Oilers’ Best Options to Replace Nurse as Alternate Captain

He is one of the hardest-working players on the team, not to mention a force on offence when they need him most. He should be under consideration for the spot.

Mattias Ekholm

Another guy who has been an alternate captain before is Mattias Ekholm. He served as such with the Nashville Predators from 2017 to 2023 before being traded to the Oilers. He’s a steady, veteran defender with a lot of experience in helping lead a team on deep runs. The team has continually put a lot of trust in him, and he has delivered. It may be time to reward him.

Ekholm has been popular among the fans from the second he was acquired, and he has responded extremely well to the community, which is huge for a team leader. From his first summer in the city, he was spotted at many places in the community supporting local events. His tough personality at the rink doesn’t translate anywhere else, and that’s exactly what you want.

Evan Bouchard

The longest-tenured Oiler on this short list is a guy who was drafted and rose through the ranks of the organization. This immediately makes Evan Bouchard a strong option for the vacant alternate captaincy. He has grown up in the system since being drafted in the first round in 2018 and has developed into one of the most elite defencemen in the NHL. He leads the defence core as a skillful player, but there’s also evidence, like the other two players, of him being a good team guy.

Other than the obvious chemistry and camaraderie he has with teammates, Bouchard is also an integral part of the Edmonton community. He shows up at countless events throughout the year and makes it known to the people that he cares. Someone with a letter on their jersey has to have commitment to the city they’re in, and considering Bouchard has been around this long, he passes that test.

These kinds of things from all three guys are important and will likely be considered when the team decides on their next alternate.

My Pick for This Season

There are three great cases here and probably even a couple more if you want, but my choice would be Hyman. The 34-year-old has shown a lot of heart and determination to finish the job from the moment he arrived here, and he has never backed down from anyone. He shows leadership and pride in his team at every turn, and no matter how the team is doing, he’s out there putting his body on the line.

Ekholm and Bouchard are also very good candidates who deserve their flowers as well. The coaches may also lean their way due to Nurse being a defenceman and wanting to fill that role with another defender to keep things as they were. We’ll see who they choose if they decide to address that any time soon.