| Toronto Maple Leafs | |
|---|---|
 2025–26 Toronto Maple Leafs season | |
 | |
| Conference | Eastern |
| Division | Atlantic |
| Founded | 1917 |
| History | Toronto Arenas 1917–1919 Toronto St. Patricks 1919–1927 Toronto Maple Leafs 1927–present |
| Home arena | Scotiabank Arena |
| City | Toronto, Ontario |
 | |
| Team colours | Blue, white[1][2] |
| Media | Sportsnet Ontario TSN4 Sportsnet 590 The Fan TSN Radio 1050 |
| Owner(s) | Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (Keith Pelley, president & CEO) |
| General manager | Brad Treliving |
| Head coach | Craig Berube |
| Captain | Auston Matthews |
| Minor league affiliates | Toronto Marlies (AHL) Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL) |
| Stanley Cups | 13 (1917–18,1921–22,1931–32,1941–42,1944–45,1946–47,1947–48,1948–49,1950–51,1961–62,1962–63,1963–64,1966–67) |
| Conference championships | 0 |
| Presidents' Trophies | 0[note 1] |
| Division championships | 7 (1932–33,1933–34,1934–35,1937–38,1999–2000,2020–21,2024–25) |
| Official website | nhl |
TheToronto Maple Leafs, officially theToronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and colloquially known as theLeafs, are a professionalice hockey team based inToronto. The Maple Leafs compete in theNational Hockey League (NHL) as a member of theAtlantic Division in theEastern Conference. The club is owned byMaple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, a company that owns several professional sports teams in the city, while the team's broadcasting rights are split betweenBCE Inc. andRogers Communications.
The club was founded as theToronto Arenas for the inaugural1917–18 NHL season and rebranded to theToronto St. Patricks two years later.Conn Smythe renamed the franchise to the Maple Leafs after buying it in 1927. The team played home games at theMutual Street Arena for its first 14 seasons before moving toMaple Leaf Gardens in 1931. Since February 1999, the Maple Leafs play atScotiabank Arena, which was formerly known asAir Canada Centre.
Toronto has won moreStanley Cup championships and played more NHL seasons than any team other than theMontreal Canadiens. The club had two recognizeddynasties which spanned the1946–47 to1950–51 seasons and the1961–62 to1966–67 seasons, during which the Leafs won a combined eight of eleven Stanley Cup championships.[3][4] These successes were followed by an extended championship drought, which at 57 seasons[note 2] isthe longest in league history. The Maple Leafs haverivalries with theBoston Bruins,Buffalo Sabres,Detroit Red Wings, the Montreal Canadiens, and theOttawa Senators. The team'sAmerican Hockey League (AHL) affiliate is theToronto Marlies.
Several individuals who hold an association with the club have been inducted into theHockey Hall of Fame. Nineteen players have had theirnumbers retired by the Maple Leafs, including the first in professional sports.
| Evolution of the Toronto Maple Leafs |
|---|
| Teams |
| Toronto Pro HC (ind.,OPHL) 1906–1909 |
| Toronto Blueshirts (NHA) 1912–1917 |
| Toronto Arenas (NHL) 1917–1919 |
| Toronto St. Patricks (NHL) 1919–1927 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) 1927–present |
| Ice hockey portal |
The National Hockey League (NHL) was formed in 1917 inMontreal by teams formerly belonging to theNational Hockey Association (NHA) that had a dispute withEddie Livingstone, owner of theToronto Blueshirts. The owners of the other four clubs—theMontreal Canadiens,Montreal Wanderers,Quebec Bulldogs and theOttawa Senators—wanted to replace Livingstone, but discovered that the NHA constitution did not allow them to simply vote him out of the league.[5] Instead, they opted to create a new league, the NHL, and did not invite Livingstone to join them. They also remained voting members of the NHA, and thus had enough votes to suspend the other league's operations, effectively leaving Livingstone's league with one team.[6]
The NHL had decided that it would operate a four-team circuit, made up of the Canadiens,Montreal Maroons, Ottawa, and one more club in either Quebec City or Toronto. Toronto's inclusion in the NHL's inaugural season was formally announced on November 26, 1917, with concerns over the Bulldogs' financial stability surfacing.[7] The League granted temporary franchise rights to the Arena Company, owners of theArena Gardens.[8] The NHL granted the Arena responsibility of the Toronto franchise for only the inaugural season, with specific instructions to resolve the dispute with Livingstone or transfer ownership of the Toronto franchise back to the League at the end of the season.[9]
The franchise did not have an official name but was informally called "the Blueshirts" or "the Torontos" by the fans and press.[10] Although the inaugural roster was made up of players leased from the NHA's Toronto Blueshirts, includingHarry Cameron andReg Noble, the Maple Leafs do not claim the Blueshirts' history as their own.[11] During the inaugural season, the club performed the first trade in NHL history, sendingSammy Hebert to the Senators, in return for cash.[12] Under managerCharlie Querrie, and head coachDick Carroll, the team won theStanley Cup in the inaugural1917–18 season.[13]
For thenext season, rather than return the Blueshirts' players to Livingstone as originally promised, on October 19, 1918, the Arena Company formed the Toronto Arena Hockey Club, which was readily granted full membership in the NHL.[14] The Arena Company also decided that year that only NHL teams were allowed to play at the Arena Gardens—a move that effectively killed the NHA.[15] Livingstone sued to get his players back. Mounting legal bills from the dispute forced the Arenas to sell some of their stars, resulting in a horrendous five-win season in 1918–19. With the company facing increasing financial difficulties, and the Arenas officially eliminated from the playoffs, the NHL agreed to let the team forfeit their last two games.[12][16] Operations halted on February 20, 1919, with the NHL ending its season and starting the playoffs. The Arenas' .278 winning percentage that season remains the worst in franchise history. However, the1919 Stanley Cup Final ended without a winner due to the worldwideflu epidemic.[12]
The legal dispute forced the Arena Company into bankruptcy, and it was forced to sell the team. On December 9, 1919, Querrie brokered the team's purchase by the owners of the St. Patricks Hockey Club (Percy and Fred Hambly),[17] allowing him to maintain an ownership stake in the team.[18] The new owners renamed the team the Toronto St. Patricks (or St. Pats for short), which they used until 1927.[19] Changing the colours of the team from blue to green, the club won their second Stanley Cup championship in1922.[16]Babe Dye scored four times in the 5–1 Stanley Cup-clinching victory against theVancouver Millionaires.[20]
In 1924, the team's ownership changed again, as movie theatre impresario Nathan Nathanson and mining magnateJack Bickell purchased the shares of the Hamblys.[17] Bickell investedCA$25,000 in the St. Pats as a favour to his friend Querrie, who needed to financially reorganize his hockey team.[21]
After several financially difficult seasons, the St. Patricks' ownership group (Querrie and Nathan Nathanson)[22] seriously considered selling the team toC. C. Pyle forCA$200,000 (equivalent to $3,452,747 in 2023). Pyle sought to move the team to Philadelphia.[16][23] However,Toronto Varsity Blues coachConn Smythe put together a group of his own and made aCA$160,000 (equivalent to $2,762,198 in 2023)) offer. With the support of minority shareholder Bickell, Smythe persuaded Querrie and Nathanson to accept their bid, arguing that civic pride was more important than money.[23] Bickell would become team president.[24]
Smythe took control on February 14, 1927; installing himself as governor and general manager. He immediately renamed the team the Maple Leafs, after thenational symbol of Canada,[25] but the team was forced to play out the remainder of the1926–27 season as St. Patricks. He attributed his choice of a maple leaf for the logo to his experiences as a Canadian Army officer and prisoner of war duringWorld War I. Viewing the maple leaf as a "badge of courage", and a reminder of home, Smythe decided to give the same name to his hockey team, in honour of the many Canadian soldiers who wore it.[16][26][27] However, the team was not the first to use the name. AToronto minor-league baseball team had used the name "Toronto Maple Leafs" since 1895.[28] Although Smythe would not acquire controlling interest in the team until 1947, he would be the franchise's dominant voice for the next four decades.[29][30][31]
Initial reports were that the team's colours were to be red and white,[32] but the Leafs wore white sweaters with a green maple leaf for their first game on February 17, 1927.[33] On September 27, 1927, it was announced that the Leafs had changed their colour scheme to blue and white.[34] Although Smythe later stated he chose blue because it represents the Canadian skies and white to represent snow, these colours were also used on the trucks for his gravel and sand business.[34] The colour blue was also a colour historically associated with the City of Toronto. The use of blue by top-level Toronto-based sports clubs began with theArgonaut Rowing Club in the 19th century, later adopted by their football team, theToronto Argonauts, in 1873.[35]
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By 1930, Smythe saw the need to construct a new arena, viewing the Arena Gardens as a facility lacking modern amenities and seating.[36] Finding an adequate number of financiers, he purchased land from theEaton family, and construction of the arena was completed in five months.[37][38]
The Maple Leafs debuted at their new arena,Maple Leaf Gardens, with a 2–1 loss to theChicago Black Hawks on November 12, 1931.[38] The opening ceremonies for Maple Leaf Gardens included a performance from the48th Highlanders of Canada Pipe and Drums.[39] The military band has continued to perform in every subsequent season home opening game, as well as other ceremonies conducted by the hockey club.[40][41] The debut also featuredFoster Hewitt in his newly constructedpress box above the ice surface, where he began his famousHockey Night in Canada radio broadcasts that eventually came to be a Saturday-night tradition.[38] The press box was often called "the gondola", a name that emerged during the Gardens' inaugural season when aGeneral Motors advertising executive remarked how it resembled the gondola of anairship.[42]
By the1931–32 NHL season, the Maple Leafs were led by the "Kid Line" consisting ofBusher Jackson,Joe Primeau andCharlie Conacher and coached byDick Irvin. The team captured their third Stanley Cup that season, vanquishing the Chicago Black Hawks in the first round, theMontreal Maroons in the semifinals, and theNew York Rangers in the1932 Stanley Cup Final.[43] Smythe took particular pleasure in defeating the Rangers that year. He had been tapped as the Rangers' firstgeneral manager and coach for their inaugural season (1926–27), but had been fired in a dispute withMadison Square Garden management before the season had begun.[44]
Maple Leafs star forwardAce Bailey was nearly killed during the1933–34 season whenEddie Shore of theBoston Bruins checked him from behind at full speed into the boards.[45] Maple Leafs' defencemanRed Horner knocked Shore out with a punch, but Bailey, writhing on the ice, had his career ended.[38] The Leafs held theAce Bailey Benefit Game, the NHL's firstAll-Star Game, to collect medical funds to help Bailey. His jersey was retired later the same night.[46] The Leafs reached the Stanley Cup Final five times in the next seven years but bowed out to the now-disbanded Maroons in 1935, theDetroit Red Wings in 1936, Chicago in 1938, Boston in 1939 and the Rangers in 1940.[38] After the end of the1939–40 season, Smythe allowed Irvin to leave the team as head coach, replacing him with former Maple Leafs'captainHap Day.[38]
In the1942 Stanley Cup Final, the Maple Leafs were down three games to none in the best-of-seven series against Detroit. Fourth-line forwardDon Metz then galvanized the team, to score ahat-trick in game four and the game-winner in game five.[47] GoalieTurk Broda shut out the Wings in game six, andSweeney Schriner scored two goals in the third period to win theseventh game 3–1, completing thereverse-sweep.[48] The Leafs remainthe only team to have successfully performed a reverse-sweep in the Stanley Cup Final.[49] CaptainSyl Apps won theLady Byng Memorial Trophy that season, not taking one penalty, and finished his 10-season career with an average of 5 minutes, 36 seconds in penalties a season.[50]
