This coming May is the 40th anniversary of the Atlanta Flames moving to Calgary. To commemorate this occasion, we’re counting down the Top 40 Calgary Flames in history.

First up? Why, the first captain, of course! Coming in at #40, Brad Marsh

In some ways, Marsh is fairly typical of Flames captain. A product of London, Ontario, he came to the Flames when they were in Atlanta via the 1978 Amateur Draft. He was all of 22 years old when he got the C when Atlanta moved north and didn’t really change up what made him effective.

Hardly a finesse player, Marsh was a big-bodied player who skewed more towards two-way responsibility than dazzling dangles. But for a team that really needed to get its footing in a new setting, the dependable Marsh was precisely what was needed. (You’ll notice that throughout the history of the Calgary franchise, the team takes on the best qualities of its captains.)

Marsh was traded to Philadelphia early in the 1981-82 season in a swap that netted the Flames forward Mel Bridgman. Phil Russell inherited the captaincy. Marsh remains the youngest man to wear the C in Flames history. He wasn’t the greatest to don the letter, but he gave the Flames what they needed when they needed it.

He comes in at #40 due to historical significance.