6 h. ago Toronto Maple Leafs keep winning when star wears lucky brown suit

It seems like everyone has their theories on what exactly has been clicking for William Nylander this year in the playoffs.For some, it might be a calm attitude in his first year under head coach Craig Berube.For others, they might point out the migraine problems that derailed Nylander to miss multiple playoff games last year, though he still scored three times in four games.It could also be a veteran player seemingly having mastered the pace and play style of playoff hockey, in what is now his ninth consecutive go at the postseason.But the explanation might be much simpler than that: he's wearing a lucky suit.As detailed on the Sportsnet broadcast last night, Nylander has worn the same brown suit for three games in a row, scoring five goals over that span and potting at least one in all three contests.Willy Styles rolled up in the same suit tonight after a two-goal Game 1 😎 pic.twitter.com/PwtxjaGjmN— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 8, 2025"That's quite the...

Other

30 h. ago Toronto is hosting a huge fan fest during the FIFA World Cup in 2026

Toronto is set to host the FIFA World Cup next year — but you won't necessarily need to spend big to feel part of the action.Today, the City of Toronto announced that there will be a fan festival running throughout the whole of the tournament, located at Fort York and the Bentway on the west side of downtown Toronto.The festival is designed to be a "global celebration of soccer, culture and community, designed for fans," with free live broadcasts of matches throughout the tournament taking place in Canada, Mexico and the United States.In addition to showing games, the festival also plans to have "diverse cultural performances, interactive installations and a variety of local food experiences."The festival will be open from Thursday, June 11 to Sunday, July 19, 2026, with exact details of opening hours and which matches to be shown at a later date."Fort York National Historic Site and The Bentway offer the ideal setting for Toronto's FIFA W...

Sport

55 h. ago Analytics site thinks Toronto Maple Leafs will win Stanley Cup

The Toronto Maple Leafs, by definition, are the closest team to a Stanley Cup right now.Though they're facing a slight advantage over six other NHL teams by being the only second-round series to have gotten underway thus far, the Leafs took one step closer to Lord Stanley's mug on Monday night.Picking up a 5-4 win over the defending Stanley Cup Florida Panthers in Game 1 of a rematch of the 2023 second round, Toronto became the first team this postseason to pick up five wins.And the victory not only moved Toronto closer to winning the series, but actually edged them into Stanley Cup favourites, according to a popular analytics site.By way of MoneyPuck.com's predictive odds for the rest of the postseason, the Leafs now have the NHL's best odds at 17.7 per cent chance of breaking their Stanley Cup curse.Per the MoneyPuck model, Toronto had started the night with 13.9 per cent odds, third in the league behind Florida at 16.3 per cent and Carolina at 14 per cent.The bett...

Science

3 d. ago Toronto Maple Leafs superfan Justin Bieber makes bold playoff prediction

The Toronto Maple Leafs might not ever seem to have the hockey gods in their corner, but they'll always have one thing most teams don't: Justin Bieber cheering them on.For Bieber, a longtime friend of several Leafs players (most notably Auston Matthews), a die-hard fan of the team, a celebrity team captain at the 2024 NHL All-Star Game in Toronto, and a collaborator on an official alternate jersey with the team, showing his support to Toronto isn't exactly new.But perhaps like any true Leafs fan, he's getting his confidence up after a few playoff wins, believing that this could finally be Toronto's chance to break their Stanley Cup curse since 1967."New series starts tonight. This is the yearski," Bieber posted to his Instagram feed on Monday morning, sharing a series of photos of Leafs logos.(For the uninitiated, "yearski" is pretty much a play on the way hockey players tend to speak to each other, adding extra syllables to the end of many wo...

Sport

6 d. ago Chaos erupts in Toronto streets after Leafs win series with Senators

The Toronto Maple Leafs haven't given their fans a ton of playoff performances to celebrate in recent history, so when they got the chance on Thursday, fans took full advantage.The Leafs beat the Ottawa Senators 4-2 to wrap up their first-round Battle of Ontario. While the game took place in Ottawa, there were plenty of fans going wild in Toronto after the big win.After so many heartbreaks over the years, Maple Leafs fans waited until the very end to start their celebration. William Nylander scored an empty-net goal with less than a minute remaining to finish the Senators off, which sent fans in Toronto into bedlam.The fans watching on the big screen at Maple Leaf Square were jubilant as the clock hit zero.    View this post on Instagram           A post shared by Scotiabank Arena (@scotiabankarena)The Leafs were ahead 3-0 in this series, but the Senators came back to make it interesting. It was reminisce...