Smythe, who reenlisted in the Canadian Army at the outbreak ofWorld War II, was given leave from military duty to view the final game of the1942 Cup Final. He arrived at the game in full military regalia.[48] Earlier, at the outbreak of war, Smythe arranged for many of his Maple Leafs players and staff to take army training with theToronto Scottish Regiment. Most notably, the Leafs announced a large portion of their roster had enlisted, including Apps, and Broda,[51] who did not play on the team for several seasons due to their obligations with theCanadian Forces.[52] During this period, the Leafs turned to lesser-known players such asrookie goaltenderFrank McCool and defencemanBabe Pratt.[52][53]
The Maple Leafs beat the Red Wings in the1945 Final. They won the first three games, with goaltender McCool recording consecutive shutouts. However, in a reversal of the 1942 Final, the Red Wings won the next three games.[52] The Leafs were able to win the series, winning the seventh game by the score of 2–1 to prevent a complete reversal of the series played three years ago.[52]
After the end of the war, players who had enlisted were beginning to return to their teams.[52] With Apps and Broda regaining their form, the Maple Leafs beat the first-place Canadiens in the1947 Final.[52] To bolster their centre depth, the Leafs acquiredCy Thomas andMax Bentley in the following off-season. With these key additions, the Leafs were able to win a second consecutive Stanley Cup, sweeping the Red Wings in the1948 Final.[52] With their victory in 1948, the Leafs moved ahead of Montreal as the team having won the most Stanley Cups in League history. Apps announced his retirement following the 1948 Final, withTed Kennedy replacing him as the team's captain.[54] Under a new captaincy, the Leafs managed to make it to the1949 Final, facing the Red Wings, who had finished the season with the best overall record. However, the Leafs went on to win their third consecutive Cup, sweeping the Red Wings in four games. This brought the total of Detroit's playoff game losses against the Leafs to eleven.[52] The Red Wings were able to end this losing streak in the following postseason, eliminating Toronto in the 1950 NHL playoffs.[52]
The Maple Leafs and Canadiens met again in the1951 Final, with five consecutiveovertime games played in the series.[55] DefencemanBill Barilko managed to score the series-winning goal in overtime, leaving his defensive position (despite coachJoe Primeau's instructions otherwise) to pick up an errant pass and score.[55] Barilko helped the club secure its fourth Stanley Cup in five years. His glory was short-lived, as he disappeared in a plane crash nearTimmins, Ontario, four months later.[55][56] The crash site was not found until a helicopter pilot discovered the plane's wreckage plane about 80 kilometres (50 mi) north ofCochrane, Ontario 11 years later.[57] The Leafs did not win another Cup during the 1950s, with rumours swirling that the team was "cursed", and would not win a cup until Barilko's body was found.[58] The "curse" came to an end after the Leafs' 1962 Stanley Cup victory, which came six weeks before the discovery of the wreckage of Barilko's plane.[58]
Their 1951 victory was followed by lacklustre performances in the following seasons. The team finished third in the1951–52 season and was eventually swept by the Red Wings in the semifinals.[55] With the conclusion of the1952–53 regular season, the Leafs failed to make it to the postseason for the first time since the 1945–46 playoffs.[55] The Leafs' poor performance may be attributed partly to a decline in their sponsored junior system (including theToronto St. Michael's Majors and theToronto Marlboros).[55] The junior system was managed byFrank J. Selke until his departure to the Canadiens in 1946. In his absence, the quality of players it produced declined. Many who were called up to the Leafs in the early 1950s were found to be seriously lacking in ability. It was only later in the decade that the Leafs' feeder clubs produced prospects that helped them become competitive again.[55]
After a two-year drought from the playoffs, the Maple Leafs clinched a berth after the1958–59 season. UnderPunch Imlach, their new general manager and coach, the Leafs made it to the1959 Final, losing to the Canadiens in five games.[55] Building on a successful playoff run, the Leafs followed up with a second-place finish in the1959–60 regular season. Although they advanced to their second straight Cup Final, the Leafs were again defeated by the Canadiens in four games.[55]
Beginning in the 1960s, the Leafs became a stronger team, withJohnny Bower as the goaltender, andBob Baun,Carl Brewer,Tim Horton andAllan Stanley serving as the Maple Leafs' defencemen.[59] To bolster their forward group during the 1960 off-season, Imlach tradedMarc Reaume to the Red Wings forRed Kelly. Originally a defenceman, Kelly was asked to make the transition to the role ofcentre, where he remained for the rest of his career.[59] Kelly helped reinforce a forward group made up ofFrank Mahovlich, and team captainGeorge Armstrong. The beginning of the1960–61 season also saw the debut of rookiesBob Nevin, andDave Keon. Keon previously played for the St. Michael's Majors (the Maple Leafs junior affiliate), but had impressed Imlach during the Leafs' training camp, and joined the team for the season.[59] Despite these new additions, the Leafs' 1961 playoff run ended in the semifinals against the Red Wings, with Armstrong, Bower, Kelly and others, suffering from injuries.[59]
In November 1961, Smythe sold nearly all of his shares in the club's parent company, Maple Leaf Gardens Limited (MLGL), to a partnership composed of his sonStafford Smythe, and his partners, newspaper baronJohn W. H. Bassett andToronto Marlboros presidentHarold Ballard. The sale price was $2.3 million (equivalent to $23,000,000 in 2023), a handsome return on Smythe's original investment 34 years earlier.[60] Initially, Conn Smythe claimed that he knew nothing about his son's partners and was furious with the arrangement (though it is highly unlikely he could have believed Stafford could have financed the purchase on his own). However, he did not stop the deal because of it.[61] Conn Smythe was given a retiring salary of $15,000 per year for life, an office, a secretary, a car with a driver, and seats to home games.[62] Smythe sold his remaining shares in the company, and resigned from the board of directors in March 1966, after aMuhammad Ali boxing match was scheduled for the Gardens. Smythe found Ali's refusal to serve in theUnited States Army offensive, noting that the Gardens was "no place for those who want to evade conscription in their own country".[63] He had also said that because the Gardens' owners agreed to host the fight they had "put cash ahead of class".[64]
Under the new ownership, Toronto won another three straight Stanley Cups. The team won the1962 Stanley Cup Final beating the defending champion Chicago Black Hawks on a goal fromDick Duff in game 6.[65] During the1962–63 season, the Leafs finished first in the league for the first time since the1947–48 season. In the following playoffs, the team won their second Stanley Cup of the decade.[59] The1963–64 season saw certain members of the team traded. With Imlach seeking to reinvigorate the slumping Leafs, he made a mid-season trade that sent Duff, and Nevin to the Rangers forAndy Bathgate andDon McKenney. The Leafs managed to make the postseason as well as the Cup Final. In game six of the 1964 Cup Final, Baun suffered a fractured ankle and required a stretcher to be taken off the ice. He returned to play with his ankle frozen, and eventually scored the game-winning goal in overtime against the Red Wings.[66][59] The Leafs won their third consecutive Stanley Cup in a 4–0 game 7 victory; Bathgate scored two goals.[59]
The two seasons after the Maple Leafs' Stanley Cup victories, the team saw several player departures, including Bathgate, and Brewer, as well as several new additions, includingMarcel Pronovost, andTerry Sawchuk.[59] During the1966–67 season, the team had lost 10 games in a row, sending Imlach to the hospital with a stress-related illness. However, from the timeKing Clancy took over as the head coach, to Imlach's return, the club was on a 10-game undefeated streak, building momentum before the playoffs.[59] The Leafs made their last Cup Final in1967. Playing against Montreal, the heavy favourite for the year, the Leafs managed to win, withBob Pulford scoring the double-overtime winner in game three;Jim Pappin scored the series winner in game 6.[67] Keon was named the playoff'smost valuable player and was awarded theConn Smythe Trophy.[68]
From 1968 to 1970, the Maple Leafs made it to the playoffs only once. They lost several players to the1967 NHL expansion draft, and the team was racked with dissension because of Imlach's authoritative manner, and his attempts to prevent the players from joining the newly formedPlayers' Association.[59] Imlach's management of the team was also brought into question due to some of his decisions. It was apparent that he was too loyal to aging players who had been with him since 1958.[59] In the1967–68 season, Mahovlich was traded to Detroit in a deal that saw the Leafs acquirePaul Henderson andNorm Ullman.[69] The Leafs managed to return to the playoffs after the1968–69 season, only to be swept by the Bruins. Immediately after, Stafford Smythe confronted Imlach and fired him.[70] This act was not without controversy, with some older players, including Horton, declaring that, "if this team doesn't want Imlach, I guess it doesn't want me".[71]
The Maple Leafs completed the1969–70 season out of the playoffs. With their low finish, the Leafs were able to draftDarryl Sittler at the1970 NHL amateur draft.[72] The Leafs returned to the playoffs after the1970–71 season with the addition of Sittler, as well asBernie Parent andJacques Plante, who were both acquired through trades during the season.[73] They were eliminated in the first round against the Rangers.[74]
A series of events in 1971 made Harold Ballard the primary owner of the Maple Leafs. After a series of disputes between Bassett, Ballard and Stafford Smythe, Bassett sold his stake in the company to them.[75] Shortly afterwards, Smythe died in October 1971. Under the terms of Stafford's will, of which Ballard was anexecutor, each partner was allowed to buy the other's shares upon their death.[75] Stafford's brother and son tried to keep the shares in the family,[76] but in February 1972 Ballard bought all of Stafford's shares for $7.5 million, valuing the company at $22 million (equivalent to $158,000,000 in 2023).[77][78][79] Six months later, Ballard was convicted of charges including fraud, and theft of money and goods, and spent a year atMilhaven Penitentiary.[73][75]
By the end of 1971, theWorld Hockey Association (WHA) began operations as a direct competitor to the NHL. Believing the WHA would not be able to compete against the NHL, Ballard's attitude caused the Maple Leafs to lose key players, including Parent to the upstart league.[73] Undermanned and demoralized, the Leafs finished with the fourth-worst record for the1972–73 season. They got the fourth overall pick in the1973 NHL amateur draft,[73] and draftedLanny McDonald. General ManagerJim Gregory also acquired the 10th overall pick from thePhiladelphia Flyers, and the 15th overall pick from the Bruins, using them to acquireBob Neely andIan Turnbull.[73] In addition to these first-round picks, the Leafs also acquiredBorje Salming during the 1973 off-season.[80]
Despite acquiringTiger Williams in the1974 draft, andRoger Neilson as head coach in the1977–78 season, the Maple Leafs found themselves eliminated in the playoffs by stronger Flyers or Canadiens teams from 1975 to 1979.[73] Although Neilson was a popular coach with fans and his players, he found himself at odds with Ballard, who fired him late in the 1977–78 season. Neilson was later reinstated after appeals from the players and the public.[81] He continued as Leafs' head coach until after the 1979 playoffs, when he was fired again, alongside Gregory.[73] Gregory was replaced by Imlach as general manager.[73]
