The Bruins have only a few days left before their Oct. 3 opener against the Tampa Bay Lightning. In the last days before the regular season begins, Claude Julien and his coaching staff will be busy trimming the roster down to 23 players, but Julien must also decide who will join Patrice Bergeron and step into Andrew Ference‘s vacated alternate captain spot.

This Bruins team is full of vocal and non-vocal leaders, but the role of alternate captain can bring added pressure to the player and added impact to the team.

Some veterans like Jarome Iginla have played most of their careers in leadership roles, while others like David Krejci and Milan Lucic are thriving in their primes and could be ready to take the next step.

Does this Bruins team need a player who leads by example or one who takes control of the locker room? While Claude certainly has some front-runners for the extra A, a few players have made themselves natural choices for the position.