Former New York Islanders captain John Tavares went home to Toronto in free agency during the summer of 2018 to ultimately wear the “C” on the chest of his hometown team, the Maple Leafs.
On Wednesday, that coveted letter was taken away.
The Maple Leafs are changing captains after multiple reports confirmed that superstar forward Auston Matthews will take over the role from Tavares, who held it from the 2019-20 season to last year.
Despite being on a far more talented team than what was provided to him during nine years with the Islanders from 2009-2018, Tavares led the Maple Leafs to the same amount of playoff series wins, one, than he achieved in New York.
The supposed embarrassment of riches that surrounded him in Toronto also has not yielded a more productive player, either.
In his nine years with the Islanders, the 33-year-old averaged 30.2 goals and 38.7 assists per season though he saw the playoffs just three times during that span. With the Maple Leafs, he is averaging 30.6 goals and 39.1 assists per season. His 65 points (29 goals, 36 assists) last season were the fewest he has recorded in a full 82-game season since his rookie year with the Islanders in 2009-10.
Matthews, meanwhile, has continued his ascent as one of the premier players in the NHL. He has led the league in goals scored three times in the last four years, including 69 last season — the most in a single season since Alexander Mogilny of the Buffalo Sabres potted 76 goals in 1992-93.
Tavares was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2009 NHL Draft by the Islanders and was on course to become one of the greatest players in franchise history. He ranks eighth in franchise history with 272 goals, sixth with 349 assists, and fifth with 621 points before choosing the Maple Leafs in free agency six years ago — sparking a maelstrom from an Islanders fan base that has only slightly waned in recent years.