In the first year of his second stint as general manager, Imlach became embroiled in a dispute with Leafs' captain Darryl Sittler over his attempt to take part in the Showdown series forHockey Night in Canada.[73][82] In a move to undermine Sittler's influence on the team, Imlach traded McDonald, who was Sittler's friend.[83] By the end of the1979–80 season, Imlach had traded away nearly half of the roster he had at the beginning of his tenure as general manager.[84] With the situation between Ballard and Sittler worsening, Sittler asked to be traded.[85] Forcing the Leafs' hand, the club's new general manager,Gerry McNamara, traded Sittler to the Flyers on January 20, 1982.[86]Rick Vaive was named the team's captain shortly after Sittler's departure.[84]
The Maple Leafs' management continued in disarray throughout most of the decade, with an inexperienced McNamara named as Imlach's replacement in September 1981.[84] He was followed byGord Stellick on April 28, 1988, who was replaced byFloyd Smith on August 15, 1989.[84] Coaching was similarly shuffled often after Nielson's departure. Imlach's first choice for coach was his former player Smith, although he did not finish the 1979–80 season after being hospitalized by a car accident on March 14, 1980.[87]Joe Crozier was named the new head coach until January 10, 1981, when he was succeeded byMike Nykoluk. Nykoluk was head coach until April 2, 1984.[84]Dan Maloney returned as head coach from 1984 to 1986, withJohn Brophy named head coach from 1986 to 1988. Both coaches had little success during their tenure.[84][88]Doug Carpenter was named the new head coach to begin the1989–90 season when the Leafs posted their first season above .500 in the decade.[84]
The team did not have much success during the decade, missing the playoffs entirely in 1982, 1984 and 1985.[84] On at least two occasions, they made the playoffs with the worst winning percentages on record for a playoff team. However, in those days, the top four teams in each division made the playoffs, regardless of record. Since the Norris only had five teams in total, this meant only the last-place team in the division missed the postseason. In 1985–86, for instance, they finished with a .356 winning percentage, the fourth worst in the league.[89][90] However, due to playing in aNorris Division where no team cracked the 90-point mark, the Leafs still made the playoffs because Detroit had the worst record in the league. In 1987–88, they entered the final day of the season with the worst record in the league, but were only one point behind theMinnesota North Stars and thus were still in playoff contention. The Red Wings was the only team in the division with a winning record. However, the Leafs upset the Red Wings in their final game while the North Stars lost to the Flames hours later to hand the Leafs the final spot from the Norris.[91][92][93][94][95]
The low finishes allowed the team to draftWendel Clark first overall at the1985 NHL entry draft.[84] Clark managed to lead the Leafs to the playoffs from 1986 to 1988, as well as the1990 playoffs.[84] Ballard died on April 11, 1990.[96]
Don Crump, Don Giffin, andSteve Stavro were named executors of Ballard's estate.[97] Stavro succeeded Ballard as chairman of Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd. and governor of the Maple Leafs.[98]Cliff Fletcher was hired by Giffin to be the new general manager, although this was opposed by Stavro, who told Fletcher that he wanted to appoint his own general manager.[99]
Notwithstanding Stavro's initial reluctance with Fletcher's appointment, the Leafs' new ownership would soon earn a reputation for steering clear of exerting undue interference in hockey operations, in stark contrast to Ballard. Fletcher soon set about building a competitive club, hiringPat Burns as the new coach, and making a series of trades and free-agent acquisitions, such as acquiringDoug Gilmour andDave Andreychuk, which turned the Leafs into a contender.[100] Assisted by stellar goaltending fromminor league call-upFelix Potvin, the team posted a then-franchise-record 99 points.[101]
During the 1993 playoffs, Toronto dispatched the Detroit Red Wings in seven games in the first round, then defeated theSt. Louis Blues in another seven games in the division finals.[100] Hoping to meet long-time rival Montreal (who was playing in theWales Conference finals against theNew York Islanders) in the Cup Final, the Leafs faced theLos Angeles Kings in theCampbell Conference finals.[100] They led the series 3–2 but dropped game six in Los Angeles. The game was not without controversy, asWayne Gretzky clipped Gilmour in the face with his stick, but refereeKerry Fraser did not call a penalty, and Gretzky scored the winning goal moments later.[102] The Leafs eventually lost in game seven 5–4.[100]
The Leafs had another strong season in1993–94, starting the season on a ten-game winning streak, and finishing it with 98 points.[100] The team made it to the conference finals again, only to be eliminated by theVancouver Canucks in five games.[100] At the1994 NHL entry draft, the Leafs packagedWendel Clark in a multi-player trade with theQuebec Nordiques that landed themMats Sundin.[100] After the Leafs traded Gilmour to theNew Jersey Devils in 1997, Sundin was named captain. Missing two consecutive playoffs in1997 and1998, the Leafs relieved Fletcher as general manager.[100]
On February 12, 1998, MLGL purchased theToronto Raptors, aNational Basketball Association franchise, and thearena the Raptors were building, fromAllan Slaight andScotiabank.[103][104][105] With the acquisition, MLGL was renamedMaple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), acting as the parent company of the two teams.[105]Larry Tanenbaum was a driving force in the acquisition, having bought a 12.5 percent stake in Maple Leaf Gardens Limited (MLGL) in 1996.[106][107]
Curtis Joseph was acquired as the team's starting goalie, whilePat Quinn was hired as the head coach before the1998–99 season.[100] Realigning the NHL's conferences in 1998, the Leafs were moved from the Western to the Eastern Conference.[104] On February 13, 1999, the Leafs played their final game at the Gardens before moving to their new home at the then-Air Canada Centre.[108] In the1999 playoffs, the team advanced to the conference finals but lost in five games to theBuffalo Sabres.[100]
In the1999–2000 season, the Leafs hosted the50th NHL All-Star Game.[109] By the end of the season, they recorded their first 100-point season and won their first division title in 37 years.[110] In both the2000 and2001 playoffs, the Leafs defeated the Ottawa Senators in the first round and lost to theNew Jersey Devils in the second round.[110][111] In the2002 playoffs, the Leafs dispatched the Islanders and the Senators in seven games each during the first two rounds, only to lose to theCinderella-storyCarolina Hurricanes in six games in the conference finals.[112] The 2001–02 season was particularly impressive in that injuries sidelined many of the Leafs' better players, but the efforts of depth players, includingAlyn McCauley,Gary Roberts andDarcy Tucker, led them to the conference finals.[113]
As Joseph opted to become afree agent during the 2002 off-season, the Leafs signedEd Belfour as the new starting goaltender.[114] Belfour played well during the2002–03 season and was a finalist for theVezina Trophy.[115] The Leafs lost to Philadelphia in seven games during the first round of the2003 playoffs.[116] In 2003, an ownership change occurred in MLSE. Stavro sold his controlling interest in MLSE to theOntario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP) and resigned his position as chairman in favour of Tanenbaum.[117] Quinn remained as head coach but was replaced as general manager byJohn Ferguson Jr.[118]
Before the2003–04 season, the team held their training camp in Sweden and played in theNHL Challenge against teams from Sweden and Finland.[119] The Leafs went on to enjoy a very successful regular season, leading the NHL at the time of the All-Star Game (with Quinn named head coach of the East's All-Star Team). They finished the season with a then-franchise-record 103 points.[120] They finished with the fourth-best record in the League, and their highest overall finish in 41 years, achieving a .628 win percentage, their best in 43 years, and third-best in franchise history. In the2004 playoffs, the Leafs defeated the Senators in the first round of the postseason for the fourth time in five years, with Belfour posting three shutouts in seven games, but lost to the Flyers in six games during the second round.[120]
Following the2004–05 NHL lockout, the Maple Leafs experienced their longest playoff drought in the team's history. They struggled in the2005–06 season; despite a late-season surge (9–1–2 in their final 12 games), led by goaltenderJean-Sebastien Aubin, Toronto was out of playoff contention for the first time since 1998.[121] This marked the first time the team had missed the postseason under Quinn, who was later relieved as head coach.[122] Quinn's dismissal was controversial since many of the young players who were key contributors to the Leafs' late-season run had been drafted by him before Ferguson's arrival, while Ferguson's signings (Jason Allison, Belfour,Alexander Khavanov, andEric Lindros) had suffered season-ending injuries.[122][123]
Paul Maurice, who had previously coached the inaugural season of the Maple Leafs'Toronto Marlies farm team, was named as Quinn's replacement.[124] On June 30, 2006, the Leafs bought out fan-favouriteTie Domi's contract. The team also decided against picking up the option year on goaltender Ed Belfour's contract; he became a free agent.[125] However, despite the coaching change, as well as a shuffle in the roster, the team did not make the playoffs in2006–07. During the2007–08 season, John Ferguson Jr. was fired in January 2008 and replaced by former Leafs' general manager Cliff Fletcher on an interim basis.[126] The team retained Toronto-based sports lawyerGord Kirke to begin a search for a new team president and general manager, and negotiate a contract.[127] The Leafs did not qualify for thepostseason, marking the first time since1928 the team had failed to make the playoffs for three consecutive seasons.[128] It was also Sundin's last year with the Leafs, as his contract was due to expire at the end of the season. However, he refused Leafs management's request to waive his no-trade clause for the team to rebuild by acquiring prospects or draft picks.[129] On May 7, 2008, after the 2007–08 season, the Leafs fired Maurice, as well as assistant coachRandy Ladouceur, namingRon Wilson as the new head coach, andTim Hunter andRob Zettler as assistant coaches.[130]
On November 29, 2008, the Maple Leafs hiredBrian Burke as their 13th non-interim, and the first American, general manager in team history. The acquisition ended the second Cliff Fletcher era and settled persistent rumours that Burke was coming to Toronto.[131] On June 26, 2009, Burke made his first appearance as the Leafs GM at the2009 NHL entry draft, selectingLondon Knights forwardNazem Kadri with the seventh overall pick.[132] On September 18, 2009, Burke traded Toronto's first- and second-round2010, as well as its2011 first-round picks, to the Boston Bruins in exchange for forwardPhil Kessel.[133] On January 31, 2010, the Leafs made another high-profile trade, this time with theCalgary Flames in a seven-player deal that brought defencemanDion Phaneuf to Toronto.[134] On June 14, during the off-season, the Leafs named Phaneuf captain after two seasons without one following Sundin's departure.[135] On February 18, 2011, the team traded long-time Maple Leafs defencemanTomas Kaberle to the Bruins in exchange for prospectJoe Colborne, Boston's first-round pick in 2011, and a conditional second-round draft choice.[136]
