2008-09 Superlative Franchise

The Toronto Maple Leaf franchise was formed in 1927 when Conn Smythe purchased and renamed the Toronto St Pats.

Smythe, a patriot and World War I veteran, chose the maple leaf symbol in the hope of giving his team broader appeal. Even though the country was in the depths of the Depression, Smythe was able to arrange financing for a new arena, and Maple Leaf Gardens was built in 1931.

Opening Game at Maple Leaf Gardens

The flamboyant owner purchased "King" Clancy from the Ottawa Senators for the sum of $35 000 and two players, and the team won its first Stanley Cup in 1931-32. In their most successful years the Maple Leafs were known as a gutsy, hardworking team. Smythe would say; "If you can't beat them in the alley, you can't beat them on the ice."

Members of the team have won few individual awards: the last Maple Leaf to win the scoring title was Gord Drillon in 1938, and only two Leafs have won the Hart Trophy - Babe Pratt (1944) and Ted KENNEDY (1955). Nevertheless, the team has won the Stanley Cup eleven times and has enjoyed two eras of dominance, winning in 1944-45 and, after a dramatic trade of 5 players for Max BENTLEY, again in 1946-47, 1947-48, 1948-49 and 1950-51.

Bill Barilko scores the Stanley Cup winning goal, his last as he dies that summer in a plane crash.

In the sixties, George "Punch" Imlach rebuilt the team by blending aging veterans such as Bert Olmstead, Johnny Bower and Red Kelly with brilliant young players such as Dave Keon, Carl Brewer and Frank Mahovlich. Imlach's teams won Stanley Cups in 1961-62, 1962-63, 1963-64 and 1966-67.

The 66-67 Leafs celebrate their surprise Stanley Cup win.

Conn Smythe relinquished control of the organization in 1961 to his son Stafford, Harold Ballard and John Bassett. After the death of Stafford Smythe in 1971, Harold Ballard gained complete control of the team. Even though the team made an unexpected triumph in 1967, it quickly deteriorated and remains the only one of the Original Six to have failed to reach the Stanley Cup finals in the past 40 years.

The Leafs achieved success following some significant management changes along with the signing of star offensive player and all-time Leafs scorer Darryl Sittler. On February 7, 1976 Sittler recorded the best-ever offensive game in the history of the National Hockey League in a 11-4 victory over the Boston Bruins a remarkable ten points.

In 1979, owner Harold Ballard made the unexpected decision to re-hire Punch Imlach to run the franchise and the team suffered serious setbacks in the decade that followed. Sittler and his fellow teammates were incensed by the new management regime and the trading of star players such as Dave Keon and Lanny McDonald. Prior to a game in 1979, Sittler cut the captain's "C" off his sweater prior in protest. He demanded to be traded midway through the 1981-82 season and was subsequently sent to the Philadelphia Flyers.

The 1980s are considered the darkest period in Leafs' history. They missed the playoffs five times and rarely finishing above fourth in their division. Although they managed to secure several high draft picks, Ballard refused to pay the salary they demanded and the talent was soon lost to other NHL teams.

Following Ballard's death in 1990, supermarket entrepreneur Steve Stavro purchased the team. The Leafs began a period of rebuilding in the 1990s, securing such talent as forwards Dave Andreychuk and Mats Sundin, and goalies Felix Potvin and Curtis Joseph. In 1999 the Leafs finally moved out of historic Maple Leaf Gardens into the Air Canada Centre. They celebrated the year with a trip to the Stanley Cup semifinals.

The Memories and Dreams Patch that adorned the Leaf jerseys during the final season at the Gardens.

The Leafs continued to improve into 2000 playing in the confines of the new Air Canada Centre. In 2004 they accumulated a franchise record for points, finishing fourth in the Eastern Conference.

Currently the Leafs struggle to make the playoffs but there is hope for the future as management has given control of hockey operations to Brian Burke, a General Manager with a history of success. Blue and White fans keep their fingers crossed.

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