It was on this date, Feb. 17, in 1927...

[Ð]

that the local NHL franchise played its first game after majority interest was purchased in mid-season — Valentine's Day to be exact, which may or may not explain the city's love/hate relationship with the franchise ever since — for $160,000 by a group headed up by Conn Smythe. The Major promptly changed the club's name from St. Pats to Maple Leafs; he liked the new name because he was a soldier/patriot and he'd had a working connection to the old East Toronto Maple Leaves.

The newly renamed Leafs (spelling might not have been Smythe's forte) won that first game, 4-1 over the New York Americans. The green-and-white (they switched to blue-and-white the next season) were a bad team anchored by a half-decent goalie, Johnny Roach. Then, as now, hockey revolved around goalkeeping.

Story

[Myers57]

Thank you Mr. History techer...

[Ebenezer]

good read...ironically somebody the other day asked me why it is the "leafs"

[Ð]

LOL...lots of funny stories like that.

My middle name "Marten" is spelled with an e (as opposed to "Martin") because the Canadian Immigration guy at Pier 21 in Halifax mis-spelled my grandfather's name when he came over from Europe. My dad perpetuated the mistake on purpose & guess what my boy's middle name is ?

[Ebenezer]

Originally posted by Ð
LOL...lots of funny stories like that.

My middle name "Marten" is spelled with an e (as opposed to "Martin") because the Canadian Immigration guy at Pier 21 in Halifax mis-spelled my grandfather's name when he came over from Europe. My dad perpetuated the mistake on purpose & guess what my boy's middle name is ?

folks in New Brunswick did the same thing to my family name....my great-great grandfathers first name became our last name

[Ebenezer]

Originally posted by Ð
My middle name "Marten" is spelled with an e (as opposed to "Martin") because the Canadian Immigration guy at Pier 21 in Halifax mis-spelled my grandfather's name when he came over from Europe. My dad perpetuated the mistake on purpose & guess what my boy's middle name is ?

Netram??

[Ð]

It's probably a good thing, otherwise you would have had to kick field goals for a living.

[Ebenezer]

Originally posted by Ð
It's probably a good thing, otherwise you would have had to kick field goals for a living.

$225K a year...I'd take it...