Maple Leafs' Captain Change Draws Blunt Reaction From Ex-NHL Player

Following another disappointing season in which they couldn't get past the first round for the seventh time in the last eight playoffs, the Toronto Maple Leafs have made a major change ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

The Maple Leafs announced on August 14 that there is a new captain in town, first-line superstar center Auston Matthews. The forward will replace veteran John Tavares, who was stripped of the "C" that now belongs to 69-goal scorer Matthews.

While the change is tectonic in a hockey town such as Toronto, flipping the "C" from one player to another doesn't boast much importance in the eyes of some folks in the know, including former NHL player Matthew Barnaby.

"I was with Dallas when they took C from Modano and gave to Morrow. Does absolutely nothing. I also think the C is very overated. It is Matthew's team with or without C. #Leafs," Barnaby responded on X on August 13 .

Barnaby played NHL-level hockey from 1992 through 2007 including stints with seven different teams. He spent seven seasons in Buffalo playing for the Sabres and leading the NHL in penalties in minutes (335) back in 1996 when he was just 22 years old.

The former NHL winger referenced a change of captains that took place ahead of the 2006-07 season, his last in the league, when the Stars gave the "C" to Brenden Morrow stripping uber-veteran Mike Modano (already 36 years old) off it.

The news was first reported by TSN insider Darren Dreger on August 12 , with an official announcement expected to hit the public sphere on August 14 as Matthews gets introduced as the 26th captain in Maple Leafs history.

Matthews is coming off his best NHL season in 2024, scoring 107 points and 69 goals in 81 regular-season games. Tavares, on the other hand, could only contribute 65 points and 29 goals in 80 regular-season outings.

Related: NHL Star Connor McDavid & Designer Lauren Kyle Show Off Wedding Photos