Auston Matthews' disorderly conduct charge derailed Maple Leafs captaincy chances in 2019: Report

Auston Matthews' path to becoming the Toronto Maple Leafs' captain was delayed by a legal issue in 2019. As the team prepares to announce him as their new captain, taking over from John Tavares, it's important to understand the impact of that incident.

In May 2019, Matthews was seen as a future captain for the Leafs. However, his chances were affected by a disorderly conduct charge in Scottsdale, Arizona. Although the charge was later dismissed, it led the Leafs to reconsider their plans. As a result, Tavares, who had just joined the team, was named the captain.

Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun noted:

“The Leafs had designs on making Matthews the captain in 2019, but a brush with the law in an off-season, off-ice incident in his hometown of Scottsdale, Ariz., resulted in Tavares getting the ‘C’ in his second year as a Leaf."

On May 26, in Scottsdale, Arizona, an incident occurred involving Auston Matthews. According to the police report, a female security guard at a condo complex filed a complaint after Matthews and a group of males tried to open her vehicle while she was inside, doing paperwork at 2 a.m.

When the security guard confronted Matthews, who she said appeared intoxicated, he allegedly said he thought it would be funny to see her reaction. As Matthews walked away, he reportedly showed inappropriate behavior. Surveillance footage later showed a male subject walking toward the complex elevators with his pants around his ankles.

When the news of the incident broke during the Toronto Maple Leafs training camp in September, Matthews expressed his regret. He publicly apologized and said that he learned from his mistakes.

"I just want to reiterate again just how sorry I am for my actions, my behaviour," Matthews said (via CBC) "I never meant to cause any distress to this woman. I can assure you I've learned from my mistakes and my actions."

Arizona law allows the accused and the injured party to settle misdemeanor cases directly. The City of Scottsdale later confirmed that the matter was settled between the parties, leading to the dismissal of the criminal charges. Matthews was not arrested for the incident.

Matthews' leadership role was postponed due to the incident, and jerseys with his name and the captain’s ‘C’ were prepared but never used. Over the next five years, he continued to develop as a top player and wore an ‘A’ on his jersey while Tavares was captain.

After the Leafs' playoff loss to the Boston Bruins in May 2024, discussions about changing the captaincy emerged. Tavares supported the idea of passing the ‘C’ to Matthews. The team believed Matthews was now ready for the role.

Auston Matthews, who signed a four-year, $53 million contract, is coming off a standout season with 69 goals. On Wednesday, he will become the first American-born captain in the Leafs' history, stepping into a role many expected him to fill years ago.

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Chris Johnston reports Tavares agreed to pass captaincy to Auston Matthews

TSN's Chris Johnston reported that discussions about the captaincy change started soon after the season had ended.

John Tavares, who has been the captain since October 2019, was approached about passing the role to Auston Matthews. Tavares agreed to support the team’s wish for a new leadership.

"And those conversations (from exit interview after Game 7 round 1 loss) continued to a point where John Tavares was comfortable handing it off to Auston Matthews." Johnston said.

"I think from the Leafs' organizational perspective, they've been thinking all along that this could be where they get eventually,"

Auston Matthews, who has been a vice-captain with Mitch Marner, is ready to take on the role. The official announcement is set to be made on Wednesday.

Tavares is in the final year of his contract and wants to stay with the Leafs, but contract talks are not yet advanced.