The NHL's Official Guide and Record Book says the Minnesota Wild had "no captain" for the 2000-01 season. And it will say it again this year.

But the truth is that the Wild, in just their second year of existence, have already sewn the "C" on seven different sweaters.

Head coach Jacques Lemaire is experimenting with a different kind of leadership system for his expansion club -- a newly-elected captain each month.

"On a new, young club, this works great," says October captain Jim Dowd. "The guys have fun with it. It really provides a confidence boost and that's great when a lot of these guys are getting a second chance in this league with a new organization."

Dowd played with veteran leader Scott Stevens on the 1995 Stanley Cup champion Devils. "You can't question the leadership skills of a guy like Scott," he says. "On a team with lots of veterans, choosing a captain can be clear-cut. Here, the system is a building block for us."

Dowd passed his "C" off to 24-year-old Czech defenseman Filip Kuba on November 1. Last season, defensemen Sean O'Donnell and Brad Bombardir, and forwards Scott Pellerin, Wes Walz, and Darby Hendrickson led the team.

The result is a team where everyone feels comfortable taking the lead. That confidence translates into an effective power play.

The expansion club's power play full of nobodies is now operating at 24.6% efficiency, the best in the league. Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, a 22-year-old French-Canadian named Pascal Dupuis spoiled yet another of Ranger Mike Richter's possible shutouts.

The Wild came up short, 3-1, but they feel they're developing into a team of leaders.

E-mail Lindsay Berra at lindsay.berra@espnmag.com.