"Expensive" "Good….ish?": NHL fans left debating over John Tavares' legacy as Toronto Maple Leafs captain

Auston Matthews is set to replace John Tavares as the Toronto Maple Leafs captain. The news was confirmed by NHL insider Chris Johnston on X. He tweeted:

"The #leafs have called an 11 a.m. press conference on Wednesday where they will officially unveil Auston Matthews as the 26th captain in franchise history."

This news is circulating wild in the NHL community, raising anticipation among Leafs diehards. But this also comes as a shock for many Tavares fans. Before the start of the 2019 NHL season, Tavares was named the Maple Leafs' franchise 25th captain. Since then, he has led the team.

B/R Open Ice took to Twitter to discuss John Tavares' time as Leafs captain:

"Summarize John Tavares' legacy as captain of the Leafs in one word"

Soon, NHL fans started reacting to the post on X, summarizing Tavares' captaincy.

"Good….ish?" one fan succinctly said.

"Expensive" one fan commented about Tavares' 7-year, $11M AAV contract.

"“Bust” 1 second round playoff appearance and it only lasted 5 games" one fan said.

Here are some more reactions from fans:

"A Great lesson. Jt loves his lessons probably why everyone stopped listening to him" a fan said.

"He over delivered on the years it mattered most and the team and managed under delivered all around him" another fan said.

"Disappointing but with a sizable what if. The year they won the CDN division that hit was no joke he sustained, golden chance for the Leafs to move on. I don’t think they were the same after that in the series. If he plays & they win a round or two are the optics as critical?" one fan speculated.

NHL Insider talks about John Tavares stepping down as Leafs captain

John Tavares faced criticism for not being more outspoken. Despite a decline in his performance last season, he was key in mentoring younger players and making the Leafs appealing to local talent.

"If the Leafs truly believe in themselves and that this group is going win a Stanley Cup together, John Tavares just gave away his right to lifting the Cup first," Jon Steitzer of The Leafs Nation said.

This change might benefit Tavares, potentially boosting his performance in a new role. The decision is seen as selfless, aiming to support Matthews.