Toronto Maple Leafs team History


	Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs organization was founded in 1917-1918 when a group of NHA owners decided to form the National Hockey League in order to shut out the much resented Eddie Livingstone owner of the Toronto Blue Shirts. The team was renamed the Toronto Arenas and went on to win the cup their first year.
In the season of 1919/20 the Toronto Arenas were rescued from bankruptcy and the team was renamed the St. Patricks in honor of Toronto's growing Irish Population. The Toronto team received a new look as well, changing their colors to green and white.
In the 1926/27 season, Conn Smythe and a group of investors bought the Toronto St. Patricks. Conn Smythe who was a World War 1 hero, having spent 14 months in a German POW camp and been a recipient of the Military Cross, renamed the team to the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was also Smythes idea to put the maple leaf on their blue and white sweaters. Conn Smythe also took over GM and coaching duties that same year.
Now Conn Smythe had to figure out how to turn a last place team into a contender, and he knew the #1 guy he wanted wearing a Maple Leafs jersey. The Ottawa Senators were putting King Clancy on the market for $50,000, unfortunately the Leafs board of directors were only willing to cough up $25,000 for him...so Clancy decided it was time to place another longshot bet, betting on a horse with 108 to 1 odds against him. Sure enough, the horse pulled through and Smythe left the track over $15,000 richer. With these winnings plus a couple players Smythe was able to turn the deal with the Senators and King Clancy joined the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In 1927, Foster Hewitt made his debut as the radio voice behind the Toronto Maple Leafs. Soon, hockey fans across Canada were huddled around the radio to hear Hewitt call the play-by-play action as King Clancy and the beloved Maple Leafs thrilled fans at the Mutual Street Arena.
As the Toronto Maple Leafs fan base grew, Conn Smythe had a vision of the Leafs playing before fans in a world-class arena. This may have been one of Smythes greatest gambles to date, after all they were in the midst of the great depression and money was tight. That wouldn't stop Smythe though and he proceeded on with his vision. November 12, 1931 the Leafs opened Maple Leaf gardens before an audience of 13, 233. Ticket prices for that event ranged from 95 cents to $2.75.
In 1932 Conn Smythe finally got his revenge as the Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup over his arch-nemisis, the New York Rangers. This was the first Stanley Cup victory for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Maple Leafs Gardens became the first arena to host a 4 sides game clock in 1932.
It was during the 1933-34 season that Eddie Shore put a vicious hit on the Leafs star Ace Bailey. The hit resulted in a skull fracture and ended Ace Baileys hockey career.
The 1940s were a successful decade for the Leafs winning 5 cups during that period.
In 1951, Bill Barilko scored a cup winning overtime goal, in a hard fought series with Montreal Canadiens. The following summer Bill Barilko died in a plane crash while on a fishing trip.
The 1960s were also a decade of decadence for the Leafs as they took home four of Lord Stanleys trophies. A few noteable Buds during that decade were Mahovolich, Bower and Dave Keon.
In 1962, Maple Leaf Gardens became the first arena to install seperate penalty boxes. Too bad, it would make for a more interesting game if they went back to shared penalty boxes!
In 1977/78: Harold Ballard, the Maple Leafs eccentric owner attempted to defy the NHL rule that players names must be displayed on the back of their jersey by putting the names in the same color as the jersey, making it invisible. Ballard would be fined $10,000 / game, before he relented and put the names on the back. In another incident Ballard caused uproar among Feminist when he said, "Women are only good on their back."
1980/81: Harold Ballard's continues his outrageous behaviour when he compares Center Darryl Sittler to a traitor who pissed on the Canadian flag when he rips the Captain's C off his jersey.
1989/90: Ballard passed away at the age of 86.
1992/93: For the first time in 14 years the Maple Leafs would post a winning record in the regular season finishing 3rd in the Norris Division with a solid 44-29-11 record.
On Sept 30, 1997 Mats Sundin was name captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Best Season:	Worst Season:
2003/04 (45-24-10-3 103 Pts)	1984/85 (20-52-8 48Pts)

Retired Numbers
#5 Bill Barilko-Defense	1946/47-1950/51
#6 Ace Bailey Right Wing	1926/27-1933/34

Honoured Numbers: 10
#1 Johnny Bower -Goalie	1958/59-1969/70
#1 Turk Broda -Goalie	1936/37-1942/43, 1945/46-1951/52
#7 King Clancy- Defense	1930/31-1936/37
#7 Tim Horton- Defense	1949/50 1951/52-1969/70
#9 Charlie Conacher- Right Wing	1929/30-1937/38
#9 Ted Kennedy- Center	1942/43-1954/55, 1956/57
#10 Syl Apps- Center	1936/37-1943/44, 1945/46-1947/48
#10 George Armstrong- Right Wing	1949/50, 1951/52-1970/71
#27 Frank Mahovlich- Left Wing	1957/58-1967/68
#27 Darryl Sittler- Center	1970/71-1981/82

Vezina Trophy Winners:6
1941 Turk Broda
1948 Turk Broda
1951 Al Rollins
1954 Harry Lumley
1961 Johnny Bower
1965 Terry Sawchuk & Johnny Bower

The team logos on this site are property of their respective organizations and are used strictly for demonstration purposes.

Maple Leaf Gardens

Arena History
Mutual Street Arena	1917/18-1930/31
Maple Leaf Gardens	1931/32-1998/99
Air Canada Centre	1998/99-Present

1967 Maple Leafs

1967 Stanley Cup Champions

League Championships: 13
1918
1922
1932
1942
1945
1947
1948
1949
1951
1962
1963
1964
1967