Toronto Maple Leafs

Originally known as the Toronto Arenas and then the St. Patricks, the franchise became the Maple Leafs in 1927 when Conn Smythe purchased the team. Smythe built Maple Leaf Gardens, which opened in 1931 and became the most famous hockey arena in the world. The Leafs won their first Cup as the Maple Leafs in 1932 and went on to dominate the NHL through the 1940s, winning five Cups in the decade.

The franchise added more championships in the 1950s and 1960s, with the 1951 Cup requiring overtime in every game of the Final. Legends like Syl Apps, Ted Kennedy, Dave Keon, Frank Mahovlich, and Johnny Bower defined this era. The Leafs won their 13th and most recent Stanley Cup in 1967, the final year of the Original Six era, defeating the Montreal Canadiens. That victory, now over half a century ago, remains the franchise's last championship, beginning what has become the longest active Cup drought in the NHL.

After the 1967 Cup, the Leafs entered a prolonged period of mediocrity and poor management under Harold Ballard, who owned the team from 1972 until his death in 1990. Ballard was notorious for his frugality, controversial decisions, and alienation of players and fans. Despite having stars like Darryl Sittler and Borje Salming, the Leafs were mostly an also-ran during the Ballard era.

The early 1990s brought a resurgence under coach Pat Burns, with Doug Gilmour leading the Leafs to consecutive Conference Final appearances in 1993 and 1994. The 1993 run featured Gilmour's legendary 127-point season and a controversial non-call on Wayne Gretzky's high stick that many believe cost the Leafs a Cup Final berth. Mats Sundin arrived in 1994 and became the first European captain in franchise history, providing consistent excellence for over a decade.