Confirming what’s far from a well-guarded secret, the New York Rangers made Ryan McDonagh the 27th captain in franchise history on Monday, which is a nice touch since he wears No. 27.
Mind-blowing stat: That’s two consecutive Rangers captains named “Ryan,” as he takes the reins from Ryan Callahan.
He’s also the third consecutive American-born captain, fourth-youngest Rangers captain and the 11th defenseman to earn the title in team history.
The team tweeted a photo of McDonagh wearing the “C.”
OFFICIAL: #NYR announce @RMcDonagh27 is the 27th Captain in team history! Full Story http://t.co/Ks2IzGkxYX #CforMcD pic.twitter.com/kgXZsY542y
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 7, 2014
The Rangers also announced assistant captains: Daniel Girardi, Martin St. Louis, Marc Staal, and Derek Stepan:
OFFICIAL: Dan Girardi, Martin St. Louis, Marc Staal, and Derek Stepan #NYR alternate captains. http://t.co/Ks2IzGkxYX pic.twitter.com/R85cOsyd9V
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 7, 2014
“Ryan McDonagh exemplifies what we want a New York Ranger to be,” GM Glen Sather said. “He has earned the respect of his teammates through his commitment to excellence, both on and off the ice, and the passion with which he plays on a consistent basis. He is the ideal choice to lead our team as its captain.”
Here’s a list of the Rangers’ previous captains, via the team’s website:
