As one of the focal points in the largest city in Canada, the Toronto Maple Leafs are inextricably linked to the larger civic community and are celebrating the Black Excellence Game on Saturday, when they square off against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Toji Nola, a designer and illustrator from Toronto, designed a new logo that will be featured on t-shirts and off-ice apparel throughout Saturday&#8217;s game. The new logo features 13 root branches, which mirrors the Maple Leafs logo, with a triangle that commemorates the pillars of Black excellence.
Canadian singer Sacha will also perform during one of the intermissions.
&#8220;Black Excellence is about recognition – not just of the exceptional achievements of individuals within the community, but of the visibility and inspiration those achievements bring. The Toronto Maple Leafs are more than just a sports team – they&#8217;re an institution with a legacy that spans generations, bringing families and communities together as a source of pride and inspiration,&#8221; Nola said <a href="https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/toronto-maple-leafs-unveil-new-logo-celebrating-black-excellence-and-host-annual-black-excellence-game-presented-by-rogers-on-february-22">via the Maple Leafs</a>.
&#8220;To collaborate with such a storied organization on a project that celebrates Black Excellence is an incredible honour. The Leafs’ involvement in this initiative shines a light on a community with its own rich heritage of excellence, amplifying the message of belonging, identity and pride in a way that resonates far beyond the game.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Meet Toji Nola, the artist behind our Black Excellence game logo <a href="https://twitter.com/Rogers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Rogers</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LeafsForever</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZpGKCi2uEA">pic.twitter.com/ZpGKCi2uEA</a>
&mdash; Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) <a href="https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1892614055489130646?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Being a part of the larger Toronto community comes with the territory of starring for the Maple Leafs. Auston Matthews said he hadn&#8217;t seen the new logo, after <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/matthews-marner-back-leafs-stolarz-to-start-vs-hurricanes-pacioretty-dewar-ruled-out">returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off</a> which concluded Thursday, but was very excited about the initiative.
&#8220;Obviously, a great thing that we do here is that we celebrate a lot of things, and that&#8217;s one of them. Definitely awesome,&#8221; Matthews said Saturday morning.
Mitch Marner also returned from the <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/mitch-marner-ready-to-flip-switch-focus-on-larger-goals-ahead-maple-leafs">4 Nations Face-Off</a>, and it&#8217;s been a whirlwind 48 hours for the Maple Leafs&#8217; resident stars, but they&#8217;re embracing the celebration and will take some time to absorb the logo and festivities ahead of Saturday&#8217;s contest.
&#8220;I haven&#8217;t been able to look at the logo yet, I know there&#8217;s a jersey over there, I haven&#8217;t been able to see the front of it. I&#8217;ll definitely take a look at it after. I know last year the jersey was awesome, it was really cool to be a part of that, and looking forward to it again,&#8221; Marner said.
The entire organization is celebrating Black excellence throughout the weekend, with the AHL&#8217;s Toronto Marlies set to host their own game against the Manitoba Moose on Sunday.
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As one of the focal points in the largest city in Canada, the Toronto Maple Leafs are inextricably linked to the larger civic community and are celebrating the Black Excellence Game on Saturday, when they square off against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Toji Nola, a designer and illustrator from Toronto, designed a new logo that will be featured on t-shirts and off-ice apparel throughout Saturday's game. The new logo features 13 root branches, which mirrors the Maple Leafs logo, with a triangle that commemorates the pillars of Black excellence.

Canadian singer Sacha will also perform during one of the intermissions.

"Black Excellence is about recognition – not just of the exceptional achievements of individuals within the community, but of the visibility and inspiration those achievements bring. The Toronto Maple Leafs are more than just a sports team – they're an institution with a legacy that spans generations, bringing families and communities together as a source of pride and inspiration," Nola said <a href="https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/toronto-maple-leafs-unveil-new-logo-celebrating-black-excellence-and-host-annual-black-excellence-game-presented-by-rogers-on-february-22">via the Maple Leafs</a>.

"To collaborate with such a storied organization on a project that celebrates Black Excellence is an incredible honour. The Leafs’ involvement in this initiative shines a light on a community with its own rich heritage of excellence, amplifying the message of belonging, identity and pride in a way that resonates far beyond the game."

https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1892614055489130646

Being a part of the larger Toronto community comes with the territory of starring for the Maple Leafs. Auston Matthews said he hadn't seen the new logo, after <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/matthews-marner-back-leafs-stolarz-to-start-vs-hurricanes-pacioretty-dewar-ruled-out">returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off</a> which concluded Thursday, but was very excited about the initiative.

"Obviously, a great thing that we do here is that we celebrate a lot of things, and that's one of them. Definitely awesome," Matthews said Saturday morning.

Mitch Marner also returned from the <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/mitch-marner-ready-to-flip-switch-focus-on-larger-goals-ahead-maple-leafs">4 Nations Face-Off</a>, and it's been a whirlwind 48 hours for the Maple Leafs' resident stars, but they're embracing the celebration and will take some time to absorb the logo and festivities ahead of Saturday's contest.

"I haven't been able to look at the logo yet, I know there's a jersey over there, I haven't been able to see the front of it. I'll definitely take a look at it after. I know last year the jersey was awesome, it was really cool to be a part of that, and looking forward to it again," Marner said.

The entire organization is celebrating Black excellence throughout the weekend, with the AHL's Toronto Marlies set to host their own game against the Manitoba Moose on Sunday.
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@daily_faceoff"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-139755" src="https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2099/08/TradeDeadline-2025_programmatic_Article-727x404-2.png" alt="" width="728" height="405" /></a>

Get ready, hockey fans! The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@daily_faceoff">Daily Faceoff Deadline</a> is happening on March 7th from 11 AM to 4 PM Eastern, and you won’t want to miss it. We’ll be LIVE, breaking down every trade and big move as it happens, with instant reactions and expert analysis from the Daily Faceoff crew. Plus, we've got special guests lined up throughout the show, offering exclusive insights from some of the biggest names in the game. From blockbuster trades to surprise moves, we’re covering it all. Tune in to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@daily_faceoff">Daily Faceoff YouTube channel</a> and follow Daily Faceoff socials on March 7th to catch all the action!

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Maple Leafs celebrate Black Excellence Game with new logo, intermission performance

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