It can be difficult to tell the story of the captains’ change. The transition usually happens when a player contracts with a new team during free agency, retires, or is traded. Sometimes, though, it’s because of other circumstances, such as when the Minnesota Wild switched captain every month or when Rod Brind’Amour was all but forced to pass the reins to Eric Staal in 2010. On Monday, there were rumors that John Tavares might back Auston Matthews to take over as captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs. A official announcement of the decision was made at a news conference on Wednesday, where the captains passed the torch to one another. Regarding the rationale for the decision’s timing, conjecture has ran wild.
