The Toronto Maple Leafs do not need a captain to be successful. A solid campaign last season is evidence to support this fact. The Leafs were, without a doubt, led by multiple rookies on their road to the 2016-2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
When preparing to situate themselves as contenders, it would be easy to set a list of priorities that Shanahan and his crew need to focus on. However, you would fail to find ‘name a new captain’ anywhere near the top of the Toronto Maple Leafs checklist for next season.
Leafs Unlikely to name a Captain in the Near Future
General Manager Lou Lamoriello provided Leafs nation with a rare piece of insight today. In an interview with TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, Lamoriello said naming a captain “isn’t something at the forefront”. The Leafs GM went as far as saying that he “would not be surprised if we did not have a captain next year”.
While you may think his response is somewhat vague, speculation surrounding the Leafs future captaincy has been churning lately. Toronto’s head office is arguably one of the most secretive in the league, and are very picky as to what information they disclose to the press.
With a busy offseason ahead, naming a captain should not be a main priority heading into next season. Toronto saw Auston Matthews and company come together and grow as a new-found playoff team. The roster as a whole showcased a level of skill that Leafs fans hadn’t seen in a long time.
Captaincy wouldn’t Boost Leafs Success
Despite Lamoriello’s interview, there are a few players that could be captaincy candidates in the future. Auston Matthews has proven his role as a leader at the heart of Toronto’s core roster. Matthews is likely to find himself with the ‘C’ on his chest, it’s just a matter of when.
With Matthews likely being groomed as the Maple Leafs next captain, it’s no surprise that Lamoriello is content. Many would believe that naming a rookie captain is premature, and the Leafs should instead focus on development across the board.
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Toronto is heading for Stanley Cup contention with or without a captain in the future, although the title is bound to be handed out one day. The Maple Leafs continue to prime their young guns for seasons to come, and their priorities will remain focused on immediate issues. When solved, Toronto will have strengthened their chances at contention next season. There isn’t anything wrong with sticking to four alternate captains for the time being.