Sidney Crosby Offers Some Sage Advice to Auston Matthews in First Season as Leafs Captain

When Auston Matthews was named captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, many fans, reporters and pundits alike were concerned, not because the team decided to name him captain, but the timing of taking the captaincy from Tavares with one season left on his contract. Surprisingly, Tavares handled the situation with grace and humility, fully endorsing the move and supporting Matthews fully.

A couple of short weeks into the season and several months since the announcement was made, one of the greatest leaders in National Hockey League history offered some solid advice to the twenty-six-year-old superstar in his first season as an NHL captain.

Sidney Crosby, captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins, weighed in on the Leafs naming Auston Matthews captain recently. Crosby, who was named captain of the Penguins before the 2007-08 season, said during a media scrum just over a week ago when the Penguins rolled into Toronto that the best thing Matthews can do is just be true to who he is as a person and player.

While the sample size is relatively small for Matthews and his captaincy, his leadership hasn't gone unnoticed. Taking time to help his teammates in practice while also leading by example, not only on the ice, but off the ice as well, offering his laid-back answers and thoughtful response to questions from the media and much more have made Matthews seem like he was born for the role.

While Matthews' laid back style with media may seem a bit unconventional to those who have been around the game for a while, being unapologetically himself is one of the qualities that has really endeared him to the fan base and the Toronto market.

Leafs Nation is keenly aware that there has been and will always be a microscope hovering over the Toronto Maple Leafs for a myriad of reasons. With the idea that the team hasn't won a Stanley Cup since 1967, naming a new captain may help propel them in the right direction.

Sidney Crosby has captained his team to multiple Stanley Cups, so he knows all about the pressure one faces with the "C" on his sweater. Crosby was able to rise to the occasion. The hope is that Matthews will too.