There will be three assistant captains. Mitchell, Kesler and Mattias Ohlund.

Does this mean he'll be allowed to skate all over the ice chasing referees and linesmen questioning their calls and listening to decisions?
Will he be allowed to confer with the coaches at the bench whenever he wants?

No, goal tenders as captains cannot talk to referees, which is why there are three Alternate Captains - one of them will be designated to talk to the officials on questionable calls.  He will not be allowed any special privileges on ice, and in fact, his captaincy will not be at all evident when he is playing.  This move is all about off ice - motivating the team, talking to the media etc.  The rationale is that this is sort of an official way of recognizing the role he has been playing for some time now.

There are pros and cons to having a goal tender as captain.  These issues are great fodder for lively discussions over many beers.

This is probably one of the most absurd, promotions-based decisions I've ever seen.  Goalies CAN NOT be captains, for the single reason that it's an automatic 2-minute penalty for the goaltender to cross the centre red line, so you can't go talk to the officials in the other end.  Now with that aside, what the hell does this say to the rest of the team????  Sorry, all you eligible players aren't good enough leaders...we had to give it to the one guy who's not able to actually WEAR the "C".

This is bloody ridiculous...and coming from a Leafs fan who truly understands the definition of the word!

I see nothing wrong with a goal-tender being the captain...If he is the best person for the job to lead the team in the dressing room and on the ice then he shall be allowed to "wear" the C.  The NHL should take a serious look at this rule and get it changed so anyone on the ice could wear the C...Some of the best players and team leaders in NHL history were goal-tenders and should have got the C.

Just my opinion...

Peace!  

he's like the governor-general of hockey... a ceremonial role with the club.

I love it.  He's the emotional and vocal leader, and works harder than anyone to improve his game.   It's the right decision.  

{courtesy Wm. Houston, Globe & Mail Oct. 2)

(Don) Cherry was asked about the Vancouver Canucks' move to appoint goaltender Roberto Luongo team captain.

"It's silly as far as I'm concerned," he said, arguing that Luongo will be able to lead without being made captain.

"I don't know why [the Canucks] had to make this statement," Milbury said. "I guess they couldn't sign Mats Sundin, so they had to do something different. … A goalie going out for a ceremonial faceoff sounds a little absurd to me. A nice tribute to Luongo, I guess."

^ Would you expect those idiots to say anything else?