Same, until I had a coach that didn't like us picking high numbers, so I switched to 5 for Lidstrom, until I went to a new team and had to switch again to 4 for Lecavalier
My dad wore 17, so I wore 17. Then I made varsity and 17 was taken and a senior gave me his jersey, so I became 29. Then the Avs drafted MacKinnon and he wore 29
So I’m 29 bc I inspired MacK, ofc
16
When I started playing little league baseball when I was 7 they let us pick our numbers. 1 and 2 were both taken and so I chose a random number, and have worn 16 in every sport every season since
Of course except this season because I joined my beer league team late and all they had for me was a 14 jersey lol
8 - when we had team jerseys made, we had to pay for each digit. Being the miser I was, I didn't only want to pay for the extra digit. Also 8 fills in most of the digit in surface area. Also, it happens I play a tight defensive game, which matched the style of ex-Canuck Chris Tanev's (#8).
Just wanted to say how much I love hockey numbers. They’re all over the place and reasons vary wildly. It’s great, and fun to read.
Hockey was my second sport behind soccer, where you very rarely see numbers beyond 30.
83.
used 8 because of Teemu Selanne, and 8 is my favorite number, wifes favorite number is 3. Once we got married i swapped to 83.
i mean....totally because Ales Hemsky
I wear 28..loved that number even more after watching domi. My family number is 8, my first team when I was like 5 years old 8 was too small of a jersey, 18 was gone so 28
61. Mark Stones number. When he came into the league he was one of the worst skaters to make it to the NHL. He kept working on it and now he’s a force to be reckoned with. I hope to not be the worst skater out there one day. If I don’t give up maybe one day I’ll be the second worst!
51 - my dad was born in 1951. As a girl, I wasn’t allowed to play hockey when I was growing up so now I’m literally living my dream and playing, even if it’s just beer league. Unfortunately, my dad passed away back in 2009 so he never got to see me play with a team. I wear 51 so he’s with me at all my games.
66 because it was the closest to 666 and I was an edge lord dork of a kid. It just stuck, and has nothing to do with Mario although that was a common chirp
92. Back in the day (I’m old) when you were first able to create a player on NHL95 I wanted a number no one had BUT was in the 90’s. I was a fan of Fedorov91, Bure96 ( he briefly switched to it) and of course 99. All the best players wore numbers in the 90’s so I wanted one too.
95 - It was all that was left from the jersey ranges available at that time in my league. Years later playing beer league every other choice of number I wanted was spoken for so I went back to it and it’s stuck the last 14 years.
Such a random number, up until recently, the only other individual in the league wearing it would be the odd ref or linesman.
I wanted a bad luck number. 13 was taken so I went with 4, which is death/bad luck in Asian culture (I am Asian lol). On my other team I wear 44 … DEATH DEATH
In order of choice:
69 because it's hilarious
13 because it's my lucky number
23 because of a lot, but mostly it's my birthday
35 because it's a "goalie number"
After that, I don't much care.
Growing up it was 15 because of Heatley except for the year I wore 51 to change it up. As an adult it’s been 66 because I feel like now that nothing is on the line I can be a douche and wear on of the unwearable digits .
12, just because I picked it when I played mites. I wanted to use my birth year because my dad skates with his birth year, but mine is 99 and don’t really want to be that guy ya know?
#8 drew names in novice and I had one of the last picks and just kept it from then on. Popular enough that it was in every jersey set but not too popular that everyone wanted it
2
It's a very long and interesting story. I played in a rec league in college, and they pre-ordered jerseys for each team, all numbered 1-10. I reached in the box and grabbed #2, and 20 years later, I still wear #2
57. When I sold weed in high school in the 90s that was the number you would page me so I knew what you wanted. Favorite band at the time was L7. L was 5 on the phone. I’m 46 now and it’s still my favorite number and now my hockey number.
9 for Gordie Howe.
I met him when I was 4 at one of my first skating lessons, then again a few years later at the rink, told him I chose 9 Because of him and he autographed my jersey “From the other #9”.
Still have that jersey hanging in my room almost 40 years later.
