CH assistants: Kaiden Guhle and Cole Caufield could be left-field candidates

With the departure of Joel Edmundson, the Canadiens have lost a true leader. They lost a leader both on and off the ice. He wasn't wearing an “A” for nothing.

Speaking of an assistant captain, Martin St-Louis, Kent Hughes and everyone else involved will have to find a replacement for 44. Will management ask Nick Suzuki and Brendan Gallagher, who currently have letters, for their choice(s), or will they make a decision themselves?

That's a question posed by Sean Campbell and Mitch Gallo in a conversation on TSN 690.

In my opinion, the CH will choose between David Savard and Mike Matheson. Both are under contract for at least two more seasons, both are Quebecers, both are experienced and both are great leaders.

While these two names are the most likely to have an “A” embroidered on their jerseys, Campbell and Gallo took the discussion a step further with some less common suggestions.

For example? Gallo would go with a rotation of five assistants. He would name Brendan Gallagher (obviously), Josh Anderson, Mike Matheson, David Savard and Sean Monahan. In Monahan's case, he was an assistant captain in Calgary and his impact with the youngsters is well known. The problem is that he only has a one-year contract, and if he's healthy, he could change address by mid-March.

But if not, I think Monahan would be an excellent assistant.

But where the conversation got more interesting was when Sean Campbell named Cole Caufield and Kaiden Guhle as potential left-field candidates. Obviously, their importance to the team was never in question, but both are young and in Caufield's case, he's not necessarily the definition of an assistant.

The reason Campbell would name him an assistant: he's a super star.

In Guhle's case, he's already shown leadership qualities in the past and in the future, it would only be a formality if he became assistant captain. He won't be wearing the “C”, but if Suzuki didn't exist, he'd easily have the arguments to be. By the way, speaking of Guhle, his responsibilities could increase as early as this season.

Nick Suzuki asked him if he wanted to be the team's DJ, due to Edmundson's departure.

Let's not forget that the captain had taken the reins when his former teammate was injured.

In addition to Caufield and Guhle, Matheson would also wear the “A” if Campbell were in charge. No, he hasn't forgotten Gallagher. According to him, Gally has an “A” of his own and the other three will share the other “A”.

The two journalists have different opinions, but they share one thing in common: the final assistant captain position will be a multiplayer committee.

Interesting, though. It would be unprecedented.

Breaking news

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– He'll be able to put it in his coffee.