The Toronto Maple Leafs are making a captaincy change. The Hockey News breaks down why Auston Matthews will become the 26th captain in franchise history. Auston Matthews is among the best centers in the NHL, according to NHL Network. The 26-year-old was ranked third on the list which featured the network's top-20 NHL centers. Ahead of Matthews in the rankings were the Colorado Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon, in second place, and the Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid in first. The list comes out just over a week after Matthews was named the 26th captain in Maple Leafs history, taking over for John Tavares, the team's leader since 2019. Tavares, one of Toronto's most productive centers since signing with the organization, was not on the NHL Network's list. Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl, Florida Panthers' Aleksander Barkov, Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby, and the Tampa Bay Lightning's Brayden Point, among others, were within the top 10. Matthews had a career-best season in 2023-24, scoring 69 goals in 81 games. He finished the year with 107 points, the most he's ever had in a year since entering the NHL in 2016. Matthews was also third in Selke Trophy voting this season, receiving 26.5 percent of this year's vote. Barkov won the award, receiving 165 first-place votes and the Carolina Hurricane's Jordan Staal was second with 27 percent of the votes. Matthews won the Rocket Richard Trophy for the third time in his career with his 69 goals this season, 12 more than Florida's Sam Reinhart, who finished the season in second place. Toronto's newest captain is entering the first season of a four-year, $53 million deal, carrying an annual average value of $13.25 million. Do you agree with the ranking? Let us know in the comments section below. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNTk1MTUxMDE2NDM2ODQ0/cf1808c0-6a82-4298-9049-3eb2eae105b0.jpg] Related Counting Down the Top 10 Maple Leafs Prospects in 2024: No. 2 - Fraser Minten [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/counting-down-the-top-10-maple-leafs-prospects-in-2024-no-2-fraser-minten] 'Now There Won't Be Any Deferential Treatment': What, If Anything, Will Change With Auston Matthews as Captain of the Maple Leafs? [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/now-there-wont-be-any-deferential-treatment-what-if-anything-will-change-with-auston-matthews-as-captain-of-the-maple-leafs] 'There's Nothing I Haven't Seen Or Experienced': Devils Head Coach Sheldon Keefe Reveals What He Learned About Himself During His Time Coaching the Maple Leafs [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/theres-nothing-i-havent-seen-or-experienced-devils-head-coach-sheldon-keefe-reveals-what-he-learned-about-himself-during-his-time-coaching-the-maple-leafs] News from THN.com NHL's Top Issues Facing the Carolina Hurricanes: New Defense Corps, Goalie Tandem and Jarvis [https://thehockeynews.com/news/nhls-top-issues-facing-the-carolina-hurricanes-new-defense-corps-goalie-tandem-and-jarvis] Five NHL Destinations for Predators' Yaroslav Askarov: Goalie Reportedly Requests Trade [https://thehockeynews.com/news/five-nhl-destinations-for-predators-yaroslav-askarov-goalie-reportedly-requests-trade] NHL's Top Issues Facing the Anaheim Ducks: Lottery Sweepstakes, Zegras, Gauthier [https://thehockeynews.com/news/nhls-top-issues-facing-the-anaheim-ducks-lottery-sweepstakes-zegras-gauthier]