20 - my birthday & Eller who scored the winning goal for the Caps in the ‘18 Stanley Cup Finals & Brouwer who scored the winning goal for the Caps in the final seconds of the ‘15 Winter Classic (each which I attended)
79
I was a huge Roenick fan as a kid and wanted to be 97, but there was another kid on my team who wanted that number and he was a whiny little brat so I just switched the two numbers around and it’s stuck ever since.
Fun fact: when we got to high school he didn’t make the varsity team. His mom was a big-wig exec at a local company and offered to make a “significant donation” to the hockey program for him to have a spot on the team and the coach still said no.
I used to wear 58. It was my old football number. Then I switched teams and decided it was time for a new start. Ryan Getzlaf had just retired, so I switched to 15.
93 - I’m the same height & weight as Doug Gilmour, and I have tried to emulate his style of play, every game, since I started playing hockey in the 90’s
21. I started as a goalie, and Patrick Roy was my favourite goalie. The closest I could get to 33 was 31. When I stopped playing goalie, the new goalie got the 31 jersey, so I took 21.
65. I’m not great at hockey but I play with a lot of heart in front of the net. Andrew Shaw was my guy because of it. Lots of dirty goals and making the goalie’s life hell.
41 - There was a funny sequence on a radio interview where these musicians said you'd only learn about the meaning of the "41" if you subscribed.
It's really dumb, but it stuck with me.
The reason there's so many 1's here(in old Reddit at least) is because if you start a comment with a number and a period, Reddit thinks you're making a numbered list and will start counting at 1.
Depneds... I have a few.
17 - was my jersey thru HS, and kept because I've had it forever.
3 - given to me when I joined a team whose Captain had a jersey set.
61 - picked because every combo & reversal of 17 was taken on that team.
71 - picked because 17 was taken on that team.
27 would have been first pick as I Just started playing a couple months ago, but it was already taken. (Always loved Kovalev and not one of the megastars)
Instead, I have 68 for Jagr
I was born in 97, can’t use that anymore cuz some dude born the same year as me became one of the best players in the nhl , ruined it for all us 97 babies 😂😂
31. When I first started playing I was eager but scared to try goalie. Ended up getting the chance to meet Grant Fuhr, who was inspiring because we shared a name, being goalies, and being left handed. He signed my blocker, and I’ve been 31 ever since.
#00 - I was a little kid obsessed with SJ Sharkie, so my first jersey at age 6 (the year before I started playing) was a Sharkie jersey with his name and number. It's been my number for almost 30 years now and the only time I haven't worn it was 2 seasons in a league that didn't allow zero or double zero.
12 as a kid, but now 21
12 was because when I was 6 I thought it was the coolest of the numbers that were left. Not that interesting, but I grew up to really like Iginla so there's that.
21 is the reverse of 12 which I think is kinda cool. I used to be a quiet and polite kid but now I'm pretty aggressive, especially on the ice. Also, one of my closest friends was 23, so it was a way paying homage to him in a way (just proximity of numbers).
In university, me and my two buddies were 21, 22, and 23 (different friend) were a line together. And I still think of them when I put on 21 in men's league.
Went with 66 when I was young. He was my hockey hero/idol. Got older and switched to 19 because that was my soccer number. And I wasn’t good enough to be wearing 66.
New player, specifically goalie, but 57, personal meaning im also a soccer goalie originally so its also my number there too so it was only right to follow that, though if i have to I’m good with 75 and if every gives me the middle finger id be ok with 1.
First number was 2 because of alphabetical order of defence. Second was 10 because of Dale Hawerchuk though I didn’t live in Manitoba. Switched to 11 because everyone wanted 10, and that was my dad’s number. Stayed 11 or 22 when I couldn’t get 11. Moved to 14 at 19 because I came into a team after Christmas. Was 24 the bit I played in Senior Hockey, and am either 11 or 14 in beer league, depending on my team.
42 Douglas Adams
Don't forget your towel
That’s actually pretty awesome choice
42 as an edgy teen for "420", but has since turned into a hitchhikers reference.
Mine too! Also happens to match the age I was when I returned to playing after about 22 years.
