Who Might the Boston Fleet's Next Captain Be?
The Fleet have no shortage of leaders in their locker room, but there's one player who rises above the sea of other candidates to succeed Hilary Knight as captain.
Early this offseason, an "Original Six" team said bon voyage to their captain for the first time in PWHL history. Boston left then-captain Hilary Knight exposed for the expansion draft, and she weighed anchor for Seattle in the exclusive signing window. However, the team now seems to be ready to name her successor, as an apparent tease appeared across their social media channels yesterday. So, who might that be? Here's a look at three potential candidates.
Alina Müller
One candidate for the Fleet’s captaincy that has been floated around is Müller. After all, the Fleet are building their forward core around her now after protecting her in the expansion draft over Knight. Müller has served as an alternate captain for Northeastern University and is currently one for Switzerland, although she has donned the “C” lately when Lara Stalder is injured. She’s an elite player and role model who signed a contract extension this offseason through 2027-28. However, Müller has yet to wear a letter in the PWHL. That does not mean she hasn’t been a leader, but Boston has chosen to lean on the others on this list more. Therefore, it would be a surprise to see Müller named captain, although being named an alternate captain would be well-deserved.
Jamie Lee Rattray
On the surface, Rattray is an excellent captaincy candidate. She’s worn an "A" for both seasons with the Fleet, and she’s a pillar of the community and within the locker room. However, unlike the others on this list, Rattray’s contract is up at the end of the season. With so much turmoil across the league with this offseason’s expansion, and rumors flying of another one being imminent, it does not make sense to put a “C” on a player on an expiring deal. The Fleet must hang on to any crumb of stability they can find, and that means naming a captain who is signed for a few more seasons and who you would protect in almost any circumstance during a future expansion draft. That's just not Rattray at this stage of her career, although she remains a terrific leader for the team.
Megan Keller
In my eyes, Keller is the clear-cut best option. The 29-year-old defender, who is also signed through 2027-28, is a proven leader on and off the ice. On the ice, she's a world-class defender who knows what it takes to win. Off the ice, she’s active in the community and played a large role in shaping the team’s current culture, having been an alternate captain for the Fleet for the past two seasons. Keller has also served as an alternate captain for Team USA since 2023, which was the same year Knight took over as captain. She is calm under pressure and not afraid to face the music when things don’t go well. As captains do, Knight did the lion’s share of media work when things went awry the past two seasons. However, Keller joined her after their season-ending blowout back in May. That means something. She has the poise, experience, and contract stability to steer the team through these choppy waters, so it would be a surprise to see anyone else at the helm when the Fleet set sail on Season 3 next month.
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