On March 2, 2012, Burke fired Wilson and namedRandy Carlyle the new head coach. However, the termination proved to be controversial as Wilson had received a contract extension just two months before being let go.[137] Changes at the ownership level also occurred in August 2012, when the OTPP completed the sale of their shares in MLSE toBCE Inc. andRogers Communications.[138] On January 9, 2013, Burke was fired as general manager, and replaced byDave Nonis.[139] In their first full season under the leadership of Carlyle, Toronto managed to secure a playoff berth in the2012–13 season (which was shortened again due to anotherlock-out) for the first time in eight years. However, the Leafs lost inseven games to eventual2013 Stanley Cup finalist Boston in thefirst round.[140] Despite the season's success, it was not repeated during the2013–14 season, as the Leafs failed to make the playoffs.[141]
Following the 2013–14 regular season,Brendan Shanahan was named as the president and an alternate governor of the Maple Leafs.[142] On January 6, 2015, the Leafs fired Randy Carlyle as head coach, and assistant coachPeter Horachek took over on an interim basis immediately.[143] While the Leafs had a winning record before Carlyle's firing, the team eventually collapsed. On February 6, 2015, the Leafs set a new franchise record of 11 consecutive games without a win. At the beginning of February, Shanahan gained the approval of MLSE's board of directors to begin a "scorched earth" rebuild of the club.[144] Both Dave Nonis and Horachek were relieved of their duties on April 12, just one day after the season concluded. In addition, the Leafs also fired several assistant coaches, includingSteve Spott andRick St. Croix, as well as individuals from the Leafs' player scouting department.[145][146]
On May 20, 2015,Mike Babcock was named as the new head coach, and on July 23,Lou Lamoriello was named the 16th general manager in team history.[147][148] On July 1, 2015, the Leafs packaged Kessel in a multi-player deal to thePittsburgh Penguins in return for three skaters, includingKasperi Kapanen, a conditional first-round pick, and a third-round pick. Toronto also retained $1.2 million of Kessel's salary for the remaining seven seasons of his contract.[149] During the following season, on February 9, 2016, the Leafs packaged Phaneuf in another multi-player deal, acquiring four players, as well as a2017 second-round pick from the Ottawa Senators.[150] The team finished last in the NHL for the first time since the1984–85 season. They subsequently won the draft lottery and used the first overall pick to draftAuston Matthews.[151]
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In their second season under Babcock, Toronto secured the final Eastern Conference wildcard spot for the2017 playoffs. On April 23, 2017, the Maple Leafs were eliminated from the playoffs by the top-seededWashington Capitals four games to two in the best-of-seven series.[152]
Toronto finished the2017–18 season with 105 points by beating Montreal 4–2 in their final game of the regular season, a franchise-record, beating the previous record of 103 points set in 2004.[153] They faced the Boston Bruins in the first round and lost in seven games.[154] Following the playoffs, Lamoriello was not renewed as general manager.[155]Kyle Dubas was subsequently named the team's 17th general manager in May 2018.[156] During the 2018 off-season, the Maple Leafs signedJohn Tavares to a seven-year, $77 million contract.[157] On April 1, the Maple Leafs clinched a division berth for the2019 Stanley Cup playoffs.[158] The Maple Leafs were eliminated in the first round of the 2019 playoffs on April 23, after losing to the Bruins in a seven-game series.[159]
On October 2, 2019, Tavares was named as the team's 25th team captain prior to the Leafs'2019–20 season opening game.[160] After a 9–10–4 start to the 2019–20 season, the club relieved Babcock as head coach on November 20, withSheldon Keefe named as his replacement.[161] The Maple Leafs were eliminated in the2020 Stanley Cup Qualifiers on August 9, after losing a five-game series against theColumbus Blue Jackets.[162]
Due to theCOVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions at theCanada–United States border, the Leafs were temporarily moved to theNorth Division for the 2020–21 season alongside the NHL's other Canadian teams. During that season, teams only played games against teams in their divisions, in a limited 56-game season.[163] On May 8, 2021, the Leafs clinched the North Division title, giving the Leafs guaranteedhome advantage in the first two rounds of the2021 Stanley Cup playoffs.[164] Matthews also led the league in goals with 41 goals, becoming the first Maple Leaf to win theMaurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy. However, the Leafs lost in the first round totheir rivals, theMontreal Canadiens, with the Leafssurrendering a 3–1 series lead in the process.[165]
Despite the ending to the previous season, the Leafs were poised to make another run, with much of the core roster intact. Aided by the arrival of defencemanMark Giordano and centreColin Blackwell from theSeattle Kraken on March 21, the team cruised throughout the regular season.[166][167] The Maple Leafs broke their franchise record for points in a season, with 115, and wins in a season, with 50, during a 4–2 victory over theNew York Islanders on April 17.[168] Despite the achievement, they were unable to match the league-leadingFlorida Panthers', finishing second in the Atlantic Division[169] During the season, Matthews became the first Leaf in a decade to score 60 goals in a season, and was awarded theHart Memorial Trophy.[170] The Leafs made the playoffs but lost in the first round to theTampa Bay Lightning in seven games.[171] With this loss, the Maple Leafs became the first team in the four major North American sports leagues to lose five consecutive winner-take-all games.[172]
The 2022 off-season saw the departure of the Leafs' goalie tandem,Jack Campbell andPetr Mrazek, the former signing with Edmonton, the latter being traded to the Blackhawks during the2022 NHL entry draft.[173] Needing a goaltender tandem for the upcoming season, the Leafs acquiredMatt Murray through a trade with the Senators,[174] and signed free agentIlya Samsonov.[175]
During the2022–23 NHL season, the Leafs again fared well in the regular season, achieving an excellent 50–21–11 record and 111 points, one point less than the record achieved the season prior. However, the record-setting2022–23 Boston Bruins led the division, finishing with 135 points, and leaving the Leafs in second place in the Atlantic. In thefirst round of the playoffs, the Leafs defeated the Lightning in a six-game series, marking the first time the Maple Leafs advanced to the second round of the playoff appearance since 2004.[176] During the series with the Lightning, the Leafs became the first NHL team to win three road playoff games in overtime. However, the Leafs lost to the Florida Panthers in the second round in five games.[177] Following the loss, Dubas' contract as general manager was not renewed with the club for the 2023–24 season.[178] Dubas was then replaced byBrad Treliving on May 31.[179]
In2023–24, the team finished with a 46–26–10 record, good for 102 points and the third seed in the Atlantic Division. Matthews broke his own career and franchise records for goals in a season, with 69, and was awarded his third Rocket Richard Trophy.[180] However, they were again eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, falling to the Bruins in seven games.[181] After the season, Keefe was dismissed as head coach on May 9,[182] withCraig Berube hired as his successor on May 17.[183] That off-season, Tavares relinquished his role as captain to Matthews on August 14, 2024, with the latter becoming the 26th overall and first American-born captain in franchise history.[184]
The team finished the2024–25 season with a 52–26–4 record, topping the Atlantic Division with 108 points, their first division championship in the Atlantic, setting up aBattle of Ontario matchup with thewild card Ottawa Senators in the first round of the2025 playoffs.[185] In doing so, Berube broke the record for most wins for a Maple Leafs coach in his first season, previously held byPat Quinn, who had 45 in the1998–99 season.[186] The Leafs defeated the Senators in a six-game series. As with the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Leafs faced the Florida Panthers in the second round of the playoffs. The Leafs' goaltenderAnthony Stolarz was injured in game one and was replaced withJoseph Woll.[187] Toronto subsequently lost the series to the eventualStanley Cup victors, the Florida Panthers, in seven games.[188]
Shortly after the end of Toronto's 2025 playoffs, it announced that Shanahan would not return as team president and alternate governor.[189][190] During the 2025 off-season, the Leafs tradedMitch Marner to theVegas Golden Knights forNicholas Roy.[191]
The price of a Maple Leafs home game ticket is the highest amongst any team in the NHL.[192][193][194] Scotiabank Arena holds 18,819 seats for Leafs games, with 15,500 reserved for season ticket holders.[195][196] Because of the demand for season tickets, their sale is limited to the 10,000 people on the waiting list. As of March 2016, Leafs' season tickets saw a renewal rate of 99.5 percent, a rate that would require more than 250 years to clear the existing waiting list.[197] In a 2014 survey byESPN The Magazine, the Leafs were ranked last out of the 122 professional teams in theBig Four leagues. Teams were graded by stadium experience, ownership, player quality, ticket affordability, championships won and "bang for the buck"; in particular, the Leafs came last in ticket affordability.[198]
Leafs fans are known for their dedicated support and notable loyalty to the team despite their performance. They are considered to have the largest fan base in the NHL.[199][200] In a study conducted by sports retailerFanatics in March 2017, the Leafs and theMinnesota Wild were the only two NHL teams to average arena sellouts despite a below league average winning percentage.[201] Conversely, fans of other teams harbour an equally passionate dislike of the team. In November 2002, the Leafs were named bySports Illustrated hockey writerMichael Farber as the "Most Hated Team in Hockey".[202]
Despite their loyalty, there have been several instances where the fanbase voiced their displeasure with the club. During the2011–12 season, fans attending the games chanted for the dismissal of head coachRon Wilson, and later general managerBrian Burke.[203][204] Wilson was let go shortly after the fans' outburst, even though he had been given a contract extension months earlier. Burke alluded to the chants noting "it would be cruel and unusual punishment to let Ron coach another game in the Air Canada Centre".[203] In the 2014–15 season, fans threw Leafs jerseys onto the ice to show their disapproval of the team's poor performances in the past few decades.[205] Similarly, during the later portion of the2015–16 season, which overlaps with the start ofMajor League Baseball'sregular season of play, fans were heard sarcastically chanting "Let's goBlue Jays!" and clapping alongside the chant as a sign of their farcical shift in priority from an under-performing team to the more successful playoff-bound2016 Toronto Blue Jays season.[206][207][208] Leafs fans alsovandalized Mike Babcock'sWikipedia article amid the poor records of the first few months into the2019–20 season; his article was temporarily semi-protected to minimize further vandalism.[note 3][209]
In addition to theGreater Toronto Area (GTA), many fans live throughout Ontario, Quebec, includingNew York state andMichigan.[210][211][212] As a result, Leafs' away games at theBell Centre inMontreal,Canadian Tire Centre inOttawa,KeyBank Center inBuffalo and at theLittle Caesars Arena inDetroit hold more of a shared crowd. This is due in part to the Leafs fans in those areas, and those cities' proximity to the GTA.[213][214][215]
The Leafs are also a popular team inAtlantic Canada. In November 2016, a survey was conducted that found 20 percent of respondents from Atlantic Canada viewed the Leafs as their favourite team, second only to the Montreal Canadiens at 26 percent.[216] The Leafs were found to be the most favoured team inPrince Edward Island, with 24 percent of respondents favouring the Leafs; and the second favourite team inNova Scotia andNewfoundland and Labrador (19 and 24 percent respectively, both trailing respondents who favoured the Canadiens by one percent).[216]
"Montreal–Toronto was the traditional rivalry,Detroit–Toronto was the bitter rivalry."
