The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to name the 19th captain in franchise history prior to the regular season next week, and while it remains unclear who will don the ‘C’, head coach Mike Babcock believes the choice will be obvious to all parties involved.

Babcock was asked by The Athletic this week whether he considered allowing the players to pick their captain, and while that won't happen, he has a "strong feeling" the locker room would have picked the same player the team does.

"Yeah, you know what, what’s interesting about captaincies? It’s really interesting to me. When you name a captain, if you do it right, the players think they picked him, the owner thinks he picked him, the manager thinks he picked him, the coach thinks he picked him because it’s obvious to you. It’s all the same guy. I have a strong feeling in the end that’s what it’ll be like here."

Babcock's interview with The Athletic took place before the team was aware of Auston Matthews being charged with disorderly conduct, but the head coach said Friday the team plans for a captain have not changed.

“We’re just on course for what we were planning on doing the whole time. Nothing’s changed,” Babcock said, declining to give a timeline on an announcement.

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The Leafs enter this season after three straight first-round playoff exits, and back-to-back Game 7 losses to the Boston Bruins. Entering his fifth season behind the bench, Babcock's job security has been questioned, but the 56-year-old said he's not feeling the heat.

"That’s (the media) that say that. So my perception isn’t that at all," Babcock said. "But there’s a buzz every day. Like, the year-end meeting, at the year-end meeting and then you go to the media at the year-end meeting, I know I’m not talking for three months – hopefully, it’ll be just two months – so whatever’s said is said. It doesn’t much affect me, to be honest with you.

"This is what I know is that when I came here they get no points. Now, we get a lot of points. Now, we’re an upper-echelon team. All we’ve done is win. I’m only a part of that, but I’m part of it. I can feed my family. I’m okay. I’m gonna be okay no matter what. But in saying that, I came here for one reason and that was to win here. Hundred percent, that’s what I plan on doing."

Babcock has a 164-123-41 record since joining the Maple Leafs on an eight-year contract in 2015.