Reporter claims Maple Leafs are using captaincy change to distract fans from the real problem

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Axel Williams
August 18, 2024 (11:01)

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Auston Matthew was recently named the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and there is no doubt that the fans are excited about this new appointment.

The decision was announced at a press conference on Wednesday, and it proved to be a huge moment for the franchise. John Tavares was in attendance, and he passed the figurative torch to Matthews in a moment that Matthews will remember forever.

While it was a good moment, some reporters are taking a more cynical approach with all of this. For instance, Dave Feshuk of The Star recently wrote about how this was all a means of distracting fans from the real problems with the roster. From salary cap bloat to the lack of championships, Feschuk doesn't see this as real change. He also mentions capitalism and how this could very well be a great way to sell more jerseys, even if the team has denied such an angle.

"The changing letters at least distract from the changing numbers. Matthews will command the NHL's highest salary-cap hit beginning this coming season. That along with a new contract for William Nylander explains why the Toronto Core Four that was earning roughly 48 per cent of the salary cap last season will be earning approximately 53 per cent of the cap this year - even as the NHL cap took a substantial jump from $83.5 million to $88 million. In other words, a team that's only proven itself as a bankable playoff loser is only getting pricier."

- Dave Feschuk The Star

This is definitely an interesting take, albeit one that fans may disagree with. After all, things were not working with John Tavares as captain, and Matthews was going to get the C eventually anyway. If the Leafs were winners, they could probably avoid these kinds of hot takes. For now, however, they will just need to go out there and prove themselves.

Do you believe that Auston Matthews was the right choice to lead this Maple Leafs team? Let us know in the poll down below and stay tuned to Hockey Unplugged for the latest news and updates from around the hockey world.

Source: St Catharines Standard
Changing letters distract Maple Leafs fans from some disturbing numbers