The Gardens opened on November 12, 1931, with the Maple Leafs losing 2–1 to the Chicago Blackhawks.
Reported attendance on opening night was 13,542.
The Leafs would go on to win their first Stanley Cup as the Maple Leafs that season (they had already won two previously—one as the Toronto Arenas and one as the Toronto St. Patricks).

The first professional wrestling show at the Gardens was held on November 19, 1931 and attracted 15,800 people to see world champion Jim Londos in the main event.
The show was promoted by Jack Corcoran, who passed the reins to Frank Tunney and his Maple Leaf Wrestling promotion in 1939.
Under Tunney, Toronto and the Gardens was for decades a thriving centre for professional wrestling.
Local hero Whipper Billy Watson became the city's top wrestling attraction in the 1940s and 1950s.
The last WWE-promoted event to be held at Maple Leaf Gardens was on September 17, 1995.
Boxing was also a regular offering at the Gardens for many years.
The first world title bout in the building was on September 19, 1932, with bantamweight champion Panama Al Brown knocking out challenger Émile Pladner in the first round.

Winston Churchill addressed a large audience at the Gardens in March 1932; when the arena's loudspeaker system broke down he tossed the microphone to one side, declared "Now that we have exhausted the resources of science we shall fall back upon Mother Nature and do our best", and continued.

Victory Loan rallies were held at the Gardens during World War II.

When Maple Leaf Gardens opened, it served as the home rink for all Toronto-based teams in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA), except for the University of Toronto.
OHA secretary George Dudley regularly renewed lease agreements to keep the same arrangement.

On November 1, 1946, Maple Leaf Gardens was the site of the first game in the history of the Basketball Association of America (later to become the NBA), with the Toronto Huskies playing the New York Knickerbockers.
The Huskies played their last game at the Gardens on March 28, 1947, and the franchise folded shortly thereafter.
In the 1946–47 NHL season, Maple Leaf Gardens was the first arena in the NHL to have Plexiglas inserted in the end zones of the rink.

Smythe became the majority owner of Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd. in 1947, following a power struggle between directors who supported him as president and those who wanted him replaced with Frank J. Selke.
Toronto stock broker Percy Gardiner lent Smythe the money he needed to take control of the corporation.
The loan was paid off in 1960.

Beginning with the Canadian Grand Opera's production of Faust in 1936, the Gardens became home to more highbrow forms of entertainment.
The Metropolitan Opera staged a number of its visiting productions there between 1952 and 1960.
The first rock and roll concert at the Gardens was held in 1956, featuring Bill Haley & His Comets.
Elvis Presley's shows at the Gardens on April 2, 1957 were his first-ever concerts outside the United States.
The Gardens also hosted evangelist Billy Graham during his Canadian Crusade, in 1955.
The Gardens opened on November 12, 1931, with the Maple Leafs losing 2–1 to the Chicago Blackhawks. Reported attendance on opening night was 13,542. The Leafs would go on to win their first Stanley Cup as the Maple Leafs that season (they had already won two previously—one as the Toronto Arenas and one as the Toronto St. Patricks).
The first professional wrestling show at the Gardens was held on November 19, 1931 and attracted 15,800 people to see world champion Jim Londos in the main event. The show was promoted by Jack Corcoran, who passed the reins to Frank Tunney and his Maple Leaf Wrestling promotion in 1939. Under Tunney, Toronto and the Gardens was for decades a thriving centre for professional wrestling. Local hero Whipper Billy Watson became the city's top wrestling attraction in the 1940s and 1950s. The last WWE-promoted event to be held at Maple Leaf Gardens was on September 17, 1995. Boxing was also a regular offering at the Gardens for many years. The first world title bout in the building was on September 19, 1932, with bantamweight champion Panama Al Brown knocking out challenger Émile Pladner in the first round.
Winston Churchill addressed a large audience at the Gardens in March 1932; when the arena's loudspeaker system broke down he tossed the microphone to one side, declared "Now that we have exhausted the resources of science we shall fall back upon Mother Nature and do our best", and continued.
Victory Loan rallies were held at the Gardens during World War II.
When Maple Leaf Gardens opened, it served as the home rink for all Toronto-based teams in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA), except for the University of Toronto. OHA secretary George Dudley regularly renewed lease agreements to keep the same arrangement.
On November 1, 1946, Maple Leaf Gardens was the site of the first game in the history of the Basketball Association of America (later to become the NBA), with the Toronto Huskies playing the New York Knickerbockers. The Huskies played their last game at the Gardens on March 28, 1947, and the franchise folded shortly thereafter. In the 1946–47 NHL season, Maple Leaf Gardens was the first arena in the NHL to have Plexiglas inserted in the end zones of the rink.
Smythe became the majority owner of Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd. in 1947, following a power struggle between directors who supported him as president and those who wanted him replaced with Frank J. Selke. Toronto stock broker Percy Gardiner lent Smythe the money he needed to take control of the corporation. The loan was paid off in 1960.
Beginning with the Canadian Grand Opera's production of Faust in 1936, the Gardens became home to more highbrow forms of entertainment. The Metropolitan Opera staged a number of its visiting productions there between 1952 and 1960. The first rock and roll concert at the Gardens was held in 1956, featuring Bill Haley & His Comets. Elvis Presley's shows at the Gardens on April 2, 1957 were his first-ever concerts outside the United States. The Gardens also hosted evangelist Billy Graham during his Canadian Crusade, in 1955.
Maple Leaf Gardens