We now know when the Maple Leafs made the call to change captains

PUBLICATION

River Hawk
August 14, 2024 (9:31)

SHARE THIS STORY

According to NHL Insider Chris Johnston, the Toronto Maple Leafs debated John Tavares' captaincy to Auston Matthews longer than we thought.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have failed several times in the last decade to advance beyond the first round of playoffs, leading to many fans calling for a major change. After changing nearly the entire makeup of the team and staff, they have finally adjusted their core, reassigning the captaincy from John Tavares to Auston Matthews.

"Auston Matthews is about to become the new captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs. A lot of people knew this was heading in this direction, but there was always the question of how, because they have a captain, they're paying $11 million a year for this captain John Tavares."

Though we did know that Auston Matthews would take the reigns sooner or later, it has just been reported that the conversations have been going on much longer than first thought. According to NHL Insider from TSN Chris Johnston, Toronto Maple Leafs management had been in discussion with John Tavares since their Game 7 loss to the Boston Bruins in the first round of playoffs. Additionally, the 34-year-old forward allegedly shared that he was comfortable handing the captaincy down.

"It's a conversation that started, I think in a serious manner, as quickly as when the team's season ended in May with that loss to Boston in the first round.

It's my understanding that John Tavares, when he had his exit meeting a couple days after that Game 7 loss with team management, it was brought up that this was at least a possibility, and those conversations continued to a point where John Tavares was comfortable handing it off to Auston Matthews, and I think from the Leafs' organizational perspective, they've been thinking all along that this could be where they get eventually."

John Tavares has performed his captaincy duties in Toronto well for five years, but the numbers do not lie. He recorded 29 goals and 65 points in 80 games, while Auston Matthews scored 69 goals and 107 points in 81. Also, with the incoming captain seven years younger, the Maple Leafs can likely rely on a solid goal-scoring captain for many more years ahead.

Source: The Leafs Nation via Yard Barker
Maple Leafs reportedly spoke to John Tavares about captaincy during exit meeting