Buds Board Keepers League

Pros:
Fuck tonne of fans
Can sell out other teams arenas
Most loved franchise

Cons:
Haven't won shit in 40 + years
Have made the playoffs once in the last 10 years
Most hated franchise
Over saturation in other markets leads to contempt

Your opinion?

it's close between Montreal and Toronto.

I've lived in different parts of Canada, in the East everyone is Toronto, Boston, Montreal (pretty even split). In Quebec it's obviously the Habs. Out west there are actually a ton of leaf fans. If going by pure numbers i'd say the leafs have the largest following. Once they start winning again you'll see them come out of the wood work.

Yes.

I'd say so, probably the most polarizing too. "Love" them or 'hate' them ... it's not like they don't care about the leafs. Partly b/c it's also shoved down their throats (or at the very least, it feels like it to some)

We are not lol. Leafs are Toronto's team but the rest of the country could care less if we win unless they have some connection to Toronto.

Why are you caring about what Babcock said in press interview

and reading some of the "yes"'s in here I don't care either way but can you imagine how flabbergasting it would sound to someone from Vancouver reading this? esp thoms post lol

kimmer wroteCOLONWhy are you caring about what Babcock said in press interview

Creating content for the forums, Paul. Gives us something to discuss.

Robin Hood wroteCOLONWe are not lol. Leafs are Toronto's team but the rest of the country could care less if we win unless they have some connection to Toronto.

Is that why our fans can be heard when we travel across the country?

If you had to pick one team as Canada's team it would have to be the leafs. Just look at how well our fan base represents when we are on the road.

kimmer wroteCOLONand reading some of the "yes"'s in here I don't care either way but can you imagine how flabbergasting it would sound to someone from Vancouver reading this? esp thoms post lol

I was thinking of them specifically. So many out that far west just despise TOR lol

In general, AND for hockey.

Part of it is that they get fed a lot of Toronto news too

It is absolutely the most popular hockey team in Canada, and probably the world.

No. An AHL team cannot be Canada's team.

Its a poorly phrased question.....is New York American's city? It hasn't the highest population so it must be.....though I'm sure there are quite a few who would say it is not. Not really sure what the question is asking or how you'd determine if you'd found the 'answer'.

New York is America's city.

KapG wroteCOLON

Robin Hood wroteCOLONWe are not lol. Leafs are Toronto's team but the rest of the country could care less if we win unless they have some connection to Toronto.

Is that why our fans can be heard when we travel across the country?

If you had to pick one team as Canada's team it would have to be the leafs. Just look at how well our fan base represents when we are on the road.

Habs fans represent just as well on the road. Buffalo and Detroit games are home games for us. Shocked me how packed JLA was with Habs fans when I went this season.

Chuck Norris wroteCOLON

KapG wroteCOLON

Robin Hood wroteCOLONWe are not lol. Leafs are Toronto's team but the rest of the country could care less if we win unless they have some connection to Toronto.

Is that why our fans can be heard when we travel across the country?

If you had to pick one team as Canada's team it would have to be the leafs. Just look at how well our fan base represents when we are on the road.

Habs fans represent just as well on the road. Buffalo and Detroit games are home games for us. Shocked me how packed JLA was with Habs fans when I went this season.

Yup, no surprise Montreal travels well.

Its really a two horse race between the Leafs and the Habs I'd say.

Robin Hood wroteCOLONWe are not lol. Leafs are Toronto's team but the rest of the country could care less if we win unless they have some connection to Toronto.

Being someone who's live coast to coast and in many different provinces, this couldn't be farther from the truth.

We leaf fans sell out almost every building. When they come to edmonton we populate at least 60-80% of the stands, same goes for Calgary, same can be said for Florida, Ottawa, etc...

We are everywhere. It's why the leafs buy more merchandise than any other team in Canada and 2nd or 3rd to the yanks and maybe the Cowboys.

Again, you didn't ask if this is the most popular team in Canada or if this is the team with the most fans.....asking if this is Canada's team suggests it is emblematic in some way of Canada and I'm not sure how you can argue that it is because its a question that doesn't make sense. But if it makes Leaf fans feel better that there are lots of other fans like them I guess you can keep the thread going and the argument to a minimum.

You can say the Blue Jays is Canada's baseball team because it's the only baseball team but it's harder with an NHL team. It's the same arrogance as calling the Dallas Cowboys "America's Team". If the Leafs were as successful or better than the Canadiens, they might have a better claim. I know Babs was trying to rally the troops with what he said. He's a guy that wants to motivate any time he speaks.

Shoalzie wroteCOLONYou can say the Blue Jays is Canada's baseball team because it's the only baseball team but it's harder with an NHL team. It's the same arrogance as calling the Dallas Cowboys "America's Team". If the Leafs were as successful or better than the Canadiens, they might have a better claim. I know Babs was trying to rally the troops with what he said. He's a guy that wants to motivate any time he speaks.

I'm a Toronto guy who supports the leafs and I will just say "lol"
It's a fuckin press conference in front of one of the biggest and most intimidating crowd in ice hockey nation. As the newest coach getting a badass contract of nearly 7 mil per year why the fuck wouldn't he say something like this lol

I'm gonna flat out say I watched the whole 30 min bit of the conference last night and the best part of it was buffalo reporters ACTUALLY travelling up here just to confront babcock on why he ended up ditching them AHAHAHAH

edit: upon confronting him, the better part of it was that they got nothing out of the question LOL