5. Elias Lindholm
Out of all the potential Captains for the Flames, Elias Lindholm is the biggest X-factor, as he has no doubt proven himself to be a great player and a solid leader in recent years, and with just one-year remaining on his deal, Calgary need to know where he stands going forward.
If they are to come to an agreement on a long-term deal, there’s a chance that they look to give the captaincy to one of their best players, in the hopes that it could reinvigorate his energy following a slow 2022/23 campaign.
At this point, it feels unlikely for Lindholm to get the role, as the team have many more deserving candidates, but with a new General Manager and a new Head Coach on the way, their thinking may be different and could look for a fresh perspective, so don’t count him out already.