Per Montreal Gazette:
Defenceman Andrei Markov will not be the next captain of the Canadiens.
The Gazette has learned that Markov, who wore an “A” on his jersey as one of the assistant captains last season, was asked whether he wanted to wear the “C”, but told the Habs he wasn’t interested.
Markov’s decision isn’t surprising. The veteran Russian is an intensely private person and, while he has been more accessible to the media in recent years, it would be difficult to see him in a role requiring him to be available on an almost daily basis.
The debate over who should be captain has been lively since the Canadiens decided not to offer a contract to unrestricted free agent Saku Koivu, who subsequently signed with Anaheim.
Koivu’s experiences might make a player think twice about accepting the job. He was criticized on a regular basis because he was reluctant to speak French.
General manager Bob Gainey and new head coach Jacques Martin have been grilled about the vacant post and neither seems as concerned as the fans and the media.
At the team’s annual golf tournament last week, Gainey said he was content to wait until a leader emerged.
Martin addressed the subject of leadership yesterday, and said it was important to have a variety of leaders, including vocal players and those who lead by example.
With a little more than two weeks before the season opener, it’s becoming more likely the Canadiens will start the season without a designated captain or that they will follow the lead of the Buffalo Sabres and Minnesota Wild and employ a system of rotating captains.