Nine months ago the Senators decided Erik Karlsson was not yet ready to wear a letter on his sweater full time.

And now, it's believed, he's at the front of the line to get the next 'C'.

Has Karlsson grown that much in less than a year? Not unless he's made leaps and bounds since the season ended.

During the 2013-14 campaign, he took a step backwards. His offensive game was exceptional, but coach Paul MacLean described his defensive play as "shoddy" when talking to a reporter a few weeks ago. It was an accurate assessment.

Most likely MacLean used harsher words to Karlsson's face before the two parted ways for the summer. Most likely he also told Karlsson he expects him to return next season and play the game the way he did when won the Norris Trophy in 2011-12 -- to be a leader by being responsible, smart, and taking less chances inside the Ottawa blue line; not get caught up ice as often as he did in '13-14.

The Senators allowed opponents an astonishing number of odd-man rushes -- not all Karlsson's fault, of course, but he was on the ice almost half of every game.

It's because Jason Spezza was primarily a one-way player that the Senators were considering trading him before he made it easier on them by asking for a move. Understandably, they prefer the leader of their team to go hard in all areas of the ice.

Giving the 'C' to Spezza didn't have that desired effect. Would it work with Karlsson?

Off the ice, Karlsson also displayed a lack of maturity last season by ripping a major sponsor on Twitter, more than once. Everybody gets frustrated by phone or cable issues, but a real leader of an NHL team doesn't criticize publicly those who help pay his hefty salary just because he has trouble making a connection.

Karlsson can be a good captain at some point. He's only 24, and he's smart. He'll learn. And maybe giving him the 'C' now will expedite his growth. The Senators have to only hope.

Karlsson will also have to grow a couple of layers of thick skin if he's going to wear the most prestigious letter in a true hockey market. With it comes even more scrutiny of one's game, Spezza can tell him. Karlsson knows all that is written and said about him as is. Can he continue to handle the negatives as well as the positives the way Daniel Alfredsson could? Or like Spezza, will he too have a breaking point?

The Senators will debate the options when making their final decision on naming a captain. The problem with this team is there are no slam-dunk choices.

The current alternate captains will get consideration, but Spezza was the easy call to fill the vacancy last time for reasons that included their shortcomings. The much-respected Chris Phillips might have his work cut out for him keeping a spot among the Top 6 blue liners this season, while heart-and-soul guy Chris Neil takes too many penalties.

A captain has to be on the ice, not in the press box or the penalty box.

Clarke MacArthur, Marc Methot and Kyle Turris seem to be other candidates, but they fall into the longshot category. MacArthur and Methot have leadership qualities but they've not been with the team long enough ... Methot, who is a good spokesman in both official languages, didn't even get a letter partly because he had only been a Senator for one year the last time they were handed out.

Turris is young and still relatively new to the organization, and with Spezza gone he'll have enough added responsibilities to shoulder without the added weight of a 'C' on his shoulder.

Perhaps the best route for the Senators to take is to go captain-less, like the Eastern Conference champion New York Rangers did last season. Just give out 'A's.

But that could pose another problem. Karlsson wants to be the captain. He's the team's best player and he wants the recognition as such. If he doesn't get the 'C', he would see it as a snub. And before long, there could be yet another star asking to be traded out of Ottawa.

Twitter: @sundonib