On this day in Toronto Maple Leafs history: November 12, 1931
On this day in 1931, the Toronto Maple Leafs played their first ever game at the historic Maple Leaf Gardens. The Maple Leafs played the Chicago Black Hawks, losing 2-1. The arena lasted nearly 68 years, closing it's doors in February 1999
On this day in 1931, the Toronto Maple Leafs played their first ever game at the historic Maple Leaf Gardens.
The Toronto Maple Leafs played the Chicago Black Hawks, losing 2-1. The first player to score a goal in the building was Black Hawks' forward Mush March and the first Leafs player to score is franchise legend and Hockey Hall of Famer, Charlie Conacher.
That building has seen incredible moments, even away from hockey, the building housed some of the world's most famed musical acts like Elvis Presley and The Beatles. As well, many famed wrestling and boxing stars had matches there such as Muhammad Ali. The arena also played host to the first ever basketball game for the Basketball Association of America (now, NBA) between the Toronto Huskies and New York Knickerbockers. Unfortunately, the Huskies would not survive long and would fold after the league's inaugural 1946-47 season.
In 1995, professional basketball would return to Toronto with the NBA officially awarding the city with it's franchise in November 1993. After a naming contest which lead to the team being named after the box office hit Jurassic Park, taking on the name the Toronto Raptors. Although the team mainly played out of the Blue Jays' Skydome, there were six instances that the Raptors played in the Maple Leaf Gardens when their usual venue was unavailable.
On this day in Toronto Maple Leafs history: November 12, 1931
Back to hockey, the Gardens saw two official Maple Leafs dynasties, the one in the 1940’s lead by “the kid line” as well as the 1960’s. In total, the building saw the Toronto Maple Leafs win eight Stanley Cups on it’s ice in; 1932, 1942, 1947, 1949, 1951, 1963, 1964, and 1967.
It has seen plenty of Stanley Cup runs and almost every great Maple Leafs' player throughout history has skated on the Gardens’ ice from Charlie Conacher, Hap Day, Turk Broda, Johnny Bower to Dave Keon, Darryl Sittler, Doug Gilmour, and Mats Sundin.
Just as the arena was rung in, the final game in Maple Leaf Gardens was February 13, 1999 between the Maple Leafs and Blackhawks and the Leafs lost once again, this time by a score of 6-2. The final Leaf to score a goal in the Gardens was Derek King. The final goal by any player was Bob Probert of the Blackhawks. The Raptors played their final game on February 9th, in a 91-77 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Despite being closed for over 25 years, the Maple Leaf Gardens will forever be known as one of the most historic North American sports stadiums of all-time and is recognized a National Historic Site in Canada.
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Today, it still houses hockey and the third level of the building is now known as the Mattamy Athletic Centre housing Toronto Metropolitan University hockey team as well as the Professional Women's Hockey League (PHWL) Toronto Sceptres.