OTTAWA — Everyone in hockey recognizes the ‘C’ on a jersey, emblematic of the most important role on any team.
In Ottawa today, ‘C’ also stands for Chabot, as in Thomas, the newly named 11th captain in the modern history of the Senators.
And for “Cherie,” as in his precious new baby Romy.
In the past several days, Chabot became a father for the first time, as he and his wife Marion welcomed their new daughter into the world.
Then on Tuesday, Chabot spotted his wife and newborn at the Canadian Tire Centre and thought to himself, "OK, something is up here."
“It kind of obviously clicked,” Chabot told media members in a conference room, a group that waited long enough for the news to drop to feel a bit as though they were a parent or grandparent, awaiting news on a family childbirth.
Instead, the expectancy centred the Sens’ captaincy, a buzz that rippled through the stands of the arena as Senators players conducted mundane practice as usual down below.
Then, news broke that the Senators released a video of Chabot in the dressing room being introduced by owner Michael Andlauer and management as the captain to succeed Brady Tkachuk.
“It’s a big honour, I’m kind of shaking right now,” Chabot said to his teammates.
Several minutes later, he was paraded upstairs to answer questions alongside GM Steve Staios and head coach Travis Green.
Chabot is the perfect choice to be Ottawa’s captain and not just because he is the first francophone captain in the history of the franchise, overdue in the nation’s capital where the French and English languages mix like gin and tonic.
The 29-year-old from Ste-Marie-de-Beauce, Que., is the longest serving Senators player and the only one to have been around Ottawa’s 2017 playoff club, although the rookie didn’t get on the ice for that run to the Conference Final. Since being drafted 18th overall in 2015, Chabot has lived through some of the darkest times of the Eugene Melnyk era and into the trough of a deep rebuild, from which the Senators only emerged over the past two seasons or so.
There were times when fans in Ottawa wondered if poor “Chabby” would ever get to participate in a playoff series — a matter that was rectified these past two springs, albeit in losing causes.
“I think part of leadership is experience and moving through some tough times... dealing with that adversity and learning from that,” Staios said.
“And part of Thomas that I think gets a little misunderstood is that while he’s an offensive defenceman, can wheel around the ice and make plays, he’s tough as nails.”
Yes, oddly enough, the man who smiles the most in the dressing room is the same guy willing to suffer the most on the ice. Nifty combination, that.
The two other main captain candidates, Jake Sanderson and Tim Stutzle, will wear ‘A’s on their sweaters, along with veteran Claude Giroux.
While any of the three would have been fine choices, it’s been said here before that Chabot would wear the ‘C’ more easily. Sanderson doesn’t need the added role to be Ottawa’s best defenceman. And Stutzle might try a little hard — we’ve seen that backfire before — if he were to succeed his old pal Brady.
Coach Green noted that Chabot “exemplifies everything you want in a captain,” not just in the room and on the ice, but in the community.
Chabot speaks easily in both official languages and brings the energy to the rink so necessary over the long and gruelling season, home and away. As with all captains, he can only be as good as the cast around him.
“I take a lot of pride in coming in every day with a smile on my face and enjoying and supporting my teammates as much as I can,” Chabot said. “Like Travis said, it’s trying to bring everybody together to push in the same direction.”
Chabot has been auditioning for this role for years, perhaps unwittingly. That new jersey slipped over his shoulders like Superman’s cape. Consider him the every-man superhero.
“Thomas doesn’t have to be anything other than who he is,” said Staios, who has a knack for saying the right thing in these moments.
As one of the last of the C-less NHL clubs, the Senators certainly didn’t rush the decision. Green said he wanted to see the group together, vets mixing with aspiring kids like Hoyt Stanley. Management knew for a while that Chabot was their guy but had to stickhandle around the pending birth of Romy to make it official this week.
Chabot has played alongside captains in junior and pro. Of all he’d care to emulate — and there will be snippets taken from a few — he cited Patrice Bergeron, “the perfect human,” in Chabot’s words, as the ultimate leader. Chabot was a mere teenager when he used to train in Quebec City with Bergeron, the great Boston Bruins captain.
Now, getting to see fans in Ottawa wearing No. 72 Senators jerseys with a big ‘C’ on the chest will be a little surreal for Chabot.
“Ottawa is home for us,” he said. “We bought our first house here. We’ve had our first child here. Ottawa will always be close to our hearts, no matter what.”
Should he lead the Senators to a championship one day, or even an extended playoff run, Chabot will rise up into Daniel Alfredsson territory as a franchise icon.
All in due time. Much work remains.
Today, let the man enjoy one of the most eventful weeks of his life — as a new father and a new captain. In the panorama of one’s life, this was one heck of a snapshot.
“It’s a lot, but it’s fun,” said the new dad, wearing the ‘C.’ “It’s been nothing but pure joy. Seeing my new little daughter every day, it’s been awesome. To top it off with being captain, it’s awesome. I don’t have many words for it, if I’m being honest.”
And with that, Chabot was whisked off to a photo shoot with Sens’ PR.
Duty calls for the captain. Not for the last time.
3:49