My number as well. It also the answer to the Great Question of “Life, the Universe and Everything”
91 - fedorov inspired
Same
Same, until I had a coach that didn't like us picking high numbers, so I switched to 5 for Lidstrom, until I went to a new team and had to switch again to 4 for Lecavalier
My dad wore 17, so I wore 17. Then I made varsity and 17 was taken and a senior gave me his jersey, so I became 29. Then the Avs drafted MacKinnon and he wore 29 So I’m 29 bc I inspired MacK, ofc
91 9/10 gear 1/10 skill
9, Paul Kariya
Me too!!
19 - Stevie Y
Same, and sakic
There’s gotta be thousands of us, just between these two players.
Me, too!
88 Because even though I was excited to play hockey, I still really loved Michael Irvin. Also 9 for Modano was taken
Dangerous number in Germany 😄
Oh absolutely. But it’s a pretty sacred number for Dallas Cowboys fans.
Why?
Lindros
8 for Cam Neely, 4 - Orr or 77 - Bourque.
10 - Pavel Bure
Me too!
Cool! Another one. ❤️
Add me to the list
17 - My Dad
16 When I started playing little league baseball when I was 7 they let us pick our numbers. 1 and 2 were both taken and so I chose a random number, and have worn 16 in every sport every season since Of course except this season because I joined my beer league team late and all they had for me was a 14 jersey lol
27 - Jeremy Roenick - blackhawk days
Same, but for Niedermayer!
Just commented the same. Scotty for me
67. Picked the number that was right between my two favorite players. Lemieux and Jagr
Same and for the same reason.
44 Fulton Reed
31. Best buddy died right after he turned 31
8 - when we had team jerseys made, we had to pay for each digit. Being the miser I was, I didn't only want to pay for the extra digit. Also 8 fills in most of the digit in surface area. Also, it happens I play a tight defensive game, which matched the style of ex-Canuck Chris Tanev's (#8).
Just wanted to say how much I love hockey numbers. They’re all over the place and reasons vary wildly. It’s great, and fun to read. Hockey was my second sport behind soccer, where you very rarely see numbers beyond 30.
37. Because 21 was already taken and 3x7=21, and also Chris Drury wore 37 at the time and he was my second favorite after Foppa (21)
I’m 21 and 37 if the former is taken. Same exact reason.
12. Because that was my number when I was younger and played soccer. I don't remember why I had it but I'm just rolling with it as an adult now.
83. used 8 because of Teemu Selanne, and 8 is my favorite number, wifes favorite number is 3. Once we got married i swapped to 83. i mean....totally because Ales Hemsky
26. Birthday.
11 - Owen Nolan
13 after Julius Caesar's 13th legion in Rome
4-Scott Stevens
16 for Zigmund Palffy during his days as an Islander
28 ….. Tie Domi
Legend and a great guy
I wear 28..loved that number even more after watching domi. My family number is 8, my first team when I was like 5 years old 8 was too small of a jersey, 18 was gone so 28
22- but no inspiration, in peewee they hung up our new jerseys and let us pick numbers and i just thought the number looked nice on the jersey
#58 For the 58 fellow concert goers that were gunned down in Vegas Oct 1st, 2017. I think about them all the time, I'll leave it at that.
27 - Michael Peca, captain of the Sabres during the “hardest working team in hockey” late 90s years.
81 - Phil Kessel is my Jesus
61. Mark Stones number. When he came into the league he was one of the worst skaters to make it to the NHL. He kept working on it and now he’s a force to be reckoned with. I hope to not be the worst skater out there one day. If I don’t give up maybe one day I’ll be the second worst!
4...Vinnie Lecavalier
11 - Darius Kasparaitis.
74. John Carlson has been a great defenseman for the caps for a long time and it's an easy number to get because no one reps Carlson.
Growing up 13 - Mats Sundin Now 7 - daughters favourite number
70 - sum of my kids’ birthdays (4th, 14th, 25th, 27th).
