Toronto Maple Leafs: Why Toronto Is Canada’s Team

The Toronto Maple Leafs are Canada’s team, it’s as simple as that.

You’ve heard that statement before about the Toronto Maple Leafs, haven’t you?

Or at least a slight variation of it.

One of the more notable memories I have of that statement has to be Mike Babcock during his press conference where he was announced as Toronto’s 30th head coach.

Now, this statement is sure to touch a few nerves.

It’s pretty outrageous to just throw it out there without any reasoning as much as I’d like too.

Canada’s Internation Team is Canada’s team, we know that.

However, the Leafs are the NHL’s version of Canada’s team.

I’m not just going to say that as an empty statement without reasoning.

So, I’ll tell you why the Leafs are Canada’s team, what that Leaf really means as a symbol recognizing our great country and its military history.

The Leader and His Leaf

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The Leafs logo is modeled after Canada’s national symbol, the Maple Leaf, to honor those who served in the Canadian Armed Forces.

The guy behind the decision was Conn Smythe, who was a Canadian Army officer in World War I and a POW, not to mention his historic hockey career.

Okay, why are the colors blue and white instead of red and white?

The blue represents the blue skies, while the white represents the snow in Canada.

Yes, the latter of the two is pretty Canadian, I know.

There’s nothing better than being at the Air Canada Centre when it’s time to recognize an Armed Forces member in the audience.

Those of you who have been present for that know it’s truly an amazing experience.

The Leaf is truly a Canadian symbol.

The Proteau Article

I want to direct you to an excellent article written by a friend, Adam Proteau.

I’ll summarize the main points below.

To clarify, the following is all derived out of Proteau’s article hyperlinked above and here.

• The Leafs have always had ties to the military whether that be coaches, management or players
  • Hall of Famers Syl Apps and Turk Broda both left the NHL to serve as well as Wally Stanowski, Nick Metz, Don Metz and Gord Drillon
  • More went on to contribute as the years went on
• Leafs link to military goes back 90 years when Smythe changed team name from St. Patrick’s to Maple Leafs
  • Mainly due to the vast number of Canadian military regiments in World War I who wore the maple leaf badge
• Smythe served in both World Wars
  • A pioneer in the nation’s Air Force
  • His plane was shot down by German fire and was imprisoned for 14 months until the end of the WWI
  • Smythe enlisted for WWII at the age of 45
  • A German bombing attack in France seriously injured him
  • Honored with the United Kingdom’s Military Cross in recognition of “an act or acts of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy”
• Beyond serving, some notable Leafs alumni have been to the front lines of battle to entertain troops, such as Dave ‘Tiger’ Williams, Lanny McDonald, Brian Burke and Tom Anselmi
• The Leafs have continued their long lasting tradition of honoring troops with programs such as Luke’s Troops, now known as Leafs Troops
• Since 2006, the Leafs have a single night each season to celebrate Canada’s soldiers, the Armed Forces Night
  • Season ticket holders donate seats to host military personnel
• The Armed Forces Night in 2016 saw more than 500 Canadian Armed Forces members in attendance

Recognition Elsewhere

Now, the Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t the only Canadian team to recognize our countries military history.

I never said that they were.

I know the other six teams pay tribute to the Candian Armed Forces, both past, and present.

But, what I am saying is that the Leafs are the team that through it all, are a symbol of Canada’s military history.

There isn’t any pride, nor are there any bragging rights in that statement.

Rather a recognition that above all else, the Leaf symbol pays tribute to our great military history as a representation of Canada in whole.

In the end, Canada as a community salutes our troops.