Captaincy is never an easy role to take over for any team, let alone in one of the top teams in the NHL. Auston Matthews is slated to be the captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs heading into the 2024-25 season. Matthews will replace John Tavares, who held the role since 2019 and will now be serving as the alternative captain for the team this time.

Matthews is now the first United States-born player to be named captain in the history of the Maple Leafs. It cannot be denied that it was coming in anytime soon thanks to how Matthews has performed at a high level so far. There are a lot of fans who have clamored to have the star named as the captain after he rose to prominence. Now that it is finally done, it seems that Matthews is ready to take on the challenge.

At the age of 26, Matthews is known well for being one of the best centers in the game, and one can even say that the star has emerged as one of the most reliable leaders in the squad. His clutch performances have lifted him to a high level, and it is certainly not a surprise that he is named captain by the team.

A Huge Honor for a Prominent Star

Matthews has been making a big name in the game so far, and one can even say that the Maple Leafs’ new captain has been finding the best improvement in his game over the years. Winner of the Rocket Richard Trophy last season and All-Star captain in the previous season, it does seem fitting that Matthews will begin this campaign with a bigger responsibility for the Maple Leafs.

"I got chills, honestly," Matthews said about being named captain. "I'm so honored and humbled since being drafted here eight years ago. You realize how special it is to play for the city of Toronto, to wear the Maple Leaf on your chest every single night. It just means the world to do that. To have the support from Johnny, my teammates, our staff, ownership, my family, it just means the world to me. I look forward to continuing our journey to obviously get to the top of the mountain and win the Stanley Cup and bring it back to Toronto."

A Star in His Prime

Being a captain means leading the team in almost every facet of the game. Luckily, Matthews is slated to continue playing at a high level in the game so far. In the previous season alone, the center scored 107 points, including 69 goals – tallying the most in a season since 1995-96 when Mario Lemieux finished with 69 for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Since joining the NHL, Matthews has scored at least a total of 34 goals in each season, and his total leads all NHL players with 368 goals. He even has 40 more goals than Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals – who is chasing the goalscoring record of the league this season as well.

So far, Matthews ranks third in goals in Maple Leafs history behind former captains in franchise history. He is also sixth in all-time points scored in the history of the team, with most of the players in the top five being captains except for Borje Salming. Matthews definitely has a chance to continue building his game to the next level as the captain in the years to come.