The Toronto Maple Leafs are set to announce a leadership change within the organization. Auston Matthews is expected to be named the new captain on Wednesday, taking over from John Tavares, as reported by TSN’s Darren Dreger.
The Maple Leafs have scheduled a press conference for 11 a.m. Wednesday to make the official announcement. Tavares, who has served as the team’s captain for the past five seasons, is said to fully support the decision.
Despite making the playoffs for eight consecutive years—tying for the longest active streak in the NHL—the Maple Leafs have only achieved one series win during that period. In 2024, the team was eliminated in the first round by the Boston Bruins after losing in Game 7.
Tavares was named captain in 2019 following a career-high 47-goal and 88-point debut season with the Maple Leafs. Last season, he recorded 29 goals and 36 assists in 80 games, marking his least productive year in Toronto on a per-game basis. He is also entering the final season of his seven-year, $77 million contract.
Matthews, who will turn 27 before the start of the 2024-25 season, is in the prime of his career. He scored 69 goals in 81 games last season, earning the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy for the third time in four years. Additionally, he finished fourth in Hart Trophy voting and third in Selke Trophy voting, underscoring his well-rounded game.
Drafted first overall by the Maple Leafs in 2016, Matthews won the Calder Trophy in 2017 and the Hart Trophy in 2022. He currently ranks third on the franchise’s all-time goals list with 368 and sixth in points with 649, despite playing in just 562 games. Matthews is entering the first season of a four-year, $53 million extension he signed in 2023.
For the past five seasons, Matthews has served as an alternate captain, rotating the “A” on his jersey with Mitch Marner. Defenseman Morgan Rielly, the team’s longest-tenured player, has worn the other “A” during Tavares’ captaincy. The composition of Toronto’s leadership group for the 2024-25 season, following Matthews’ appointment, remains uncertain.
While the core group of the team has stayed the same, significant changes have occurred in recent years. Craig Berube was appointed as head coach in May after the dismissal of Sheldon Keefe, and Brad Treliving is entering his second season as general manager.
