Sweater 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 83. Keep up to date with the series everyday until the start of the 2023-24 NHL season.
Behind the Sweater Number: 83
Early 83s
According to Hockey Reference, 21 players have donned sweater number 83 in NHL history. The first player listed as wearing the number was Domenic Pittis with the Buffalo Sabres. The Calgary native wore 23 with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1996-97 season. Pittis shifted over to 83 when he joined the Sabres in the 1998-99 season. He would only play 10 games between two seasons as he spent most of his time in the AHL. His second stint with the Sabres would be four games in 2003-04, but he would wear 38.
Eric Bertrand was next to wear sweater number 83 in the 2000-01 season. He’d only play three games for the Montreal Canadiens before never playing another game in the NHL. The number wouldn’t get much use until the 2002-03 season. However, the next player would get a nice long career with the number.
The Top 83
Ales Hemsky would break in with the Edmonton Oilers as a 19-year-old. The Czech forward was a consistent double digit goal scorer in the league for a number of seasons. Hemsky’s best season was 23 goals in the 2008-09 season with the Oilers. He got 71 points the season before with Edmonton and made himself a reliable part of the lineup.
The forward would also have stops with the Ottawa Senators, Dallas Stars and Montreal. He played 845 games and netted 174 goals and 398 points. Hemsky was born on August 13, 1983 and that’s the reason he went with number 83. Going by birth year seems to be a trend with players that have higher numbers.
Other Good 83s
Jay Beagle has the third-most games wearing sweater number 83 with 646 games. Beagle was more of a defensive player and was a strong depth player. He was a cult favourite with the Washington Capitals and played 471 games. Beagle would also have stops with Vancouver Canucks and the Arizona Coyotes.
Matthew Nieto has worn sweater number 83 since the 2013-14 season with the San Jose Sharks. Nieto has 85 career goals in 651 NHL games. The Long Beach, Calif. native is now with the Penguins. He just passed Beagle for the second-most games played by a player wearing 83.
A number of players have gotten short stints with 83. Connor Garland had the number with the Coyotes before going to eight with the Canucks. Trevor Daley, Matt Benning and Karson Kuhlman have each worn the number.
Future of 83
Only Nieto and Topias Vilen are the only players listed with sweater number 83 on their respective rosters. The number doesn’t have a lot of history, but who knows what the future holds. Someone could come in and make the number his own.
Main photo by: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
