Auston Matthews is the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Former captain John Tavares handed off the captaincy of the storied franchise to Matthews at a media conference on Wednesday morning. Matthews becomes the 26th captain in franchise history.
“I’m incredibly humbled to be named captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs,” Matthews said in a media release. “I’m honoured to follow in John’s footsteps and continue our work in leading this team along with so many other leaders within our dressing room. This team, this city, and our fans mean everything to me. We all embrace the history of this franchise, and we are determined to get the job done.”
Tavares had served as Maple Leafs captain since October 2019 and said Wednesday he felt it was time for the change after talks with Matthews, his family and Leafs management.
“When Brad Treliving and I met at the end of this past season and discussed ways for our team to take the next step, we both agreed that Auston is ready and it’s his time to lead,” Tavares said. “It’s been an incredible honour to serve as captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs these past five seasons. Looking forward, I will do everything to support Auston as we continue our pursuit of the Stanley Cup.”
Matthews, 26, was the first overall pick in 2016. He has won a Hart Memorial Trophy, three Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies, the Ted Lindsay Award, a Calder Memorial Trophy and various all-star selections.
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