In addition to Schenn, the press conference included coach Craig Berube and general manager Doug Armstrong, and was attended by the entire Blues roster.
“… I remember you showing me, it meant a lot.” Schenn said. “These are the guys I came to fight (with) and work with every day and enjoy being in the rink with them.”
Justin Faulk, Colton Parayko and Robert Thomas were named assistant captains.
Schenn said he learned about the honor last week from general manager Doug Armstrong.
“I received a text on Wednesday afternoon. It’s been a long offseason and we’re not sure what direction that’s going to take, but I just met with him Friday morning,” Schenn said. “The four of us who will be part of the leadership crew, we are excited for the opportunity and the challenge of trusting each other.”
Selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the first round (No. 5) of the 2009 NHL Draft, Schenn had 589 points (240 goals, 349 assists) in 858 regular-season games for the Blues, Flyers and Kings, and 40 points (11 goals, 29 assists) in 75 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Armstrong said Schenn embodies everything a captain needs.
“I think the experience of going there, having done that, we moved on and had someone on our team that was the fifth overall pick, played in a couple of organizations,” Armstrong said. “There’s not much he hasn’t seen that he can’t share with the group. Also his persona on the ice is a St. Louis original and that’s something we want to continue.
“But the process began, talking to many different people in our organization, outside the organization in different leadership games, in leadership through the committee, what is necessary. I have met the criteria that are most important in this continuity team, ‘Schenner’ was the natural choice. These decisions were not made in a vacuum. I had many different people giving me input in the area, great support from the “It was him, Mr. Stillman and his team who asked me the questions that were in the decision and then supported the decision.”
Schenn is the third player to be named captain this month after Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks (Sept. 11) and Adam Lowry of the Winnipeg Jets (Sept. 12). Brad Marchand was named captain of the Boston Bruins one day after Schenn received the honor.
“First of all, I think a captain is very important. It completes your team in my opinion.” Berube said. “This team is hungry to prove themselves this year and beyond. We still have a lot of veterans on our team. We’re still in the winning business here. I think having a captain is important in that regard. Brayden has experience for sure, great character, toughness. He’s been a Blue here for five, six years.
“He learned from five different captains that he talked about and saw how things were done, he won, he led by example. support. I think Brayden did everything the right way in on and off the ice. Off the ice, you don’t see all the little things he does, the work he puts in every day on the ice, off the ice, how he treats his teammates on team and supports his teammates and helps his teammates. On the ice, you see what he does. He brings toughness, he brings scoring, he brings all the intangibles to get of a captain.”
Six NHL teams are captainless: the Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers and Seattle Kraken. The Blackhawks announced on Tuesday that they will be without a captain this season.