Leafs designate Brendan Bonello as EBUG for 2026-27

Sep 17, 2026, 4:08 PM ET|Comments (0)

from Daily Faceoff (Frank Seravalli),

When the Toronto Maple Leafs ‘ training camp began on Thursday, it was reported that Brendan Bonello has been designated as the team’s emergency backup goaltender for the 2026-27 season.

The news comes as the NHL turns the page to its new collective bargaining agreement. Along with a playoff salary cap and a looser dress code, teams must now have full-time emergency backups on staff, rather than a person waiting in the stands on game nights, in case either team in action needs someone to strap on the pads on a whim.

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