Former Islanders captain John Tavares will be without the “C” in Toronto amid a leadership shake-up after the team was eliminated from the playoffs in a brutal seven-game first-round loss to the Bruins.
Tavares, who left Long Island for his hometown team, the Maple Leafs, during the 2018 NHL offseason, will hand over the captaincy to star forward Auston Matthews. The Athletic reported.
Tavares has served as captain of the Leafs for five seasons since being named the club’s 25th captain during a ceremony in October 2019, just his second season with the team.
The decision to make the change came after “extensive internal discussions” and was made by senior members of the front office in order to hand the captaincy over to the franchise’s star player.
Tavares was reportedly involved in the discussions and supported the decision.
The Maple Leafs are expected to make the announcement at a news conference on Wednesday.
Despite high expectations for the offensively powerful team during his time as captain, the Maple Leafs only made it past the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs once, in 2023, when they beat the Lightning in six games.
Matthews has developed into one of the best young players in the NHL, and it makes sense for the 26-year-old to be promoted to captain, especially with Tavares entering the final year of his contract with the Leafs.
Matthews, the No. 1 overall pick in 2016, finished with 69 goals and 107 points, both career highs.
Tavares has been with the Maple Leafs since signing with the team as a free agent in the summer of 2018 after turning down the Islanders, who drafted him first overall in 2009 and named him team captain in 2013.
He spent his first nine NHL seasons with the Isles.
