The St. Louis Blues have named defenceman Alex Pietrangelo captain, the team announced Thursday.
Defenceman Kevin Shattenkirk and forwards Paul Stastny, Alexander Steen, and Vladimir Tarasenko will serve as alternate captains.
Pietrangelo becomes the franchise’s 21st captain.
Pietrangelo will fill the captaincy role left vacant by David Backes, who signed with the Boston Bruins as a free agent this summer. He will be the 21st captain of the team, which is entering its 50th year in the NHL.
The 26-year-old was picked fourth overall by the Blues in the 2008 NHL Draft and is coming off a season in which he scored seven goals and 37 points in 73 games. He is signed through the next four seasons with a cap hit of $6.5 million.