The Toronto Maple Leafs forward is expected back after a groin injury had kept him out for weeks. Dryden Hunt will wear the No. 20 when he eventually suits up for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The forward’s gear and stall was set up during the team’s morning skate on Tuesday, but he won’t take the ice until Wednesday when he is expected to take part in his first practice with Toronto. The 27-year-old was acquired by the Maple Leafs in exchange for forward Denis Malgin on Monday. The No. 20 selection will be a first for the British Columbia native at the NHL level. He previous wore 73, 28, 29 and most recently, 22. Hunt will be the first player to wear No. 20 since Nick Ritchie wore it last season before he was traded to the Arizona Coyotes. Fitting enough, Hunt is a former Coyote who spent parts of one season playing with Michael Bunting in 2021. “I think he’s going to fit in great, he works really hard off the ice and has a lot of skill,” Bunting said of Hunt. “I don’t think he gets enough credit for that. He has a really hard shot and can make plays. I think he’s going to be a great add for us. Hunt has one goal in 25 games this season. He is in the final year of a two-year contract that carries a salary cap hit of $762,500, according to Puckpedia.com. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmSS3cvqEF0[/embed] Other Leafs who wore No. 20 in recent days include Mason Marchment, who was the other end of the trade that saw Malgin join the Leafs in February of 2020. On the other side of things, Malgin will reportedly wear No. 81 with the Avalanche.
