The Predators announced earlier in the week that they would be holding a very important press conference tomorrow afternoon and teased the Twitter world that it would be to name their next team captain.
Adam Vingan of The Tennesseean got the inside scoop a day early however and reported that Mike Fisher will be named captain at Thursday’s presser:
A team source has told The Tennessean that Fisher would replace defenseman Shea Weber, who relinquished the captaincy after six season when he was traded to the Canadiens for defenseman P.K. Subban on June 29. The 36-year-old would become the sixth full-time captain in franchise history.
The news doesn’t come as a real surprise, but it is worth noting that Fisher is entering the last year of his contract ($4.4 mil AAV). He won’t turn 37 until after the season is over on June 5. It is unclear whether or not he will hang up the skates after this season or sign another short-term contract and remain in the NHL following the 2016-17 campaign.
Fisher was an alternate captain for the Predators over the past four seasons.
The Preds may be going through this same process this time next year.