Events

6 d. ago Toronto Maple Leafs break 'cursed' narrative and close out Senators series

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be playing a little bit longer this spring.Facing off against the Ottawa Senators in Game 6 of their first-round series, the Leafs certainly made Thursday night one to remember.Max Pacioretty's first goal of the playoffs late in the third period — followed by a William Nylander empty-netter — gave Toronto a 4-2 win to knock off the Ottawa Senators and give the franchise just their second playoff series win since 2004.With Toronto winning the first three games of the series (two in overtime), they made their fans sweat by allowing Ottawa to come out victorious in the next two.For any longtime Leafs fan, the familiar feelings of existential dread, cursing of one's family lineage, and wondering who exactly to blame for the supposed cursed nature of their franchise began to set in. After Toronto was held scoreless in Game 5 in a 4-0 loss, it was easy to wonder if another all-time collapse was on the way.Auston Matthews broke the deadlock ...

Other

7 d. ago These Toronto superfans made their home into the ultimate Maple Leafs shrine

If you find yourself wandering around the streets of North Toronto, it shouldn't take long to find the biggest Maple Leafs fans around.Come playoff time, Michael and Sara Adamson deck out their front lawn entirely in Leafs gear, complete with jerseys, equipment and even a bubble hockey set that they encourage passersby to play a quick game on.This property is the second that the couple has adorned with Leaf gear.Complete with a sign telling visitors to take a selfie with a plush of the team’s mascot, Carlton, it's become an annual tradition for each playoff run. With the Leafs now making the postseason nine years in a row, thousands of folks have come through to check out the digs each year.The basis behind the house was pretty simple: the Adamsons had a whole lot of Leafs merchandise and weren't sure what to do with it. Starting with "about five items out front," the Adamsons figured it would be a pretty simple way to support their favourite ho...

Sport

8 d. ago Toronto Maple Leafs doing exactly the thing you thought they would in playoffs

Not to be dramatic, but the Toronto Maple Leafs might actually be cursed.The Buds were blanked in another blown opportunity to close out a playoff series on Tuesday night, bringing the Battle of Ontario to a nail-biting 3-2 lead for the Leafs after what seemed like an unbreakable 3-0 series advantage.The team has now posted an unthinkably terrible 2-14 record in series-clinching playoff games since 2004, following a 4-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators before a stunned crowd at Scotiabank Arena.Tuesday's loss proved just the latest chapter in what has become a saga of the Leafs' long-term struggles in close-out games.Like the years-long choke fest it contributed to, the game was replete with missed opportunities, frustrations, and the team's stars seemingly vanishing off the surface of the ice when it counted the most.Game 6 will bring the series back to Ottawa on Thursday, where the Leafs will have a third consecutive opportunity to close out the first round.Should...

Other

8 d. ago Will Arnett spotted hyping up Toronto Maple Leafs playoff crowd

The Toronto Maple Leafs turned to a bit of celebrity power to try to help them get going on Tuesday night.Down 1-0 in the second period in Game 5 of their first-round playoff matchup against the Ottawa Senators, Toronto-born actor and massive Leafs fan Will Arnett was brought out during a commercial break to lead the sold-out Scotiabank Arena crowd in a cheer.Toronto entered the night with a 3-1 lead on the series, but gave up the first goal of the night for the third game in a row to begin the night on an uphill battle.His appearance might've hyped up the crowd, but it didn't exactly have an immediate effect on the ice, as the Leafs entered the final frame of the game still being held scoreless.Will Arnett in the arena tonight for the Leafs v Sens pic.twitter.com/EIi1gSDubq— Lindsay Dunn (@LindsayDunnTV) April 30, 2025Toronto is aiming to win just its second playoff series since 2004, coincidentally first-round win over the Senators in an epic seven-game set.For Arnet...

Other

9 d. ago Toronto tiki bar boat tours are about to kick off for summer

It may not be a trip to Hawaii, but it’s close. Palapa Tours is back for another year, launching its floating tiki bar boats on Toronto waters starting on May 3, 2025, and running seven days a week until September.The floating tiki bars have all the makings of a fun day or night out with friends: a fully licensed bar, an epic view of Toronto's skyline, and bumping music.For the 2025 season, there are a few new additions to Palapa Tours' lineup, including themed nights, monthly karaoke nights, and a romantic date night sunset experience."Palapa Tours was created to bring a slice of island life to Toronto," said the Palapa Tours team via a press release. "We're excited to return with even more ways for guests to enjoy the waterfront, unwind with friends, and create a vibe on the water this summer."The 90-minute cruise launches from HTO Park at 315 Queens Quay West and can be booked for one to 12 passengers for $90 per...

