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Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs: History, Stats and Everything You Need to Know
The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the most storied franchises in the NHL. Founded back in 1917, they're one of the Original Six teams — but despite that rich history, they're also home to the longest championship drought in North American professional sports.
Quick Facts: Toronto Maple Leafs
| Founded | 1917 (as the Toronto Arenas) |
| Arena | Scotiabank Arena, capacity 18,800 |
| Conference / Division | Eastern Conference, Atlantic Division |
| Stanley Cups | 13, none since 1967 |
| Head coach | Jim Hiller (since June 2026) |
| Captain | Auston Matthews |
| General manager | John Chayka (since May 2026) |
| Owner | Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) |
Toronto Maple Leafs History
The franchise dates back to 1917, when it entered the NHL's inaugural season as the Toronto Arenas. It was renamed the St. Patricks in 1919, before finally becoming the Maple Leafs in 1927, after new owner Conn Smythe took control of the club. Smythe, a decorated World War I veteran, chose the name to honor the maple leaf badges worn by Canadian soldiers, and swapped the team's green-and-white St. Pats look for the blue and white colors still worn today. In 1942, the team became one of the league's Original Six, alongside the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montréal Canadiens and New York Rangers.
- A golden era: The Maple Leafs dominated the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, capturing ten of their thirteen Stanley Cup titles during that stretch.
- The longest drought in the league: Despite that early success, the team hasn't lifted the Cup since 1967 — now a 59-season drought, the longest active championship drought in the NHL.
- A new chapter: After missing the playoffs in 2025-26 for the first time since 2016, the Maple Leafs won the draft lottery and selected Gavin McKenna first overall, hoping to build a new foundation for the future.
Toronto Maple Leafs' Retired Numbers
The Maple Leafs have retired the numbers of 19 different players across 13 unique numbers, honoring some of the greatest names in franchise history:
| 1 | Turk Broda, Johnny Bower |
| 4 | Hap Day, Red Kelly |
| 5 | Bill Barilko |
| 6 | Ace Bailey |
| 7 | King Clancy, Tim Horton |
| 9 | Charlie Conacher, Ted Kennedy |
| 10 | Syl Apps, George Armstrong |
| 13 | Mats Sundin |
| 14 | Dave Keon |
| 17 | Wendel Clark |
| 21 | Börje Salming |
| 27 | Frank Mahovlich, Darryl Sittler |
| 93 | Doug Gilmour |
A franchise unlike any other: No team in the NHL has gone longer without a championship than the Maple Leafs — yet few fanbases remain as passionate, filling Scotiabank Arena year after year regardless of the standings.
2025-26 Season Recap and What's Next
The Maple Leafs finished the 2025-26 season with a record of 32-36-14, landing last in the Atlantic Division and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016. The silver lining came at the draft lottery, where Toronto won the right to select first overall and took forward Gavin McKenna. The offseason also brought a coaching change, with Jim Hiller taking over behind the bench, John Chayka stepping in as general manager, and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky signing with the club.
Every broadcast, in one place: how to watch the Toronto Maple Leafs.
