Oilers announce 4 alternates, no captain for coming season

The Edmonton Oilers won't have a captain this season.

The team announced they'll have four alternates: Taylor Hall, 23, Jordan Eberle,25, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 22, and Andrew Ference, 36.

Ference, who could be Edmonton's seventh defenceman, served as captain the past two seasons.

Coach Todd McLellan says that Matt Hendricks will also wear an "A" while Eberle is injured. 

The Oilers are following the lead of the Montreal Canadiens, who had four alternates last year before Max Pacioretty got the "C" this season. 

Edmonton opens the regular season Thursday at the St. Louis Blues.