During the 25 years of theOriginal Six era (1942–67), teams played each other 14 times during the regular season, and with only four teams continuing into the playoffs, rivalries were intense. The Maple Leafs established several rivalries with other teams that played in this era, including the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, and the Montreal Canadiens.[218] In addition to the aforementioned teams, the Maple Leafs have also developed a rivalry with the Ottawa Senators,[219] as well as a minor geographic rivalry with theBuffalo Sabres called theBattle of the QEW after theQueen Elizabeth Way (QEW), the freeway that links Buffalo with Toronto along the western edge ofLake Ontario within theGolden Horseshoe.
Both teams are Original Six teams, with their first game played in Boston's inaugural season on December 3, 1924. In the match-up, theSt. Patricks earned a 5–3 victory against the Bruins atMutual Street Arena. The Maple Leafs played their first Stanley Cup playoff series against the Bruins in1933, winning the series 3–2. From 1933 to 2019, the two teams played in 16 postseason series against one another, including one Stanley Cup Final.
The rivalry has since been renewed from the2013 Stanley Cup playoffs which saw the Bruins rally from a 4–1 third-period deficit to defeat the Maple Leafs in overtime, 5–4, and advance to the second round.[220] In the2018,2019, and2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Bruins would again defeat the Maple Leafs in seven games in all three of those years.[221][222]
The rivalry between theBuffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs is due to the 100-mile (160 km) distance between their home arenas (KeyBank Center andScotiabank Arena respectively). The Sabres won 70 of 103 all-time home games against the Maple Leafs from their inception in 1970–71 until 2015–16 (the last season before Toronto draftedAuston Matthews), despite the always large contingency of Toronto fans at those games.[223] Since the1998–99 season, both teams have played in the Northeast Division, now the Atlantic Division. Buffalo won the1999 Eastern Conference finals against Toronto in five games, the only playoff series between the two teams. During the2018–19 season, Toronto swept Buffalo in the season series for the first time ever. Buffalo previously swept a season series with Toronto in1979–80,1987–88, and1991–92. Due in part to the number of Leafs fans living near or inBuffalo, and in part to Buffalo's relative proximity to Toronto and the rest of Ontario, as well as the lower prices of Sabres tickets, Maple Leafs–Sabres games at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo typically hold around 80 percent of Leafs fans, making it the largest away crowd in the NHL.[224]
The Detroit Red Wings and the Maple Leafs are both Original Six teams, playing their first game together in1927. From1929 to1993, the teams met each other in the 16 playoff series, as well as sevenStanley Cup Final. Meeting one another a combined 23 times in the postseason, they have played each other in more playoff series than any other two teams in NHL history except for theBruins and Canadiens who have played a total of 34 playoff series against each other.[225] Overlapping fanbases, particularly in markets such asWindsor, Ontario, and the surroundingEssex County, have added to the rivalry.[211]
The rivalry between the Detroit Red Wings and the Maple Leafs was at its height during the Original Six era.[217] The Leafs and Red Wings met in the playoffs six times during the 1940s, including four Stanley Cup Final series. The Leafs beat the Red Wings in five of their six meetings.[226] In the 1950s, the Leafs and Red Wings met one another in six Stanley Cup semifinals; the Red Wings beat the Leafs in five of their six meetings.[227] From 1961 to 1967, the two teams met one another in three playoff series, including two Stanley Cup Final.[228] Within those 25 years, the Leafs and Red Wings played a total of 15 playoff series including six Cup Final; the Maple Leafs beat the Red Wings in all six Cup Final.[229]
The teams have only met three times in the playoffs since the Original Six era, with their last meeting in1993.[230] After the Leafs moved to the Eastern Conference in1998, they faced each other less often, and the rivalry began to stagnate. The rivalry became intradivisional once again in2013 when Detroit was moved to the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference as part of a realignment.[231] Due in part to the number of Leafs fans living nearDetroit and inMichigan, and in part to Detroit's relative proximity to Toronto and Ontario, Maple Leafs–Red Wings games at theLittle Caesars Arena in Detroit typically hold at least 40 percent of Leafs fans.
The rivalry between the Montreal Canadiens and the Maple Leafs is the oldest in the NHL, featuring two clubs that were active since the inaugural NHL season in 1917.[232] In the early 20th century, the rivalry was an embodiment of a largerculture war betweenEnglish Canada andFrench Canada.[233] The Canadiens have won 24 Stanley Cups, while the Maple Leafs have won 13, ranking them first and second for most Cup wins, respectively.[232]
The height of the rivalry was during the 1960s when the Canadiens and Leafs combined to win all but one Cup. The two clubs had 15 playoff meetings. However, the rivalry has waned with the two having not met in the postseason from1979 to2021.[232] It also suffered when Montreal and Toronto were placed in opposite conferences in1981, with the Leafs in the Clarence Campbell/Western Conference and the Canadiens in the Prince of Wales/Eastern Conference. The rivalry became intradivisional once again in1998 when the Leafs were moved into the Eastern Conference'sNortheast Division.[234]
The rivalry's cultural imprint may be seen in literature and art. The rivalry from the perspective of the Canadiens fan is captured in the popular Canadian short storyThe Hockey Sweater byRoch Carrier. Originally published in French as "Une abominable feuille d'érable sur la glace" ("An abominable maple leaf on the ice"), it referred to the Maple Leafs sweater a mother forced her son to wear.[233] The son is presumably based onCarrier himself when he was young.[235] This rivalry is also evident in Toronto'sCollegesubway station, which displays murals depicting the two teams, one on each platform (the Leafs mural being on the southbound platform), given that when the murals were installed in 1984, the station was the closest to the Leafs' then-home ofMaple Leaf Gardens.[236] Due in part to the number of Leafs fans living near or inMontreal, and in part to Montreal's relative proximity to Toronto and the rest of Ontario, Maple Leafs–Canadiens games at theBell Centre in Montreal typically hold a significant amount of Leafs fans.
