Final week, Auston Matthews formally grew to become the twenty sixth captain within the historical past of the Toronto Maple Leafs franchise, assuming the ‘C’ from John Tavares as a part of a long-planned transition. In changing into captain, Matthews now joins a celebrated group of a number of the group’s largest icons who bore the privilege and accountability of the captaincy.
If we had been to take a look at the most effective of that embellished group, we’d probably have to return a methods to these whose management introduced Stanley Cup triumphs. “Chief” George Armstrong’s 11 seasons as captain produced 4 Cups, whereas legendary Maple Leafs like Syl Apps and Ted “Teeder” Kennedy additionally oversaw championship victories whereas donning the ‘C’.
However even whereas the post-Enlargement period hasn’t yielded something in the best way of Cups (as Leafs followers are often reminded), the ‘C’ has adorned the jersey of many Toronto greats. In recognition of the torch being handed from Tavares to Matthews and, with it, the anointment of the franchise’s tenth captain since their final Cup, let’s rank the 9 males to have been named captain because the Maple Leafs had been final champions.
9. Rob Ramage
Amongst an esteemed group of Maple Leafs, a lot of whom with names and numbers hanging within the rafters of Scotiabank Area, it’s somewhat jarring to see Rob Ramage included within the listing of former captains. Though he was a 15-year NHL defenseman and a two-time Cup champion, most followers are almost definitely to recollect him because the impaired driver on the wheel within the collision that killed former Chicago Blackhawk Keith Magnuson.
Ramage was traded to the Maple Leafs from the Calgary Flames following their Cup-winning 1988-89 season and was instantly named captain after the group had gone two seasons with out one. The membership really noticed a 10-win enchancment throughout his first season in Toronto on the energy of Gary Leeman’s 51-goal marketing campaign, however shortly fell 4-1 to the St. Louis Blues within the division semifinals. By the next season, they’d regressed again to fifth within the Norris Division with simply 23 wins earlier than Ramage was left to be claimed by the Minnesota North Stars within the complicated 1991 enlargement draft.
8. Rick Vaive
These days, Rick Vaive is an esteemed Maple Leafs alumnus and ambassador of the group, fondly remembered because the membership’s first 50-goal scorer. Actually, he hit the lofty 50-goal mark three seasons in a row. The truth that none of these seasons (1981-82, 1982-83 and 1983-84) reaped profitable data can hardly be blamed on the Ottawa native.
Nonetheless, simply because Vaive knew find out how to rating targets didn’t make him a terrific chief. It wasn’t till his fourth season as captain that the Maple Leafs managed to win a playoff sequence. By that point, although, the ‘C’ had already been unceremoniously eliminated from his jersey after he slept in and missed a crew follow through the 1985-86 season after ingesting closely the evening earlier than.
7. Dion Phaneuf
A celebrated addition when acquired by then-general supervisor (GM) Brian Burke through the 2009-10 season, Dion Phaneuf finally grew to become a preferred scapegoat for Maple Leafs followers when the early-2010’s groups that he led didn’t dwell as much as expectations. Over his six seasons as captain after being appointed in the summertime following his commerce to Toronto, the membership managed only one playoff look that culminated within the notorious 4-1 blow lead in opposition to the Boston Bruins in Sport 7 of the first-round sequence.
Whereas Phaneuf has all the time been praised by his teammates, the large, bodily defenseman appeared much less comfy in entrance of the media. He usually got here off as surly and standoffish, which didn’t assist perceptions that Burke had handed him the captaincy to make his commerce acquisition look higher. The previous Calgary Flame’s tenure as captain noticed followers throw jerseys – and waffles – on the ice in protest of their efficiency. Partially in response to the followers’ present of disenchantment, Toronto sparked controversy by foregoing their conventional sticks-in-the-air salute at centre ice after dwelling video games.
6. Doug Gilmour
It’s been mentioned that Doug Gilmour was a Maple Leafs celebrity who simply couldn’t get his timing fairly proper. In spite of everything, his 127-point, Selke Award-winning 1992-93 marketing campaign might need been the greatest season in membership historical past, however he misplaced the Hart Memorial Trophy because of Mario Lemieux’s 160-point season. That yr, the crew additionally fell quick of their quest for the Cup in a seven-game sequence loss to Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings. He might need even been thought-about the best Leaf of all-time had he lasted greater than six seasons.
Relating to Gilmour’s captaincy, the identical holds true. When he was acquired from the Flames on January 2, 1992, Wendel Clark (extra on him later) was nonetheless in his first season as captain. It wasn’t till Clark was traded in the summertime of 1994 – after the enduring 127-point season – that Gilmour would don the ‘C’. By that time, extenuating circumstances just like the NHL lockout, the addition of Mats Sundin, and the twilight of Gilmour’s prime contributed to decreased manufacturing amidst some forgettable seasons for the franchise. He finally oversaw three seasons as captain and no playoff sequence wins.
