Apr 14, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini (71) prepares for a face off against the Vancouver Canucks in overtime at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Predicting New Bruins and Sharks Captains

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI
By Tyler Major-Mcnicol | Last updated Sep 16, 2025 12:00 PM ET

Entering the 2025-26 NHL regular season, there are two teams without a captain officially announced: the San Jose Sharks and the Boston Bruins.

While it isn't a dire need to announce a captain, it does give the team a leader to look to and work alongside, with hopes of making the team a tighter-knit group. Without a captain in place, many leaders emerge, but it can lead to veterans, who may be accustomed to a lesser role, having to step up in an unfamiliar place out of necessity.

It's also not hard to picture many of the great captains that led the Bruins, and while the list for the Sharks is shorter, the same can be said for them as well.

In Boston, more recently, the likes of Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand had taken their turns behind the wheel. And the Bruins' list of legendary captains is topped by one of the great defenseman the game has ever seen, Raymond Bourque. Bourque captained the franchise for 15 seasons total, including three as co-captain alongside Rick Middleton, without ever winning a Stanley Cup.

Charlie McAvoy

Charlie McAvoy stands out from the pack as a guy who plays the game hard and can help the team in whichever way it's needed. He plays in all situations, and when called upon, he strikes as a leader who has gained plenty of experience playing on the top pairing with Chara, who is regarded as one of the Bruins' best defensemen in their history.

McAvoy was selected in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft, with the 14th overall selection, and has since played 504 games over 10 seasons, accumulating 60 goals and 240 assists over that span. He plays the hard minutes and has been recognized as an assistant captain over the last three seasons.

Macklin Celebrini

Macklin Celebrini was drafted first overall by the San Jose Sharks in 2024 and is one of the best and most dominant college hockey players in recent memory. The Sharks have only been around since 1991-92, but they have had Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and most recently Logan Couture captain the team. But without a captain this upcoming season, Celebrini feels like an obvious choice, though they may wait another year and let him and the veterans work together a little longer.

Celebrini appears similar to a young Sidney Crosby, a guy who is electric offensively thanks to his fantastic offensive instincts and powerful skating, but his defensive details and ability to shut down the opposition are rare for such a young player. Though it sounds crazy, Celebrini is the Sharks' cornerstone superstar and will be around for a very long time, and with the 'C' on his sweater, it just has a nice ring to it.

There is no immediate rush for any of the above teams to announce a new captain, but if they do, these two names could be safe bets to have their name called.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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