With Ace Bailey's 6 retired, new Leaf Joel Edmundson's jersey number has been revealed
After sitting out on Wednesday and watching trade after trade get pushed through, Leafs GM Brad Treliving finally got into the action on Thursday, swinging a trade with the Washington Capitals for veteran defenseman Joel Edmundson.
The move was surprisingly met with a lot of positive reactions, as Edmundson appears to be just what the doctor ordered for a playoff run in Toronto. The 6'5, 221-pound defenseman is not going to be pushed around by anyone and will undoubtedly make life miserable for the opposition on a nightly basis. Edmundson also happens to kill penalties, which was another area of need in Toronto.
Edmundson brings a wealth of playoff experience with him to Toronto, but not just any playoff experience. The 30-year-old has been to a Stanley Cup Final twice in recent years, going all the way and winning a Cup with the Blues back in 2019 and reaching the Cup Final again with the Canadiens in 2021. That sort of experience is immeasurable, especially for a Leafs team who has never experienced the deep waters of the playoffs.
While we don't yet know where he'll slot in, we do know what number he'll wear, thanks to the Toronto Sun's Leafs reporter, Terry Koshan. Per Koshan, Edmundson is expected to don #20 during his tenure with the Leafs, with his typical #6 retired in Toronto for the legendary Ace Bailey.
39 other players have worn #20 in Toronto, dating all the way back to Hugh Bolton in 1951-52. Current TSN Analyst Mike Johnson wore #20 with the Leafs during the late 90's and, of course, Ed Belfour wore #20 from 2003-06. More recently, the number belonged to Nick Ritchie (2022) and Dryden Hunt (2023).
It appears likely that Edmundson will likely be relegated to 3rd pairing duty, but depending on what else happens with the Leafs over the next 24 hours, his role with the team may be increased or decreased depending on who else comes and who may be on the way out via trade.
| POLL | ||
MARS 7 | 646 ANSWERS With Ace Bailey's 6 retired, new Leaf Joel Edmundson's jersey number has been revealed Do you like the Leafs' chances of beating Boston if they draw the Bruins in round 1? | ||
| Yes | 266 | 41.2 % |
| No | 380 | 58.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
