John Tavares speaks out for the first time since captaincy strip
Photo credit: Chris Johnston on X
John Tavares spoke out for the first time since being stripped of the Toronto Maple Leafs' captaincy in a press conference on Wednesday morning.
After five years as the Maple Leafs' captain, John Tavares has officially passed the torch to Auston Matthews as they try to bring a Stanley Cup to Canada for the first time since the Montreal Canadiens did it in 1993.
The rumor of Tavares giving the captaincy to Matthews had been circulating for a few days, and fans couldn't wait to hear Tavares' opinion on the matter.
He opened up about the situation like any true leader would: he thanked the Maple Leafs organization, and explained how the decision process happened.
Here's what he said, as reported by Sportsnet:
"Before my second season in Toronto, I was given the incredible honour and responsibility of being the next captain and following in the footsteps of 24 Leafs greats. I've cherished every second of it, never taken it for granted, and have given the captaincy everything I have every single day. It has meant the world to my family and me."
"Over the last few months, through deep discussions and thoughts with Brad [Treliving], Brendan [Shanahan], and myself, we have come to the decision that now is the time to pass the captaincy to Auston."
"Over the last few months, through deep discussions and thoughts with Brad [Treliving], Brendan [Shanahan], and myself, we have come to the decision that now is the time to pass the captaincy to Auston."
To hear his speech in his own words, check out the following video:
Tavares will still bring his usual leadership and experience to the locker room. It was even confirmed by Brad Treliving that he would wear an A next season, as he remains an important leader on the team.
We'll have to wait and see what happens on the ice to confirm the smooth transition, but with the way things went down today, it's safe to say that the Toronto Maple Leafs could be on the verge of having a great 2024-25 campaign.
| POLL | ||
14 AOUT | 154 ANSWERS John Tavares speaks out for the first time since captaincy strip Do you think the Toronto Maple Leafs made the right decision to strip John Tavares of his captaincy and giving it to Auston Matthews? | ||
| Yes | 94 | 61 % |
| No | 60 | 39 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
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