After a summer of speculation, the Maple Leafs are set to name Auston Matthews the 26th captain, and the first American-born captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, according to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger.
The Leafs have a press conference scheduled for 11 am Wednesday where Matthews will be officially announced as the new captain in Toronto. John Tavares has been the captain since 2019 and has been involved in conversations with GM Brad Treliving regarding promoting Matthews to this position of leadership.
Natural Progression For Matthews
Ever since the Leafs’ first-round exit to the Boston Bruins, there has been plenty of speculation to go around. Will they keep Mitchell Marner and Tavares or try to trade one? Should they elevate Matthews to captain? Will any of this turn into playoff success? One of those questions has finally been answered, and most likely the only one before the spring.
Matthews is coming off a 107-point season where he scored 69 goals, the first player to do so since Mario Lemieux back in the 95-96 campaign. He has been Toronto’s “Chosen One” ever since being drafted first overall back in 2016. Since then, he has scored 386 goals, had 281 assists, and scored 40-plus goals six times.
If the Leafs were to introduce a new captain, there was no doubt as to who it would be. In his eight years in the league, he has won the Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy multiple times, also winning the Calder, the Hart, and the Ted Lindsay.
Fans and media members alike have been calling for this move for the last few seasons. With Treliving on the job for a full season, and his fingerprints on the club becoming more apparent, this seems like the perfect time to make the switch.
What This Means For Tavares
When John Tavares signed a seven-year, $77 million contract with the Leafs in 2018, it was a dream come true for many fans, and the Toronto-born player himself. Canada has long had the reputation of being unable to sign big-time free agents, and even though he is from Toronto, it was a huge day for the city. In his 440 games in the blue and white, Tavares has scored 184 goals and amassed 419 points, delivering everything he could except for playoff success.
A big reason for the speculation behind Marner and Tavares is the fact that this is the last year of their respective deals. Marner coming back in 25-26 is a little harder to imagine, considering he is due for another payday and the Leafs’ cap situation is already tight as it is. At this point in Tavares’ career, it is conceivable that he would come back at a lesser price tag.
Many thought that pride and ego would keep Tavares from being willing to relinquish his captaincy while still under contract. According to many reports, Tavares has been heavily involved in the process and welcomes this next step in the evolution of Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
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