Auston Matthews was drafted first overall by the Maple Leafs in 2016, and recently signed a four-year, $53 million extension, which made him the highest paid player in the league with an AAV of $13.25 million.
Auston Matthews hit several career highs last season, including games played with 81, goals with 69 and points with 107. He also won his third Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy last season for leading the league in goals. In his career, Matthews has won the Ted Lindsay Award, Hart Memorial Trophy as well as the Calder Memorial Trophy.
The Leafs are hoping that this change in captaincy will help the team go deeper in the playoffs, and both Auston Matthews and John Tavares seem to be fully embracing their new roles, which could spell great things for the team next season.