All good things must come to an end.
In the case of Mikael Backlund, his career is reaching its swan song stage as the 35-year-old Calgary Flames legend looks to be nearing the end of his playing career. Through 1,045 NHL games, all with the Flames, Backlund has been the quintessential professional and icon that the team has needed over the years.
After signing a two-year extension when most pending unrestricted free agents wanted out of Calgary, the team named him captain two years after he probably should have been given the title. With his contract up at the end of the 2025–26 season, it’s tough to imagine the Flames and Backlund not wanting him to go somewhere to pursue a Stanley Cup.
That begs the question, who will wear the “C” next?
MacKenzie Weegar
At this point in time, the clear front-runner of the group should be MacKenzie Weegar. Since coming to the Flames in 2022, Weegar has established himself as the franchise’s number-one defenceman and has donned the “A” the last two seasons as well.
The quarterback on the backend, Weegar has been a solidifying force for special teams and the five-on-five play for the team. He is also one of the most outspoken members of the leadership group often leading with his foot forward, or by example. He also wore an “A” for Team Canada at the 2023 IIHF World Hockey Championship, showing that his qualities aren’t noted by just the Flames organization.
Signed until the summer of 2031, Weegar likely isn’t going anywhere and would be a prime candidate for the role.
Rasmus Andersson
Andersson is the homegrown prospect that many teams can only dream of having. Going from out-of-shape second-round draft pick to one of the Flames’ most valuable blueliners is no slim feat. Andersson was a previous contender for the “C”, and was heavily rumoured to be given the C last time it was available, so this comes as no surprise.
The biggest X-factor here is his contract situation. With just one year remaining on his contract, Andersson won’t be given the captaincy unless there is a contract commitment. The Flames have told teams they are keeping Andersson through this season and are going to do whatever they can to re-sign him to an extension come July 1.
If he signs an extension, he’s likely to be given the “C.”
Jonathan Huberdeau
Perhaps not the most popular pick amongst the bunch, but Hubereau’s resurgence this season proves he still has lots of game left in the tank. This is of course extremely critical for the Flames who have him under contract until the end of the 2031 season.
He may not reach the 100-point plateau again in his career, but he’s likely to be the team’s leading scorer moving forward if this season is any indication.
Similar to Weegar, he’s also worn an “A” the last two seasons and is one of the veteran leaders in the locker room. After the shock of the trade finally wore off, Huberdeau became an essential part of shadowing the younger players that came into the Flames dressing room. You can tell that his teammates love him and that goes a long way.
Connor Zary
Zary is a wild card on this board based purely on how he projects within the Flames organization.
Before his injury, Zary was one of the most productive and skillful Flames forwards they had in their lineup. His ability to drive play and generate offence far exceeds what many thought of him just a few seasons ago. Zary has turned from a decent prospect into a legitimate top-six forward who will likely be with the organization for a long time.
Zary will be 25 when the 2026 season gets underway, the first possible season without Mikael Backlund, which gives him a few more years to marinate in the organization under the leaders mentioned above. It’s not too far off to suggest this, but naming a homegrown talent who has made his way through the organizational ranks as the next captain would be a great story.
Zayne Parekh
If you are going to dream, you may as well dream big.
Parekh is far too young to be the very next captain, but based on how he projects to the NHL it’s possible that he could be one of the franchise’s best players in history. You don’t often see a team’s best player not be its captain, and so if Parekh ends up being the calibre of defencemen most think he can be, may as well give him the “C”.
Leading the way
The Flames ultimately have a good mix of options for their next captain, from established vets to potential franchise talents waiting in the wings. Other NHL teams have shown tendencies to go in both directions in naming captains and the Flames could start fresh with who they look at next.
Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire
