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Auston Matthews Named Maple Leafs Captain; 26th Player to Earn Honor in Team History

Auston Matthews has been named the 26th captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

He is the first American-born player to captain the 107-year-old franchise.

Toronto Maple Leafs @MapleLeafs

Introducing the 26th captain of your Toronto Maple Leafs, Auston Matthews <a href="https://t.co/ebD5kYK6vG">pic.twitter.com/ebD5kYK6vG</a>

Matthews will replace John Tavares, who took over the role in October 2019. The position had previously been vacant for more than three years.

In the eight seasons since the Leafs selected him with the No. 1 pick of the 2016 draft, Matthews has established himself as arguably the top even-strength goal scorer in the league.