The Auston Matthews captaincy announcement in Toronto was very sudden and unexpected, but what does it mean for the future of John Tavares?

According to NHL insider Darren Dreger, the Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to make Matthews the new team captain as early as this Wednesday.

After months of discussion from the fanbase about whether or not it’s time to give Matthews the “C” after John Tavares’ contract ends next season, Monday’s news that the Leafs are jumping the gun and transitioning to a new captain a year early was certainly not on most people’s bingo cards.

Tavares was always an excellent addition to this team and when he was brought in, the rest of the Core 4 were just getting their feet wet in the NHL. He was the perfect candidate to bear the burden of being the captain while Matthews, Marner and Nylander honed their skills and became the stars they are today.

It’s quite clear that this is Auston Matthews’ team. He’s the most important player, the best goal scorer and one of the best two-way centres in the world. He’s in his prime now and arguably already the best Leaf ever. Letting him lead this team and hopefully usher in a new era of Maple Leafs hockey is a good idea, but what does it ultimately mean for Tavares?

Is this a sign that John Tavares won’t be coming back after his contract expires? Not necessarily. This is just one player passing the torch to another. Per Dreger, Tavares is fully in support of Matthews wearing the “C” moving forward. Like the true leader that he is, Tavares realizes that Auston Matthews is both the present and the future of this franchise. Kudos to him for supporting the decision.

This transition is not a guaranteed sign that Tavares will leave next summer. To the contrary, it may actually mean that he is more likely to sign an extension with the Leafs at a much lower cap hit and accept a reduced role as he begins to slow down — especially if he wants to retire as a Leaf. Tavares is still a heck of a player, even though his best days are behind him and can be an asset to the Maple Leafs, even as a 3rd line center. This, of course, means that the team will have to find a new 2nd line center either at some point this year or next.

Will Tavares re-up with the Leafs? It’s too early to say for sure, but I like the odds of it happening. Why else would one of the league’s longest tenured and most experienced captains simply hand his letter away like this if there wasn’t something in it for him? Granted, it’s just a letter on a jersey. It may not change how the locker room operates and who the players themselves look up to and turn to with their questions, concerns and seek guidance from. Tavares, I’m sure, knows this.

Tavares endorsing Matthews for this role should tell us all we need to know about Matthews, his drive and his work ethic, because a consummate pro like Tavares would likely not have endorsed Matthews if there was any doubt in his mind. Time will tell how this all develops, but I’d venture to guess that we’ll see a Tavares extension at some point.