Timeline: Toronto Maple Leafs captains
Published
Auston Matthews is slated to become the 26th captain in Toronto Maple Leafs franchise history.
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported Monday that the Maple Leafs are expected to hand the "C" to Matthews on Wednesday, with a press conference set for 11am ET.
Matthews will take over the role from John Tavares, who was named the 25th captain of the Maple Leafs on Oct. 2, 2019 ahead of his second season in Toronto. Tavares remains under contract for next season and Dreger reports he fully supports the change.
The change marks the first time the captaincy has not sat vacant for at least a season between changes since 1997, when Mats Sundin replaced the Doug Gilmour, who was traded the previous season, as captain. The Maple Leafs went without a captain for two seasons after Sundin left the organization in 2008 and for four years after Dion Phaneuf was traded during the 2015-2016 season.
Selected first overall by the Maple Leafs in 2016, the 26-year-old Matthews is set to become the just the second-ever non-Canadian captain in franchise history, joining Sundin.
Toronto Maple Leafs captains
John Tavares: 2019-20 – Present
(No Captain): 2015-16 – 2018-19
Dion Phaneuf: 2010-11 – 2015-16
(No Captain): 2008-09 – 2009-10
Mats Sundin: 1997-98 – 2007-08
Doug Gilmour: 1994-95 – 1996-97
Wendel Clark: 1991-92 – 1993-94
Rob Ramage: 1989-90 – 1990-91
(No Captain): 1986-87 – 1988-89
Rick Vaive: 1981-82 – 1985-86
Darryl Sittler: 1975-76 – 1980-81
Dave Keon: 1969-70 – 1974-75
George Armstrong: 1957-58 – 1968-69
Jimmy Thomson and Ted Kennedy: 1956-57
Sid Smith: 1955-56
Ted Kennedy: 1948-49 – 1954-55
Syl Apps: 1945-46 – 1947-48
Bob Davidson: 1943-44 – 1944-45
Syl Apps: 1940-41 – 1942-43
Red Horner: 1938-39 – 1939-40
Charlie Conacher: 1937-38
Hap Day: 1927-28 – 1936-37
Bert Corbeau: 1926-27
Babe Dye: 1925-26
John Ross Roach: 1924-25
Jack Adams: 1923-24
Reg Noble and Jack Adams: 1922-23
Reg Noble: 1920-21 – 1921-22
Frank Heffernan: 1919-20
Ken Randall: 1917-18 – 1918-19