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 86. Keep up to date with the series everyday until the start of the 2023-24 NHL season.
Behind the Sweater Number: 86
The First 86s
According to Hockey Reference, 22 players have worn sweater number 86. The first recorded instance of someone wearing 86 in NHL was Jonathan Ferland with the Montreal Canadiens. Ferland wore the number for seven games in the 2005-06 season with the Habs. The Ste-Marie-de-Beauce, Quebec native scored one goal in that time.
Polish NHLer Wojtek Wolski was the next player to wear sweater number 86. Wolski had worn eight before switching over to 86 when he was with the Arizona Coyotes. He would keep the number with the New York Rangers, but he’d switch back to eight with the Florida Panthers. Wolski ended his career wearing 17 with the Washington Capitals.
Players like Kevan Miller and Jeremy Williams also wore the number. However, one player would jump out and take the reins of sweater number 86.
The Top 86
Nikita Kucherov seems to be the best player to don the number 86 so far. However, he didn’t start out with that jersey with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Russian forward actually wore 56 to start with in the 2013-14 season. He started the season with the Syracuse Crunch, but was called up after a hot start. Kucherov continued that start in the NHL and switched over to number 86 midway through the season.
He hasn’t looked back since and has racked up the career accolades. Kucherov is a two-time 40-goal scorer and won the Hart Trophy in the 2018-19 season. The Russian winger has two Stanley Cups and an Art Ross Trophy to his name. Not many player have worn the number 86, but he’s built quite the resume with the number. That’s no number one… you know.
It’s uncertain why Kucherov changed his number, but he’s the top player wearing the number so far. However, there are some good players that are wearing the number now.
Other Good 86s
Kucherov doesn’t have the monopoly over the number 86 now because of two solid young players. Teuvo Teravainen came into the league quickly after Kucherov and has carved out a nice career for himself. The Finnish star has 130 goals and a Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks. He’s been a key player with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The New Jersey Devils also have a great future 86 with loads of potential in Jack Hughes. New Jersey’s top pick in the 2019 NHL Draft has 87 career goals and is part of a promising young group. Hughes finished with a career-high 43 goals last season and he’s got a great future ahead of him.
The Future of 86
There are a few players other than Kucherov, Hughes and Teravainen that are wearing sweater number 86. Joel Farabee, Phillip Broberg, Mike Hardman, Kirill Marchenko and Christian Wolanin are all currently listed with the number. There are some players that won’t be wearing the number as Simon Benoit switched to 13 and Anton Stralman has signed in Sweden.
The history behind sweater number 86 isn’t a long one, but there are a few good players that have that number. These players could inspire the next generation of players that could take the number over.
Main photo by: Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports
