This was initially printed in Aug. 2015 and up to date in Sep. 2024.
Over the course of the NHL’s historical past, there have been many data put away into the books, hardly ever to be damaged. The category of the very best to ever take the ice is pretty crystal clear. On the prime could be Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Bobby Orr, with others trickling beneath them. Awards are named after a number of the all-time greats. For instance, the Maurice Richard Trophy, named after the primary man to attain 50 objectives in 50 video games and 500 all-time, awards the participant with probably the most objectives every season.
A novel manner that groups honour the very best gamers of their respective historical past is by retiring the jersey quantity that the participant wore with them. The custom started when the Toronto Maple Leafs retired Ace Bailey’s #6 on Feb. 14, 1934. In fact, Gretzky’s #99 is the commonest quantity to be retired, because it was honoured by all the NHL. Lemieux’s #66 hasn’t been retired by the league, however nobody has worn it since his retirement, as it’s identified to be “unofficially retired”.
Apart from these numbers, the #9 is the commonest retired quantity, put to the rafters 10 occasions, by 9 particular person groups (New York Rangers retired it twice). 9 is sometimes called the very best variety of all-time, for the variety of superstars to have donned it on their backs. As a result of 9 if probably the most retired quantity, we’ll use it to try the very best #9’s in NHL Historical past.
The Greatest Retired Gamers Who Wore #9
Lanny McDonald – Calgary Flames
Lanny McDonald and his fantastic moustache scored 544 objectives and 1,090 factors in 1,111 video games for the Leafs, Rockies and Flames. He gained one Stanley Cup with the Flames.
Johnny Bucyk – Boston Bruins
Bucyk recorded 597 objectives and 1472 factors over his 1664-game profession. He went on to win two Stanley Cups with the large, dangerous, Bruins.
Paul Kariya – Anaheim Mighty Geese
Kariya had an incredible profession, regardless of by no means capturing the Cup. He scored 402 objectives and 989 factors over 989 video games in 15 NHL seasons. His quantity needs to be retired, or no less than honoured, by the Geese.
Bernie Nicholls – Los Angeles Kings
Bernie Nicholls performed for six groups over his 18-year profession, by no means profitable a Cup via 13 postseasons. He scored 475 objectives and 1209 factors in 1127 video games.
The Greatest Present #9’s
J.T. Miller – Vancouver Canucks
The fifteenth total decide in 2011 by the New York Rangers has put collectively fairly the NHL resume thus far, scoring 238 objectives and 639 factors in 799 video games. He was a stable contributor to the Rangers for six seasons the place he put up two 20-goal seasons earlier than being dealt to the Tampa Bay Lightning within the 2017-18 season. He solely performed 94 video games with them earlier than a cap crunch compelled a commerce to the Vancouver Canucks. That’s the place the story will get fascinating.
Miller’s first season with the Canucks was a historic one. He was persistently their greatest participant evening in and evening out and rapidly turned a pacesetter to the dynamic younger core they’re constructing. His career-high 32 objectives and 99 factors have been tops on the workforce, making him the best ahead since Henrik and Daniel Sedin have been fixtures on the highest line.
Jack Eichel – Vegas Golden Knights
The large heart from North Chelmsford, MA is without doubt one of the Golden Knights’ most essential items. He’s an elite contributor within the recreation and used to do this with out a lot assist from his teammates when he was a Buffalo Sabre. Evening in and evening out he was the rationale you watched Sabres’ hockey. Because the highest-paid participant in workforce historical past and the captain, he was the face of the franchise and a face for the league.
Since being drafted second total on the 2015 NHL Draft, simply behind Edmonton Oilers famous person Connor McDavid, Eichel has tallied 211 objectives and 303 assists in 539 video games performed.
Ivan Provorov – Columbus Blue Jackets
Since getting drafted seventh total within the 2015 Draft, Ivan Provorov has grow to be a generational participant for the Flyers and now the Blue Jackets. His profession numbers communicate for themselves – in simply eight years, he’s chalked up a formidable 70 objectives and 179 assists.
The Russian-born stud ranks as among the finest and brightest defensemen within the league, with a heat-seeking missile for a shot and very smart decision-making that probably the most rabid hockey fan doesn’t have a tendency to note. This #9 may very nicely see his quantity hanging within the rafters at Wells Fargo Middle when it’s all mentioned and performed.
Filip Forsberg – Nashville Predators
Earlier than he ever performed an NHL recreation, the Nashville Predators acquired Filip Forsberg in a lopsided commerce that despatched Martin Erat and Michael Latta to the Washington Capitals. Since then, he’s developed into the Predators’ most constant and deadly scorer, netting no less than 20 objectives in all however one full season, together with three 30-goal campaigns and one 40-goal season.
Via 698 NHL video games, he has 287 objectives and 605 factors. Throughout the Predators’ run to the 2017 Stanley Cup Last, he performed a key position, ending with 16 factors in 22 video games. He’s additionally well-known for efficiently trying ‘The Svech,’ lacrosse-style objective, which he did on Jan. 14, 2020 in opposition to the Edmonton Oilers.
Clayton Keller – Arizona Coyotes
Clayton Keller hasn’t wasted any time in making his case as one of many higher younger gamers within the league. The Arizona Coyotes’ ahead is already the fourth-highest scorer in a 2016 NHL Draft class, which additionally consists of Patrik Laine, Auston Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk.
He’s additionally proven a excessive diploma of sturdiness to go together with his scoring output as nicely – regardless of his 5-foot-10, 170-pound body, he’s but to overlook a recreation in his NHL profession. His play already has earned him an eight-year contract extension, so we’ll be seeing much more of Keller within the desert within the coming years.
The 5 Greatest #9’s in NHL Historical past
5: Mike Modano – Dallas Stars
Usually considered the very best American to ever play, Modano gained one Stanley Cup with the Stars. Over his profession, he scored 617 objectives and 1520 factors in 1675 video games, in an period when scoring was starting to say no. Modano was drafted first total by the Minnesota North Stars in 1988, making his NHL debut within the 1989 playoffs.
His most profitable particular person season got here in 1993-94, when he scored 50 objectives. As for his data as an American, Modano has probably the most objectives, factors, playoff factors, and video games performed by any American-born participant in NHL historical past.
4: Glenn Anderson – Edmonton Oilers
Glenn Anderson performed wing on the very best line of all-time with Gretzky and Messier. In 1354 video games, he scored 591 objectives and 1313 factors, profitable six Stanley Cups in his time. Anderson was inducted into the Hockey Corridor of Fame in 2009. He was a Canada Cup champion twice, and had his #9 retired by the Edmonton Oilers in 2009. Anderson was drafted 69th total in 1979 by Edmonton. He performed 16 NHL seasons break up between the Maple Leafs, Blues, Rangers, and Oilers.
3: Bobby Hull – Chicago Blackhawks
Hull performed 1,182 video games within the NHL, scoring 672 objectives and 1,299 factors for the Blackhawks, whereas he additionally coached the Winnipeg Jets within the WHA on the identical time he performed for them.
He gained one Stanley Cup. Hull was a three-time Artwork Ross Trophy winner for many particular person factors in a season, two Hart Memorial Trophies as MVP of the league, and an astounding 10 First All-Star Crew picks. Over his 23 enjoying seasons, Hull turned one of many leagues greatest and solely participant’s to ever play over a span of 4 many years.
2: Maurice Richard – Montreal Canadiens
Considered one in all, if not, the very best objective scorer in NHL historical past. He scored a complete of 626 objectives in 1111 video games for the Habs on his approach to a outstanding eight Stanley Cups. Richard was a First Crew All-Star seven occasions and gained the Hart Trophy in 1946-47.
One among his most prestigious accomplishments was profitable the Lou Marsh Trophy because the Canadian Athlete of the 12 months in 1957. Richard was feared for his evident eyes on the ice, staring down opponents as he approached them. He was inducted into the Hockey Corridor of Fame in 1961, only one yr after retiring.
1: Gordie Howe – Detroit Pink Wings
The ageless marvel performed an unparalleled 26 NHL seasons, in addition to six extra within the WHA. Howe racked up 869 objectives and 2010 factors in 1924 video games. He is without doubt one of the most revered gamers of all-time. Howe’s unbelievable profession could be summed up via his record of seemingly unbreakable data.
He’s performed probably the most common season video games ever, with 1767, and likewise probably the most with one workforce, at 1,687. He’s performed probably the most NHL seasons, ties with Chris Chelios, at 26, and likewise probably the most consecutive 20-goal seasons with 22, spanning from 1949 to 1971. He has probably the most objectives (801) and factors (1,850) by any right-winger in historical past. Howe has probably the most All-Star Recreation appearances ever, with an unbelievable 23 video games. Lastly, he was the oldest man to ever play an NHL recreation, at 52 years outdated. That report will definitely by no means be damaged, as gamers at 40 are actually pushing it lately.
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