Other

1 week ago Toronto Maple Leafs' biggest star conspicuously absent from practice ahead of huge game

The Toronto Maple Leafs were without their biggest star at Monday morning's practice.Though the Leafs are officially citing "rest" as the reason for his absence, Auston Matthews raised a few eyebrows by sitting out of the team's skate one day ahead of Tuesday’s Game 5 at Scotiabank Arena.Matthews' absence does at least raise a few preliminary questions about whether he's operating at full health, or perhaps dealing with a lingering issue.Given that the Leafs took Sunday off following a 4-3 overtime loss on Saturday to give the Ottawa Senators their first win of the series, it is a bit curious that Matthews needs a rest day.With NHL teams being notoriously tight-lipped about player health status, particularly in the playoffs, we likely won't get a good answer as to what exactly is going on with Toronto's captain.Matthews has one goal and four assists in four games so far for the Leafs.A year removed from a franchise-record settin...

Other

1 week ago What the Toronto Maple Leafs' unlikely OT hero said after huge win

The Toronto Maple Leafs are one step closer to pushing one of their fiercest rivals to the brink.The Leafs took a 3-0 series lead on Thursday night over the Ottawa Senators in their first-round playoff matchup, staking a serious claim to another Battle of Ontario crown.Though the game wasn't as much an invasion of Ottawa's arena as is often the case when the Leafs come into town, it was still a scenario that left much of the local fanbase heading home from Kanata unsatisfied.Taking the Senators to overtime in back-to-back games, defenceman Simon Benoit upgraded his assist on Max Domi's overtime goal in Game 2 into one of his own, playing hero for what he called the biggest goal of his career.SIMON BENOIT WINS IT FOR THE LEAFS!!! pic.twitter.com/s57inifTs2— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 25, 2025Now in his second season with the Leafs, it was just the third goal that Benoit had scored in Toronto and his seventh career in the NHL after a combined 289 regular season and...

Other

2 w. ago Leafs players roamed Toronto streets before playoff games and hardly anyone noticed

There's a common belief held that if you ever find yourself as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, your life will never be the same.With a rabid media market, eagle-eyed fans, and about as much pressure as any professional athlete could be expected to have, even fringe Leafs players are assumed to have a tough time being anonymous in Toronto.But that might not exactly be the case.Posted up on the corner of Bay and Front streets before Game 1 and 2 against the Ottawa Senators in the opening round of the playoffs this week, fan Brian Encarnacao shared a few videos on his Instagram page of Leafs players opting to walk down the street to Scotiabank Arena rather than take a car or public transit.With thousands of fans packed into Maple Leaf Square, the arena itself, and nearby bars, restaurants, and condos to watch the game, you'd imagine the players would be bugged by people trying to stop them for an autograph or a quick pic.One of the players spotted by Encarnacao before both...

Other

2 w. ago Snoop Dogg shows love to Toronto Maple Leafs after huge playoff win

The Toronto Maple Leafs got a pretty big celebrity shoutout on Instagram after a massive overtime win on Tuesday night.In the moments following the goal that gave Toronto a 2-0 series lead over the Ottawa Senators, Snoop Dogg uploaded a photo he took last year with Leafs forwards Ryan Reaves and the overtime hero of last night's game himself, Max Domi.With Reaves not in the lineup, however, there was a bit of a rude crop on Snoop Dogg's end, cutting Reaves out of the picture entirely, which was posted with the simple caption "Leafs" followed by the pawprint, fist and fuel pump emojis.    View this post on Instagram           A post shared by snoopdogg (@snoopdogg)Snoop himself is a longtime hockey fan, often repping many different jerseys of the cities he visits on tour and attending games wherever he can along the way. He was also featured as a guest commentator in the video game ...

