The Winnipeg Jets announced Blake Wheeler will be their new team captain on Wednesday, ending months of speculation on who will wear the captain’s patch.

The 30-year-old has been with the organization for seven seasons, serving the last three as an alternate captain to Andrew Ladd.

Wheeler has become one of the NHL’s top forwards; he was tied for sixth in league scoring for the 2015-16 season with 78 points (26G, 52A).

The native of Plymouth, Minn. has been in the NHL for nine seasons, playing for the Jets, Thrashers and Boston Bruins.

Over his career, he has 440 points (173G, and 267A) in 615 career NHL games. Wheeler is fourth all-time in franchise scoring with 330 points (123G, 207A) in 394 games.

Blake signed a six-year contract extension with the Jets in 2013.

Internationally, Wheeler will represent the United States at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey in September and played for the U.S. at the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. He has also has played in the World Championship and World Junior Championship.

Blake volunteers at various local organizations in the community, including The Children’s Hospital of Manitoba, Special Olympics Manitoba, the Winnipeg Pet Rescue Shelter and the Future Goals program.

Dustin Byfuglien and Mark Scheifele were serve as alternate captains.

Byfuglien, 31, is entering his seventh season with the franchise and will be an alternate captain for the second time.

He is a sixth all-time in franchise scoring with 288 points (97G, 191A) in 418 games with the Thrashers and Jets. He is a Stanley Cup Champion, a four-time NHL All-Star. He signed a five-year extension with Winnipeg last February.

Scheifele, 23, enters his fourth full season with Winnipeg after the Jets made him the team’s first ever draft pick, since the organization returned to Manitoba.

He had a breakout year in 2015-16, finishing the season with 61 points (29G, 31A) in 71 games. He recently signed an eight-year contract extension with the Jets.

The timing of today's announcement is especially sweet for Wheeler, as he was named captain on his birthday.

The team has been without a captain since Andrew Ladd was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks earlier this year.