Next player to wear 66?

[Briere Up There*]

Ovechkin is already better than Neely. He needs to do a bit more work to catch up to Selanne career wise, but he has him for peak IMO. But I disagree that Ovechkin will make #8 "his." People strongly associate it with other players, and it's been worn many, many times by countless players. How many players wore #66 or #99 before Mario and Gretz?

Ovechkin will no more make #8 his than Gordie Howe made #9 his. People will associate him with that number, but no one is going to be afraid to wear it.

 

[Nemesis Prime]

Then maybe nobody should wear #19 out of respect to Yzerman or else they're jackasses.

If someone wants to wear 66, let them. It doesn't make someone a jackass for wearing it. It doesn't mean someone doesn't respect the history of the game or Lemieux.

 

[Unaffiliated]

Then maybe nobody should wear #19 out of respect to Yzerman or else they're jackasses.

should've told sakic that when stevie y retired

 

[Rhiessan71]

should've told sakic that when stevie y retired

Sakic was wearing #19 long before Yzerman retired and when the two of them played on the same team (all-star/Olympic teams) who wore #19....yeah, Yzerman did.

 

[tarheelhockey]

This is why the #99 didn't need to be retired.

It's one thing for Lecavalier to wear #4 in tribute, because nobody is realistically going to show up at his debut game and say, "Holy $#*!, that guy's wearing Beliveau's number! Is he insane???". Most people would consider it trivial, and if they ever found out about it they'd think, "Oh, that's nice. He really knows his history."

On the other hand, if Taylor Hall comes out of the tunnel wearing #66 next month, there are going to be a lot of raised eyebrows. That would pretty much be career suicide, because for the next 20 years the only thing we'd talk about is how he's nowhere near good enough to wear that number.

Numbers like 66 and 99 are simply too distinctive to be "tributed" like that. Only a complete fool would attempt it in a league that allows heavy physical contact.

 

[Rhiessan71]

This is why the #99 didn't need to be retired.

It's one thing for Lecavalier to wear #4 in tribute, because nobody is realistically going to show up at his debut game and say, "Holy $#*!, that guy's wearing Beliveau's number! Is he insane???". Most people would consider it trivial, and if they ever found out about it they'd think, "Oh, that's nice. He really knows his history."

On the other hand, if Taylor Hall comes out of the tunnel wearing #66 next month, there are going to be a lot of raised eyebrows. That would pretty much be career suicide, because for the next 20 years the only thing we'd talk about is how he's nowhere near good enough to wear that number.

Numbers like 66 and 99 are simply too distinctive to be "tributed" like that. Only a complete fool would attempt it in a league that allows heavy physical contact.

Pretty much.
Same thing goes for #77. No one would blink at someone wearing #7 just like Coffey or Bourque did early on but to wear #77....not a good idea.

 

[Epsilon]

I think an offensively impotent stay-at-home defenseman should wear 66. It would be a pretty good attempt at ironic humor.

 

[Rhiessan71]

I'm still waiting for a goalie to come along and take 00, if it's even allowed in the NHL, I know I have seen it in the IHL amongst other lower tier leagues.

 

[Epsilon]

Now that I think about it, I'm surprised some pest like Sean Avery hasn't tried wearing 66 (or some other highly identifiable number).

 

[tarheelhockey]

I'm still waiting for a goalie to come along and take 00, if it's even allowed in the NHL, I know I have seen it in the IHL amongst other lower tier leagues.

It's no longer allowed in the NHL. The last player to wear it was Martin Biron in the mid-90s, also John Davidson wore it for a season back in the 70s.

 

[Rhiessan71]

It's no longer allowed in the NHL. The last player to wear it was Martin Biron in the mid-90s, also John Davidson wore it for a season back in the 70s.

Wow...not sure how I missed that, thanks man.
Biron, really? Hmmm.

 

[BluelineHammer]

Now that I think about it, I'm surprised some pest like Sean Avery hasn't tried wearing 66 (or some other highly identifiable number).

