Toronto Maple Leafs: It looks like Connor Brown will change his number
By the looks of it, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ newest addition, Patrick Marleau, will be wearing Connor Brown‘s number 12 next season.
Unless Patrick Marleau and his family are secretly massive Connor Brown fans, I think it’s safe to assume that the Toronto Maple Leafs big offseason signing will be wearing Brown’s number 12 this upcoming season.
There's a whole lot of Canadian pride here. 💙 pic.twitter.com/dWbS17mmIW
— Christina Marleau (@c_marleau) July 28, 2017
Of course, the number on Brown’s contract next season is the most important one considering he is yet to sign. But the number on the back of his jersey is important, too.
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Brown did wear 28 during his junior days with the Erie Otters, but Kasperi Kapanen wears 28 with the Leafs, so unless he plans on buying the number from him, it’s off limits. Brown did wear 29 with the Toronto Marlies, but, you know, William Nylander wears that number for the Buds.
If you go all the way back to the 2010-11 season when Brown played for the St. Michael’s Buzzers (OJHL), he did wear 19 then. Joffrey Lupul technically occupies that number, but with Lupul essentially done with the Leafs, perhaps the organization will force him to give up his number to Brown? I doubt it happens, but it is a possibility.
Another player who could impact the Leafs’ numbers this season is Dominic Moore. The 36-year-old veteran has worn 28 for the majority of his career, so perhaps he’ll buy 28 from Kapanen, which would then mean both Brown and Kapanen will need new numbers this season.
It’s all a guessing game at this point, but athletes will do crazy things — or pay unbelievable amounts of money — to wear their number. Hopefully we’ll hear the story behind how Marleau convinced Brown to give him 12, but I have a feeling Brown willingly gave Marleau his number because, well, it’s Patrick Marleau. Would you really deny him his number?
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What number do you think Connor Brown will wear with the Toronto Maple Leafs next season? Let us know your thoughts and predictions below.