From Randall to Matthews, all of the Maple Leafs captains

A new and former captain both playing on the same team is an NHL rarity, but apparently not a concern for the Maple Leafs. 

They’re going to unveil Auston Matthews as the 26th captain in franchise history on Wednesday morning, while John Tavares still has a year remaining on his no-move deal. Not since Wendel Clark and Doug Gilmour made brief comebacks to Toronto was there any over-lap and it wasn’t an issue, though it took some getting used to when Dave Keon replaced George Armstrong in 1969 and ‘The Chief’ decided to play a couple of more years.
At the end of the day, it’s just a letter, albeit the ‘C’ carries lots of clout in this market with massive media and where almost all the franchise greats and multiple Cup winners wore it at some stage of their careers. 

Our list of Leaf captains:          

1. Ken Randall (1917-19) The first captain had a dark side — almost 1,000 career penalty minutes as a pro, including prior to the NHL … Before one game, he had to pay the referee a fine in loose change before being permitted to play … Kingston-born Ken was also the first Toronto captain to win a Cup in 1918. 
2. Frank Heffernan (1919-20) When the Arenas became the St. Patricks, Peterborough’s Heffernan was named coach, playing captain and co-owner … Played 19 games that season.
3. Reg Noble (1920-22) Scored first goal in franchise history on opening night of the new NHL in 1917 … Captain of the 1922 Cup champion St. Pats … Collingwood native notched 184 points in 160 Toronto games.
4. Jack Adams (1922-24) The future Detroit Red Wings boss didn’t enjoy much team success with Toronto, which missed the playoffs both years he was skipper … Was on a potent line with leading scorer Babe Dye … Played one year with the Ottawa Senators before retiring to coach.
5. John Ross Roach (1924-25) First goalie to be an NHL captain … Had already been the first rookie netminder to win a Cup in 1922 … Ranks seventh in franchise history with 222 games in net … Later, a first-team all-star with Detroit.
6. Cecil (Babe) Dye (1925-26) Named to the post after five straight years as team’s leading scorer, a feat not matched until Darryl Sittler in the 1970s … His mother built him an outdoor or rink in Toronto … At 1.24, franchise leader in points per game, ahead of Matthews and Doug Gilmour, both 1.15.
7. Bert (Pig Iron) Corbeau 1926-27 Captain when the St. Pats were renamed Maple Leafs … Had been a member of the Montreal Canadiens’ first Stanley Cup in the NHA in 1916 …. Died Sept. 21, 1942, with 25 others in a tour-boat tragedy on Georgian Bay.
8. Clarence (Hap) Day (1927-37) Only man to be captain, coach and general manager of the Leafs … Scored the first two hat tricks in team history, part of 161 regular-season points … Part of the 1932 Cup team, the first to play out of Maple Leaf Gardens.
9. Charlie (Big Bomber) Conacher (1937-38) Had 324 points in 300 games … First Leaf to score five times in a game … Led NHL in points twice and in scoring five times … Anchored the Kid Line with Joe Primeau and Busher Jackson.
10. Reginald (Red) Horner (1938-40) A nasty foe with 1,264 PIM in 490 games, led the NHL in sin bin time served for eight straight seasons … Also played on the ‘32 Cup team … Handed off the Gardens flag to Mats Sundin at the closing of the old arena in 1999 … Died in 2005, aged 95.
11. Syl Apps (1940-43, 1945-48) First Leaf to wear an actual ‘C’ on his sweater, when mandated by NHL … Racked up 432 points in 423 games, with time away in his prime to serve in the Canadian army … Played on the 1942 Cup team that trailed Detroit 3-0 … Came back from the war to win two more championships … A multi-sport athlete (pole vault, football) and later a politician.
12. Bob Davidson (1943-45) Played 12 seasons and captained the 1945 Cup winners … Played left and right wing … Had 254 points in 491 games, and played 82 post-season games … Later a scout who helped build the 1960s Leafs dynasty.
13. Ted (Teeder) Kennedy (1948-55, 1956-57) Part of five championship teams in a golden era of Toronto hockey, including the Cup-winning goal against Montreal in 1947 … Until Matthews, last Leaf to win the Hart Trophy.
14. Sid Smith (1955-56) Born in Toronto, where a rink at Christie Pits is named for him … Played 601 games for Toronto, on three Cup teams, 1948-51 … Won two Lady Byng Trophys … Had 27 points in 44 playoff games, stepped aside when Kennedy had a brief return.
15. Jim Thomson (1956-57) Shared the captaincy with Kennedy … Punishing defenceman, part of the Gold Dust Twins with Gus Mortson … Played 11 years and won four Cups … Twice a second-team all-star.
16. George Armstrong (1957-69) In the course of four decades, played 1,187 regular-season games, the club record … Captained four Cup winners in the 1960s, including the last in 1967 … Memorial Cup -winning coach with the junior Marlies, a long-time Leafs scout and briefly coach.
17. Dave Keon (1969-75) Swift-skating centre was a force at both ends of the rink … Had 868 points in 1,062 games … Won the Conn Smythe in 1967, two Byngs and was a second-team all-star … Fought with owner Harold Ballard and after a cold war with the franchise for decades, the rift was mended and during the 2017 club centennial, he was voted No. 1 of 100 greatest in franchise history. 
18. Darryl Sittler (1975-81) His 916 points included 18 hat tricks … Second in franchise scoring … Set NHL record with 10-point game against Boston in 1976 … Scored to clinch ’76 Canada Cup … Traded in 1982, he eventually returned to his current job as club ambassador.
19. Rick Vaive (1981-86) First in franchise history to score 50, did it three times … Was stripped of the ‘C’ after sleeping in for a practice… Traded in 1987, one goal shy of 300 as a Leaf, he returned to work on TV and was an ambassador.
20. Rob Ramage (1989-91) Named captain after two years when the position was vacant … Had 84 points in 160 games … Has his name on the Cup twice, 1989 with Calgary and 1993 with Montreal.
21. Wendel Clark (1991-94) One of the best fighters amongst Leafs captains … In three total stints as a Leaf, had 441 goals in 608 games, with 1,535 penalty minutes … Traded to Quebec for future captain Mats Sundin.
22. Doug Gilmour (1994-97) Holds single-season club record of 127 points (1992-93) … His 77 playoff points in 52 games are also No. 1 for the franchise … Only Leaf to win the Frank Selke Trophy as top defensive forward.
23. Mats Sundin (1997-2008) Club’s first European captain … Franchise-leading scorer with 987 points, second in playoff points … Has team-leading 79 game-winning goals and 124 on the power play … Picked for seven all-star games … His statue is the youngest Leaf depicted on Legends Row.
24. Dion Phaneuf (2010-2016) Had 151 assists and 196 points in 423 games … The third former Flame to captain the Leafs after Ramage and Gilmour … Ranked top-30 in Leafs penalty minutes with 598 and eighth among captains.
25. John Tavares (2019-2024) First GTA-born Leaf captain since Smith … Has 419 points in 440 games as a Leaf so far and 1,040 points in 1,109 NHL games that included many seasons as captain of the New York Islanders … He, Sundin, Clark and Ramage were all first overall draft picks. 

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