Timing is right for Matthews to get Leafs' captaincy

Auston Matthews getting the "C" was always a matter of when, not if.

The Toronto Maple Leafs' decision to pass the torch from John Tavares to the three-time Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner this offseason makes sense on multiple levels.

The Maple Leafs officially named Matthews the 26th captain in franchise history on Wednesday, making him the team's first American-born captain and second non-Canadian captain after Mats Sundin.

Tavares made the process easier by fully supporting the move. His presence on stage with Matthews and general manager Brad Treliving at Wednesday's press conference was evidence of that.

"Right from the start, John was on board," Treliving said.

Had Tavares not been on board and this been a case of Toronto stripping him of the "C," it could cause a rift within the dressing room and fracture Tavares' relationship with the organization. It could also have made it awkward for Matthews, but that's not the case.

"For (Tavares) to call me and let me know that he wanted to pass on the captaincy to me, it was very emotional," Matthews said. "I felt a lot of things, but it's truly an honor."

Tavares is entering the final year of his contract and isn't worth his $11-million cap hit anymore. But money aside, he was still a serviceable player in 2023-24, notching 29 goals and 36 assists in 80 games while winning 59.3% of his faceoffs.

Yes, changes to the Maple Leafs' core have been long overdue. However, if Tavares is willing to take a significant hometown discount to stay in Toronto in 2025 and beyond, the club should jump at the opportunity.

Tavares was a sound, safe choice for the captaincy in 2019. He was coming off a career-high 47-goal, 88-point season, about to enter his age-29 campaign, and had captained the New York Islanders for five years. Matthews was also only entering his age-22 season and had just been charged with disorderly conduct that summer. Giving Matthews the captaincy at the time would've been a PR nightmare.

Though Tavares isn't the "follow me into battle" type of leader Leafs fans have craved, he carries himself like a true professional on and off the ice. By all accounts, he's as classy an individual as they come.

A supportive leadership role is better suited for Tavares' personality, especially at this point in his career, as he isn't leading with his on-ice play like he used to. It's also not beyond the realm of possibility that Tavares enjoys a resurgent campaign without the pressure of the captaincy on his shoulders.

Matthews isn't exactly a rah-rah type of leader, either. But he's undoubtedly the right choice for the captaincy at this time. After all, this is his team. If the Leafs are ever going to do any postseason damage, it'll be with the 2016 No. 1 pick and 2022 Hart Trophy winner leading the charge.

"It's amazing how he pushes the team, a lot of times without even himself realizing it," Tavares said of Matthews. "You can tell by the way he inspires others with his talent, his work ethic, and just being so level-grounded."

Of course, Matthews has always been a leader as the franchise player and alternate captain. But perhaps having the "C" on his chest will help him further develop in that regard. That's what the Leafs are hoping for.

"With him having this honor and responsibility, I think it really gives him the chance to spread his wings and grow," Tavares said.

Still, Toronto has been chasing playoff success throughout the Matthews era. The team has earned a postseason berth in eight straight years since Matthews entered the league - tied for the NHL's longest active streak - but has only one series win.

The Maple Leafs' top-heavy build has featured four forwards making a combined $40.5 million since 2019-20 - nearly half the salary cap. That number jumps to $46.65 million this coming season with Matthews' and William Nylander's extensions kicking in.

The playoff failures have made the fan base clamor for change in recent years. Shaking up the team by trading one of the core forwards would've been logical, but that doesn't appear likely this offseason.

Matthews was never going anywhere. Neither was Tavares, who's held a no-movement clause throughout his contract.

That left Nylander and Mitch Marner as potential trade candidates. The previous regime under general manager Kyle Dubas was adamant about keeping the core together. Dubas finally displayed an open mind about shaking things up after the 2023 postseason but was fired shortly after.

Treliving opted not to make any major moves upon replacing Dubas. By the time he was done waiting, Marner's NMC had kicked in, and Nylander had proved to be an indispensable part of the future and was eventually extended.

Management, led by president Brendan Shanahan for the last decade, backed itself into a corner by waiting. Dealing Marner, the most sensible trade candidate, seems unlikely now.

But change was still necessary this offseason, so Shanahan, Treliving, and Co. took the next most drastic steps by replacing head coach Sheldon Keefe with Craig Berube - whom many considered the top available bench boss - and now, moving the captaincy from Tavares to Matthews.

Changing the head coach and captain in the same offseason makes sense. At this point, pretty much anything is worth trying. Whether this alters the Leafs' postseason fortune remains to be seen, and that's all that matters in Toronto.