Report: Matthews replacing Tavares as Leafs captain
The Toronto Maple Leafs are making a leadership change.
Auston Matthews is expected to be named captain Wednesday, replacing John Tavares, reports TSN's Darren Dreger.
The Maple Leafs have already called a press conference for 11 a.m. Wednesday.
Tavares, who's worn the "C" for the last five seasons, reportedly fully supports the decision.
Toronto has made the postseason eight years in a row - tied for the longest active streak in the league - but only has one series win to show for it. The Maple Leafs lost to the Boston Bruins in Game 7 in Round 1 in 2024.
Tavares was named captain in 2019 after a career-high 47-goal, 88-point debut campaign with the Leafs. The 33-year-old is coming off a season in which he recorded 29 goals and 36 assists in 80 games - his least productive year in Toronto on a per-game basis. Tavares is also entering the final season of his seven-year, $77-million contract.
Matthews, who'll turn 27 before the start of the 2024-25 season, is firmly in the prime of his career. He scored 69 goals in 81 games this past campaign, winning the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy for the third time in four years. He also finished fourth in Hart Trophy voting and third in Selke Trophy voting, highlighting his all-around game.
The Maple Leafs drafted Matthews first overall in 2016. The Scottsdale, Arizona, native - who'll become the first American-born captain in team history - won the Calder Trophy in 2017 and the Hart Trophy in 2022. He's already third on the franchise's all-time goals list (368) and sixth in points (649) despite playing in just 562 games. Matthews is entering the first season of a four-year, $53-million extension he signed in 2023.
Matthews has served as an alternate captain for the last five seasons, rotating wearing an "A" on his jersey with Mitch Marner. Defenseman Morgan Rielly, the longest-tenured player on the team, has worn the other "A" during Tavares' captaincy. The rest of Toronto's leadership group for 2024-25 after Matthews is unclear.
While Toronto's core group has remained intact, a lot has changed over the last couple of years. Craig Berube was hired as head coach in May after Sheldon Keefe's dismissal. Brad Treliving is also set to enter his second season as general manager.