By any measure, the Toronto Maple Leafs have endured their share of heartbreak. But few moments in the team’s storied history felt as surreal, or as insulting, as the day former owner Harold Ballard replaced the Maple Leaf at centre ice of the Maple Leaf Gardens with the logo of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
It wasn’t just a publicity stunt. It was seen as a strong declaration that one of the most storied hockey franchises in this sport was seen as second in Ballard’s sports empire.
Ballard, the bombastic and often belligerent owner of the Leafs from 1972 until his death in 1990, was never shy about making headlines. Whether it was feuding with players, firing respected staff, or railing against the media, Ballard thrived on chaos. But his decision to paint the Tiger-Cats logo at centre ice of Maple Leaf Gardens was a new low.
The move was ostensibly to promote his CFL team, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, which he also owned. But to Leafs fans, it felt like betrayal. The blue-and-white Maple Leaf wasn’t just a logo – it was a symbol of pride, tradition, and hope. Replacing it with a football team’s insignia from another city was sacrilege.
The backlash was swift and fierce. Fans flooded radio shows and newspapers with complaints. Season ticket holders voiced their disgust. Even players were reportedly baffled by the decision. It was a moment that crystallized the dysfunction of the Ballard era: a hockey team adrift, led by a man more interested in spectacle than success.
Ballard, of course, shrugged off the criticism. He famously claimed it was his building and he could do what he wanted. That attitude defined his ownership – one where personal whims trumped professional stewardship.
The Tiger-Cats logo at centre ice wasn’t just a visual oddity, it was some sort of twisted metaphor. Under Ballard, the Leafs were a team in decline. They missed the playoffs repeatedly, cycled through coaches and general managers like none other, and failed to build around stars like Darryl Sittler and Borje Salming. Ballard’s refusal to invest in scouting and development left the team lagging behind its rivals.
Meanwhile, the Tiger-Cats, somewhat ironically, just won the Grey Cup in 1986. Ballard celebrated that victory with gusto, further fueling the perception that his football team had become his true passion.
Today, the incident is remembered as one of the most bizarre and humiliating episodes in Leafs history. It’s a reminder of how far the franchise fell under Ballard’s reign—and how deeply fans care about the symbols that represent their team.
The Maple Leaf is back at centre ice, of course, but the memory of that Tiger-Cats logo lingers like a bad dream – a cautionary tale of what happens when ownership loses sight of the team’s heart and soul.