5 players who could serve as Golden Knights' 1st captain

Vegas Golden Knights head coach Pete DeBoer confirmed Wednesday that the team will name its first captain in franchise history ahead of the 2020-21 campaign.

The Golden Knights have rotated four alternate captains since the club's inception in 2017-18 and will have no shortage of options when deciding which player will be first to don the "C."

Here are five candidates who could be tabbed for the prestigious role.

Mark Stone Ethan Miller / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Stone has arguably been the Golden Knights' most valuable player since they landed him at the 2018-19 trade deadline. The 28-year-old then cemented himself in the club's long-term plans when he inked an eight-year, $76-million deal shortly after his arrival.

As gifted as Stone is offensively, it's his elite play away from the puck that truly bolsters his candidacy for the captaincy. He led all Golden Knights forwards in blocked shots (51) this season and finished second league-wide with 78 takeaways. Vegas also owned a sizzling 61.47% share of expected goals for when Stone patrolled the ice at five-on-five.

Stone has experience wearing a letter, too. The Winnipeg native served as an alternate captain for the Ottawa Senators for two seasons and also donned the "A" for Team Canada at the 2019 world championships.

Max Pacioretty Jeff Bottari / National Hockey League / Getty

Pacioretty is the only player on the Golden Knights' roster with experience wearing the "C" at the NHL level. The electric winger served as Montreal Canadiens captain for three seasons from 2015 to 2018 and was an alternate in Vegas during the 2018-19 campaign.

The 30-year-old is one of the more senior players on the team, as his 763 career games rank third behind fellow veterans Paul Stastny and Marc-Andre Fleury. However, Pacioretty hasn't shown any signs of slowing down. He hit the 30-goal plateau for the sixth time and was on pace for a career-best 76 points before the season was cut short in March.

Shea Theodore Gregg Forwerck / National Hockey League / Getty

Theodore hasn't been part of the leadership group in Vegas, but it would be silly to exclude him from the discussion. The 24-year-old has quietly blossomed into one of the most steady two-way defensemen in the league and is a bright part of the club's future with his contract running through the 2024-25 campaign.

He's the backbone of the Golden Knights' blue line, leading the club in average ice time (22:14) while quarterbacking one of the league's better power plays. The 6-foot-2 rearguard potted a career-best 13 goals and 46 points this season and ranked third among all NHL defensemen with 55 takeaways.

Theodore has never worn a letter in the NHL but served as both captain and an alternate for the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds.

Jonathan Marchessault Ethan Miller / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Marchessault is the franchise leader in both points (181) and assists (107), and he ranks second in goals with 74 over 225 contests. A spark plug both on and off the ice, the 29-year-old is beloved by teammates for his boundless energy and contagious positive attitude.

The undrafted winger was rewarded for his development as a player and leader with a six-year, $30-million deal prior to the 2018-19 campaign. Marchessault's body of work speaks for itself, and with the pesky forward in Vegas' plans for years to come, he can't be overlooked as a possible captain.

Reilly Smith Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / Getty

One of the club's original leaders, Smith has served as an alternate captain since the Golden Knights' debut campaign. The skilled winger is one of the team's most reliable and clutch scorers. Smith netted 27 goals this season with 23 coming at even strength and a team-best six holding up as game-winners.

Like Stone, Smith is a terrific two-way winger who contributes in all situations. He averaged nearly two minutes of ice time on both the power play and penalty kill and isn't afraid to throw his weight around, evidenced by his 55 hits this season. Only Marchessault and William Karlsson have recorded more points for the franchise than Smith's 167.

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