OR you trade for, or acquire through UFA, the next REAL LEADER. The problem is, the type of REAL LEADER I think you are talking about isn't going to want to come here if the organization is committed to a full rebuild, because a full rebuild in this day and age means losing on purpose (not throwing games, but making your team deliberately bad enough that you lose well over half your games.) I think the player that would be designated as the REAL LEADER is one who is already here and will set a good example regardless of the team circumstances. Could Oshie be that type of player? Wilson? How top-notch does a player have to be in addition to setting a good example of "playing the right way" in order to qualify as a REAL LEADER?
We did: Fedorov. The biggest screw up was not keeping him around to teach Ovie to lead, and to continue to kick ass Semins and keep the others in line and training them to follow Ovie.
We tried later with Arnott, Richards, and another "Captain" with Shattenkrap, but none could lead this group.
The overlying issue is that Ted, Dickless, GMBetaMale, and Monumental Entertainment, like and want stars. They want the names, the records, the all-stars, the stats, the records, so those are the players they surround Ovie with.
So until that goes changes, the ice/locker room leadership isnt gonna make much of a difference at this point