John Tavares has been named the 25th captain in Maple Leafs’ history, joining a list that includes franchise icons like Syl Apps, Dave Keon, George Armstrong, Teeder Kennedy and Mats Sundin. He's the first player to hold the post since 2016, when then-captain Dion Phaneuf was traded to the Ottawa Senators.
Now in his second season with the Leafs, Tavares was an alternate captain for the club last year, and previously served as captain of the New York Islanders from 2013-18.
Ahead of the Leafs' reveal, TSN’s Kristen Shilton talked to five players who wore the ‘C’ during their career in Toronto to find out what it means to take on the role for an Original Six franchise.
Tavares spoke about being named captain after Wednesday night’s game against the Ottawa Senators.
Photo courtesy: Getty Images
John Tavares
Maple Leafs captain from 2019-20 to ???
Toronto career stats:
Two seasons, GP - 83, G - 47, A - 42, Pts - 89
On the reception from the fans on opening night:
“It was amazing. I think from when I found out and how I found out, to the anticipation of just that ovation and the support from the fan base and to start [the regular season off] like we did was special. I’ll never forget it.”
On how the captaincy will change him:
“Not a whole lot [will change]. We lost a couple veteran guys that had a big influence in our locker room, and we’ve gotten some huge steps from our younger guys that are really moulding into great leaders themselves. I have to rely on those guys. Having a strong leadership group and a strong team is really what makes a really good captain. I’m just going to go out there and be myself and not really change a whole lot and deal with things as they come.”
On being embraced by former captains like Darryl Sittler and Wendel Clark:
“Those guys set the precedent. They are the foundation of the organization that set the standard here and why it’s so special to be a Maple Leaf and then to be a captain. They did such a tremendous job as leaders and as hockey players and the type of people that they are. I was fortunate to have them come by and say hello and congratulations after the game and that meant the world. They’re great guys to look up to.”
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Mats Sundin
Maple Leafs captain from 1997-98 to 2007-08
Toronto career stats:
13 seasons, GP - 981, G - 420, A - 567, Pts - 987
On how he found out he was named captain:
“I think it was both management [that told me] and Pat Burns was there, Cliff Fletcher was there. It was a big honour. I remember getting the question before coming into one of the training camps and I said I wanted to give it a thought. I talked to Borje Salming and as soon as I told him, ‘Hey Borje, I think maybe they want to ask me to be captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs,’ Borje said right away you have to do it. It’s a huge honour and the best city in the world to play hockey in. And he said he got the question at one point in his career and he didn’t want to wear the 'C' for the Toronto Maple Leafs and he said he regretted that for the rest of his career. It was an easy decision after talking to Borje Salming. I remember coming over for camp and meeting management and coaches and it was a big honour and something that made me a better player throughout my career with the Maple Leafs.”
On embracing the added responsibility:
“It’s nice [talking to the media] when you won 13 in a row. There’s no problem going out there and talking about how [good] things are. But it will become part of the business you have to deal with. If you look at yourself as a leader in the organization, you don’t mind it. You’re never as good as people tell you when you’re winning 13 in a row and, at the same time, when you’re on a losing streak, you’re not as bad as the questions come out.”
On the next captain handling himself in Toronto:
“I think there are many different ways of leading. The biggest thing is stay within your personality. Mats Sundin as a captain is not the same as Nik Lidstrom or Scott Niedermayer or Joe Sakic. We all have different personalities. There are going to be leaders who are a lot more outspoken than me and they’re going to be fine. When you’re talking about yourself or the team, you want to talk about the group and stay positive and make sure everyone in the group you’re talking about respects each other. You need to have a group where you have the respect for everyone as a leader in the room and each and every player needs to have that respect [for the captain].”
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Doug Gilmour
Maple Leafs captain from 1994-95 to 1996-97
Toronto career stats:
Seven seasons, GP - 393, G - 131, A - 321, Pts - 452
On his advice for the next captain:
“Just do what you do. Try to be the hardest-working guy on the ice each and every night and at practice. There are other leaders on that team, in that dressing room, so you don’t have to do anything special. There’s a reason that someone’s going to be named captain, there’s a belief in who you are and in how you play, so don’t change.”
On how the captaincy changed his career:
“I don’t think it changed at all. I played with seven teams, and I was fortunate to have an ‘A’ or a ‘C’ on most of them. It’s one of those things you’re proud of in the dressing room. That’s your team, your peers, that you work hard each and every day for. For me, to have the opportunity to put that on, after my brother Dave had played with Darryl Sittler with the London Knights, was nice. I knew Darryl and had that connection.”
Photo courtesy: HHOF Images/Doug MacLellan
Wendel Clark
Maple Leafs captain from 1991-92 to 1993-94
Toronto Career stats:
13 seasons, GP - 608, G - 260, A - 181, Pts - 441
On how the captaincy changed his career:
“As a person, it doesn’t change you at all. You get the captaincy because of who you are; you don’t get it and then have to change. My big belief is you don’t change because that’s why you were chosen. It has to be a natural thing, not suddenly, ‘I have to be this person because they gave me a letter.’ That shouldn’t be the case. You should be doing the same thing whether you have a letter on your sweater or not.”
On what the captaincy means to Leafs fans:
“The ‘C’ has been on hockey jerseys forever and it’s a part of the culture that fans like. They want to see it there because that’s the history. In the big picture, the leadership of the dressing room or team, the players know it without putting letters on it. The letters don’t tell you who the leadership of the team is in the dressing room. It may tell you officially on the outside, but inside the leadership comes from the players – whether they have letters or not.”
Photo courtesy: HHOF Images/Paul Bereswill
Rick Vaive
Maple Leafs captain from 1981-82 to 1985-86
Toronto career stats:
Eight seasons, GP - 534, G - 299, A - 238, Pts - 537
On how he found out he was named captain:
“It was a little different back then, with [Harold] Ballard. He never asked me if I would like to be the captain. He just said, ‘You’re the captain.’ So as proud as I was to get it – and it was a great honour – I was 22 years old and we had an older team and I didn’t really think I was the guy at that time who was the right choice. In saying that, it was great to be told you’re going to be the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Because who thinks of that when you’re growing up? I’m pretty sure he would have traded me if I’d said no and I didn’t want to get traded, so I said yes."
On what advice he would you give the next captain:
“I would say just be yourself. You don’t have to change anything, you don’t have to change who you are. You just have to be yourself. You have to be diligent every day in your work ethic and you’re going to have to talk to the press a whole lot more, which is fine. The biggest thing is don’t try to change yourself. Just do what you do and realize that you have that on your sweater and your shoulder and it means a lot. You’re a captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs and you can’t hide from that, but don’t change who you are.”
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Darryl Sittler
Maple Leafs captain from 1975-76 to 1980-81
Toronto career stats:
12 seasons, GP - 844, G - 389, A - 527, Pts - 916
On what the captaincy means to Leafs fans:
“We’ve gone a number of years without one, and I think you can be very successful without a captain too if you have a strong leadership group spread among a number of guys in the dressing room. But the captaincy is a symbol; I think fans like that. They buy the jersey and they wear it with pride. When one has an ‘A’ or a ‘C’ on it, that’s something special.”
On how the captaincy changed his career:
“I realized the great honour it is to be a captain, looking at the tradition and the history of the Leafs before me. But I also knew that it came with a huge responsibility. When you’re the captain of an organization, the focal point goes on you, not only as a player on the ice and how you conduct yourself, but what you do off the ice. …When media are looking to do an interview, and it’s something to do concerning the overall team, that interview generally goes to the captain. You have to be prepared to accept that in good and bad or controversial times.”
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