Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs, officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Leafs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The club is owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, a company that owns several professional sports teams in the city, while the team's broadcasting rights are split between BCE Inc. and Rogers Communications.

The club was founded as the Toronto Arenas for the inaugural 1917–18 NHL season and rebranded to the Toronto 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 the Mutual Street Arena for its first 14 seasons before moving to Maple Leaf Gardens in 1931. Since February 1999, the Maple Leafs play at Scotiabank Arena, which was formerly known as Air Canada Centre.

Toronto has won more Stanley Cup championships and played more NHL seasons than any team other than the Montreal Canadiens. The club had two recognized dynasties which spanned the 1946–47 to 1950–51 seasons and the 1961–62 to 1966–67 seasons, during which the Leafs won a combined eight of eleven Stanley Cup championships. The Maple Leafs have rivalries with the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, the Montreal Canadiens, and the Ottawa Senators. The team's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate is the Toronto Marlies.

Several individuals who hold an association with the club have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Nineteen players have had their numbers retired by the Maple Leafs, including the first in professional sports.

History

Early years (1917–1927)

The National Hockey League started in 1917 in Montreal. Some teams wanted a new league without a bad owner. They made the NHL and did not include that owner. Toronto joined in 1917. The team was called "the Blueshirts" or "the Torontos." In the first season, the team won the Stanley Cup.

Conn Smythe era (1927–1961)

In 1927, a new owner named Conn Smythe took control. He renamed the team the Maple Leafs after Canada’s national symbol. Smythe built a new arena called Maple Leaf Gardens. The team won several Stanley Cups in the 1940s.

New owners and a new dynasty (1961–1971)

In the 1960s, new owners took over, and the team won three more Stanley Cups in a row. Players like Johnny Bower and Frank Mahovlich helped the team.

The Ballard years (1971–1990)

In the 1970s and 1980s, owner Harold Ballard made many changes to coaches and players. The team did not do very well and often missed the playoffs.

Resurgence (1990–2004)

In the 1990s, new management helped the team improve. They made the playoffs many times. The team moved to a new arena in 1999.

After the lockout (2005–2014)

After a break in the league, the team struggled to make the playoffs. There were many changes in coaches and managers.

Brendan Shanahan era (2014–2025)

In 2014, Brendan Shanahan became the team’s president. There were many changes in coaches and players. The team had some good seasons and made the playoffs, but often lost early.

Post-Shanahan era (2025–present)

In 2025, Shanahan left the team. There have been more changes in managers and coaches. The team missed the playoffs in the 2025–2026 season.

Team culture

Fan base

The Toronto Maple Leafs have very loyal fans. Tickets for their games cost the most in the NHL, and fans sometimes wait years to get season tickets. Fans support the team even when they don’t win many games.

Fans of the Maple Leafs are passionate. Sometimes they show their feelings if they are unhappy. For example, during some seasons, fans have asked for changes in the team's coaching or management. In other seasons, fans have shown their disappointment by throwing jerseys onto the ice or cheering for other teams in a playful way.

The Maple Leafs have fans not just in the Greater Toronto Area, but also in other parts of Ontario, Quebec, New York state, and Michigan.

Rivalries

The Maple Leafs have several long-standing rivalries with other teams, especially from a time when there were only six teams in the league. Some of their biggest rivals include the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, and the Ottawa Senators.

Boston Bruins

Main article: Bruins–Maple Leafs rivalry

The rivalry between the Maple Leafs and the Bruins began a long time ago. They have played many important games against each other, including several championship series.

Buffalo Sabres

The rivalry with the Sabres started because their home cities are close. Even though the Sabres have won many games against the Maple Leafs, there are usually many Maple Leafs fans at their games.

Detroit Red Wings

Main article: Maple Leafs–Red Wings rivalry

The Red Wings and the Maple Leafs have a very old rivalry, with many important playoff games over the years. Their fans also overlap in some areas, adding to the rivalry.

Montreal Canadiens

Main article: Canadiens–Maple Leafs rivalry

The rivalry with the Canadiens is the oldest in the NHL. It has deep historical and cultural roots, and the two teams have won most of the championship trophies over the years.

Ottawa Senators

Main article: Battle of Ontario

The rivalry with the Senators grew stronger after both teams ended up in the same division. They have played several exciting playoff series, and fans from both teams often cheer loudly during games.

Team operations

The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They play in the National Hockey League (NHL) as part of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team is owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, a company that also owns several other professional sports teams in the city.

The Maple Leafs are known for their distinctive maple leaf logo, which appears on their uniforms. Over the years, the team’s uniforms have changed many times, with the first ones being blue and featuring the letter T. In 1919, the team was renamed the St. Patricks, and the uniforms became green. When the team became the Maple Leafs in the 1927–28 season, they returned to blue uniforms with a new maple leaf logo. The design of the uniforms has changed many times since then.

The team’s home arena is Scotiabank Arena in Downtown Toronto, which they share with the NBA’s Toronto Raptors. Before moving there, the Maple Leafs played at Maple Leaf Gardens, a famous arena that opened in 1931. The team has also played games at other venues, including an outdoor game at BMO Field in 2017.

Season-by-season record

This is a list of the last five seasons for the Maple Leafs. For the full history, see List of Toronto Maple Leafs seasons

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Players and personnel

Current roster

Updated April 16, 2026

Team captains

In total, 25 players have been team captains for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ken Randall was the first captain, starting in 1917. John Ross Roach was the first goalie to be a captain in the NHL. George Armstrong held the job the longest, from 1958 to 1969. In 1997, Mats Sundin became the first non-Canadian captain. The current captain is Auston Matthews, named in 2024.

Three players have been captains more than once. Syl Apps was captain from 1940 to 1943, then again from 1945 to 1948. Ted Kennedy was captain from 1948 to 1955 and again in 1957. Darryl Sittler was captain from 1975 to 1979 and again from 1980 to 1982.

• Ken Randall, 1917–1919
• Frank Heffernan, 1919–1920
• Reg Noble, 1920–1922
• Jack Adams, 1922–1924
• John Ross Roach, 1924–1925
• Babe Dye, 1925–1926
• Bert Corbeau, 1926–1927
• Hap Day, 1927–1937
• Charlie Conacher, 1937–1938
• Red Horner, 1938–1940
• Syl Apps, 1940–1943
• Bob Davidson, 1943–1945
• Syl Apps, 1945–1948
• Ted Kennedy, 1948–1955
• Sid Smith, 1955–1956
• Jimmy Thomson, 1956–1957
• Ted Kennedy, 1957
• George Armstrong, 1958–1969
• Dave Keon, 1969–1975
• Darryl Sittler, 1975–1979, 1980–1982
• Rick Vaive, 1982–1986
• Rob Ramage, 1989–1991
• Wendel Clark, 1991–1994
• Doug Gilmour, 1994–1997
• Mats Sundin, 1997–2008
• Dion Phaneuf, 2010–2016
• John Tavares, 2019–2024
• Auston Matthews, 2024–present

Head coaches

Main article: List of Toronto Maple Leafs head coaches

The Toronto Maple Leafs have had 41 head coaches. Dick Carroll was the first coach in 1917. Some coaches have worked with the team more than once. Craig Berube was the most recent coach until May 13, 2026.

Punch Imlach coached the most games, 770, and earned the most points, 865. Pat Quinn coached 574 games and earned 678 points. Sheldon Keefe earned the most points in one season, with 115 points in 2021–22. Five coaches are in the Hockey Hall of Fame as players, and four as builders. Pat Burns won a Jack Adams Award with the team.

Draft picks

Main article: List of Toronto Maple Leafs draft picks

In 1963, the Maple Leafs chose Walt McKechnie as their first pick. Two captains, Darryl Sittler and Wendel Clark, were chosen in drafts. The team has picked first overall twice: Clark in 1985 and Auston Matthews in 2016. Other notable players include Morgan Rielly, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner. The most recent first-round pick was Ben Danford in 2024. The Leafs will have the first pick in the 2026 draft.

Announcers

The Toronto Maple Leafs have had four public address announcers. Harold (Hap) Watson announced for the team in 1929. The announcers since then have been:

• Walter (Red) Barber (1931–1961)
• Paul Morris (1961–1999)
• Andy Frost (1999–2016)
• Mike Ross (2016–present)

Team and league honours

Main article: List of Toronto Maple Leafs award winners

The Toronto Maple Leafs have won 13 Stanley Cups, the biggest prize in hockey. They won their first two in 1918 and 1922. The last time they won was in 1967. They also won the Prince of Wales Trophy twice, in 1947 and 1963.

Retired numbers

The Maple Leafs have retired the numbers of 19 players, but only 13 different numbers because some players shared numbers. They also have statues of many former players outside their arena.

The number 99 is retired across the whole NHL to honor Wayne Gretzky.

Hall of Fame

The Maple Leafs have many players and workers in the Hockey Hall of Fame, more than any other team.

Players

• Jack Adams
• Glenn Anderson
• Dave Andreychuk
• Syl Apps
• George Armstrong
• Ace Bailey
• Tom Barrasso
• Andy Bathgate
• Ed Belfour
• Max Bentley
• Leo Boivin
• Johnny Bower
• Turk Broda
• Harry Cameron
• Gerry Cheevers
• King Clancy
• Sprague Cleghorn
• Charlie Conacher
• Rusty Crawford
• Hap Day
• Gordie Drillon
• Dick Duff
• Babe Dye
• Fernie Flaman
• Ron Francis
• Grant Fuhr
• Mike Gartner
• Doug Gilmour
• George Hainsworth
• Hap Holmes
• Red Horner
• Tim Horton
• Phil Housley
• Syd Howe
• Busher Jackson
• Red Kelly
• Ted Kennedy
• Dave Keon
• Brian Leetch
• Eric Lindros
• Harry Lumley
• Frank Mahovlich
• Lanny McDonald
• Alexander Mogilny
• Dickie Moore
• Larry Murphy
• Joe Nieuwendyk
• Reg Noble
• Bert Olmstead
• Bernie Parent
• Pierre Pilote
• Jacques Plante
• Babe Pratt
• Joe Primeau
• Marcel Pronovost
• Bob Pulford
• Borje Salming
• Terry Sawchuk
• Sweeney Schriner
• Darryl Sittler
• Allan Stanley
• Mats Sundin
• Joe Thornton
• Harry Watson

Builders

• Harold Ballard
• William A. Hewitt
• Conn Smythe
• Jack Bickell
• Punch Imlach
• Pat Burns
• Dick Irvin
• Cliff Fletcher
• Roger Neilson
• Jim Gregory
• Pat Quinn
• Foster Hewitt
• Frank J. Selke

Franchise career leaders

Main article: List of Toronto Maple Leafs records