Best NHL players by number

[KennyBanyeah]

Not just the fat kid. The one who skated the worst.

It wasn't quite like that for me. My organization didn't issue #1 (for whatever reason). 2 - 8 were for Defensemen. 8-19 were for forwards. 20 - 29 were for anyone except goalies. Goalies had 30 - 34. I remember being mad because I wanted to wear 29 or 24 and play goal and I wasn't allowed. 29 was my grandfather's number for the Orioles and 24 was what Rick Dempsey wore, every other sport I wore one of those two. I eventually chose 34.

Then I made a select team as a backup and the starter also wore 34, I reversed it to my now infamous number. Because they allowed pretty much any number but 24 and 29 were also taken.



It's funny here. Every team over squirt age has a 61. It's the most contested number, usually have four or five kids request it on every team. Every younger team the number is 72 (goalie or not). A lot of kids want to wear 19, 71 and 7 also.

I imagine everyone in DC wants to wear 8. When my cousins played there, the numbers were 32, 37 and 12 (Hunter, Kolzig and Bondra). It is neat to see how the "popular" numbers change.

That's awesome that so many Ohio kids look up to Mark Stone!! Man they must hate PK Subban there too!!

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

While all of the 91s you're thinking of are very good players I think it's going to take more than 5 years for any of them them to eclipse Fedorov. Stamkos is the closest and he's still almost 700 points behind him.

...and 3 Cups.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

That's gonna be tough playing for the Leafs.

Wait...there's good and bad here. I don't know how to feel.

 

[DragonfromTO]

That's awesome that so many Ohio kids look up to Mark Stone!! Man they must hate PK Subban there too!!

In the dressing rooms in Ohio the Cory Stillman stories never stop

 

[forty_three]

When I was in 9th grade I was just randomly assigned a jersey for my high school team. When the guys on my MTHL team saw it in my bag they basically all said "81? Are you playing right wing or wide receiver?" (probably with more swearing and insults). I was just way ahead of the curve I guess.

Who predicted teh Phil? Dragon did.

 

[blindbaby]

If only Mike Commodore would have worn #64 - I mean, who wouldn't buy a Commodore 64 jersey?

I would put that one right next to my Heinz 57, Dave Jackson 5, Semin 69, jersey's....errr....if I had them, that is.

 

[puckhead]

I wanted 23 because Thomas Gradin was my favourite player.
The jerseys didn't go up that high, so my second choice was 9, I think it was for Ivan Bolderev.

 

[thedddd]

Looks to me like 83 through 86 are for the taking.

And Milan Novy gets no love for #66!

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Would anyone take Rafalski over Larmer for 28?

 

[dash]

Would anyone take Rafalski over Larmer for 28?

He had a great career, but I think I would still give the edge to Steve Larmer (but it's close).

/I like the fact that Iggy got #12, but I wouldn't have been surprised if Yvan Cournoyer's name was there.

 

[beantownmaniac]

I may sound like a homer but I'm taking Neely with #8. 50 goals in 44 games AFTER coming back from a serious leg injury? Injury shortened career is only reason it's not him.

 

[forty_three]

Would anyone take Rafalski over Larmer for 28?

Hard to argue against Larmer, but when I see #28, I always think Kjell Samuelsson. The real Big Bird. He was hard to miss. He was like a skating billboard.

I may sound like a homer but I'm taking Neely with #8. 50 goals in 44 games AFTER coming back from a serious leg injury? Injury shortened career is only reason it's not him.

I am not a homer, and #8 will ALWAYS be Neeley to me. I don't care what Ovi ever does in his career. Cam Neeley is, in my mind to forwards what Vlad Tretiak is to goalies. Prototypical. The guy everyone should play like.

 

[4thstreet]

Bobby Clarke over Brett Hull for #16

 

[RangersReds03]

Anyone think St. Louis over Stastny?

 

[KennyBanyeah]

Bobby Clarke over Brett Hull for #16

If I was starting a team I'd go with Clarke. As long as he agreed to never be my GM.

Anyone think St. Louis over Stastny?

Not a chance.

 

[DragonfromTO]

Hard to argue against Larmer, but when I see #28, I always think Kjell Samuelsson. The real Big Bird. He was hard to miss. He was like a skating billboard.



I am not a homer, and #8 will ALWAYS be Neeley to me. I don't care what Ovi ever does in his career. Cam Neeley is, in my mind to forwards what Vlad Tretiak is to goalies. Prototypical. The guy everyone should play like.

If everyone on your team played liked Neely who would you dress for the other 30 games a year?

 

[Sgt Brutus]

#19

you've just been Doaned

 

[forty_three]

If everyone on your team played liked Neely who would you dress for the other 30 games a year?

Well, if *everyone* played that way, there'd theoretically be an infinite number of replacements.

But I'd need a really big press box.

 

[kenyg54]

Bob Probert is my only 24.

//(o)(o)\\

 

[RangersReds03]

And how about Pronger over Richer for 44?