Sweaters numbers are synonymous with players. Most hockey fans can instantly tell you a great player by the number they wear on their back. There are many different stories about how players became associated with the famous numbers. Many odd and interesting facts surround these numbers as well. As we count down the start of the 2023-24 NHL season, we take a look at the story behind the numbers. Today we continue with sweater number 97. Keep up to date with the series everyday until the start of the 2023-24 NHL season.
Behind the Sweater Number: 97
The First Number 97
Former All-Star and certified NHL 94 video game god Jeremy Roenick had just come over to the Phoenix Coyotes. Roenick had been known by his trademark 27 during his tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks. However, Teppo Numminen was already wearing number 27 when Roenick made his way to the desert. Roenick decided to be the first 97 in NHL history and the rest is history.
The man known as “JR” would hang onto the number in spells with the Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings. His strong play with the number did inspire a number of players to don the number. Future Hall of Famer Joe Thornton often wore the 97 sweater because his trademark 19 was often taken in international play. Thornton would wear 97 in his lone season with the hometown Toronto Maple Leafs in 2021. Roenick would eventually switch back to 27 for his two seasons in the league with the San Jose Sharks.
The New King of 97
Roenick is a great player and made the number his own. However, Connor McDavid would take the number to the next level. The Edmonton Oilers captain chose the number because he thought it would be cool wear that number in youth hockey. McDavid made the 8-year-old team as a 7-year-old. Those older players were born in 1996 while McDavid was born in 1997.
McDavid has taken over the number and is arguably the best current player in the world. The Richmond Hill, Ontario native has six 100-point seasons for the Oilers and scored a career-high 64 goals in the 2022-23 season. McDavid already has three Hart Trophies, five Art Ross Trophies and four Ted Lindsay Awards. The 26-year-old pumped in 153 points and he seems to only be getting started. Let’s enjoy some McDavid greatness.
Other 97s
Roenick did lead a run of players to take on the sweater number 97. Rostislav Klesla and Matt Gilroy were the next to wear the number after Roenick. Klesla had worn 44 from 2000-04 and would switch to number 16 after he went to the Coyotes. Gilroy would keep the number 97 for his entire five-year NHL career.
McDavid is a great 97, but there’s another dynamic player to wear the number that’s currently playing. Minnesota Wild standout Kirill Kaprizov has added some excitement to a very by-the-numbers team. The young Russian won the Calder Trophy for top rookie in 2020-21 with 27 goals. Kaprizov has fired in 40 goals in the next two straight seasons for the Wild. He seems to be the future of the Wild franchise and is one of the more exciting forwards in the league.
The Future of Sweater Number 97
One can’t forget how good of a player the outspoken Roenick was. He did score over 200 goals while officially wearing the 97. He’s one of the first players you think of when you say NHL 94.
However, McDavid has surpassed Roenick as the best 97 in league history. Let’s remember that McDavid hopefully has a lot of career left and could be in the mix for the top-scorer in league history. It’s early to predict that, but McDavid has been putting up points at a blistering pace.
Karpizov has all the tools to be a great playmaker in his own right. The young Russian may have gotten a later start due to being in the KHL for a number of years. However, he’s a fantastic player. The fun fact is that McDavid and Kaprizov are both 26. (McDavid is older by 103 days.) The sweater number 97 has a chance to be iconic much like another high-number Oilers player.
Main photo by: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
