It was a sea of Auston Matthews jerseys during his press conference announcing him as the 26th captain in franchise history, one group stuck out: John Tavares’ family.

After a big overhaul this offseason which included bringing in a new head coach in Craig Berube, adding more of a defensive presence as well as a shift in team mentality as a whole, thing didn’t: Tavares’ support for Matthews.

John Tavares, in a true show of leadership passed the captaincy off to Matthews, instilling his faith and belief the first U.S. born captain in Maple Leafs history can lead the future of the club for years to come. He spoke about being named the 25th captain before his second season with the Leafs and what it meant for him:

“Before my second year in Toronto I was given the incredible honour and responsibility of being the next captain and follow the footsteps of 24 Leaf greats. I’ve cherished every second of it, and I never taken it for granted. I have given the captaincy everything I have every single day. It has meant the world to my family and I”

No argument here. Tavares brought a humble, quiet attitude to a city that screams chaos and he cemented himself not only as a leader in the locker room, but in the community as well.

Tavares also reiterated his belief in the team as a whole to win the Stanley Cup, and that the decision was purely based on it being Matthews’ time as opposed to Tavares running out of it.

“My feelings and beliefs on that haven’t changed but I do recognize the development of our young core and where they are today; specifically Auston.”

He continued:

“This decision is a recognition of the maturation of a person who has shown a skillset that is special, unique, and who has a relentless drive to win. In that, I believe Auston can become more and that he is ready for this honour and responsibility.”

Certainly some would believe it’s his time, as Matthews has been nothing short of spectacular in his time since being drafted #1 in 2016; and with his historic season to build off of, there’s no telling what the new captain is capable of.

Tavares also took time to thank several people including his former teammates, and the fans especially for having his back even if the successes of the team didn’t translate into playoff glory.

“I want to thank everyone who has been a part of my captaincy, and Leafs Nation’s trust and belief in me during my time as captain. I cannot wait to get started next month, and continue our work of bringing the Stanley Cup home back to Toronto.”

Humble words from Tavares, but really; did you expect anything less?

Full Press Conference: