The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the most storied franchises in the NHL. They have a long and successful history, dating back to their days as one of the Original Six teams. The Maple Leafs have won the Stanley Cup 11 times, and they are always a contender. They have a passionate fan base, and they are one of the most popular teams in the league. The Maple Leafs are a great team to watch, and they always give their fans a lot to cheer for.
Brief history
The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the oldest ice hockey teams and were founded in 1917 when they were known as the Toronto Arenas before they were renamed in 1919 as the Toronto St. Patricks. Conn Smythe purchased the team in 1927 when they adopted their new name as the Toronto Maple Leafs. The team’s two main dynasties were from 1947 to 1951 and 1962 to 1967.
Today, some of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ rivalries are against the Detroit Red Wings, the Ottawa Senators, the Montreal Canadians, and the Boston Bruins.
Why The Toronto Maple Leafs Are One Of The Best Teams In the NHL
The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to be one of the top teams in Canada and the NHL because they host skill development practices to ensure their bottom players also have skills to contribute to their success in each game. The veterans on the team have also assisted the rookies in developing their skills.
The team also has one of the best forward rosters in the NHL, which doesn’t have any holes in it. They’ve also added TJ Brodie to Morgan Rielly to fix their first pair. Jake Muzzin and Justin Holl also make a successful second pair with an excellent offensive pair with Travis Dermott and Mikko Lehtonen as their players.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are also known as being relentless and are known for beating other teams with all four lines. With 13 Stanley cups under their belt, they’re one of the most skilled and successful teams to date.
Toronto Maple Leafs Fans
The Toronto Maple Leafs have one of the largest fan bases in the NHL due to their extensive history in the league. Their fans are known to be wild and enthusiastic, allowing the team to rank second in attendance. An average of 18,819 fans are present at each game to show their support and watch the live action on the ice. They’re also known to dissect different moves that the organization makes each season.
While attending games, it’s easy to find Maple Leafs fans dressed head to toe in different types of apparel. They often have red and white face paint on and plenty of accessories that allow them to stand out. Fans also purchase plenty of souvenirs and products at games, whether they buy a Maple Leafs tumbler or a Toronto Maple Leafs jacket.
Toronto Maple Leaf fans also are hard to forget for fans of rivaling teams because they’re not afraid to show their emotions, whether a goal is made or a shot is blocked. They arrive at the arena in droves with plenty of posters in tow. Their commitment and loyalty to the team is one of the reasons the Maple Leafs have sold-out games, even in seasons when they’re not performing as well.
Toronto Maple Leafs Players
The Toronto Maple Leafs have a variety of veteran and rookie players. Mitchell Marner is known as one of the top players as a right winger and alternate captain. Additional players who are also on the roster include Auston Matthews, Jack Campbell, Mitch Marner, Matt Murray, William Nylander, Wayne Simmonds, and Kyle Clifford. John Tavares and Auston Matthews are also considered to be top players on the team due to their impressive stats in recent seasons.
Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cup Wins
One of the main reasons the Toronto Maple Leafs have a solid presence in the NHL is due to the number of Stanley Cup wins they’ve had since the team was founded. They’ve won 13 Stanley Cups and have won six division championships. This makes them follow right behind the Montreal Canadians, who have won 24 championships.
The most recent Stanley cup win was during the 1966–67 season. Their previous Stanley cup wins were in 1918, 1922, 1932, 1942, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1962, 1963, 1964 and in 1967.
From 1932–33 and 1939–40, they made it to the Stanley Cup finals but didn’t take home a trophy.
Rivalry With The Montreal Canadiens
The Toronto Maple Leafs rivalry with the Montreal Canadiens is well-known in the NHL and makes their games even more exciting to watch. The two teams date back to the beginning of the NHL and started their rivalry in 1938 as they were the only two NHL teams from Canada until 1970.
Both the teams have come head-to-head in 16 different Stanley Cup playoff series and five separate Stanley Cup finals. The rivalry may have deeper roots due to the major city where each team is based because Montreal and Toronto are well-known economic rivals. The opposition of the two cities has naturally caused the two teams to be pitted against each other for several decades.
FAQs
Who is the most famous Toronto Maple Leaf player?
Mats Sundin is considered to be the most famous Toronto Maple Leaf player, even if he didn’t have a great exit from the team. Sundin is from Sweden and was the captain of the team. He’s most known for the multiple records he broke. Before being drafted to the Maple Leafs, he became famous for leading the Swedish national team to Olympic Gold several years prior in 2006.
Sundin made it to the NHL All-Star team on nine separate occasions and played for the Maple Leafs for 13 seasons, leading them to the conference final twice. Although he didn’t lead the team to a Stanley Cup win during his time spent on the team, he’s highly respected for his excellent offensive skills, leadership qualities, and his overall size.
Why is the Toronto Maple Leafs logo blue instead of red?
Although most people would expect the Toronto Maple Leafs logo to be red, their colors are blue and white. The colors represent the skies in Canada, and the white represents the snow that the country experiences during the winter season. These colors have been used by the team since 1927 when Conn Smythe purchased the team.
The Montreal Canadians, a team in the NHL, also used red in their colors, which could be confusing if both teams had the same colors, especially when they compete with each other during games.
c. Why are the Toronto Maple Leafs so popular?
The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the most popular NHL teams due to their extensive history in the league. After 53 years, the team continues to sell out all of their home games between 1946 to 1999. Thousands of fans are also on the waiting list in hopes of getting a chance to purchase tickets to one of their games.
Many fans pass on their love of the team to their children and grandchildren, making it a tradition to attend a game or watch it from home. The long history of the team has allowed the following to carry on to each generation and expand over the years. Most fans have their favorite players in mind and also have strong opinions about changes that occur within the organization each season and how they can impact the team’s future.
An additional reason why the team is wildly popular in Canada, and even in the U.S., is because they were the only team to represent their country from the 1930s to the 1970s. Many people became fans after listening to the hockey games on the radio, which allowed the team to amass a large following coast to coast as Foster Hewitt broadcasted the live action.
Conclusion
The Toronto Maple Leafs have one of the longest histories in the NHL and continue to remain a leading team for their roster with skilled players like Nazem Kadri and James van Riemsdyk. Today, the team is worth $1.3 billion, proving they have even more value than the Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers.
With 13 Stanley Cup wins, the team continues to work hard towards their next championship as fans are anticipating the end of their drought. This makes the games more electric and exciting due to the high level of comradery that is experienced among the loyal fans in the crowds. With a storied past, the team has an optimistic future and continues to provide a high level of entertainment to attendees at their games. They continue to rank as one of the top teams in attendance, making it exciting to attend any of their home or away games during the season.