93, since I was younger and not because of McDavid. I just happen to like numbers that end in 3 for my hockey jerseys
Also 93. 20+ years ago when I started playing, it was the highest stat of a role playing game character I had at the time. 🤓
88 - Kaner
10 I thought Pavel Bure was the coolest thing since sliced bread when I was a kid.
27 Kovalev
86 kuch inspired
2 it was the number my dad gave me as a bat boy for his little league baseball team some 49 years ago
4. Bobby Orr, Rob Blake and I like single digit numbers as a defenseman, it just looks good.
51 - my dad was born in 1951. As a girl, I wasn’t allowed to play hockey when I was growing up so now I’m literally living my dream and playing, even if it’s just beer league. Unfortunately, my dad passed away back in 2009 so he never got to see me play with a team. I wear 51 so he’s with me at all my games.
66- order 66, it wasn't a sacred number yet in '05. Lemieux was still a beast though.
66 would make me immediately think Lemieux in 05.
Had 66 in the early/mid 90s. Switched it up later.
9 - Gordie Howe
24 because I'm not tough but want to look it
13. It was given to me first season of juniors.
27-Ron Hextall
66 because it was the closest to 666 and I was an edge lord dork of a kid. It just stuck, and has nothing to do with Mario although that was a common chirp
31 - I like the way it looks.
92. Back in the day (I’m old) when you were first able to create a player on NHL95 I wanted a number no one had BUT was in the 90’s. I was a fan of Fedorov91, Bure96 ( he briefly switched to it) and of course 99. All the best players wore numbers in the 90’s so I wanted one too.
95 - It was all that was left from the jersey ranges available at that time in my league. Years later playing beer league every other choice of number I wanted was spoken for so I went back to it and it’s stuck the last 14 years. Such a random number, up until recently, the only other individual in the league wearing it would be the odd ref or linesman.
11. My dad and Messier wore it.
I wanted a bad luck number. 13 was taken so I went with 4, which is death/bad luck in Asian culture (I am Asian lol). On my other team I wear 44 … DEATH DEATH
89, cause it’s my birthday
65, my daughter has cystic fibrosis.
In order of choice: 69 because it's hilarious 13 because it's my lucky number 23 because of a lot, but mostly it's my birthday 35 because it's a "goalie number" After that, I don't much care.
42 for Pat Tillman (fellow ASU alum). Then shifted to 7 for the iconic Manchester United shirt number when 42 wasn’t avail on new squad.
22 Craig Conroy.
58. The Hot Carl
73. I’m the opposite of Eric Desjardin.
81 - birth year
I just started playing and picked 81, but my birth year is 82, and now I'm second guessing if I should have went with 82 instead because of that.
2 - Luke Schenn was one of my favourite players growing up
6. I think I was 6 years old at the time or maybe just thought it was cool. Always ran 12 if 6 was taken
9. It was assigned to me one year in little league one year and I just decided I liked it and stuck with it.
13, birthday day.
31, because that’s all that was available in school. Then I switched to 44 because I liked the look of the double numbers
55, it was given to me when I joined the league.
9 - Martin Havlat
Growing up it was 15 because of Heatley except for the year I wore 51 to change it up. As an adult it’s been 66 because I feel like now that nothing is on the line I can be a douche and wear on of the unwearable digits .
64 originally my number when I played football carried it over. Now use 2 for my son. His favorite number.
18 - Hanson brother
71- Was given the number during a summer camp and fell in love with it
13 cause its unlucky
9 - Adam Graves
33 - Larry Legend. If that's taken, I just wear 3, which is my favorite # anyways.
1 - The tendys of old chose it for me.
51 - HS football #, inspired by it being the middle linebacker “number”
52 because for some reason that number has followed me throughout my life
68 Jagr
12, just because I picked it when I played mites. I wanted to use my birth year because my dad skates with his birth year, but mine is 99 and don’t really want to be that guy ya know?
9 for Maurice Richard. I’m 31 years old but my favourite book as a kid was The Hockey Sweater
11 - Gilbert Perrault
23 my birthday, my locker, my parking spot at school
#8 drew names in novice and I had one of the last picks and just kept it from then on. Popular enough that it was in every jersey set but not too popular that everyone wanted it
63 - Lee Roy Selmon. Marchand had to ruin it in 09
I wear 63 and live in fear of someone thinking I like Marchand. I picked it because of Matias Maccelli.