The modern Ottawa Senators entered the NHL in1992, but the rivalry between the two teams did not begin to emerge until the late 1990s. From 1992 to1998, Ottawa and Toronto played in different conferences (Prince of Wales / Eastern and Clarence Campbell / Western respectively), which meant they rarely played each other. However, before the1998–99 season, the conferences and divisions were realigned, with Toronto moved to the Eastern Conference's Northeast Division with Ottawa.[234] From2000 to2004, the teams played four postseason series; the Leafs won all four playoff series.[219] Due in part to the number of Leafs fans living near or inOttawa, and in part to Ottawa's relative proximity to Toronto, Maple Leafs–Senators games at theCanadian Tire Centre in Ottawa typically hold more Leafs fans rather than Sens fans.[213][237][238]
The team is represented through several images and symbols, including the maple leaf logo found on the club's uniform. The Maple Leafs' jersey has a long history and is one of the best-selling NHL jerseys among fans.[239] The club's uniforms have been altered several times. The club's first uniforms were blue and featured the letter T.[240] The first major alteration came in 1919 when the club was renamed the St. Patricks. The uniforms were green with "Toronto St. Pats" on the logo, lettered in green either on a white "pill" shape or stripes.[16][241]
When the club was renamed the Maple Leafs in the 1927–28 season, the logo was changed, and the team reverted to blue uniforms.[34] The logo was a 48-point maple leaf with the words lettered in white. The home jersey was blue with alternating thin-thick stripes on the arms, legs and shoulders. The road uniform was white with three stripes on the chest and back, waist and legs.[242] For 1933–34, the alternating thin-thick stripes were replaced with stripes of equal thickness. This remained the basic design for the next 40 years.[242] In 1937, veins were added to the leaf and "Toronto" curved downwards at the ends instead of upwards.[243] In 1942, the 35-point leaf was introduced. In 1946, the logo added trimming to the leaf with a white or blue border, while "C" for captain and "A" for alternate captain first appeared on the sweaters. In 1947, the "Toronto Maple Leafs" lettering was in red for a short time. In 1958, a six-eyelet lace and tie were added to the neck and a blue shoulder yoke was added. In 1961, player numbers were added to the sleeves.[244]
The fourth major change came in the 1966–67 season when the logo was changed to an 11-point leaf, similar to the leaf on the then-newflag of Canada to commemorate theCanadian Centennial.[244] The simpler leaf logo featured theFutura Display typeface, replacing the previous block letters. The stripes on the sleeves and waistline were also changed, adding a wider stripe in between the two thinner stripes (similar to the stripe patterns on the socks and the early Leafs sweaters). Before the 1970–71 season, the Leafs adopted a new 11-point leaf logo, with aKabel bold-font "Toronto" going straight across, running parallel to the other words. Other changes to the sweater included the replacement of the arm strips with an elongated yoke that extended to the ends of the sleeves, a solid single stripe on the waist replacing the three waistline stripes, two stripes on the stockings, and a smaller, textless Leaf crest on the shoulders.[245] In 1973, the jersey's neck was a lace tie-down design, before the V-neck returned in 1976. In 1977, the NHL rules were changed to require names on the backs of the uniforms, but Harold Ballard resisted the change. Under Ballard's direction, the team briefly "complied" with the rule by placing blue letters on the blue road jersey for a game on February 26, 1978. With the NHL threatening hefty fines for failing to comply with the spirit of the rule (namely, having the names be legible for the fans and broadcasters in attendance), Ballard reached a compromise with the league, allowing the Leafs to finish the1977–78 season with contrasting white letters on the road sweaters, and coming into full compliance with the new rule in the1978–79 season by adding names in blue to the white home sweaters.[245]
With the NHL's 75th anniversary season (1991–92 season), the Leafs wore "Original Six" style uniforms similar to the designs used in the 1940s.[245] Because of the fan reaction to the previous season's classic uniforms, the first changes to the Maple Leafs uniform in over 20 years were made. The revised uniforms for1992–93 featured two stripes on the sleeves and waistline like the classic uniform, but with the 1970 11-point leaf with Kabel text on the front. A vintage-style veined leaf crest was placed on the shoulders.[245] The uniforms would undergo a few modifications over the years.
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In 1997,Nike acquired the rights to manufacture Maple Leafs uniforms. Construction changes to the uniform included a wishbone collar and pothole mesh underarms, while the player name and number font were changed to Kabel to match the logo. CCM returned to manufacturing the Leafs uniforms in 1999 when Nike withdrew from the hockey jersey market, and kept most of the changes, although in 2000 the Kabel numbers were replaced with block numbers outlined in silver, and a silver-outlined interlocked TML monogram replaced the vintage leaf on the shoulders. Also during this time, the Leafs began wearing a white 1960s-style throwbackthird jersey featuring the outlined 35-point leaf, blue shoulders, and lace-up collar.
With Reebok taking over the NHL jersey contract following the 2004–05 lockout, changes were expected when theEdge uniform system was set to debut in 2007. As part of the Edge overhaul, the TML monograms were removed from the shoulders, and the silver outlines on the numbers were replaced with blue or white outlines (e.g. the blue home jersey featured white numbers with blue and white outlines, rather than blue and silver), and the waistline stripes were removed. In 2010, the two waistline stripes were restored, the vintage leaf returned to the shoulders, and the player names and numbers were changed again, reverting to a simpler single-colour block font. Finally, lace-up collars were brought back to the primary uniforms.[239][246] The Leafs also brought back the 1967–1970 blue uniform, replacing the white 1960s jersey as their third uniform. For the2014 NHL Winter Classic, the Leafs wore a sweater inspired by their earlier uniforms in the 1930s.[246]
On February 2, 2016, the team unveiled a new logo for the 2016–17 season in honour of its centennial, dropping the use of the Kabel-style font lettering used from 1970; it returns the logo to a form inspired by the earlier designs, with 31 points to allude to the 1931 opening of Maple Leaf Gardens, and 17 veins a reference to its establishment in 1917. 13 of the veins are positioned along the top part in honour of its 13 Stanley Cup victories. The logo was subsequently accompanied by a new uniform design that was unveiled during the2016 NHL entry draft on June 24, 2016.[247][248][249] In addition to the new logo, the new uniforms feature a custom block typeface for the player names and numbers. Two stripes remain on the sleeves, with a single stripe at the waistline. The updated design carried over to theAdidas Adizero uniforms adopted by the NHL in 2017.[250]
The Maple Leafs have worn historical throwback uniforms for select games, with the club wearing Toronto Arenas or St. Pats-inspired throwback designs.[251] Additionally, the Leafs have also used contemporary "historically inspired" uniforms as an alternate uniform. For the Centennial Classic, each Leafs player wore a blue sweater with bold white stripes across the chest and arms; the white stripe being a tribute to the St. Pats, while a stylized-"T" used by the Arenas featured on theirhockey pants.[252] For the 2020–21 season, the Maple Leafs wore "reverse retro" alternate uniforms, which included silver stripes inspired by the uniforms used from 1970 to 1972, while using the club's logo used from 1967 to 1970.[251] Then for the2022 Heritage Classic, the Maple Leafs donned a modified version of the team's Arenas throwbacks, with blue-on-blue lettering on the "Arenas" wordmark as a nod to the infamous 1978 uniforms.[253] A second "reverse retro" alternate uniform, featuring the blue version of the white road uniforms they wore in 1962, was released. This design added a white shoulder yoke which was absent on the original blue uniform.[254]
Other alternate uniforms worn by the team include a white uniform with two blue stripes across the chest and arms, paired this uniform with white pants worn for the2018 NHL Stadium Series. The uniforms were largely coloured white as a tribute to theRoyal Canadian Navy and also included bolder blue outlines to create uniforms more pronounced for outdoor settings.[252]
During the 2021–22 season, the Leafs namedTikTok, a video-sharing website, as their helmet entitlement partner.[255] Then in the 2022–23 season, the Maple Leafs announced a uniform sponsorship with theDairy Farmers of Ontario, utilizing the organization's "Milk" insignia.[256] For the 2023–24 season,Pizza Pizza became the team's helmet entitlement partner; however, they were only featured on the home helmets.[257] In the 2024–25 season, Mondelez'sOreo served as the team's helmet entitlement partner, placing them on all of their helmets.[258]
On March 22, 2022, the Maple Leafs unveiled a new alternate uniform, but for the first time in team history, black served as a base colour with the traditional blue serving as a trim colour. The "Next Gen" uniform features the team crest with a blue and black tie-dye background, along with a subtle black/blue skyline motif serving as sleeve stripes. It also comes with a reversible crest, featuring Canadian singerJustin Bieber's modified drew house insignia inside a yellow Maple Leafs logo and yellow stripes. The black/blue front is normally worn as a game uniform.[259]
The Maple Leafs'mascot is Carlton the Bear, ananthropomorphicpolar bear whose name and number (#60) come from the location ofMaple Leaf Gardens at 60 Carlton Street, where the Leafs played throughout much of their history.[260] Carlton made his first public appearance on July 29, 1995. He later made his regular season appearance on October 10, 1995.[261]
As a result of bothBell Canada andRogers Communications having an ownership stake in MLSE, Maple Leafs broadcasts are split between the two media companies; with regional TV broadcasts split between Rogers'Sportsnet Ontario and Bell'sTSN4.[262][263]Colour commentary for Bell's television broadcasts is performed byMike Johnson, while play-by-play is provided byGord Miller.[264] Colour commentary for Rogers' television broadcasts is performed byCraig Simpson, while play-by-play is provided byChris Cuthbert; both also serve as the lead broadcast team of Hockey Night in Canada and Sportsnet's national TV broadcasts.[265] From 2001 to 2022, MLSE also operated a specialty channel, theLeafs Nation Network.[266]
Like the Maple Leafs television broadcasts, radio broadcasts are split evenly between Rogers'CJCL (Sportsnet 590, The Fan) and Bell'sCHUM (TSN Radio 1050).[262] Both Bell and Rogers' radio broadcasts have their colour commentary provided byJim Ralph, with play-by-play provided byJoe Bowen.
