Few rivalries within the NHL are as storied, intense, and vital because the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs. For many years, it has captivated the hockey world, pitting two of the NHL’s oldest and most profitable franchises towards one another. From the Unique Six period to the peak of their playoff clashes, the Canadiens-Leafs rivalry is etched into the annals of hockey historical past.
Nonetheless, lately, this as soon as fierce contest has waned, with each groups experiencing ups and downs which have diluted the depth of their matchups. Because the NHL enters a brand new season, the query stays: can the Canadiens-Leafs rivalry regain its former glory?
Canadiens vs. Leafs Historical past
This rivalry has its roots in Canadian historical past, with the Maple Leafs discovering themselves standing in for English-speaking Canada, in addition to for Protestantism and the United Empire Loyalists, towards the extra economically disadvantaged French-speaking Catholics of Quebec, a lot in order that the rivalry has been known as a “microcosm of Canadian society,” with the 2 groups representing the nation’s two solitudes.
The 2 sides have confronted one another over 800 instances, with their first assembly relationship again to 1917. The rivalry intensified in the course of the Unique Six period when each groups had been among the many most dominant within the league – mixed, they’ve received 37 Stanley Cups, with Montreal claiming 24 and Toronto securing 13. From 1943 to 1979, the 2 groups met one another within the playoffs 15 instances and confronted off in 5 Stanley Cup Finals.
Arguably, essentially the most well-known period between these powerhouses was within the Sixties when the Maple Leafs received 4 Stanley Cups, together with three in a row from 1962 to 1964. The Canadiens had already set the bar, profitable 5 consecutive championships from 1956 to 1960.
Since then, each groups have suffered by means of intervals of decline, with the Maple Leafs enduring a prolonged playoff drought and the Canadiens experiencing inconsistent ranges of success. The final time the 2 groups met within the playoffs earlier than 2021 was in 1979, a stark distinction to their frequent playoff clashes in earlier a long time. This absence of significant video games between them has contributed to the rivalry’s decline, as youthful followers have needed to subsist on spotlight reels and passed-down tales of the extraordinary playoff battles of bygone days.
Moreover, the NHL’s growth has seen new rivalries develop, additional diluting the monotony that the Maple Leafs-Canadiens battles as soon as had. The rise of divisional matchups and the conference-based playoff format has meant that the Canadian rivals have confronted one another much less regularly and as a rule in video games with out big significance. The result’s {that a} rivalry that was as soon as outlined by its excessive stakes turned one which was footnoted by its historical past, solely sometimes serving as a reminder of what it as soon as was.
Indicators of Habs vs. Maple Leafs Rivalry Resurgence
In 2021, the Canadiens and Maple Leafs lastly met once more within the playoffs, rekindling the previous days. Toronto had been sizzling favourites – ending atop the North Division – and it was anticipated that the sequence was only a formality. Montreal, however, had barely scraped into the playoffs.
What adopted was probably the most memorable playoff sequence in latest reminiscence because the Canadiens, led by goaltender Carey Value, got here again from a 3-1 sequence deficit to stun Maple the Leafs in seven video games. The upset despatched shockwaves by means of the NHL and reignited the rivalry in a means that hadn’t been seen in a long time. For Canadiens followers, it was a second of immense satisfaction, whereas for Maple Leafs followers, it was simply one other chapter within the franchise’s lengthy historical past of playoff heartbreak.
The query is whether or not this may be sustained or if the rivalry will as soon as once more fade into the background. For it to actually regain its glory, each groups will have to be aggressive on the similar time, with common playoff matchups including gasoline to the hearth. Gamers like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, Cole Caufield, and Nick Suzuki have the potential to grow to be central figures on this new period, very like the celebs of the previous. Their performances in key video games will assist form the narrative and create new reminiscences.
As well as, the NHL’s divisional realignment and playoff format modifications may additionally play a job in reigniting the rivalry. With the Canadiens and Maple Leafs each taking part in within the Atlantic Division and usually competing for playoff spots, issues will naturally warmth up. Common-season video games between the 2 groups ought to tackle added significance, with every matchup feeling like a playoff preview.
One of many NHL’s most cherished traditions, the Maple Leafs-Canadiens rivalry could have misplaced a few of its efficiency, however the potential for its resurgence is there. The 2021 Playoff sequence has proven us that the rivalry between the 2 main cities nonetheless captivates and delivers actually unforgettable moments. With each groups poised for achievement within the coming seasons, with a few of the most fun younger rosters within the NHL, the stage is ready for the rivalry to regain its former glory. It might not occur in a single day, but when the Canadiens and Maple Leafs proceed to fulfill in high-stakes affairs, the rivalry will as soon as once more grow to be one of many NHL’s most compelling storylines.
