Following the departure of Mark Giordano, the Calgary Flames went two seasons without a captain until Mikael Backlund was bestowed the honour. He has had some big shoes to fill. The Flames organization has had some great leaders over the years, many of whom remain fan favourites throughout the city of Calgary. With that said, here is a look at the five best captains the organization has ever had.
5. Jim Peplinski
Jim Peplinski was never a lone captain for the Flames, but instead served as a co-captain for six seasons. In the first five, he split the role with Lanny McDonald and then held it with Brad McCrimmon in year six. Despite never holding the role specifically to himself, however, Flames fans are well aware of how great a leader he was.
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Though Peplinski wasn’t as skilled as others on this list, he was a reliable two-way forward that would never shy away from dropping the gloves to protect his teammates. It is very fitting that he was a co-captain alongside McDonald when the Flames won their first and only Stanley Cup in 1989.
4. Joe Nieuwendyk
Joe Nieuwendyk was another great Flames captain and held that role from 1991-1995. Nieuwendyk was also a strong two-way player and was undoubtedly the most talented Flame during his time as the organization’s captain. By the time he was traded to the Dallas Stars, he had amassed 314 goals and 616 points in 577 games with the Flames.
Unfortunately for Nieuwendyk, his time as the Flames’ captain came when the team was in the stages of a decline. Had they been better over that span, he’d likely be even higher on this list. Nonetheless, he performed great during his time as captain and is well deserving of being on this list.
3. Mark Giordano
As mentioned earlier, the Flames have not had a captain since Giordano’s departure in the 2021 offseason. The undrafted 39-year-old quietly became a very reliable defenceman on the Flames’ back end for several seasons, and really made a name for himself during the 2018-19 season when he won the Norris Trophy thanks to a career-high 74-point campaign.
Having worn the ‘C’ for eight seasons from 2013 to 2021, Giordano is the second-longest serving captain in Flames history, with only Jarome Iginla holding the role for longer. Not only was Giordano an excellent captain in terms of his on-ice performance, but he was also a great role model for younger players, thanks to his outstanding work in the city of Calgary. Despite having since played for both the Seattle Kraken and Toronto Maple Leafs, he remains a fan favourite amongst Flames fans.
2. Lanny McDonald
Despite having already played in 10 NHL seasons before being traded to the Flames during the 1981-82 campaign, Lanny McDonald became one of the most revered players in franchise history. He was first given the ‘C’ ahead of the 1983-84 season and had it to himself for that year before splitting it with Peplinski over the next five.
Through his first three seasons as captain, McDonald was one of the Flames’ top players, finishing each year with stats hovering around the point-per-game mark. While his offensive game fell off significantly during the next three seasons, Flames fans continued to respect him thanks to his fantastic leadership abilities. It was extremely fitting that he was able to win his first-ever Stanley Cup in his final NHL season with the Flames.
1. Jarome Iginla
No one reading this list will be shocked to see Jarome Iginla’s name in the top slot. The 46-year-old, who just recently rejoined the Flames in an advisor role, is undoubtedly the most beloved Flame of all time. Despite having not played in Calgary since the 2012-13 season, there are still Iginla jerseys sprinkled throughout the Saddledome at each and every Flames game to this day.
As mentioned, Iginla wore the ‘C’ the longest of any Flame, doing so from 2003-2013. His leadership skills were fantastic, but far from all he brought to the table. During his prime, he could simply do it all, whether it was throwing a massive hit, dropping the gloves, or scoring a huge goal, he was the definition of a power forward. Both his 525 goals and 1095 points in a Flames sweater help cement him as the best player in franchise history.
New Flame Will Soon Have Opportunity to Join List
Though this Flames team went and is still going through some turmoil, things are beginning to look up thanks to a new general manager in Craig Conroy, as well as a new coach in Huska in place. Backlund joined that group of leaders prior to the 2023-24 season and is tasked with getting the Flames back to the playoffs.
