Canadians are NOT STUPID at all. They are among the most intelligent people, anywhere on Earth. So how come that team is called the Toronto Maple LEAFS?

Maybe they just can’t spell. Look at the contributors to this site. there is some atrocious spelling and (lack of) punuciation and for the most part these folks aren’t stupid.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leaf

everyone in canada is smart, except torontonians. i mean, the maple leafs shouldnt be classified as a hockey team because they dont try to win, which is he goal of hockey, right? i mean, they havent won the stanley cup since 1967! thats the way it is, although i might be biased because im from montreal.

Leafs is another accepted plural form.

Now, I need to see if I can get this Q deleted.

I hope a moderator will do so.

Either way, “leafs” just doesn’t sound right. If I was to refer to the “leaves” in a tree as “leafs,” it seems to me I would come across as uneducated!

Spelling leaves ‘leafs’ was much more common in the olden days. If we had hockey teams back in the 18th century it would be perfectly normal… and a hockey teams name would probably catch it on so well that people would opt to drop the “leaves” version of the word, because it sounds silly.

At least I would think so…

I’ve heard that Conn Smythe renamed the team the Maple Leafs in honour of the Maple Leaf Regiment from World War I. As the regiment is a proper noun, its plural is formed by adding a simple ‘s’ creating Maple Leafs (not Maple Leaves).

And leafs is also an accepted plural.

First I’ve ever heard of the “proper noun, its plural is formed by adding a simple s” rule. If that was true, the Calgary team would be the Hitmans.