The Toronto Maple Leafs fell short of the Stanley Cup once again in 2024. Their loss to the Boston Bruins marked another season in which Toronto failed to make a deep playoff run. This summer, the Maple Leafs hired a new head coach to try and change the culture. However, they have made another massive decision, this time involving Auston Matthews.
The Maple Leafs are expected to name Matthews as the new captain on Wednesday, according to TSN's Darren Dreger. This move takes the “C” off veteran center John Tavares. However, Dreger notes that Tavares is fully in support of the move from Toronto GM Brad Treliving.
Matthews is set to become just the third Maple Leafs captain since 2010. Before Tavares, defenseman Dion Phaneuf wore the “C” on his sweater from 2010-11 until 2015-16. He lost the captaincy when Toronto traded Phaneuf to the Ottawa Senators during the 2015-16 campaign.
Auston Matthews could change the culture as Maple Leafs captain
Captaincy changes aren't exactly uncommon in the hockey world. In fact, there are a handful of teams that currently do not have a captain. The Tampa Bay Lightning, for instance, are without one after Steven Stamkos signed with the Nashville Predators.
However, taking the captaincy off a player and giving it to another is a bit more rare. In saying that, it's a move that could certainly pay dividends. Tavares became captain in Toronto during the 2019-20 season, and he did find some success. Notably, he helped the Maple Leafs win their first playoff series in nearly 20 years in 2023.
That playoff series victory stands as their only such win with Tavares as captain, though. To be fair, Tavares did have more playoff success as captain than Phaneuf. Phanuef's Maple Leafs made the playoffs just once as captain, and they lost in seven games to the Boston Bruins in 2013.
The Maple Leafs are trying to get over the hump with their current core. Hiring Craig Berube and moving on from Sheldon Keefe was part of that process. Now, they believe giving Auston Matthews the captaincy is what they need to take the next steps.
Matthews is one of the best players in the NHL right now. In 2023-24, he led all skaters with an otherworldly 69 goals. This marked his second 60+ goal season in the last three years. There is even an argument to be made that Matthews is one of the greatest Maple Leafs of all time already.
Matthews entered the NHL as a potential savior for a franchise that struggled throughout the 2010s. Now, he leads them on their quest to end their Stanley Cup drought. It'll certainly be interesting to see how this change affects Toronto moving forward.
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