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 82. Keep up to date with the series everyday until the start of the 2023-24 NHL season.
Behind the Sweater Number: 82
A Great First Impression
According to Hockey Reference, 30 players have worn sweater number 82. The number first came into view in the 1992-93 season by the most famous person to have it. Czech forward Martin Straka debuted with the Pittsburgh Penguins in that season. He only scored three goals in 42 games that season, but he was just getting warmed up. Straka broke out in sophomore campaign with 30 goals and 64 points.
He would bounce around to other clubs with the Ottawa Senators, Florida Panthers and New York Islanders. Straka would actually switch to number 28 in his two seasons with the Panthers. However, he’d return to sweater number 82 after coming back to Pittsburgh. The Penguins had some hard times in the last mid to late 1990s, but Straka was always consistent.
He’d score 165 of goals with the club and play 560 games for the Penguins. He’d finish with 257 goals in 954 career games and won gold with the Czechs at the 1998 Winter Olympics and 2005 IIHF World Championships.
As for his choice of sweater number 82, it was a s simple one. Scott Morrison’s book By The Numbers said that Straka had always wore 28 back in his native country. However, that and other numbers in the 20s were taken. Straka decided to switch the numbers to 82 and the rest is history.
Other 82s
Marian Gaborik briefly wore the number for one season with the Minnesota Wild before shifting to his well-known 10. Donald Audette had worn 28 for the Buffalo Sabres, but had sweater number 82 during his spell with the Montreal Canadiens. Marcus Foligno worn 82 for his entire tenure with hometown Sabres.
Both Tomas Kopecky and Jordan Oesterle have worn the number for eight and nine seasons, respectively, in the respective NHL careers. Kopecky actually took 32 in the 2005-06 season with the Detroit Red Wings before flipping over to 82.
The Future of 82
Like other high numbers on his list, there isn’t much other history behind sweater number 82. There are a few young players that are wearing the number. Carolina Hurricanes centre Jesperi Kotkaniemi has the number since signing from Montreal. Caleb Jones has had the number for part of six seasons in the league. Ian Cole will wear the number for the Vancouver Canucks and avoid controversy. Cole had said that he wanted to wear 28, but that number hasn’t been worn since the tragic passing of Luc Bourdon in 2008.
There are also a number of young players that have briefly had the number before moving on. Maybe someone will step up and make sweater number 82 their own much like Straka did.
Main photo by: Graig Abel/Getty Images
