What jersey # should your franchise retire (and/or unretire)?

[elocomotive]

Just a note, I read a pretty good article on Bleacher Reports about the Worst Retired Numbers in Sports.

It had Gretzky for all teams, Labre by the Caps, and Bourque by the Avs on the list.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Perhaps the NHL should retire #22 for Willie O'Ree, the Jackie Robinson of the NHL?

 

[forty_three]

Yeah, here's the problem with the Rangers - they have been around almost 100 years, and 4 of the 8 retired numbers basically came from the 90s. Graves definitely doesn't deserve it. Richter never won a Vezina. And Messier is really more of an Oiler than a Ranger, though I can understand why they did it. Brian Leetch is really the only guy from that 94 Cup team who ticks all the boxes - career player in NY, Hall of Famer, and considered a dominant player of his time.

I feel like a guy being in the Hall of Fame and spending the strong majority of his career with a team are near requirements for retiring a jersey. If you don't meet one of those, you better have some exceptional numbers or impact that justify it.

The thing about the Rag retirements is they seemed to retire a bunch of guys who were consistently mediocre. I am sure a lot of it was "we finally won the cup" hangover, but Graves was a terrible choice. He was dirty, excessively overrated and benefitted from the fact that Messier brought half the Oilers over.

Howell was only slightly above average but for a really long time.

Giacomin wasn't even a .500 goalie. Ad his career GAA was around 3.00. The only saving grace for him was that he was exactly as vanilla in the playoffs as he was in the regular season.

The Rags also seem to forget that while Mess was the captain when they finally won, he DID bolt for money the first chance he got. Richter also experienced a long run of mediocrity followed by a few seasons of brilliance.

But then again when the franchise just throws money around trying to buy championships, anyone who stays more than four years is probably considered a "lifer".

 

[dare2be]

Perhaps the NHL should retire #22 for Willie O'Ree, the Jackie Robinson of the NHL?

Then along those lines, Pens should retire #2, first Korean-born player and first to have his name engraved on the Cup.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Then along those lines, Pens should retire #2, first Korean-born player and first to have his name engraved on the Cup.

Jim Paek was a(n) historical pickup for the Pens, perhaps he should be honored.

 

[pixburgher66]

Yeah, here's the problem with the Rangers - they have been around almost 100 years, and 4 of the 8 retired numbers basically came from the 90s. Graves definitely doesn't deserve it. Richter never won a Vezina. And Messier is really more of an Oiler than a Ranger, though I can understand why they did it. Brian Leetch is really the only guy from that 94 Cup team who ticks all the boxes - career player in NY, Hall of Famer, and considered a dominant player of his time.

I feel like a guy being in the Hall of Fame and spending the strong majority of his career with a team are near requirements for retiring a jersey. If you don't meet one of those, you better have some exceptional numbers or impact that justify it.

Good, I'm not the only snob 'round here. I completely agree. If the guy isn't in the HoF and WON'T be in the HoF, why in the world would they warrant a jersey retirement? Seems like they just chose fan favorites. If we're going there, man oh man the Pittsburgh jerseys that'd go up. GARY ROBERTS! BILLY GUERIN! ULF SAMUELLSSON! ALL THE JERSEYS!

 

[TiLoBrown]

Another question outside of #99 should any number be retired league wide? maybe #4 and #9...

#30 for goalies

 

[mattola]

#30 for goalies

i know RIGTH

 

[pixburgher66]

Just a note, I read a pretty good article on Bleacher Reports about the Worst Retired Numbers in Sports.

It had Gretzky for all teams, Labre by the Caps, and Bourque by the Avs on the list.

When it's done by premiere franchises it seems to hurt a little more. When you have the history of the Yankees and the amount of incredible talent that has put on that uniform, WHY would you waste jerseys with guys like Don Mattingly? Montreal and Toronto do have a lot, but for the most part they're warranted...that's what happens when your team wins consistently for a decade(s).

 

[elocomotive]

I have no issues with the Sabres current crop. Tim Horton didn't earn it so much during his time in Buffalo, but his untimely death is what got him up there. (EDIT: That and a hefty donation from the police benevolents association I'm sure)

Tim Horton deserves to have a number retired, but it's "0," not "2."

Or maybe "000000000000."