Radio broadcasts of games played by the club were started in 1923.[267] The first Leafs hockey game that was televised occurred on November 10, 1952; the broadcast also being the first English-language television broadcast of an NHL game in Canada.[267] Foster Hewitt was the Leafs' first play-by-play broadcaster, providing radio play-by-play from 1927 to 1978. In addition, he provided play-by-play for television from 1952 to 1958, and colour commentary from 1958 to 1961.[268] Originally aired overCFCA, Hewitt's broadcast was picked up by theCanadian Radio Broadcasting Commission (the CRBC) in 1933, moving toCBC Radio (the CRBC's successor) three years later.[269]
| Arena | Tenure |
|---|---|
| Arena Gardens | 1917–1931 |
| Maple Leaf Gardens | 1931–1999 |
| Scotiabank Arena | 1999–present |
The team's first home was the Arena Gardens, later known as theMutual Street Arena. From 1912 until 1931, the Arena was ice hockey's premier site in Toronto.[270] The Arena Gardens was the third arena in Canada to feature a mechanically frozen, or artificial, ice surface, and for 11 years was the only such facility in Eastern Canada.[271] The Arena was demolished in 1989, with most of the site converted to residential developments.[272] In 2011, parts of the site were made into a city park, known as Arena Gardens.[273]
Within six months in 1931, Conn Smythe builtMaple Leaf Gardens on the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street, for C$1.5 million (C$28.7 million in 2023).[274] The arena soon acquired nicknames including the "Carlton Street Cashbox", and the "Maple Leaf Mint", since the team's games were constantly sold out.[275] The Maple Leafs won 11 Stanley Cups while playing at the Gardens. The first annualNHL All-Star Game was also held at Maple Leaf Gardens in 1947.[276] The Gardens opened on November 12, 1931, with the Maple Leafs losing 2–1 to the Chicago Blackhawks.[38] On February 13, 1999, the Maple Leafs played their last game at the Gardens, also suffering a 6–2 loss to the Blackhawks.[108] The building is presently used as a multi-purpose facility, with aLoblaws grocery store occupying retail space on the lower floors,Joe Fresh andLCBO occupying another floor, and an athletics arena for Ryerson University (nowToronto Metropolitan University) occupying the topmost level.[277][278]
The Maple Leafs presently use two facilities in the City of Toronto. The club moved from the Gardens on February 20, 1999, to their current home arena, Air Canada Centre, later renamedScotiabank Arena, a multi-purpose indoor entertainment arena onBay Street in theSouth Core neighbourhood ofDowntown Toronto.[279] The arena is owned by the Maple Leafs' parent company MLSE and is shared with the NBA's Toronto Raptors (another MLSE subsidiary), as well as theNational Lacrosse League'sToronto Rock.[280] In addition to the main arena, the Maple Leafs also operate a practice facility at theFord Performance Centre. The facility was opened in 2009 and operated by theLakeshore Lions Club until September 2011, when the City of Toronto took over ownership of the facility after the Lions Club faced financial difficulties. The facility now operates as a City of Toronto-controlled corporation.[281][282] The facility was known as the Mastercard Centre for Hockey Excellence until 2019 when it was renamed the Ford Performance Centre. The facility has three NHL rinks and one Olympic-sized rink.[282]
On January 1, 2017, the Maple Leafs played the Detroit Red Wings in a home game atBMO Field, an outdoor multipurpose stadium atExhibition Place, home to Leafs owner MLSE's other teams: the Toronto FC and the Toronto Argonauts. Known as theNHL Centennial Classic, theoutdoor game served as a celebration for both the centennial season of the franchise and the NHL.[283]
The Maple Leafs are affiliated with theToronto Marlies of theAmerican Hockey League, the Marlies play fromCoca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto. The Maple Leafs' parent company has owned the Marlies franchise since 1978.[284][285]
The first AHL affiliate owned by the Maple Leafs was theRochester Americans, a team the Leafs initially co-owned with the Montreal Canadiens from 1956 to 1959, before MLGL bought out the Canadiens' share in the team. MLGL held sole ownership of the team until it was sold to an investor group in 1966. However, it continued to serve as their minor league affiliate until 1969. The Leafs did not have an AHL affiliate from 1969 to 1978 and relied on placing their drafted players with other team's affiliates. However, after several poor draft picks and having insufficient control over their prospect's development, MLGL opted to reestablish their own farm system; co-founding the Marlies franchise in 1978, and operating theCincinnati Tigers of theCentral Hockey League from 1981 to 1982.[284][note 4] The Marlies were initially established as theNew Brunswick Hawks, and were later relocated toSt. Catherines,Newmarket, and St. John's, before finally moving to Toronto in 2005.[286][287][288]
TheNewfoundland Growlers were theECHL affiliate of the Maple Leafs from 2018 until 2024, they played from theMary Brown's Centre in St. John's, Newfoundland.[289] Unlike the Marlies, the Growlers were not owned by the Leafs' parent company but were instead owned by Deacon Sports and Entertainment.[290] The Growlers folded in 2024.[291] TheCincinnati Cyclones signed an agreement to become the ECHL affiliate of the Maple Leafs in July 2024.[292]
The Marlies were named after theToronto Marlboros, ajunior hockey team named after theDuke of Marlborough.[286] Founded in 1903, the Marlboros were sponsored by the Leafs from 1927 to 1989.[286][293] The Marlboros constituted one of two junior hockey teams the Leafs formerly sponsored, the other being theToronto St. Michael's Majors. The sponsored junior system served as the Leafs primary farm system for young replacement players from the 1940s to 1950s.[55] Formal NHL sponsorship of junior teams ceased in 1966, making all qualifying prospects not already on NHL-sponsored lists eligible for the draft.[294]
The Maple Leafs is one of six professional sports teams owned byMaple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE). In 2024,Forbes estimated the value of the club at US$3.8 billion, making the Maple Leafs the most valuable franchise in the NHL.[295] However, MLSE has refuted past valuations made byForbes.[296]
Initially, ownership of the club was held by the Arena Gardens of Toronto, Limited; an ownership group fronted byHenry Pellatt that owned and managed Arena Gardens.[297] The club was named a permanent franchise in the League following its inaugural season, with team managerCharles Querrie, and the Arena Gardens treasurer Hubert Vearncombe as its owners.[298] The Arena Company owned the club until 1919 whenlitigations fromEddie Livingstone forced the company to declare bankruptcy. Querrie brokered the sale of the Arena Garden's share to the owners of the amateur St. Patricks Hockey Club.[299][300] Maintaining his shares in the club, Querrie fronted the new ownership group until 1927, when the club was put up for sale.Toronto Varsity Blues coach Conn Smythe put together an ownership group and purchased the franchise for $160,000.[23] In 1929, Smythe decided, amid the Great Depression, that the Maple Leafs needed a new arena.[37][38] To finance it, Smythe launched Maple Leaf Gardens Limited (MLGL), a publicly traded management company to own both the Maple Leafs and the new arena, which was named Maple Leaf Gardens. Smythe traded his stake in the Leafs for shares in MLGL and sold shares in the holding company to the public to help fund construction for the arena.[301]
Although Smythe was the face of MLGL from its founding, he did not gain a controlling interest in the company until 1947.[29][30][31] Smythe remained MLGL's principal owner until 1961 when he sold 90 percent of his shares to an ownership group consisting ofHarold Ballard,John W. H. Bassett andStafford Smythe. Ballard became majority owner in February 1972 shortly following the death of Stafford Smythe.[79] Ballard was the principal owner of MLGL until he died in 1990. The company remained a publicly traded company until 1998, when an ownership group fronted bySteve Stavro privatized the company by acquiring more than the 90 percent of stock necessary to force objecting shareholders out.[302][303]
While initially primarily a hockey company, with ownership stakes in several junior hockey clubs including the Toronto Marlboros of the Ontario Hockey Association, the company later branched out to own theHamilton Tiger-Cats of theCanadian Football League from the late 1970s to late 1980s (though the company would later sell off the Tiger-Cats).[304] On February 12, 1998, MLGL purchased theToronto Raptors of theNational Basketball Association, who were constructing the then–Air Canada Centre. After MLGL acquired the Raptors, the company changed its name to MLSE.[105] The company's portfolio has since expanded to include theToronto FC ofMajor League Soccer, the Toronto Marlies of the AHL, theToronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League, and a 37.5 percent stake inMaple Leaf Square.[305]
The present ownership structure emerged in 2012 after theOntario Teachers' Pension Plan (the company's former principal owner) announced the sale of its 75 percent stake in MLSE to a consortium made up of telecommunications rivals Bell Canada and Rogers Communications, in a deal valued at$1.32 billion.[306] As part of the sale, twonumbered companies were created to jointly hold stock. This ownership structure ensures that, at the shareholder level, Rogers and Bell vote their overall 75 percent interest in the company together and thus decisions on the management of the company must be made by consensus between the two.[307] A portion of Bell's share in MLSE is owned by its pension fund, to make Bell's share in MLSE under 30 percent. This was done so that Bell could retain its existing 18 percent interest in theMontreal Canadiens; as NHL's conflict of interest rules prevent any shareholder that owns more than 30 percent of a team from holding an ownership position in another.[308] The remaining 25 percent is owned byLarry Tanenbaum, who is also the chairman of MLSE.[306]
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This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Maple Leafs. For the full season-by-season history, seeList of Toronto Maple Leafs seasons
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | GF | GA | Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–21 | 56 | 35 | 14 | 7 | 77 | 187 | 148 | 1st, North | Lost in first round, 3–4 (Canadiens) |
| 2021–22 | 82 | 54 | 21 | 7 | 115 | 315 | 253 | 2nd, Atlantic | Lost in first round, 3–4 (Lightning) |
| 2022–23 | 82 | 50 | 21 | 11 | 111 | 279 | 222 | 2nd, Atlantic | Lost in second round, 1–4 (Panthers) |
| 2023–24 | 82 | 46 | 26 | 10 | 102 | 303 | 263 | 3rd, Atlantic | Lost in first round, 3–4 (Bruins) |
| 2024–25 | 82 | 52 | 26 | 4 | 108 | 268 | 231 | 1st, Atlantic | Lost in second round, 3–4 (Panthers) |
Updated October 23, 2025[309][310]
In all, 25 individuals have served as captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs.[note 5][311][160]Ken Randall served as the team's first captain for two years beginning with the inaugural 1917–18 NHL season.[311]John Ross Roach was the first goaltender to be named captain in the NHL, and the only goaltender to serve as the Leafs' captain.[312] He was one of only six goalies in NHL history to have been officially recognized as the team captain.George Armstrong served as captain from 1958 through 1969 and was the longest-serving captain in the team's history.[313] In 1997, Mats Sundin became the first non-Canadian to captain the Maple Leafs. His tenure as captain holds the distinction as the longest captaincy for a non-North American-born player in NHL history.[314] The most recent player named to the position was Auston Matthews on August 14, 2024.[315]
