The Toronto Maple Leafs, officially known as the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club, are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, competing in the National Hockey League (NHL). They are part of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference and are one of the league’s “Original Six” teams. The team is owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Ltd., with Chairman Larry Tanenbaum representing them. In February 1999, the team moved from their long-time home, Maple Leaf Gardens, to the Air Canada Centre.
Founded in 1917 as the Toronto Arenas by the Toronto Arena Company, the team was rebranded as the Toronto St. Patricks in 1919 after being acquired by new owners. In 1927, the franchise was sold again and renamed the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club. The team’s colors are navy blue and white.
The Maple Leafs have secured thirteen Stanley Cup championships, placing them second to the Montreal Canadiens, who have 24. Their most recent championship came in 1967, and they currently have the longest active championship drought in the NHL at 48 seasons.
Valued at approximately US$1.3 billion, the Maple Leafs are the most valuable franchise in the NHL, ahead of the New York Rangers and the Montreal Canadiens. In 2015, Forbes ranked them as the 37th most valuable sports team globally, and they are the only NHL team to make it into the top 50.
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