Matthew Schaefer isn’t rushing to wear the captain’s “C,” and that mindset is exactly the one Gavin McKenna should borrow as the Toronto hype machine starts building around him.
Schaefer, the New York Islanders defenceman who was a unanimous Calder Trophy pick after a 23-goal, 59-point season at just 18, already looks like a franchise cornerstone. He’s the kind of player teams dream about landing first overall. But even with those expectations stacked on him, he’s not treating captaincy like the next box to check.
At the 12th annual Smilezone Foundation Celebrity Golf Tournament in Brampton, Schaefer was asked about his goals this season and whether the captaincy was on his mind. His answer was all about patience and perspective:
I want to learn from those guys and become the best version of myself I can be. It doesn't really matter about [the captaincy] because we have so many leaders in the room. Once you start the season, everyone is going to step up and everyone has a voice.
That’s not the sound of a player dodging responsibility. It’s the sound of someone who gets that leadership starts long before the letter gets stitched onto a sweater. Schaefer knows the Islanders have plenty of voices in the room, and he’s more focused on soaking in what’s around him, working with coach Peter DeBoer, and continuing to grow into the role on his own timeline.
That same approach should serve McKenna well in Toronto.
The 2026 first overall pick already comes with a heavy load of expectations from the fanbase, and the Maple Leafs are looking at him as a potential foundation piece down the road. But there’s no need to fast-forward the story.
Auston Matthews is still the captain, and there’s been no indication he’s leaving. Even if that changes, Toronto would likely look elsewhere before handing McKenna the job.
Matthews arrived in 2016-17 and didn’t become captain until 2024-25, which is a useful reminder that there’s no reason to force the timeline with McKenna either. The Leafs will almost certainly have him wearing a “C” someday. For now, though, the smarter path is the one Schaefer is taking: keep learning, keep evolving, and let the responsibility come when he’s ready for it.
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