Oilers' Ference has name in mind if he's succeeded as captain

Andrew Ference remains the captain of the Edmonton Oilers, but if he is stripped of his captaincy, he knows who should succeed him.

The Oilers went through an overhaul this offseason, bringing general manager Peter Chiarelli, head coach Todd McLellan, and a handful of new players. So with a new cast, Ference is aware changes are a possibility, including regarding the captaincy, something he discussed with McLellan.

"I brought it up … I like things out in the open," Ference told Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal. "I don't like walking on eggshells or awkward moments, player to coach, player to GM. This isn't a vanity project. We should want everybody pulling on the same rope for the Oilers."

Ference has held the captaincy in Edmonton since the 2013 season, but if the team decides to go in another direction, the 36-year-old knows who he would give the 'C' to.

"It’s not like I’m going to give you a list, but I definitely know who I’d pick,” he said. “It’s not my anointment.

“Some guys are rounding into that. You need multiple guys in a leadership role, though, with or without the letter, to where they can take the reins. You can’t just have one guy carrying the flag. You need a mob mentality to be successful.”