5. Darryl Sittler
It may very well be argued that Darryl Sittler had the hardest job of any of the group’s captains. Whereas most captains merely have rival groups to cope with, Sittler needed to battle crew administration and proprietor Harold Ballard throughout his tenure. The Corridor of Famer famously clashed with Ballard over the firing of head coach Roger Neilson and ripped the ‘C’ off of his jersey when GM Punch Imlach spitefully traded away Lanny McDonald.
Whereas Sittler stays a revered determine in Leafs lore, each for his manufacturing in Toronto and his willingness to face up in opposition to the hated Ballard. In some methods, the actions he took in opposition to his personal bosses mirror distinctive character and ethical conviction, hallmarks of a terrific chief. Which will actually be true, nevertheless it’s arduous to place Sittler larger on this listing when his time as captain was so closely marred by a meddlesome proprietor and a poisonous surroundings.
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4. Dave Keon
Very similar to Sittler, Dave Keon is likely one of the franchise’s most widely-respected and beloved legends, so it might sound shocking to see him ranked within the center vary. Sadly, by the point Keon assumed the ‘C’ from a believed-to-be-retiring Armstrong (he would return to the Leafs shortly after saying his retirement), the membership was two years faraway from their 1967 Cup and in an abysmal state. Actually, over his six seasons as captain, Toronto received only one playoff spherical and missed the postseason twice.
Keon did all the pieces he may for the Maple Leafs as captain, placing collectively three seasons with 30-plus targets and two years topping the 70-point mark whereas taking part in each evening. But additionally in the identical vein as Sittler, his tenure as captain was marred by a contentious relationship with Ballard, who publicly blasted the Leafs legend’s management. As an alternative of letting him go elsewhere, nonetheless, Ballard set a compensation value for his providers so excessive that it successfully barred Keon from becoming a member of one other NHL membership and compelled him to the World Hockey Affiliation.
3. John Tavares
Relating to wanting again on Tavares’ captaincy, it’s all about perspective. On one hand, Toronto reached the postseason in every of his 5 years as crew chief. Once they lastly broke by way of with a playoff sequence victory in 2022-23, it was Tavares who performed additional time hero in Sport 6 to ship them by way of. All instructed, the 33-year-old has averaged roughly 30 targets and 70 factors since becoming a member of his hometown Maple Leafs as a free agent whereas demonstrating high-quality management by way of some tough seasons and a worldwide pandemic.
Tavares’ legacy with the membership is integrally related to the ‘Core 4’, for higher or worse. Whereas his offensive manufacturing since becoming a member of the Maple Leafs (184 targets, 419 factors in 440 video games) has been nothing wanting commendable, it may look somewhat underwhelming by way of the lens of his $11 million per season contract. That deal ends on the finish of this season, which has already been a supply of a lot hypothesis and dialogue and will have helped expedite the transition to Matthews as captain.
2. Wendel Clark
It would shock newer Maple Leafs followers to know that Clark, one of the revered figures within the historical past of the franchise, solely led the crew as captain for 3 seasons. It wasn’t lengthy after he assumed the ‘C’ from Ramage that he was dealt away in a blockbuster commerce for the No. 1 participant on this listing. Nonetheless, it’s a testomony to the one-time first general decide’s character and dedication to the group that he stays thought to be such a powerful chief – each for his captaincy between 1991 and 1994 and his seven complete seasons (over two separate stints in Toronto) spent as an alternate captain.
Clark’s transient tenure as captain started with a season out of the playoff image, however shortly improved to back-to-back convention ultimate seasons, arguably the post-1967 excessive level for the franchise. Over that point, the bruising ahead referred to as “Captain Crunch” made his mark as each a locker room chief and an on-ice star who ranked among the many membership’s high scorers and was regarded by opposing groups for his ferocious, punishing play type. This culminated in a 1993-94 season that noticed him rating a career-best 46 targets whereas additionally racking up 115 penalty minutes.
1. Mats Sundin
It’s not straightforward following within the footsteps of Clark after which Gilmour, however that’s precisely what Sundin did en path to serving as captain for a decade. Alongside the best way, the Swedish legend climbed the franchise report books to take possession of probably the most targets (420) and factors (987) in Maple Leafs historical past.
Whereas it wasn’t probably the most celebrated stretch that the group has had, Sundin did oversee a stretch that included six postseason appearances, eight playoff sequence wins (4 of which got here in opposition to the Ottawa Senators) and two Japanese Convention Ultimate appearances. Sundin was by no means seen as a very fiery, vocal chief or a bodily drive – he merely carried out at an elite stage over an prolonged time frame whereas main a sequence of proficient, profitable Leafs groups.
Matthews appears poised to be probably the most statistically proficient captain Toronto has ever seen, however success within the position requires extra than simply posting huge numbers. He might want to have a presence within the locker room simply as he does on the ice, all of the whereas anchoring the collective success of the crew. Can he climb the ranks of this listing as one of many biggest Maple Leafs captains? And, moreover, can he do what nobody on this listing did earlier than him and ship a Stanley Cup?
