Red Wings vs. Maple Leafs: A Classic Original Six Showdown

When Do the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs Play Next?

Upcoming game information can be found below. Detroit Red Wings tickets and Toronto Maple Leafs tickets can be found on their respective team pages.

Are the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs Rivals?

Yes, the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs are rivals in the NHL. Both teams competed during the league’s Original Six era and have continued as members of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. Over the years, the Red Wings and Maple Leafs have met in the postseason 23 times, including seven meetings in the Stanley Cup Final.

Who Are the Detroit Red Wings’ Biggest Rivals?

The Detroit Red Wings’ biggest rivals are the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Boston Bruins, the Chicago Blackhawks and the Montreal Canadiens amongst Original Six teams, plus the St. Louis Blues from the Central Division in the Western Conference.

Who are the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Biggest Rivals?

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ biggest rivals are the Detroit Red Wings, the Boston Bruins, the Chicago Blackhawks and the Montreal Canadiens from the Original Six era, along with the Buffalo Sabres, the Florida Panthers and the Ottawa Senators in the Atlantic Division.

Game Results Between the Red Wings and Maple Leafs

Of the NHL’s 82 regular season games, fans can expect three to four matchups between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs each year. The all-time series between both teams is surprisingly close: in 684 meetings, the Maple Leafs hold a slight 294-290-93-7 edge.

Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Series History

The Red Wings-Maple Leafs rivalry history spans almost as far back as the league itself, with the founding Toronto squad facing Detroit during their first season in 1927. After initial postseason meetings in 1929 and 1934, Detroit and Toronto met in the Stanley Cup Final for the first of seven times in 1936, with Detroit claiming their first title after four games. However, Toronto would earn revenge by winning all six of their subsequent championship matchups, in 1942, 1945, 1948, 1949, 1963 and 1964. Despite their dominance in head-to-head title matchups, Toronto fell in five consecutive semifinals series between 1950 and 1956, as Detroit advanced to four of their 11 Stanley Cup wins.

As the NHL expanded in the ’60s and ’70s, the postseason Detroit vs. Toronto matchup became less common, with the two teams only meeting three times following the 1964 Stanley Cup Finals. The Red Wings claimed two division series wins, in 1987 and 1988, while the pair’s most recent playoff series in 1993 was won by Toronto after seven games. Overall, the Red Wings-Maple Leafs postseason legacy stands nearly equal with Toronto winning 12 of 23 series and Detroit holding the edge for playoff games at 59-58.

In 1998, the rivalry dynamics shifted as Toronto moved to the Eastern Conference. It intensified in 2013, when Detroit and Toronto were grouped together in the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic Division. Nowadays, in lieu of consistent postseason play, the Red Wings and Maple Leafs rivalry remains strong due to the divisional competition and more importantly, the regional sports feud between the cities of Detroit and Toronto. With the two cities just over 200 miles apart, Detroit and Toronto fans will find varying allegiances even amongst their neighbors.

The two teams have also faced off in notable league exhibitions, such as the 2014 NHL Winter Classic, which stands as the second highest-attended hockey game of all-time with 104,173 fans at Michigan Stadium, and the 2017 NHL Centennial Classic.

Where Do the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings Play?

The Toronto Maple Leafs compete at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario. The downtown arena was first opened as the Toronto Postal Delivery Building in 1941, but was repurposed as the current sports, music and events space in 1999. Holding between 18,800 and 20,270 fans in its hockey configuration, Scotiabank Arena has played host to two NHL All-Star Games, in 2000 and 2024, and served as the Eastern Conference home ice during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since opening, “The Hangar” has also been home court for the NBA’s Toronto Raptors.

The Detroit Red Wings play at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Located in Motor City’s Midtown neighborhood, LCA opened in 2017 as a replacement for the Red Wings’ previous home at Joe Louis Arena. With a hockey seating capacity of 19,515, Little Caesars Arena has become a core sports and entertainment hub for Red Wings fans. Aside from hockey, LCA stands as the home court for the NBA’s Detroit Pistons.