Maple Leafs strip John Tavares of the captaincy and make Auston Matthews captain

This evening major news has come out that the Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to name a new captain in the coming days. According to multiple sources, the Maple Leafs will hand the captaincy over to Auston Matthews.

The move comes as a surprise but the timing does make sense with the hiring of new head coach Craig Berube. Beyond that, John Tavares is nearing the end of his contract while Auston Matthews recently signed an extension to stay with the Maple Leafs.

Heading into the 2024-25 NHL season the Toronto Maple Leafs have a ton of pressure on them to succeed. Maybe a new main voice in the locker room like Auston Matthews could provide the jolt needed to get the team over the hurdles they have failed in the past.