Choosing a team

Stephen and I have been having a "discussion" recently.  Upon moving to Toronto, I assumed that we would adopt the local ice hockey team - the Toronto Maple Leafs - as our team.  Stephen argues that we have no obligation to choose Toronto, and is instead suggesting that we adopt the Montreal Canadiens - their arch-rivals.  This has been a source of some contention in the house.

Ice hockey is a big thing in North America, and especially in Toronto.  The Maple Leafs haven't won the Stanley Cup (premiership trophy) since 1967, and they seem to be a sort of Canadian St Kilda in that they've made the play-offs a few times in the last 10 years but seem to choke when it counts.  Recently, they're not doing so well - they've come last in their conference for the last few seasons, and so far this season they're 12th and they've just managed to kick an 8 game losing streak.

Despite this, their season ticket waiting list is at 2,500 people.  They sold out every home game from 1946 until 1999 when their stadium closed, and in their new stadium (the Air Canada Centre) they've sold out every game since October 2002 - and they play 82 games a season.  Tickets are ridiculously expensive compared to Australian prices - the cheapest tickets are $40 in the nosebleeds, but they quickly rise to over $600 a ticket - and that's if you can find a ticket, as they sell out months in advance.  Wow.

I put forward to Stephen that upon moving to a new country where you don't already have an allegiance to a team, you should adopt your city's team as a way of fitting in - especially in a one team city (of which Toronto is obviously an almost rabid example).  Picking a team from another city - especially your city's arch-rivals - is a way to disaster.  How could you participate in such traditionally Canadian activities as going to the pub to catch the game if you support the wrong team?  And what if someone invites you around to watch the hockey?

Stephen's argument for why we should pick Montreal (or Ottawa) instead of Toronto is that it's practically  impossible to see a Maple Leafs home game as they are ludicrously expensive and sell out quickly.  He also suggests that even if you did manage to get a ticket, Toronto are almost guaranteed to lose so there's no point in going.  As someone who supported the Brisbane Bears (no one dares to mess with the Bears!), I find this view somewhat offensive.  I quote:  "I don't know why we should saddle ourselves with an awful, inaccessible team when we don't have to."

With these two opposing viewpoints (and an awful lot of time on our hands), I wanted to put it out there - what's everyone else's view?  Should we support our home team, or are we free to choose a team with slightly more optimistic chances of winning?