Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs, officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Leafs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The club is owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, a company that owns several professional sports teams in the city, while the team's broadcasting rights are split between BCE Inc. and Rogers Communications. The club was founded as the Toronto Arenas for the inaugural 1917–18 NHL season and rebranded to the Toronto St. Patricks two years later. Conn Smythe renamed the franchise to the Maple Leafs after buying it in 1927. The team played home games at the Mutual Street Arena for its first 14 seasons before moving to Maple Leaf Gardens in 1931. Since February 1999, the Maple Leafs play at Scotiabank Arena, which was formerly known as Air Canada Centre. Toronto has won more Stanley Cup championships and played more NHL seasons than any team other than the Montreal Canadiens. The club had two recognized dynasties which spanned the 1946–47 to 1950–51 seasons and the 1961–62 to 1966–67 seasons, during which the Leafs won a combined eight of eleven Stanley Cup championships. These successes were followed by an extended championship drought, which at 57 seasons is the longest in league history. The Maple Leafs have rivalries with the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, the Montreal Canadiens, and the Ottawa Senators. The team's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate is the Toronto Marlies. Several individuals who hold an association with the club have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Nineteen players have had their numbers retired by the Maple Leafs, including the first in professional sports.