Among sports fans, Toronto is known as the centre of the hockey universe. If that’s true, then its gravitational pull started with University of Toronto alumni Conn Smythe.

Constantine Falkland Cary Smythe was born on February 1, 1895. He would call Toronto home for his entire life — his influence stretching from the Varsity Blues to the Hockey Hall of Fame. A patriotic Canadian, successful businessman, and architect of the Maple Leafs franchise, Conn Smythe moulded the identity of Toronto during its most pivotal moments.

University life and military service

At age 17, Smythe enrolled in U of T’s engineering program and immersed himself in varsity athletics. He began on the intramural football team, but soon found a more permanent home with the Blues hockey team. 

On the ice, Smythe played with an iron will and fighting spirit. During the 1914–1915 season, he was elected captain of the Junior Blues hockey team. His leadership brought the team to an Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) championship — his first of many triumphs in the sport.

However, World War I was raging in Europe, and Smythe was never one to ignore the call of duty. Mere days after their championship victory, he and the entire Blues team put their studies on hold to enlist in the Canadian Expeditionary Force. 

Smythe was shipped to Europe as part of the 40th “Sportsman’s” Battery of the Royal Canadian Artillery. He participated in four major battles, including the Battle of Arras. It was here that his daring raid on a German trench earned him a Military Cross “for [his] conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.” 

Smythe then took to the air as an artillery observer. In October 1917, enemy fire shot down his plane into the bloody and muddy fields of Passchendaele. Smythe was captured by German forces and spent over a year as a prisoner of war. He would not return to Toronto until nearly three months after the armistice.

Returning home

Upon his homecoming, Smythe returned to U of T and graduated with a degree in civil engineering. He put his degree to work operating a gravel business in the West End of Toronto. But he wasn’t done with hockey yet.

With his playing days over, Smythe signed on to coach the Varsity Blues hockey team. He led the team through an era of total dominance, claiming the OHA title every year he was at the helm from 1923 to 1926. From 1926 until 1927, he coached the Varsity Grads, a team made up of Varsity Blues alumni, to an Allan Cup — the country’s highest amateur hockey championship. U of T had become a veritable hockey powerhouse, and Smythe had made a name for himself in the elite circles of the sport.

Smythe’s introduction to the NHL came shortly after when he became general manager of the New York Rangers. Despite building a successful team, he was fired within the year and returned to Toronto. If Smythe was going to make it in professional hockey, he was going to do it at home.

Unfortunately, the city’s team, the Toronto St. Patricks, were a failing franchise. Losses accumulated, support dwindled, and the owners threatened to sell the team south of the border. The Toronto market was on the brink. 

Determined to keep an NHL team in the city, Smythe gathered a group of local investors to purchase and rebrand the Toronto St. Patricks. For their new crest, Smythe — now the principal owner of the club — selected the maple leaf emblem worn with “honour, pride and courage” by Canadian soldiers. The team colours became navy and white — reminiscent of Smythe’s time with the Varsity Blues.

The Toronto Maple Leafs were officially born.

Before long, Smythe decided his new team needed a new home. In 1931, amidst the turmoil of the Great Depression, he financed and oversaw the construction of a state-of-the-art arena. When the money ran out, Smythe paid the workers in company shares. Maple Leaf Gardens was completed in less than six months, providing some much-needed hope to a despairing city. 

By World War II, Smythe was now in his mid-40s but quickly reenlisted. As captain of the Canadian Officer Training Corps, he convinced many of his players to enlist and train with him. Once in Europe, Smythe’s battery was assigned to support Canadian forces in Normandy. A 1944 German air raid left Smythe with a shrapnel injury that ended his second tour of duty. Back in Toronto, he became an outspoken advocate for conscription and a steadfast supporter of disabled children, serving as a Director at the Ontario Society for Crippled Children.

Cementing a legacy

Smythe continued to become a legendary figure with the Maple Leafs. The team won the Stanley Cup seven times under his reign, including three consecutive titles from 1947 to 1949. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1959 and, after his retirement in 1961, oversaw the construction of its first building in Toronto at Exhibition Place, a public mixed-use district in Toronto.

In 1980, Smythe was appointed to the Order of Canada. He died on November 18 of the same year, in his home city of Toronto. Today, the NHL awards the Conn Smythe trophy to the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup playoffs. 

Thanks to Smythe, hockey is a way of life in Toronto. With the Maple Leafs fighting to end their 57-year championship drought, the Toronto Sceptres of the Professional Women’s Hockey League chasing their inaugural championship, and the Varsity Blues men’s ice hockey team seeking their first provincial title since 1993, some might say there isn’t much to celebrate. But the fans’ belief hasn’t wavered.

Conn Smythe showed us that the next dynasty is always worth fighting for.