Captainless: Oilers name Hall, Nugent-Hopkins, Eberle, Ference alternates

The Edmonton Oilers will hit the ice this season with no captain, instead dressing four alternates.

Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Andrew Ference will all wear A's this season, the team announced Wednesday.

The team removed the captaincy from Ference, who's held the title since the 2013-14 season.

"(Ference) was an integral part of the leadership group in Boston," general manager Peter Chiarelli told reporters Wednesday. "Andrew was a strong voice there, and I expect him to be a strong voice here."

"We decided mutually as a group, (head coach) Todd (McLellan), myself and Andrew, that this was the way we're going to go," Chiarelli added. "You'd be amazed at the influence the guys have with letters and without letters inside the room."

With Eberle on injured reserve with a shoulder injury and likely to miss the first four-to-six weeks, forward Matt Hendricks will serve as the fourth alternate, McLellan announced.

The Oilers kick off their season Thursday against the St. Louis Blues.