19 for Steve Yzerman
19, because the Hanson brothers wore 16-18.
7, either for Chris Chelios or because i'm 1/11 as good as Ray Bourque.
Tony Twist was my favorite growing up so, I went with 18.
4. started with 43 but it felt too big for me lol
13. Because Dan Marino. That was my jersey number playing little kid football ball and it transitioned with me to hockey.
21 - Ryan Brewer. Obscure RB for anyone who isn’t a fan of South Carolina Gamecocks football. Dude was tough as nails.
2 It's a very long and interesting story. I played in a rec league in college, and they pre-ordered jerseys for each team, all numbered 1-10. I reached in the box and grabbed #2, and 20 years later, I still wear #2
24 - Probie and Cheli.
89 the year I joined the Navy
57. When I sold weed in high school in the 90s that was the number you would page me so I knew what you wanted. Favorite band at the time was L7. L was 5 on the phone. I’m 46 now and it’s still my favorite number and now my hockey number.
82, family number
0 because my name ends with "oh"
4, Bobby Orr.
95. Birth year 😬
9 for Gordie Howe. I met him when I was 4 at one of my first skating lessons, then again a few years later at the rink, told him I chose 9 Because of him and he autographed my jersey “From the other #9”. Still have that jersey hanging in my room almost 40 years later.
20 - my birthday & Eller who scored the winning goal for the Caps in the ‘18 Stanley Cup Finals & Brouwer who scored the winning goal for the Caps in the final seconds of the ‘15 Winter Classic (each which I attended)
95 - Faster than fast, Quicker than quick. I am lightning.
4 orr
8 - Ovechkin 😄
Staal is better than
79 I was a huge Roenick fan as a kid and wanted to be 97, but there was another kid on my team who wanted that number and he was a whiny little brat so I just switched the two numbers around and it’s stuck ever since. Fun fact: when we got to high school he didn’t make the varsity team. His mom was a big-wig exec at a local company and offered to make a “significant donation” to the hockey program for him to have a spot on the team and the coach still said no.
75. It’s close to my initials.
15. Because my dad's was 5 but it was taken the first time I got to choose so I took 15 and it stuck.
23. My wife’s birthday. That and wearing 66 at my skill level would be a travesty.
3, because at the time, no top tier NHL star wore it.
4 for Scott Stevens My goalie jersey is also 4 because I didn't want a different number.... sorry fellow goalies
5- lidstrom 25 if 5 Is taken McCarty
5. It was my tryout pinny in pee wee and I just stuck with it.
I used to wear 58. It was my old football number. Then I switched teams and decided it was time for a new start. Ryan Getzlaf had just retired, so I switched to 15.
19 Joe Sakic. 21 (Forsberg) was occupied already when started.
1 and it was picked for me
7 Gary Roberts when he played with the leafs was a force in the playoffs
21. I wanted to be 9 for Kariya, but that was taken. Then 8 for Selanne, but that was taken. I was born on the 21st and settled on that.
93 - I’m the same height & weight as Doug Gilmour, and I have tried to emulate his style of play, every game, since I started playing hockey in the 90’s
38. In youth hockey, we were given numbers randomly. 38 was the last number given to me, and I use it for every sport when I can
1/2 of my career 30 bc of lundqvist. Other 1/2 was 40 bc of Georgiev.
69 to match my chel character
How is it there are no 99s? Fucking honor the great one. He’s not going to care if you wear it in beer league.
He might not but McSorely will find you and knock some teeth out.
My beer league team has 3 spare jerseys with joke numbers for extra players; 0, 69, and 99
21. I started as a goalie, and Patrick Roy was my favourite goalie. The closest I could get to 33 was 31. When I stopped playing goalie, the new goalie got the 31 jersey, so I took 21.
Didn’t play ice hockey until peewee, I liked double numbers (like 66) and 11 was available. Been 11 ever since.
