But that has changed.
According to the Toronto Sun the Leafs are no longer Canada's richest franchise. The Toronto Raptors are officially the new number one franchise worth a whopping $2.2 billion dollars that's a growth of over 400% the past 10 years.
The Toronto Maple Leafs take second spot on the list and complete the sweep with the Toronto Blue Jays grabbing that number three spot.
The growth of the valuation of the Raptors can be contributed to their playoff success, but is also a direct result to the positive television contracts the league has signed. This could also be a sign that the growth of the NHL has stagnated.
With Gary Bettman in control the league has grown but hasn't experienced the international or domestic growth other leagues have.