Auston Matthews to be handed Maple Leafs’ captaincy Wednesday: reports

Star forward Auston Matthews will have a new role when he reports to Toronto Maple Leafs training camp in September.

He is expected to be named the 26th captain in franchise history at an 11 a.m. ET news conference Wednesday, according to multiple reports.

Fellow forward John Tavares was named captain on Oct. 2, 2019 before the Maple Leafs’ season opener, filling a role that had been vacant for over three-and-a-half years.

Tavares, 33, reportedly was included in discussions about a leadership shakeup with senior members of the team’s front office and supported the change. He and Matthews are expected to attend Wednesday’s announcement.

The 26-year-old Matthews would become the Leafs’ first American captain and second non-Canadian player in the role, joining Mats Sundin of Sweden.

The California-born Matthews, who was raised in Arizona, topped the NHL with 69 goals last season and finished the regular campaign with 107 points in 81 games.

Drafted first overall in 2016, Matthews was selected to his seventh all-star game earlier this year and named MVP after leading his team with two goals, including the winner – and an assist to in a  7-4 victory over Team McDavid in the final of the league’s 3-on-3 mini tournament on Feb. 3 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

In 562 regular-season contests, Matthews has 368 goals and 649 points across eight NHL seasons.

He won the Hart Trophy as league MVP for the 2021-22 campaign during which he posted 60 goals and 106 points.