'Our Leadership Group Is More Than That': Maple Leafs Likely Not Adding Alternate Captains After Mitch Marner's Departure
The Toronto Maple Leafs won’t be making any official player leadership changes after the departure of Mitch Marner.
The 28-year-old had split alternate captain duties with Morgan Rielly for the past season (Rielly had home games, Marner had away games) after Auston Matthews was given the ‘C’ and Tavares was downgraded last summer.
Marner also divvied up the home and away games with Matthews while he was an alternate captain. However, now, with Marner off to the Vegas Golden Knights, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube says he’s not adding another alternate captain into the mix.
“We thought about that and discussed it. I think we leave the A’s with Morgan (Rielly) and JT. But our leadership group is more than that, and that’s what matters for me,” Berube told The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel in a one-on-one interview.
“You don’t have to have an A on or anything like that to be a leader. We have our leadership group and that group’s strong, and I think all the guys understand that. I think we’ll just leave the A’s with Morgan and JT right now. Whether that changes or not, it could. But right now, it’s not.”
As it currently stands entering next season, Matthews will carry the captaincy, while Tavares and Rielly will each wear an ‘A’.
Tavares has worn a letter on his chest with Toronto ever since joining the organization in 2018. Rielly, who was drafted by the Maple Leafs fifth overall in the 2012 NHL Draft, has been an alternate captain with the club since 2016-17, his fourth season in the league.
Before being named the 26th captain in Maple Leafs history, Matthews was an alternate with the team since the 2019-20 season. The 27-year-old was also the captain of Team USA earlier this year at the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off and could lead his country again at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, next February.
The last time the Maple Leafs had just two alternate captains was during the 2014-15 season. Dion Phaneuf donned the ‘C’, whilst Joffrey Lupul and Stephane Robidas each had an ‘A’ on their chest.
Peyton Manning Pays Heartfelt Tribute to Late Jim Irsay on ManningCast: ‘The Owner Every Player Would Want’
During an emotional moment on ManningCast, Peyton Manning paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Jim Irsay, the legendary owner of the Indianapolis Colts. This tribute came after Irsay was posthumously inducted into the Colts Ring of Honor during the 2025 season opener.
“We lost Jim in May, and Eli, he was the kind of owner every player would want to play for,” Peyton shared with his brother Eli Manning. “His office was at the practice facility, he was out there at practice every day, in the locker room after every game—home or away, win or loss—the answer was always ‘Yes’ if it helped the Colts win.”
Peyton continued, “It was an honor to play for him, and a great ceremony yesterday in Indianapolis, putting Jim Irsay in the rightful place in the Colts’ Ring of Honor.”
The news of Irsay’s passing in May deeply affected Manning, who posted on social media expressing his sorrow. Manning described Irsay as an “incredibly generous and passionate” owner and promised his “legacy will not be forgotten.”
“I am heartbroken to hear about Jim Irsay’s passing,” Manning wrote. “He was an incredibly generous and passionate owner, and I will always be indebted to him for giving me my start in the NFL. His love for the Colts and the city of Indianapolis was unmatched. His impact on the players who played for him will not be forgotten. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and everyone in the Colts community. He will be missed. Jim, rest in peace my friend.”
Irsay passed away on May 21, 2025, at the age of 65, peacefully in his sleep at his Beverly Hills home. He was inducted into the Colts Ring of Honor during the 2025 season opener, facing the Miami Dolphins on September 7, a fitting tribute to his contributions to the franchise and the city of Indianapolis.
Manning’s tribute not only honors Irsay as an owner but also reflects the deep, personal bond between the two, emphasizing Irsay’s lasting legacy with the Colts and the players who had the privilege of playing under his leadership.
