Maple Leafs, the stars of Toronto
Like every province in the country, Ontario is a hotbed of ice hockey. Two clubs share the stage: the Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs, eternal rivals of the Montreal team. Toronto is the second most successful team in the league with 13 Stanley Cups, behind the great Quebec rival and its 24 trophies. The Stanley Cup? It is the most prestigious trophy in the world of field hockey, the one that rewards the winner of the North American championship of the famous NHL league. It must be said that during the first hours of the championship, only the Canadian teams were on the starting line. The Toronto club was one of the founders of the NHL in 1917 at the Winsdor Hotel in Montreal, along with the Montreal Canadiens, the Montreal Wanderers, the Quebec Bulldogs and the Ottawa Senators. The city's team, first named the Toronto Arenas between 1917 and 1919, would later be called the St. Patricks from 1919 to 1926 before adopting its famous Maple Leafs name. During the first decades, up to ten teams would compete in this new competition. But after the Great Depression of 1929, the number of franchises will decrease and they will be only six to compete for the trophy from 1942 to 1967 (Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks). Since then, the number has grown to 32 franchises.
The Maple Leafs made history by winning the first Stanley Cup in 1918, after winning the first derby against the rival Montreal Canadiens in the conference final. A year later, the Toronto franchise disbanded for financial reasons before reforming as the St. Patricks in 1919. A team that would win another Stanley Cup in 1922 before adopting in 1927 the name that would become mythical: the Maple Leafs. Five years later, the Toronto team, which abandoned the green for its famous blue and white colors, will again taste success in the Stanley Cup before losing five finals in seven seasons between 1933 and 1940. This did not prevent the Maple Leafs team from rising again and counting in its ranks superb generations in the 1940s (with five titles) or in the 1960s (also five successes). It was in 1967 that the Toronto team won their last Stanley Cup against the favourites and arch-enemies: the Montreal Canadiens. Considered an aging team, Toronto overturned the odds and won the precious trophy in the 6th game of the final. Since then, the number of franchises in the league has increased, the competition has become fiercer and the Maple Leafs have never played in the finals again. But that hasn't stopped great players from shining on the ice in the city, like Darryl Sittler, Lanny McDonald and Börje Salming in the 1970s, Tie Domi, Rick Vaive and Doug Gilmour in the 1980s, Wendel Clark and Mats Sundin in the 1990s, Tomas Kaberle and Curtis Joseph in the 2000s and Mitch Marner today.
To get to the heart of the matter, a visit to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto is a must. The Hockey Hall of Fame is a must-see for anyone interested in Canada's national sport. Partly housed in a former bank dating back to 1885, the Hall has the most comprehensive collection of hockey-related artifacts in the world. The famous Stanley Cup - of which the museum owns the very first version - takes pride of place among the interactive exhibits and other virtual games that allow visitors to measure themselves against the greatest players. And to immortalize your day, don't forget to take a picture of yourself with the legendary cup. Finally, if you have the opportunity, go cheer on the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. The show is worth the trip and the atmosphere is always there!
In Ottawa, Senators' Place
Ice hockey fans are in for a treat in Ontario, as the province is home to another NHL team, the Ottawa Senators. The Senators were one of the founders of the league in 1917 and battled until 1934 before disappearing for financial reasons. A great period that saw them lift the Stanley Cup four times (1920, 1921, 1923 and 1927), in addition to the seven won before the creation of the NHL. It was finally in 1992 that the Senators made their comeback on North American ice, in one of the many expansions of the NHL. It didn't take long for the Sens - as they were known - to attract the crowds again. For their comeback game, they took on the Montreal Canadiens! A short-lived happiness, since the first seasons will be rather difficult for the newcomers. It was during the 1996-1997 season that the Senators reached the playoffs for the first time in their modern history. In 1998, they even finished first in the North-East Division before losing in the quarter-finals. The Senators were regularly beaten by the Maple Leafs in the early 2000's, but they still provided the Ontario public with some hot derbies and eventually reached the NHL Grand Final in 2007. A final that they would eventually lose to the Anaheim Ducks. If the last decade was more complicated for the Ottawa team, attending an NHL game is always a unique experience. Since 1995, Ottawa's home of field hockey has been the Canadian Tire Centre, an 18,000-seat arena that loves to make noise for its stars. No excuses if a game is scheduled during your stay, find seats!
