The No. 72 saga is over.
Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Gavin McKenna has ceded the number to veteran Sergei Bobrovsky, the goalie told reporters on Friday.
Bobrovsky said they had a long chat about it on Thursday night.
"He's a bright guy. He's got really positive energy and I'm excited to watch him develop into a big superstar in this league," Bobrovsky said.
McKenna told reporters Thursday he would give up the number that both have worn throughout their careers out of deference to the two-time Stanley Cup champ, who signed a three-year, $21-million deal with the Maple Leafs on Wednesday.
"If he wants it, he can have it," McKenna said.
Turns out, Bobrovsky did indeed want it.
Now, all eyes will turn to McKenna's choice of number.
He wore No. 72 at Penn State this season and with the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers and his backup Nos. 9 and 27 are retired by the franchise in honour of Charlie Conacher, Ted Kennedy, Darryl Sittler and Frank Mahovlich.
