© Mark Blinch/NHLI

TORONTO — Auston Matthews was named the 26th captain in Toronto Maple Leafs history on Wednesday.

He is the first United States-born player to be captain in the franchise’s 107-year history and the second non-Canadian player hold the role; Mats Sundin of Sweden was captain from 1997-2008.

The 26-year-old center replaces John Tavares, who had been captain since Oct. 2, 2019, and will be an alternate.

“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.”

Tavares said he called Matthews in late July to let him know the news.

“I just wanted to let him know what I thought about him and that I thought the time was now for him to take charge and be the captain and be the leader of our club and how ready he was for it,” Tavares said. “He’s got my full support to continue what when I came here six years ago to do and wanting to bring the Stanley Cup back here to Toronto and finding a way to do that.”

Matthews was born in San Ramon, California, but grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona, after his family moved there when he was an infant.

Selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft by the Maple Leafs, Matthews had an NHL career-high 107 points last season, including 69 goals, which was the most in a season since 1995-96, when Mario Lemieux also scored 69 for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“After [Tavares] kind of let me know, I told him I was like shaking. I had chills,” Matthews said. “It’s such a big honor just to represent the Maple Leafs and put on that jersey every night. To be the captain is truly special. For him to call me and kind of let me know that he wanted to pass on the captaincy to me was very emotional. I felt a lot of things, but it’s truly an honor.”

Matthews has won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the NHL’s leading goal-scorer three times (2020-21, 2021-22, 2023-24). When he scored 60 goals in 2021-22, he became the first U.S.-born player to hit that mark. That same season, he won the Hart Trophy as the League’s most valuable player and the Ted Lindsay Award, given annually to the most outstanding player in the NHL as voted by members of the NHL Players’ Association. He won the Calder Trophy as the rookie of the year (2016-17).

Since joining the NHL in the 2016-17 season, Matthews has scored at least 34 goals in each season and leads all NHL players with 368 goals, 40 more than Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals (328), who is second. Matthews is also eighth in points over that span with 649.

Matthews ranks third in goals in Maple Leafs history behind former captains Sundin (420) and Darryl Sittler (389). Matthews is sixth all-time in points in Toronto history behind Sundin (987), Sittler (916), Dave Keon (858), Borje Salming (768) and George Armstrong (713). All but Salming are former Maple Leafs captains.

Matthews is entering the first season of a four-year, $53 million contract ($13.25 million average annual value) he signed with the Maple Leafs on Aug. 23, 2023.

“I can tell you right from the start, John was on board,” Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving said. “I can tell you he loves being the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and John’s a thinker and he was taking things in and we continued these conversations over a number of days of how we transition.

“John said to me, No. 1, he didn’t come to Toronto to be the captain of the Maple Leafs; he came to win a Stanley Cup in his hometown. That goal is still what drives him today. He mentioned that he knew eventually that this day was going to come. … I can’t thank John enough for his leadership and character that he has. Those things don’t stop today. We need it even more, and John will continue to provide those things.”

The Maple Leafs have made the Stanley Cup Playoffs in all eight of Matthews’ seasons, but have advanced past the opening round just once, which came in 2022-23. He has 48 points (23 goals, 25 assists) in 55 playoff games.

He is the fifth youngest captain in the NHL behind Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa Senators) and Quinn Hughes (Vancouver Canucks), who are 24, and Nick Suzuki (Montreal Canadiens) and Nico Hischier (New Jersey Devils), who are 25.

“I think what I see in Auston’s evolution is obviously you’re talking about one of the best players in the game of hockey and certainly the growth through that has been incredible,” Tavares said. “I’ve learned so much and it’s amazing how he pushes the team. … The commitment he’s shown to the team, to the game, the drive to win is remarkable. With him having this honor, this responsibility, I think it really gives him the chance to spread his wings and grow through all that in different areas that will only elevate him more and our team. It’s been amazing to learn from him, to play alongside him this far and to continue that forward.”

There are six teams in the NHL without a captain: the Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, Seattle Kraken, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Utah Hockey Club.