The same group that operates Toronto FC owns what NHL team?

The same group that operates Toronto FC owns the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs.

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) operates Toronto FC and owns the Maple Leafs, along with the Toronto Raptors, Toronto Argonauts, Toronto Marlies and other sports properties. Toronto FC joined Major League Soccer in 2007, while the Maple Leafs are one of the NHL’s oldest and most recognizable franchises.

The hockey club began in 1917 as the Toronto Arenas and later became the Toronto St. Patricks before adopting the Maple Leafs name in 1927. The name refers to the maple leaf, a major Canadian symbol and an emblem long associated with Canadian military history.

A common mix-up is Toronto’s other professional teams: the Raptors are the NBA club, the Argonauts play in the CFL, and the Marlies are the Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate. The NHL answer is specifically the Toronto Maple Leafs.