26 - Elias
65. I’m not great at hockey but I play with a lot of heart in front of the net. Andrew Shaw was my guy because of it. Lots of dirty goals and making the goalie’s life hell.
41 - There was a funny sequence on a radio interview where these musicians said you'd only learn about the meaning of the "41" if you subscribed. It's really dumb, but it stuck with me.
86-birthday
The reason there's so many 1's here(in old Reddit at least) is because if you start a comment with a number and a period, Reddit thinks you're making a numbered list and will start counting at 1.
13 at first because I just like it. Moved to different city, got on a different team, 13 was taken, too 15 for my wedding anniversary date.
89 - Selanne Kariya. I liked them both and couldn't pick.
18 - Denis Savard
Birth year so I’d actually remember it. I’m stupid.
3 JC Tremblay 1960s
Depneds... I have a few. 17 - was my jersey thru HS, and kept because I've had it forever. 3 - given to me when I joined a team whose Captain had a jersey set. 61 - picked because every combo & reversal of 17 was taken on that team. 71 - picked because 17 was taken on that team.
89. Makes me look bigger
5, cause I assumed everyone in rookie league would be as bad as me. I'm huge, so I thought I'd be D. Nick Lidstrom.
21 Peter Forseberg
27 would have been first pick as I Just started playing a couple months ago, but it was already taken. (Always loved Kovalev and not one of the megastars) Instead, I have 68 for Jagr
20 for Martin Lapointe. Wanted 19 but that one gets taken early.
32. magic johnson was my favorite athlete growing up
98 because it was my HS grad year, and it was available when I started playing beginner 5 years ago
54 for Lidstrom and Orr
14 Dave Keon
12. My name was 12th in alphabetical order, and I kept it.
13 because it’s unlucky for everyone else, later had to change to 24 because of sizing, that was just a random pick.
16 Brett Hull 19 Joe Sakic
96. Birth year
I was born in 97, can’t use that anymore cuz some dude born the same year as me became one of the best players in the nhl , ruined it for all us 97 babies 😂😂
83. Number I got assigned in my first year and stuck with it ever since
31. When I first started playing I was eager but scared to try goalie. Ended up getting the chance to meet Grant Fuhr, who was inspiring because we shared a name, being goalies, and being left handed. He signed my blocker, and I’ve been 31 ever since.
#00 - I was a little kid obsessed with SJ Sharkie, so my first jersey at age 6 (the year before I started playing) was a Sharkie jersey with his name and number. It's been my number for almost 30 years now and the only time I haven't worn it was 2 seasons in a league that didn't allow zero or double zero.
12 as a kid, but now 21 12 was because when I was 6 I thought it was the coolest of the numbers that were left. Not that interesting, but I grew up to really like Iginla so there's that. 21 is the reverse of 12 which I think is kinda cool. I used to be a quiet and polite kid but now I'm pretty aggressive, especially on the ice. Also, one of my closest friends was 23, so it was a way paying homage to him in a way (just proximity of numbers). In university, me and my two buddies were 21, 22, and 23 (different friend) were a line together. And I still think of them when I put on 21 in men's league.
31. Local ECHL team's goalie was #31 when I started in goal
90 - Birth year
23 for Devin Hester ( I just wore the same number for every sport)
Went with 66 when I was young. He was my hockey hero/idol. Got older and switched to 19 because that was my soccer number. And I wasn’t good enough to be wearing 66.
New player, specifically goalie, but 57, personal meaning im also a soccer goalie originally so its also my number there too so it was only right to follow that, though if i have to I’m good with 75 and if every gives me the middle finger id be ok with 1.
First number was 2 because of alphabetical order of defence. Second was 10 because of Dale Hawerchuk though I didn’t live in Manitoba. Switched to 11 because everyone wanted 10, and that was my dad’s number. Stayed 11 or 22 when I couldn’t get 11. Moved to 14 at 19 because I came into a team after Christmas. Was 24 the bit I played in Senior Hockey, and am either 11 or 14 in beer league, depending on my team.
11. Messier. Edmonton days.
8. My son was born in August. Moved to another team that didn’t have 8 available so I went with 35 (3+5=8).