coyotes traded away Teppo Numminen in July 2003, Doan ascended to the captaincy at 27 in 2003-04. However, he didn’t serve in the role during the 2004-05 lockout but resumed his duties when the league reopened in 2005-06, leading the franchise until his retirement at the end of 2016-17. Ultimately, out of respect for his dedication to the team, they waited a season to name his replacement, promoting Oliver Ekman-Larsson to the role in 2018-19.
Daniel Alfredsson* – Ottawa Senators
13 Seasons (1999 – 2013)
Daniel Alfredsson is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame thanks to a successful career in the NHL and on the international stage. Considering he spent the first 17 seasons playing with the Ottawa Senators, it is not surprising to learn he is the franchise’s all-time leader in games played, goals, assists, and points. Additionally, he is their longest-tenured captain, serving from 1999 to 2013.
Unfortunately, the former Calder Trophy winner for Rookie of the Year did not finish his career in Ottawa, signing a one-year contract as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings. However, the native of Gothenburg, Sweden, is one of…
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