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Columbus has picked its new captain, says Davidson

Buffalo Sabres v Columbus Blue Jackets

Buffalo Sabres v Columbus Blue Jackets

NHLI via Getty Images

Columbus has been without a captain since Rick Nash departed three years ago but, according to team president John Davidson, a Blue Jacket will have a “C” on his jersey this fall.

“We know who it’s going to be,” Davidson said, per Columbus Business First. “We’ll name a captain by the start of next season and that’s a step forward.

“He’s popped, he’s a person that’s carried himself with outstanding leadership.”

Per “informed speculation” from the Columbus Dispatch, Nick Foligno is the odds-on favorite to become captain (if there were odds on such a thing.) The 27-year-old is coming off a tremendous season in which he scored a career-best 73 points and was named a captain for the 2015 NHL All-Star Game -- an event that Columbus hosted, and during which Foligno emerged as one of the faces of the franchise.

What’s more, Foligno will be with the Jackets for the long haul, having signed a six-year, $33 million extension in December.

Others in the mix, according to the Dispatch, include Boone Jenner, Scott Hartnell, Brandon Dubinsky and Jack Johnson -- Ryan Johansen, interestingly enough, wasn’t among the “favorites” despite being arguably the team’s best player and biggest star. It’s possible his contentious holdout this past fall remains an issue; he’s also only 22 years old and has less than 300 games of NHL experience.