Avery wouldn't do it, nothing to gain from it, nothing against Lemieux. Avery looks to piss off the other players, I could see him throw on a mock 17 or 30 to piss off Devils players and fans, THAT would be Avery, but not 66.

I don't see anyone ever wearing 66 again, it comes with an identity:Lemieux's. It's not even a matter of disrespecting Mario, but your own team mates would probably not be cool with it, as well as your organization.

 

[TonyTinglebone]

Pretty much.
Same thing goes for #77. No one would blink at someone wearing #7 just like Coffey or Bourque did early on but to wear #77....not a good idea.

I don't think 77 carries the same status as 66 and 99. Yeah that number was worn by some all time greats, but nobody said anything when Ryan Parent or Victor Hedman came into the league wearing it.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

an honest question: if a french-canadian goalie wore #33, would heads turn? i can't think of a french guy wearing that in recent memory.

 

[tarheelhockey]

an honest question: if a french-canadian goalie wore #33, would heads turn? i can't think of a french guy wearing that in recent memory.

I think people would understand the reference and it wouldn't be taken badly. He had better be one hell of a goalie though, otherwise it's an invitation for mockery.

 

[lextune]

Eventually someone on the Canadiens is going to be wearing it out of necessity.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

I think people would understand the reference and it wouldn't be taken badly. He had better be one hell of a goalie though, otherwise it's an invitation for mockery.

i guess my point was, is it just my imagination, or has no french goalie worn that number in a really long time? and if it's not just me, it can't be a coincidence, right?

 

[Charlie McAdaddy]

Personally, If I was a player who was looking to wear #66, I'd at least get permission from Mario.

But I honestly don't see anyone wearing it anymore

 

[tarheelhockey]

i guess my point was, is it just my imagination, or has no french goalie worn that number in a really long time? and if it's not just me, it can't be a coincidence, right?

Since Roy retired, the only ones were Maxime Ouellet for a handful of pre-lockout games:

and Pascal Leclaire:

Leclaire switched from 31 to 33 when he went from Columbus to Ottawa, not sure how conscious he was of the significance.

 

[BenchBrawl]

and Pascal Leclaire:

Leclaire switched from 31 to 33 when he went from Columbus to Ottawa, not sure how conscious he was of the significance.

Wasn't it Leclaire that was living like 5 minutes away walking from the Forum in Montreal? I'm pretty sure he knows very well what number he is wearing.Personally as a Montreal & Roy fan I find it disgraceful.

 

[KingGallagherXI]

The next generationnal superstar should wear the 69 in tribute to both Lemieux and Gretzky, but he would have to be GREAT or else it's just arrogant.

 

[Jarick]

I can't see anyone wearing it for the next 10 years at least. Maybe down the road. I don't think a GM/coach/team would let a kid wear it unless it was an established superstar, and few would probably want that attention.

I don't think there's anything wrong with it personally. I do find it a bit odd that the league retired 99.

But right now, I think 99, 66, 68, and probably 87 down the road will be off limits.

 

[robsenz]

I seem to recall a defenseman wearing 66 last year...maybe I'm thinking of a scrub wearing 77 though

 

[Epsilon]

I can't see anyone wearing it for the next 10 years at least. Maybe down the road. I don't think a GM/coach/team would let a kid wear it unless it was an established superstar, and few would probably want that attention.

I don't think there's anything wrong with it personally. I do find it a bit odd that the league retired 99.

But right now, I think 99, 66, 68, and probably 87 down the road will be off limits.

I highly, highly doubt that happens. Neither Jagr nor Crosby is anywhere near at the level of Gretzky or Lemieux, and probably even more importantly neither is anywhere close to as respected.

 

[edog37]

I mean I started the thread and I was born in Montreal and always lived there , but Béliveau wasn't Lemieux , we're ( Montrealais ) all a little bit secretly jealous that Lemieux hasnt play with us since he's from Montreal himself , .

so that explains all the stupid talk of Crosby going to Montreal once his contract expires....got it now....