Three captains of the Maple Leafs have held the position at multiple points in their careers. Syl Apps' first tenure as the captain began from 1940 to 1943, before he stepped down and left the club to enlist in the Canadian Army.Bob Davidson served as the Maple Leafs captain until Apps' return from the Army in 1945 and resumed his captaincy until 1948.[316] Ted Kennedy's first tenure as captain was from 1948 to 1955. He announced his retirement from the sport at the end of the 1954–55 season, withSid Smith succeeding him as captain.[311] Although Kennedy missed the entire 1955–56 season, he came out of retirement to play the second half of the 1956–57 season. During that half-season, Kennedy served his second tenure as the Maple Leafs' captain.[317] Darryl Sittler was the third player to have been named the team's captain twice. As a result of a dispute between Sittler and the Maple Leafs' general managerPunch Imlach, Sittler relinquished the captaincy on December 29, 1979. The dispute was resolved in the following off-season after a heart attack hospitalized Imlach. Sittler arranged talks with Ballard to resolve the issue, eventually resuming his captaincy on September 24, 1980.[318] No replacement captain was named during the interim period.[319]
The Maple Leafs have had 41 head coaches (including four interim coaches).[311] The franchise's first head coach was Dick Carroll, who coached the team for two seasons.[311] Several coaches have served as the Leafs head coach on multiple occasions. King Clancy was named the head coach on three occasions while Charles Querrie and Punch Imlach served the position on two occasions.[311]Craig Berube is the current head coach. He was named coach on May 17, 2024.[183]
Punch Imlach coached the most regular season games of any Leafs' head coach with 770 games, and has the most all-time points with the Maple Leafs, with 865.[311] He is followed by Pat Quinn, who coached 574 games, with 678 points all-time with the Maple Leafs.[311] BothMike Rodden and Dick Duff, have the fewest points with the Maple Leafs, with 0. Both were interim coaches who coached only two games each in 1927 and 1980 respectively, losing both games.[311]Sheldon Keefe earned the most points of any Leafs head coach in a single season, with 115 points during the2021–22 season. Five Maple Leafs' coaches have been inducted into theHockey Hall of Fame as players, while four others were inducted as builders. Pat Burns is the only Leafs' head coach to win aJack Adams Award with the team.[320]
In the1963 NHL amateur draft, the NHL's inaugural draft, the Maple Leafs selectedWalt McKechnie, a centre from theLondon Nationals with their first pick, sixth overall.[321] Two Maple Leafs captains were obtained through the draft,Darryl Sittler in the1970 draft; as well asWendel Clark in the1985 draft.[322] The Maple Leafs have drafted two players with a first overall draft pick; Clark in the 1985 draft, andAuston Matthews in the2016 draft.[323] Other notable Maple Leafs draft picks and current players with the team are defencemanMorgan Rielly (fifth overall,2012), and wingersWilliam Nylander andMitch Marner (eighth and fourth overall in2014 and2015 respectively). The team's most recent first round selection wasEaston Cowan, at 28th overall in the2023 draft.[324]
The Toronto Maple Leafs have had four PA announcers in their history. In addition, Harold (Hap) Watson was the Toronto Arenas' announcer in 1929 before the team moved to Maple Leaf Gardens and became the Toronto Maple Leafs.[325]
The Maple Leafs have won 13 Stanley Cups in its history.[326] Toronto's first two Stanley Cups, in 1918 and 1922, took place when the Stanley Cup tournament operated as an interleague competition.[note 7][327] Toronto's subsequent 11 Stanley Cups were awarded after 1926 when the Cup was established as the championship trophy of the NHL. The Maple Leafs won their last Stanley Cup in 1967, with the team's 57-seasonStanley Cup drought being the longest championship drought in the NHL.[328] The Maple Leafs were also awarded thePrince of Wales Trophy twice, following the 1946–47 season, and the 1962–63 season. The Prince of Wales Trophy was awarded to the club when it was used as NHL's regular season championship trophy.[note 8][329]
| No. | Player | Position | Tenure | Date of honour[330] | Date of retirement[331] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turk Broda | G | 1935–1943 1946–1951 | March 11, 1995 | October 15, 2016 |
| 1 | Johnny Bower | G | 1958–1969 | March 11, 1995 | October 15, 2016 |
| 4 | Hap Day | D | 1924–1937 | October 4, 2006 | October 15, 2016 |
| 4 | Red Kelly | C | 1960–1967 | October 4, 2006 | October 15, 2016 |
| 5 | Bill Barilko | D | 1945–1951 | Not honoured | October 17, 1992[332] |
| 6 | Ace Bailey | RW | 1926–1933 | Not honoured | February 14, 1934 |
| 7 | King Clancy | D | 1930–1937 | November 21, 1995 | October 15, 2016 |
| 7 | Tim Horton | D | 1949–1970 | November 21, 1995 | October 15, 2016 |
| 9 | Charlie Conacher | RW | 1929–1938 | February 28, 1998 | October 15, 2016 |
| 9 | Ted Kennedy | C | 1942–1955 1956–1957 | October 3, 1993 | October 15, 2016 |
| 10 | Syl Apps | C | 1936–1943 1945–1948 | October 3, 1993 | October 15, 2016 |
| 10 | George Armstrong | RW | 1949–1971 | February 28, 1998 | October 15, 2016 |
| 13 | Mats Sundin | C | 1994–2008 | February 11, 2012 | October 15, 2016 |
| 14 | Dave Keon | C | 1960–1975 | Not honoured | October 15, 2016 |
| 17 | Wendel Clark | LW | 1985–1994 1996–1998 2000 | November 22, 2008 | October 15, 2016 |
| 21 | Borje Salming | D | 1973–1989 | October 4, 2006 | October 15, 2016 |
| 27 | Frank Mahovlich | LW | 1956–1968 | October 3, 2001 | October 15, 2016 |
| 27 | Darryl Sittler | C | 1970–1982 | February 8, 2003 | October 15, 2016 |
| 93 | Doug Gilmour | C | 1992–1997 2003 | January 31, 2009 | October 15, 2016 |
| Player elected to theHockey Hall of Fame |
| Number retired for multiple players |
| Number was not honoured before being retired |
The Maple Leafs haveretired the numbers of 19 players; as some players used the same number, only 13 numbers have been retired.[331] Between October 17, 1992, and October 15, 2016, the Maple Leafs took a unique approach to retired numbers. Whereas players who suffered a career-ending injury had their numbers retired, "great" players had their number "honoured".[332] Honoured numbers remained in general circulation for players, however, during Brian Burke's tenure as the Maple Leafs' general manager, the use of honoured numbers required his approval.[333]
During this period, only two players met the criteria for retirement, the first being number 6, worn byAce Bailey and retired on February 14, 1934; and Bill Barilko's number 5, retired on October 17, 1992.[332] The retirement of Bailey's number was the first of its kind in professional sports.[334][335] It was briefly taken out of retirement after Bailey asked thatRon Ellis be allowed to wear his number.[336] Bailey's number returned to retirement after Ellis's final game on January 14, 1981.[337]
The first players to have their numbers honoured were Syl Apps and Ted Kennedy, on October 3, 1993.[332] Mats Sundin was the last player to have his number honoured on February 11, 2012.[338] On October 15, 2016, before the home opening game of the team's centenary season, the Maple Leafs announced they had changed their philosophy on retiring numbers, and that the numbers of those 16 honoured players would now be retired, in addition to the retirement of Dave Keon's number.[331]
As well as honouring and retiring the numbers, the club also commissioned statues of former Maple Leafs. The group of statues, known as Legends Row, is a 9.2 metres (30 ft) granite hockey bench with statues of former club players. Unveiled in September 2014, it is located outside Gate 5 of Scotiabank Arena, at Maple Leaf Square.[339] As of October 2017, statues have been made of 14 players with retired numbers.[340]
In addition to the 13 numbers retired by the Maple Leafs, the number 99 is also retired from use in the organization. At the2000 NHL All-Star Game hosted in Toronto, the NHL announced the league-wide retirement ofWayne Gretzky's number 99, retiring it from use throughout all its member teams, including the Maple Leafs.[341]
The Toronto Maple Leafs acknowledge an affiliation with 78 inductees of theHockey Hall of Fame,[342][343] including 64 former players as well as 13 builders of the sport. The Maple Leafs have the greatest number of players inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame of any NHL team.[344] The 13 individuals recognized as builders of the sport include former Maple Leafs broadcasters, executives, head coaches, and other personnel relating to the club's operations. Inducted in 2017, Dave Andreychuk was the latest Maple Leafs player to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.[345]
In addition to players and builders, five broadcasters for the Maple Leafs were also awarded theFoster Hewitt Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame.[346] In 1984, radio broadcaster Foster Hewitt was awarded the Hall of Fame's inaugural Foster Hewitt Memorial Award, an award named after him. Before the award's creation, Hewitt had already been inducted as a builder into the Hall of Fame.[269] Other Maple Leafs broadcasters that received the award includeWes McKnight in 1986,Bob Cole in 2007,Bill Hewitt in 2007 andJoe Bowen in 2018.[346]
Players
Builders
These are the top franchise leaders in regular season points, goals, assists, points per game, games played, and goaltending wins as of the end of the 2024–25 season.[347][348]
| Player | Seasons | GP | TOI | W | L | T | OT | GA | GAA | SA | SV% | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turk Broda | 1935–1943 1946–1951 | 629 | 38,182 | 304 | 222 | 102 | — | 1,608 | 2.53 | — | — | 61 |
| Johnny Bower | 1958–1969 | 475 | 27,369 | 219 | 157 | 79 | — | 1,139 | 2.50 | 14,607 | .922 | 32 |
| Felix Potvin | 1991–1999 | 369 | 21,461 | 160 | 149 | 49 | — | 1,026 | 2.87 | 11,133 | .908 | 12 |
| Frederik Andersen | 2016–2021 | 268 | 15,625 | 149 | 74 | — | 36 | 726 | 2.79 | 8466 | .914 | 13 |
| Curtis Joseph | 1998–2002 | 270 | 15,808 | 138 | 97 | 27 | 1 | 656 | 2.49 | 7,257 | .910 | 17 |
| Mike Palmateer | 1976–1984 | 296 | 16,828 | 129 | 112 | 41 | — | 964 | 3.44 | 8,886 | .892 | 15 |
| Harry Lumley | 1952–1956 | 267 | 16,003 | 103 | 106 | 58 | — | 581 | 2.18 | 1,696[note 9] | .907[note 9] | 34 |
| Lorne Chabot | 1928–1933 | 214 | 13,077 | 102 | 78 | 31 | — | 470 | 2.16 | — | — | 31 |
| John Ross Roach | 1921–1928 | 222 | 13,645 | 98 | 107 | 17 | — | 639 | 2.81 | — | — | 13 |
| Ed Belfour | 2002–2006 | 170 | 10,079 | 93 | 61 | 11 | 4 | 422 | 2.51 | 4,775 | .912 | 17 |
Conn Smythe bought the Toronto St. Pats in 1927 after the franchise almost had been sold to a group in Philadelphia. He immediately changed the name of the team to the Maple Leafs to honor Canada's soldiers who wore the Maple Leaf while fighting during World War I. "We chose it ... hoping that the possession of this badge would mean something to the team that wore it and when they skated out on the ice with this badge on their chest ... they would wear it with honor and pride and courage, the way it had been worn by the soldiers of the first Great War in the Canadian Army," said Smythe, who also changed the team's colors from green and white to blue and white.
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