The future of the Blackhawks leadership group

The Chicago Blackhawks leadership group will soon undergo a significant shift as the team transitions to a new identity. The current leadership team consists of captain Nick Foligno at 38 years of age and alternate captains Connor Murphy and Jason Dickinson, 32 and 30 years old, respectively.

What all three of these veteran players have in common is expiring contracts upon the conclusion of this 25-26 season. There is a good chance all three will not be on the roster next year. Foligno may decide to retire with 19 seasons under his belt. Meanwhile, Dickinson and Murphy could both be used, as the trade deadline approaches, soon after the Olympic break.

This reality raises the question of what the future of the Blackhawks' leadership core will look like, as the 26-27 campaign could feature an entirely different cast of captains. These three candidates appear to be the most obvious for letters, as the next cast of leaders will likely signal the arrival of a youth movement takeover.

Connor Bedard

The most obvious player for Chicago's next captain is Connor Bedard. While he may be more reserved, no player on this team works harder and leads by example more than he does. Being this team's next franchise player, the symbolism makes too much sense. Not to mention going into next season, Bedard will be off his entry-level contract and freshly inked to a likely rich long-term extension. What better way to celebrate the new deal than giving Bedard the C on his jersey?

Bedard has proven this year that he has the qualities of a leader and has even worn the A as a fill-in when needed. Bedard will be 21 years old next season, legal to drink in the US, and two years older than Jonathan Toews when he took over as captain in 2008. And think about the business aspect: increased jersey sales as fans itch to get Captain Bedard sweaters. It would be a shock if Bedard is not chosen as the Blackhawks next captain, at the very least he should have the A on his threads.

Alex Vlasic

If there's one guy who could make a case to have the C ahead of Bedard, it is Alex Vlasic. The Wilmette native and fan favorite has asserted himself as a crucial piece of this defensive core. Unlike Bedard, Vlasic is not flashy. He flies under the radar on most nights because of just how solid he is. He makes few mistakes and plays the game the right way. He is that no-nonsense defensive defenseman that every team wants and championship teams need to win.

Vlasic has shown himself to be one of the more vocal members of the Blackhawks' emerging youth group. Alex should have an A etched on his jersey bare minimum. Think about what Brent Seabrook was to the 2010s leadership core as a comparison. Toews may have been the captain, but it was often Seabrook who had his voice heard the most when needed. The leadership dynamic between Bedard and Vlasic could play out very similarly.

Frank Nazar

Lastly is Mr. Excitement himself, Frank Nazar, who is an obvious choice as at least an alternate captain for how much he lights up the room. No player on the team has a more bubbly personality and gets the boys going more than Nazar. He plays the game with fire; you can see it in the way he celebrates every goal with passion, as Patrick Kane did.

Nazar is easy to root for and get behind. For this reason, he has an aura about him. He has the mentality of a leader, staying optimistic and positive during difficult times when it's easy to beat yourself up. He is a guy who you could see rallying the troops come playoff time when they're down and changing the tide of the series.