Maple Leafs share a behind-the-scenes look at Auston Matthews' special day

It was a special moment for Auston Matthews on Wednesday morning when, for the first time in his career, he became an NHL captain. While it was a bittersweet moment for John Tavares, he did his best to make the day a memorable one for Auston.

Matthews was elated to take on the role, and even more honoured that it came with Tavares' full blessing, endorsement and support. He confirmed that when Tavares had called to share the news, he had chills.

The Maple Leafs' press conference on Wednesday must have been a whirlwind of emotion for Matthews, who is not only preparing for an important 2024-25 season, but now has the added pressure of wearing the C on his chest and leading his team, hopefully, on a lengthy playoff run this season.

On Thursday, the team shared a short video, giving fans a look at what the day was like behind the scenes. The clip was shared by the Maple Leafs on Twitter/X just before 11:00am ET.

Matthews was surrounded by friends, family, teammates and supporters from within the organization and there were no shortage of smiles to be found.

Now, the real work begins. With training camp just 5 weeks away, players will begin planning their returns to Toronto to gear up for the new season. Only this time, when the captain's skates begin, they'll have a new leader.

Source: Hockey-Reference
List of Maple Leafs captains, all-time