This afternoon, head coach Rick Bowness finally answered a question that has come with much discussion throughout the 5th Line: who is going to be the captain of the Blue Jackets this year? His answer: nobody.
After Boone Jenner signed a contract to play with the Washington Capitals, the Jackets were left without a captain for the first time since his predecessor, Nick Foligno, was traded in the spring of 2021.
Had the summer gone according to plan, the solution would have been very easy. Zach Werenski has been a vocal leader for this team, with a growing leadership role over the last several seasons. As their best and most recognizable player, he is the obvious choice for the role.
However, the summer of discontent changed everything. At the moment, Zach's future in Columbus looks somewhat murky, and it may hinge on whether or not this team can pull itself together and make a run this year. Which is exactly why this move is a big gamble.
It either works, or it all falls apart.
With so much riding on this season, leaving the captaincy up in the air could certainly be questionable. The Jackets will have an "A" on Werenski's chest full-time, but the other two alternate captains will rotate throughout the lineup.
For the first month of the season, they will be worn by Charlie Coyle and Mathieu Olivlier at home, with Cole Sillinger and Sean Monahan wearing them on the road. After that point, according to Rick Bowness, other guys will get the privilege.
We will utilize rotating alternate captains throughout the 2026-27 season.
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) September 30, 2026
Zach Werenski, who has served as an alternate captain since 2021, will continue in that role. Our other two alternate captains will rotate among several players throughout the season. In October,… pic.twitter.com/4AYOXStFYv
The intent from the coaching staff here is, handing the leadership duties of this team over to the players. This is their way of creating accountability within each other. Again, it's a risk, because it could backfire and cost this team their best player.
However, I don't believe that's going to happen. This is a very experienced roster, with quite a few natural leaders. Having more voices in the locker room is never a bad thing. I can speak to that from having played the sport myself, and been in locker rooms before.
Healthy teams challenge each other, regardless who has the letter on the front of their jersey. Believe it or not, we have seen this scenario play out in Columbus before. When John Tortorella came to town, the Jackets played without a captain until Foligno ultimately emerged as this team's true leader.
That construction of the Blue Jackets turned out pretty good, culminating in four straight playoff appearances. This time around, there is more talent and depth here, so if it works, we could be in for something magical. Lets hope that happens.
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