'Auston Matthews Named 26th Captain of the Maple Leafs'
On Wednesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced that center Auston Matthews will be the team's 26th captain.
Matthews, a three-time NHL goals leader, takes over the role from John Tavares, who has been the captain since October 2019.
Expressing his gratitude, Matthews, 26, said, "I am extremely honored to be named captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs. I am proud to follow in John's footsteps and work alongside other leaders in our dressing room. This team, city, and fans mean everything to me. We all understand the history of this franchise and are determined to achieve our goals."
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In the 2023-24 season, Matthews won his third Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy with a career-high of 69 goals. He was also awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP in 2021-22 and the Calder Memorial Trophy as top rookie in 2016-17.
Since being drafted as the No. 1 overall pick in 2016, Matthews has recorded an impressive 649 points (368 goals, 281 assists) in just 562 games. He has also contributed 48 points (23 goals, 25 assists) in 55 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Tavares, who will turn 34 next month, has stepped down as captain but will continue to be a part of the team for his 16th NHL season.
In a statement, Tavares said, "After discussions with (general manager) Brad Treliving, we both agreed that Auston is ready and it is his time to lead. It has been an incredible honor to serve as captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs for the past five seasons. Moving forward, I will do everything in my power to support Auston as we strive for the Stanley Cup."
Treliving also expressed his confidence in Matthews, saying, "Auston's unique qualities as a hockey player and his ability to inspire his teammates will drive our team's success in the future."
Despite their strong roster, the Maple Leafs were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs last season by the Boston Bruins in seven games. The team has not won the Stanley Cup since 1967.
Matthews, who was raised in Arizona and is originally from California, is the first American-born player to captain the Maple Leafs and only the second non-Canadian. Mats Sundin of Sweden was the captain from 1997-2008.
