Getty

The Boston Bruins should go off the beaten path and choose their next captain based on merit, as seen this season.

The Boston Bruins head into the offseason with numerous storylines hanging in the balance. But one of such storylines will revolve around choosing the team’s next captain.

When Patrice Bergeron retired, the transition to Brad Marchand seemed natural. But when Marchand departed, the transition to the next captain didn’t seem quite so simple.

In particular, the seeming competition between David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy made it challenging to choose one over the other. This season’s arrangement, having a sort of dual captaincy, was a good call. It allowed the Bruins to kick the can down the road for one more season.

But what if there was another candidate? A candidate who was so valuable to the team that it made total sense to bestow the honor on him?

That candidate is Jeremy Swayman.

Now, the idea of naming a goalie captain isn’t precisely new. However, it’s technically not allowed to happen. According to the NHL rulebook, netminders can be captains, but they just can’t wear the “C” on their uniforms.

That situation precludes Swayman from officially becoming captain, right?

Well, there is one precedent that could give the Bruins a way of naming Swayman their captain next season.

Bruins Could Follow Canucks Lead in Naming Goalie Captain

The most recent precedent in naming a goaltender captain is the case of Roberto Luongo with the Vancouver Canucks. The club named Luongo their captain from 2008 to 2010.

Since Luongo could not don the “C” on his uniform, he had the “C” painted on his mask. The Canucks dressed three alternates among skaters, with Luongo being the official captain despite not wearing the “C”.

The designation was official due to league rules. For all intents and purposes, Luongo was their guy. In fact, Luongo led the Canucks to the 2011 Stanley Cup Final, where they lost precisely against the Bruins.

Luongo’s situation is a good example of how the Bruins could find a way of naming Swayman as their captain moving forward.

What to read next:

Swayman Proved His Value This Season

Last season, Swayman’s struggles called into question his role with the Bruins. The situation got so bad that some called into question the long-term contract Boston gave their 27-year-old netminder.

This year, Swayman proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that last season was an aberration. Swayman was brilliant. He papered over many of the team’s shortcomings, allowing it to make the postseason.

Swayman’s performance earned him a Vezina Trophy nomination. While he may be in tough to beat other more established names like Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders and Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Swayman has as good a chance as he’s ever had to take top honors.

Beyond Swayman’s performance in the crease, his leadership has emerged as a definitive spark for the Bruins. After the club got hammered in Game 4 against the Buffalo Sabres, Swayman yelled at his team as he got pulled from the game.

All Swayman did to follow up his tirade was turn in a brilliant performance in Game 5, forcing one more contest for the Bruins. That’s why Jeremy Swayman should be the choice for the next Boston captain.