Editing Toronto Maple Leafs (section)

=== Minor league affiliates ===
The Maple Leafs are affiliated with the [[Toronto Marlies]] of the [[American Hockey League]], the Marlies play from [[Coca-Cola Coliseum]] in Toronto. The Maple Leafs' parent company has owned the Marlies franchise since 1978.<ref name=farmhist>{{cite journal|last1=Faseruk|first1=Alex|last2=Clift|first2=Tom|pages=21–22|title=Quest for a Hockey Franchise|journal=Journal of Strategic Innovation & Sustainability|volume=14|issue=5|year=2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/718940/000130901411000820/exhibit1.htm|title=Bell acquires ownership position in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment – MLSE|publisher=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission|website=www.sec.gov|access-date=July 4, 2022}}</ref>

[[File:Griffins vs. Marlies at the Hockeytown Winter Festival 37.jpg|thumb|left|alt=A blue-coloured zamboni with a Toronto Maple Leafs logo on its side.|A Maple Leafs–branded [[Ice resurfacer|zamboni]] during an AHL game between the [[Grand Rapids Griffins]] and the [[Toronto Marlies]]. The Marlies is the Leafs' AHL affiliate.]]
The first AHL affiliate owned by the Maple Leafs was the [[Rochester Americans]], a team the Leafs initially co-owned with the Montreal Canadiens from 1956 to 1959, before MLGL bought out the Canadiens' share in the team. MLGL held sole ownership of the team until it was sold to an investor group in 1966. However, it continued to serve as their minor league affiliate until 1969. The Leafs did not have an AHL affiliate from 1969 to 1978 and relied on placing their drafted players with other team's affiliates. However, after several poor draft picks and having insufficient control over their prospect's development, MLGL opted to reestablish their own farm system; co-founding the Marlies franchise in 1978, and operating the [[Cincinnati Tigers (ice hockey)|Cincinnati Tigers]] of the [[Central Professional Hockey League|Central Hockey League]] from 1981 to 1982.<ref name="farmhist" />{{notetag|From 1978 to 1982, ownership of the Marlies franchise, then known as the [[New Brunswick Hawks]], was shared with the Chicago Black Hawks. In 1982, the Black Hawks pulled out of the joint management relationship.<ref name="farmhist" />}} The Marlies were initially established as the [[New Brunswick Hawks]], and were later relocated to [[St. Catharines Saints|St. Catherines]], [[Newmarket Saints|Newmarket]], and St. John's, before finally moving to Toronto in 2005.<ref name=Marli>{{cite web|url=http://marlies.ca/marlies-timeline/|title=Marlies Timeline|publisher=Toronto Marlies|access-date=February 28, 2018|year=2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180228223722/http://marlies.ca/marlies-timeline/|archive-date=February 28, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.telegram.com/article/20130404/COLUMN35/104049867|title=AHL: Bracken Kearns easy Worcester Sharks MVP choice|last=Ballou|first=Bill|work=Telegram & Gazette|access-date=March 4, 2018|date=April 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180304172623/http://www.telegram.com/article/20130404/COLUMN35/104049867|archive-date=March 4, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://marlies.ca/ahl-history/|title=AHL History|publisher=Toronto Marlies|access-date=March 4, 2018|year=2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180304172900/http://marlies.ca/ahl-history/|archive-date=March 4, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Newfoundland Growlers]] were the [[ECHL]] affiliate of the Maple Leafs from 2018 until 2024, they played from the [[Mary Brown's Centre]] in St. John's, Newfoundland.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/maple-leafs-announce-newfoundland-growlers-new-echl-affiliate/|title=Maple Leafs announce Newfoundland Growlers as new ECHL affiliate|work=Sportsnet.ca|access-date=June 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615004557/https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/maple-leafs-announce-newfoundland-growlers-new-echl-affiliate/|archive-date=June 15, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Unlike the Marlies, the Growlers were not owned by the Leafs' parent company but were instead owned by Deacon Sports and Entertainment.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sheena McCreate departs as CEO of St. John's Sports and Entertainment|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/nl-sheena-mccrate-departing-sjse-ceo-1.6275410|website=CBC.ca|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=December 6, 2022|access-date=July 4, 2022}}</ref> The Growlers folded in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ECHL's Newfoundland Growlers terminated by league |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/echls-newfoundland-growlers-terminated-by-league/ |access-date=April 2, 2024 |website=Sportsnet.ca}}</ref> The [[Cincinnati Cyclones]] signed an agreement to become the ECHL affiliate of the Maple Leafs in July 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Official Site of The ECHL {{!}} Cyclones sign affiliation agreement with Toronto |url=https://echl.com/news/2024/07/cyclones-sign-affiliation-agreement-with-toronto |access-date=July 3, 2024 |website=ECHL}}</ref>

The Marlies were named after the [[Toronto Marlboros]], a [[junior ice hockey|junior]] hockey team named after the [[Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough|Duke of Marlborough]].<ref name="Marli" /> Founded in 1903, the Marlboros were sponsored by the Leafs from 1927 to 1989.<ref name="Marli" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://marlies.ca/marlies-history/|title=Marlies History|publisher=Toronto Marlies|access-date=February 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180228223031/http://marlies.ca/marlies-history/|archive-date=February 28, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> The Marlboros constituted one of two junior hockey teams the Leafs formerly sponsored, the other being the [[Toronto St. Michael's Majors]]. The sponsored junior system served as the Leafs primary farm system for young replacement players from the 1940s to 1950s.<ref name=MLH50 /> Formal NHL sponsorship of junior teams ceased in 1966, making all qualifying prospects not already on NHL-sponsored lists eligible for the draft.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://records.nhl.com/history|title=NHL history|publisher=National Hockey League|website=records.nhl.com|access-date=July 30, 2022|year=2022}}</ref>