The idea to name Auston Matthews captain of the Maple Leafs didn't originate from Treliving, Berube or Tavares
Photo credit: Nelson Campana/Toronto Maple Leafs
The idea to replace John Tavares with Auston Matthews as captain was initiated by a high-ranking Maple Leafs executive who is believed to be fighting to save his job.
Knowing they were going to be unable to make a significant change by trading one of the "Core 4" members, the next best thing Leafs management felt they could do was to change the leadership structure. Shifting the captaincy from Tavares to Matthews signifies the changing of the guard, so to speak, as Tavares enters the final season of is 7-year mega-deal he signed in 2018.
Matthews will be entering year one of his four-year extension, which he signed last summer. During the introduction of Matthews as captain on Wednesday, Brendan Shanahan revealed that it was him that kicked the idea into gear.
"I actually went over to John's house and sat with him in his backyard and Aryne was there and really talked to him about this and to gauge his comfortability when this was first being talked about," Shanahan said.
Shanahan told reporters that Tavares knew the day would come and accepted it with grace while showing his his full support for Auston Matthews who was ultimately named the 26th captain in franchise history on Wednesday.
While the move will allow Tavares to focus less on leading and more on playing, the Leafs confirmed that he will still wear an "A" this season.
Previously on MapleLeafsDaily
| POLL | ||
AOUT 17 | 1845 ANSWERS The idea to name Auston Matthews captain of the Maple Leafs didn't originate from Treliving, Berube or Tavares Will the Leafs have a culture change with a more vocal Matthews as captain? | ||
| Yes, things are different now | 1003 | 54.4 % |
| No, still the same old Leafs | 842 | 45.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
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