Dreger: Leafs expected to name Matthews as new captain on Wednesday
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The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to name Auston Matthews as team captain on Wednesday, according to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger.
"This is part of the evolution of Matthews as a leader and current Maple Leafs captain John Tavares fully supports the change. Tavares has been heavily involved in the process with GM Brad Treliving," Dreger said in a post on X.
The Maple Leafs also announced an 11am ET press conference for Wednesday morning.
John Tavares was named the 25th captain of the Maple Leafs on Oct. 2, 2019 ahead of his second season in Toronto.
The 26-year-old Matthews would become the first American captain of the Maple Leafs in franchise history and just the second non-Canadian captain after Swedish star Mats Sundin wore the ‘C’ from 1997 to 2008.
Selected first overall by the Maple Leafs in 2016, Matthews' NHL career began with fireworks when he scored four goals in his first career game against the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 12, 2016.
Matthews hasn’t slowed since as the talented centre has become a top five player over his first eight years in the NHL. In 562 career games, the native of San Ramon, California has scored 368 goals and 281 assists, scoring 40-plus goals in six of his eight seasons.
Matthews had a career season in 2023-24, netting 69 goals and 38 assists over 81 games, winning his third career Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy in the process. He also won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2016-17 as well as the Hart Memorial Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award in 2021-22.
In the playoffs, Matthews has 23 goals 25 assists over 55 career games as the Leafs have advanced to the second round just once in eight attempts under Matthews.
Matthews’ new four-year, $53 million contract, featuring an average annual value of $13.25 million, begins in the 2024-25 season.
The 33-year-old Tavares has served as Toronto’s captain for the past five seasons and is entering the final season of a seven-year, $77 million contract.
Tavares, who was also the captain of the New York Islanders for five seasons before joining the Leafs in 2018-19, has tallied 184 goals and 235 assists over 440 games in Toronto. He has recorded 12 goals and 12 assists over 38 playoff games in six seasons.