With Burke's departure, will players finally be able to pick their own #'s?
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Leafidelity
Best Sport/Worst League
Grabs started last year with #54 if I remember. I think he already got to pick his number.
I'd love to see players move away from the 40's-50's though. Numbers were certainly something I strongly disagreed with Burke about. A fan shouldn't have to guess if a player is using a rookie number or not when looking to buy a jersey.
Burke loved classic numbers but his plan backfired with half the team wearing high numbers because of inexperience.
I'd love to see Rielly end up with #4.
I'd love to see players move away from the 40's-50's though. Numbers were certainly something I strongly disagreed with Burke about. A fan shouldn't have to guess if a player is using a rookie number or not when looking to buy a jersey.
Burke loved classic numbers but his plan backfired with half the team wearing high numbers because of inexperience.
I'd love to see Rielly end up with #4.
I really don't get the big deal about numbers. I don't get why Burke wanted to control that and I don't get why fans care. I don't see many players that really make a big fuss about it. That being said, if I were to guess, I don't think Nonis is going to worry too much about stuff like that, so long as the number isn't up in the rafters, I guess they can wear it if they want.
The Blue Devil
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- Nov 9, 2009
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Grabs only wore 54 for a short time in his first year(4 years ago). He got to change his number because Burke allowed Kessel to keep 81.
Leafidelity
Best Sport/Worst League
Hypothetically, would you buy a #43 Kadri jersey if you weren't sure he was going to keep it or go to a number of his choice? It makes no sense to have rookie numbers when considering jersey sales.
Yeah that's it.
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Warden of the North
Ned Stark's head
Burke's philosophy was that rookies had to use non-traditional numbers. I think thats a good idea. Most rookies wont stick with the team so why allow them to have a # which may belong to an incoming vet. If they prove their worth, they can change it.
diceman934
Help is on the way.
I thought that it was another stupid policy.....that was not needed.
If the rookie did not stick.....it does not matter as the number would still be available.
Stephen
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Didn't seem to make sense when you have guys like Bozak and Kulemin sticking to their bush league numbers well into their careers...
MuchoMacho
Registered User
I always thought Burke said players have to earn their numbers. If a veteran like Brad May or Colton Orr or... I don't know, players who aren't rookies come to the team, they get to pick their number. If a rookie comes in and earns his spot on the team, he earns the right to chose his number.
I like the idea of that. No sense of entitlement, even if it's for something as trivial as jersey numbers.
I like the idea of that. No sense of entitlement, even if it's for something as trivial as jersey numbers.
diceman934
Help is on the way.
the stupid part is why you care...the players don't...
Players care a great deal.....
Leafidelity
Best Sport/Worst League
the stupid part is why you care...the players don't...
Anyone who's played organized sport knows that players care...
FlareKnight
Registered User
Had no idea that was going on.
Definitely sounds like a stupid idea. Let people use their numbers. Just a weird and pointless policy there.
Definitely sounds like a stupid idea. Let people use their numbers. Just a weird and pointless policy there.
I wouldn't buy a Kadri sweater only because it's still not clear about his future at the club. It would nothing to do whether or not he'll stick with #43 at the club (which by the way, he has said he will).
And by this point the player is so well known for wearing that number, he keeps it. Why the hell else would Robert Svehla wear #67 with the Leafs? (ignoring the real possibility he was just a dick).
Leafidelity
Best Sport/Worst League
I really only used Kadri as an example, but I'm sure there have been some reluctant to buy the jersey. I remember seeing a few #45 Coliacovo jerseys before he was allowed #8. He may have been kicked to the curb, but I don't find that fair to the guy watching him skate around in a Leafs jersey with #8 on the back. A jersey being out dated when a player switches teams is inevitable, but a jersey being out of date while he's still on the same team is something that can and should be avoided.
I don't find this any less petty than the "no hat at the draft" rule.
Our top prospects are #43, #44 and #51.
I have no problem with #44 or #51. Jovanovski has worn #44 for as long as I can remember so I've just attributed it to defensemen. As for #51, I like the way it looks on the back of a sweater, so that gets a thumbs up in my book. #43 is a tad unconventional, but I have a thing for unconventional numbers as it is so I don't see it as much of an issue.
Jerkini
Registered User
And anyone who has played for a storied organization knows that the team had final say on what numbers it is willing to allow any specific player to wear.