Other

2 w. ago Metallica frontman James Hetfield among stars at Toronto Maple Leafs playoff game

The Toronto Maple Leafs got a bit of hardcore help rooting them on Tuesday night.Taking on the Ottawa Senators in their second home game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, a trio of celebrities found themselves in the crowd for the Battle of Ontario matchup.Metallica lead vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield was pictured in a box on the evening, and got a loud cheer from the crowd when shown on the Scotiabank Arena jumbotron midway through the second period.Enter Passion 🔵 @Metallica pic.twitter.com/1lFJxBhPEU— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 23, 2025Hetfield and his band are performing at the Rogers Centre this week on April 24th and 26th as part of their M72 World Tour.It's an eighty-leg world tour, with forty cities being visited for two dates each. They began the tour in 2023 and are concluding this fall, having already visited Montreal and Edmonton as their two previous Canadian tour stops.But he wasn't the only big name out cheering the team on.When in Toront...

Other

2 w. ago There's a secret hack for getting Toronto Maple Leafs playoffs tickets for cheap

Any Toronto Maple Leafs fan who lives close enough to Scotiabank Arena has probably complained at least once in their lifetime about the high ticket prices, particularly in the playoffs.Looking at the resale market for playoff tickets for this year, whether you were looking to see the team in Toronto or Ottawa, you couldn't get in for a price cheaper than at least $300 or so.But if you are willing to be a little bit patient, things might just swing in your favour — and save you a few bucks toward finding your way into the building.During Sunday night's Game 1 against the Ottawa Senators, prices showed for as little as $151 on StubHub in the minutes after puck drop during the opening frame.If you waited until the end of the first period, the cheapest price for a standing room ticket in the upper deck had gone down to $85 at 7:48 p.m. By 8:14 p.m., those same tickets had dropped to $83, and at 8:18 p.m., they'd been put up at $67, perhaps uncanny ...

Other

2 w. ago Senators coach accuses Toronto Maple Leafs of 'selling' penalty calls

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators clearly don't like each other after just one playoff game.Game 1 was chippy with big hits thrown by both sides. The referees ended up issuing 22 penalties, all of which occurred in the final 40 minutes.The Maple Leafs had six power plays, scoring three goals with the man-advantage to come out with a 6-2 victory. On the other hand, the Senators had only two power plays, a discrepancy that Senators coach Travis Green suggested post-game could be due to embellishment."We definitely have to stay out of the box, I'll say that," Green told reporters. "At the end of the game, sometimes, it can get a little out of hand once in a while."I thought there were a couple calls that they did a good job selling, it's tough on the refs, but we can't take that many penalties."The biggest dive you'll ever see. Embarrassing. pic.twitter.com/xr9iuPPEAD— Everyday Sens (@EverydaySens) April 21, 2025Leafs coach C...

Economics

2 w. ago Toronto Maple Leafs just pulled off something they haven't done in decades

The Toronto Maple Leafs were firing on all cylinders in their Game 1 victory on Sunday night.Taking on the Ottawa Senators in the first Battle of Ontario matchup in the postseason since 2004, Toronto came through with a workmanlike 6-2 victory over their provincial rivals.And while all wins count the same in a best-of-7 series, how the Leafs got the W wasn't something they've seen since, well, last millennium.Toronto scored three goals on the night via the power play, a welcome sight for those who saw Toronto go 1-for-11 on the man advantage in 2024 in a seven-game first-round series against the Boston Bruins.Via Sportsnet Stats, it was actually the first time Toronto had scored three power play goals in a playoff game since 1999, in another Game 1 against the Buffalo Sabres in the Eastern Conference Final.Leafs score 3 Power Play goals in a playoff game for the first time since Game 1 of the 1999 East Final vs the Sabres pic.twitter.com/9RG3qQh0e5— Sportsnet Stats (@S...

Other

2 w. ago Play of Anthony Stolarz key factor for Maple Leafs in Game 1 victory

The goalie stopped 31 shots on Sunday night

Other

2 w. ago Food festival with eats from over 40 countries coming to Toronto

Food festival season is right around the corner for Toronto, bringing with it the much-anticipated return of a slew of annual favourites, including the always-electric Pan American Food and Music Festival.Returning to the city's food festival circuit for its 13th year, Toronto's Pan American Food and Music Festival (or PanamFest, as it's also known) is a huge celebration of cuisines and cultures spanning the Americas, from Canada to Chile.I can't think of a better city to play host to a festival that celebrates diversity and multiculturalism than Toronto, and no better location to serve as its backdrop than Nathan Phillips Square, illuminated by the glow of the Toronto sign.The weekend-long festival is set to feature a host of restaurants and chefs from across the city and beyond, churning out dishes and snacks from 41 different countries in North, Central and South America.Whether you're in the mood for poutine, plantain or Pão de Queijo, there&...

Culture