The Toronto Maple Leafs named middle Auston Matthews the twenty sixth captain in franchise historical past Wednesday.
The three-time NHL targets chief succeeds John Tavares, who has worn the “C” on his sweater since October 2019.
“I am extremely humbled to be named captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs,” Matthews mentioned. “I am honored to observe in John’s footsteps and proceed our work in main this workforce together with so many different leaders inside our dressing room. This workforce, this metropolis, and our followers imply every little thing to me. All of us embrace the historical past of this franchise, and we’re decided to get the job achieved.”
Matthews, 26, gained his third Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy in 2023-24 with a career-high 69 targets. He gained the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP in 2021-22 and the Calder Memorial Trophy as high rookie in 2016-17.
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Since becoming a member of Toronto because the No. 1 general draft decide in 2016, he has registered 649 factors (368 targets, 281 assists) in simply 562 video games. Matthews additionally has 48 factors (23 targets, 25 assists) in 55 Stanley Cup playoff video games.
Tavares, who turns 34 subsequent month, stepped down because the captain however stays part of the roster heading into his sixteenth NHL marketing campaign.
“When [general manager] Brad Treliving and I met on the finish of this previous season and mentioned methods for our workforce to take the subsequent step, we each agreed that Auston is prepared and it is his time to steer,” Tavares mentioned. “It has been an unbelievable honor to function captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs these previous 5 seasons. Trying ahead, I’ll do every little thing to assist Auston as we proceed our pursuit of the Stanley Cup.”
Treliving mentioned that Matthews’ “distinctive qualities as a hockey participant and talent to encourage his teammates will drive our workforce’s success shifting ahead.”
The Maple Leafs misplaced within the first spherical of the playoffs final season in seven video games to the Boston Bruins. Toronto has not gained the Stanley Cup since 1967.
Matthews, a local Californian raised in Arizona, is the primary U.S.-born participant to captain the Maple Leafs and the second non-Canadian. Mats Sundin of Sweden was captain from 1997-2008.
