There is one obvious and best choice to be the next captain of the NY Islanders

For the first time since the summer of 2018, the New York Islanders are heading into a season without a captain.

The last time it happened, the circumstances were far more dramatic. John Tavares had departed for the Toronto Maple Leafs in free agency, leaving a leadership vacuum that hung over training camp. Then, just hours before opening night, new head coach Barry Trotz announced that Anders Lee would wear the "C" after consulting with players and staff.

Eight years later, history is repeating itself.

With Lee now gone, the Islanders once again need a captain, though this time there is no shortage of qualified candidates.

The obvious options are already in the room. Bo Horvat served as captain of the Vancouver Canucks, while Brayden Schenn currently holds that distinction with the St. Louis Blues. Then there are the homegrown veterans, players like Mathew Barzal and Ryan Pulock, who have spent the bulk of their careers on Long Island and carry significant respect in the dressing room.

And, of course, there is the romantic notion in some corners that this is already Matthew Schaefer's team.

But the Islanders have been down that road before. In the late 1990s, they tried accelerating the leadership timeline of teenage defenseman Bryan McCabe, and the results were less than ideal. Great players become leaders naturally; there's no need to force the process.

That is why Horvat makes the most sense.

He's done the job before. He commands respect throughout the league and inside the Islanders' locker room. Most importantly, he has five years remaining on his contract, giving the organization stability at a position that has suddenly become uncertain.

The Islanders need a captain. Bo Horvat feels like the logical answer.

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