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Adam graves is a bit of a headscratcher.
he averaged 50 pts a season over 10 years.
in the grand scheme of the Rangers' history... big whoop.

in Trevor Lindens first 10 season run with the Canucks he averaged 57 points per season

I know the Rangers have a bigger history than the Canucks but I cant criticize a team for retiring a guys number who their fans saw as some community oriented, noble (mythical?) warrior who in their collective minds supposedly epitomized what it meant to be a Rag (lol) when we've retired Lindens number for mostly similar reasons

just my shap

 

[elocomotive]

I didn't realize the Minnesota Wild retired "1" for their fans.

 

[pixburgher66]

in Trevor Lindens first 10 season run with the Canucks he averaged 57 points per season

I know the Rangers have a bigger history than the Canucks but I cant criticize a team for retiring a guys number who their fans saw as some community oriented, noble (mythical?) warrior who in their collective minds supposedly epitomized what it meant to be a Rag (lol) when we've retired Lindens number for mostly similar reasons

just my shap

Linden WAS the Nucks, no? He defined the team, right? When he was playing for them, that's the guy named when someone thought of the Canucks (I could be wrong here, so correct me if so). That warrants it a bit more than others. Above average stats+being the face of the team=consideration, to me. Graves was obviously part of the community, but was there ever really a time that he was the face of the franchise? I dunno...when I think about an equivalent in the Pens organization, so I can try to understand a bit better, the names aren't too notable. Heck, his "similarity scores" show: Scott Hartnell, Brendan Morrow (who probably will be retired, but was the captain in Dallas forever), Erik Cole, J.P. Dumont, Mike Bullard...

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

in Trevor Lindens first 10 season run with the Canucks he averaged 57 points per season

I know the Rangers have a bigger history than the Canucks but I cant criticize a team for retiring a guys number who their fans saw as some community oriented, noble (mythical?) warrior who in their collective minds supposedly epitomized what it meant to be a Rag (lol) when we've retired Lindens number for mostly similar reasons

just my shap

I sort of agree with you there, Adam Graves is top 10 all time for the Rangers in games played, goals, & points. At the same time, kind of makes you wonder why they haven't retired Jean Ratelle's #19 yet,

NewYork Rangers - Retired Numbers - New York Rangers - History

New York Rangers Career Leaders | Hockey-Reference.com

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Linden WAS the Nucks, no? He defined the team, right? When he was playing for them, that's the guy named when someone thought of the Canucks (I could be wrong here, so correct me if so). That warrants it a bit more than others. Above average stats+being the face of the team=consideration, to me. Graves was obviously part of the community, but was there ever really a time that he was the face of the franchise? I dunno...when I think about an equivalent in the Pens organization, so I can try to understand a bit better, the names aren't too notable. Heck, his "similarity scores" show: Scott Hartnell, Brendan Morrow (who probably will be retired, but was the captain in Dallas forever), Erik Cole, J.P. Dumont, Mike Bullard...

I think being the face of the team carries more weight to the outsider ... I think what matters is what the player meant to his own fans when it comes to teams retiring jersey numbers

Linden was a good soldier but lets face it, his number is up there because the canucks have had a mediocre history and we like to celebrate that mediocrity

I just wish our franchise was at the point where players numbers were being retired for things other than "soft" qualities like being the "face of the franchise" ... retire them for accomplishments that are MORE than tangible ... retire them for bringing us a cup

 

[forty_three]

#30 for goalies

#33 did more to revolutionize the position. #30 just benefited from that.

I didn't realize the Minnesota Wild retired "1" for their fans.

Their 1 fan.

 

[TiLoBrown]

#33 did more to revolutionize the position. #30 just benefited from that.

.

If by benefited, you mean made rules to take him out if the action then sure

 

[higgyfan4]

#30 for goalies

i know RIGTH

Duh Matt, I'm pretty sure he's talking about this future HOF'er...

 

[forty_three]

Duh Matt, I'm pretty sure he's talking about this future HOF'er...

His ticket to the Hall of fame is a namebadge that says "Janitorial Department"

 

[elocomotive]

#33 did more to revolutionize the position. #30 just benefited from that.

I don't know if I'd go so far as to say that Don Beaupre "revolutionized" the goalie position.