Toronto car rental and the Toronto Maple Leafs
If you’re planning a Toronto car rental vacation to Ontario’s capital there are a few things you should remember: 1) traffic will always be stop and go on the 401, and 2) the Toronto Maple Leafs are the home team and must always be cheered for. Torontonians have a deep love for their professional NHL hockey team, supporting them through thick and thin. The organization, which was one of the “Original Six” members of the NHL, are officially known as the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League. They play all of their home games at the Air Canada Centre and are well known for their rivalries with the Montreal Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators.
Distant champions
The Toronto Maple Leafs were formed back in 1917, the very same year the NHL was born. Since then, the team has been known as the Toronto Arenas, the Toronto St. Patrick’s and the Toronto Maple Leafs. During the early days of the league, the Maple Leafs dominated, winning the Stanley Cup in 1918, 1921 and 1932. In fact, the team has won 13 Stanley Cups in its history, the most recent being 1967. The Leafs have won their division championship five times, but surprisingly, have never won a conference championship.
Let’s hear it for the fans
Toronto car rental travelers should know that the Maple Leafs have one of the most loyal fan groups in professional hockey. Maple Leaf home games have long been one of the toughest tickets to acquire in Canadian sports, even during the team’s longstanding Stanley Cup drought. The Leafs, along with the Minnesota Wild, currently have the longest ticket sell out streak in the NHL and as of 2008, the waiting list for season tickets included more than 2,5000 names. Unbelievable? Toronto car rental travelers should also note that the Leafs have sold out every game ever played at Maple Leafs Gardens between 1946 and 1999, as well as every game ever played in the ACC since it opened in 1999. Leafs Nation is fiercely loyal, so whatever you do, don’t wear a Montreal Canadiens jersey to an upcoming game!
Rivalries add to the excitement
As one of the oldest teams in the National Hockey League, the Leafs have developed quite a few fierce rivalries. The deepest is with the Montreal Canadiens. This feud is recognized by many Toronto car rental travelers as the richest rivalry in ice hockey, if not in all of professional sports. For a simplistic explanation of this rivalry, Toronto car rental travelers new only look to the short story “The Hockey Sweater” written by Roch Carrier. It was originally published in French as “An abominable maple leaf on the ice” referring to the Maple Leaf sweater the main character was forced to wear. Other rivalries include the “Battle of Ontario” with the Ottawa Senators, and the feud with the neighbouring Buffalo Sabres. The Leafs also maintain a traditional Original Six rivalry with the Detroit Red Wings.
Tickets to the Leafs
Toronto car rental travelers can attempt to purchase tickets to a Maple Leafs game at the ACC online at Ticketmaster.ca. You can also contact Ticketmaster by telephone at 416-870-8000. If you’re already in town, TransCanada recommends dropping by the Air Canada Centre Ticket Office located in the west end of the Galleria near Gate 1 for ticket information. Chances of scoring tickets to a home game are slim however. If you’re up for the drive, TransCanada recommends hoping in your Toronto car rental and heading to Buffalo to catch a game. These tickets are far easier to get a hold of (not to mention they’re far more reasonably priced).
To learn more about the Toronto Maple Leafs before embarking on your upcoming Toronto car rental vacation, visit www.mapleleafs.com.