The Blackhawks were featured in a now-deleted post on X with four players wearing “A” patches on their jerseys.
The Chicago Blackhawks have now removed their alternate captains’ job from X. According to sources, the players listed in the now-deleted post (Seth Jones, Nick Foligno, Connor Murphy, and Corey Perry) will serve as alternative captains for Chicago’s preseason opener against the New York Rangers on Thursday. To reflect those changes, this article has been updated throughout.
For the 2023-24 season, the Chicago Blackhawks’ leadership will appear different. Kyle Davidson, the team’s general manager, had stated that the squad will not have a captain this year, instead relying on a group of alternate captains. That group appeared to emerge on Wednesday when the Blackhawks posted a now-deleted photo on X of Seth Jones, Nick Foligno, Connor Murphy, and Corey Perry all wearing “A” patches on their jerseys.
“Our leadership team,” the tweet said, alongside photos of the four players featured. That post has since been removed, and according to Ben Pope of the Chicago-Sun Times, those players will act as alternative captains for the Blackhawks’ first preseason game.
The Blackhawks were featured in a now-deleted post on X with four players wearing “A” patches on their jerseys.
Jones and Murphy are fixtures on the Blackhawks’ blue line as well as in the locker room. Both experienced defenseman donned the “A” at separate moments last season, with Jones wearing it at home and Murphy wearing it on the road at the start of the season. It would not be surprising to see them return as alternate captains in 2023-24.
Foligno and Perry are rookies to the team, having been acquired in trades over the summer. The experienced forwards have plenty of leadership experience in their backgrounds, making them great candidates to mentor the Blackhawks’ young players.
Foligno captained the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2015 until 2021. Perry, a former Blackhawks foe, is in his 15th NHL season and has played in 196 playoff games.
The Blackhawks’ training camp is flying past, and the team will kick up preseason play on Thursday against the St. Louis Blues at the United Center. The regular season for Chicago begins on Oct. 10 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
As the season approaches, expect an official announcement of the Blackhawks’ alternative captains.