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Count Oilers forward Matt Hendricks among those believing a 19-year-old can be a captain in the NHL.

“I think it’s been proven before that they can,” said Hendricks while on Edmonton’s 630 CHED Tuesday afternoon. “I think history will repeat itself always.”

The Oilers had four alternate captains last season, but head coach Todd McLellan said a few weeks ago that the team will, in fact, ‘select a captain at some point during training camp.’

Connor McDavid may well be the choice.

“I don’t want to put the cart before the horse here, but if you were to give it to Connor he would be an excellent captain, without a doubt,” said Hendricks. “He wouldn’t have all of burden of all of the leadership in Year One. He would dip his feet in the water, he would learn, and he would sit back and make this his team. Because at the end of the day, that’s what it’s going to be. It’s going to be Connor’s team and we want him to be the leader, because we want to get behind him and follow him because he’s the best player definitely here in Edmonton, if not the best player in the game right now.”

As far as the complexion and feel of his hockey team headed into 2016-17, Hendricks offered this:

“I think Milan nailed it when he said we’re going to have a different attitude this year. We’re going to be a team that has a swagger. I think you have to, especially in this Western Conference. To be successful, you’ve got to play that way.”

Incidentally, defensemen Oscar Klefbom and Adam Larsson were two of the 29 skaters Hendricks said were practicing and scrimmaging with the team today.

“They both looked good,” relayed Hendricks. “Klef is feeling good and has that big smile on his face, so that was nice to see for sure.”

Source: 630 CHED/ Transcript: Nichols

Hendricks: Oilers want to follow McDavid’s lead