Thrashers name alternate captains

Two new alternate captains will join three returnees when the Thrashers open the season Friday against Washington.

Forward Colby Armstrong, acquired at last season’s trade deadline, and defenseman Mathieu Schneider, acquired Sept. 26, have joined Niclas Havelid, Ilya Kovalchuk and Slava Kozlov in receiving the “A” on their Thrashers sweaters.

Captains are the only players allowed to speak with the referees about the calls during a game. They also serve leadership roles.

Last season’s captain, Bobby Holik, signed as a free agent with New Jersey, and Thrashers coach John Anderson said he has no timetable for awarding the “C” to someone else.

“Let it emerge on its own,” Anderson said Wednesday.

Could the Thrashers go through the whole season without a captain?

“I seriously doubt it, but I’m not going to say it’s not possible,” Anderson said. “If we don’t have a captain by the end of the season, is the team in trouble anyways?”

Here are the criteria Anderson looked for in alternates:

“Good examples on the ice, people that bring some intensity, someone who’s not afraid to stand up in the [locker] room and say what they feel, because sometimes you have to stand up and address things with just the players,” Anderson said.

“If you’re working hard on the ice, that gives you that respect to do that. The other thing, too, is I want some leadership off the ice. I want, I’m not going to say a camp counselor, but certainly a guy who can make our team stay together away from the rink.”

Schneider was an alternate captain in 1996 with the New York Islanders and in 2001-03 with Los Angeles. He also served as interim captain of the 1996 Islanders. This is his 20th NHL season.

Armstrong has played only two full NHL seasons. In juniors, he captained Red Deer to a Western Hockey League championship.

Kovalchuk ranked second in the NHL with 52 goals last season, his sixth with the Thrashers and his first as an alternate captain. He has more experience with the team than any other player.

Kozlov has played five seasons with the Thrashers. He first became an alternate captain in 2002.

Havelid is in his ninth NHL season and his fourth with the Thrashers. He earned his “A” in October 2006.