For the first time in three seasons, Brett Sutter will not captain the Checkers. Sutter signed a deal during the offseason with the Minnesota Wild, leaving the role open. There are obviously players that have worn letters in the past and are more tenured that have a chance of returning, but there are also an influx of players joining the team that have proven track records of being leaders. To head coach Jeff Daniels, players with that attitude are important to have on the team.
“We’ve got a lot of character guys that have been around on different teams and have had leadership roles in the past, and some guys that came from college that were leaders in college, they show that on the ice,” said Daniels. “You need the skill and you have to have your system going, but also you want those high character guys that are all about the team.”
One such player is Ben Holmstrom. Acquired during the offseason, Holmstrom served as captain of the Adirondack Phantoms for the last three years, and before that was captain of his college team (UMass-Lowell) and his USHL team (Sioux Falls). That leadership is something that is ingrained as an integral part of what he can bring to a team.
Being new to the team, he understands that he will have to put in work to earn that role on the Checkers.
“There’s going to be guys that are already established on this team,” said Holmstrom, “so you just have to try and find your place and help out where you can and just try to do the right things and things end up coming together.”
Holmstrom, who is ranked second all-time on the Adirondack Phantoms in goals (49), is a player in the mold of Brett Sutter, a comparison that Daniels agrees with.
“They’re a lot alike,” said Daniels. “They’re workers, they get their nose dirty, they do the little things that, as coaches, you appreciate.”
The reputation that follows Holmstrom shows that not only could get serious consideration for the captaincy, but he could be a solid producer for the team.
“I spoke to a couple different people that talked about his character and watched him play,” said Daniels. “He plays the right way and competes every day.”
Another addition garnering attention for a leadership role is Kyle Hagel, a free agent brought in during the offseason.Hagel has played four seasons in the AHL with four different teams and been named his team’s Man of the Year, given for outstanding contributions to the local community, at each stop. A gritty depth player who racked up 162 penalty minutes in 38 games last season with Portland, Hagel has impressed during camp with both his performance on the ice and his attitude off.
“Kyle Hagel is a real strong character person,” said Daniels. “He skates well, he can get on the forecheck, he wants to be physical. He shows he can make plays out here and wants to shoot the puck and go to the net.”
If Hagel can keep that momentum going into the season, he could bring a strong presence to what is shaping up to be a young team.
But the players that have been around the AHL for some time aren’t the only ones catching Daniels’ eye.
“You look at the young guys like Dennis Robertson, he has leadership ability,” said Daniels.
Robertson is joining the Checkers for his first pro season, but at 23 years old, he comes in older than many of his fellow rookies.
The defenseman played four years of college hockey at Brown, serving as captain two of those years and leading Brown defensemen in scoring all four. Robertson played one game for the Checkers last season at the conclusion of his collegiate career, and has had a busy offseason, so the coaching staff has had a chance to take a good look at him.
“He was really strong up in Traverse City at the prospect tournament,” said Daniels. “Same thing, he came into Carolina, his first camp, and played his game. He’s a character guy, leadership guy, a little older, but he went out and played his game.”
Another former college captain is Patrick Brown, who served as captain his senior year at Boston College. Brown, who has drawn attention for his performance at rookie camp this offseason, won two national championships over his four-year career, and came through with the Beanpot-clinching goal his senior year.
Regardless of who ends up wearing the C, there will be no shortage of leadership on this team, and Daniels expects no less.
“I strongly believe you don’t have to have a letter on your jersey to be a leader on this team, I think they all need to take ownership of this team.”
