Captain Candidates- Who Will Captain the Sabres?

Steve Ott

Ott is one of those players you either fall madly in love with or hate from the start. He’s a no-nonsense, tough guy, who isn’t afraid to speak his mind. Since coming to Buffalo the fans have fallen in love with Ott and are almost ready to build a statue in his honour. Ott

Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

is the type of player you want on your team as he brings everything to the table; He can fight, is willing to stand up for teammates, hit and can put the puck in net. There isn’t too much not to love about Ott and his game since coming to Buffalo.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Ott is his ability and willingness to lead without a letter sewn on his chest. Since day one he’s been a leader both on and off the ice for the Sabres. Heck he even stood up for Pominville, when the media was beating up the former captain. Ott is a natural leader and has an ability to shutout the media and just focus on hockey, that’s a skill that’s not easy to find.

Honestly, it would be perfectly fine if the Sabres named Steve Ott captain today. He can handle the pressure of being the captain and is more than capable of leading the young players. But the thing with Ott is that he doesn’t need a letter on his chest. It doesn’t matter who the captain is going to be because Ott will still be a leader on the team. A drawback to Ott’s bid to be captain is the certain type of “gamesmanship” he utilizes in his game. It’s what makes him Steve Ott, but is that “gamesmanship” something a captain would do? Is Ott captain material?