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 21. Keep up to date with the series everyday until the start of the 2023-24 NHL season.
Behind the Sweater Number: 21
The First 21s
According to Hockey Reference, 527 players have worn sweater number 21 since since jersey records were kept in the 1950-51 season. However, it does not list any players before then that may have taken the number. Hockey Reference lists all of the Original Six teams had a player in sweater number 21. Bill Ezinicki and Danny Lewicki each scored 16 goals in that 1950-51 season. Hall of Famer Marcel Pronovost played in 37 games for the Detroit Red Wings that season.
As we draw closer to the end of the countdown, we’ll focus more the big-name players that wore the number. We’ll also give more attention to the players that briefly wore sweater number 21. This series will also take a look at the future of the number and who may carry the digits.
Cameos
There are always a number of players that wore sweater number 21 that would go onto have decent to good careers. However, these were with other numbers. David Backes wore the number for the final two seasons of his career. Hall of Famer Andy Bathgate wore the number with Detroit for two seasons. Bobby Carpenter donned the digits for a season with the Los Angeles Kings. Hall of Famer builder Murray Costello wore the number for his final seasons with the Red Wings. Vincent Damphousse took 21 before finding himself as number 25. Shane Doan wore 21 for a short time before getting back his trademark 19 when he moved to Arizona. Ron Francis donned sweater number 21 for two seasons in Carolina, but did get his trademark 10 eventually.
Scott Gomez had 21 in his second spell with the New Jersey Devils. Craig Janney wore 21 for a season with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mikko Koivu started off with 21 in Minnesota before getting nine with the Wild. Cam Neely was in number 21 with the Vancouver Canucks before finding eight with the Boston Bruins. Hall of Famer Pierre Pilote had 21 on his back for a season with Chicago. Another Hall of Famer in Glenn Sather had the number for a season with the New York Rangers. Eric Staal had the number for one year with Montreal. John Tonelli ended his career with the Quebec Nordiques in the 21 sweater.
Peter Forsberg
There are many great players that have worn sweater number 21. However, Peter Forsberg is our favourite in an informal poll of our staff. Forsberg is a member of the Triple Gold Club of an Olympic gold medal, IIHF World Championship and Stanley Cup. The Swede made himself known with that sweet shootout move to beat Canada in Albertville in 1992.
He made it to North America with the Nordiques and then Colorado Avalanche. The Philadelphia Flyers originally had the rights to Forsberg, but he was traded as part of the Eric Lindros deal. Forsberg was one of the most complete players in the game and won two Stanley Cups. He also had an Art Ross, Hart Trophy and Calder Trophy on his resume. The Ornskoldsvik, Sweden was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Other Great 21s and the Future
Stan Mikita, Börje Salming and Guy Carbonneau are among the other greats in sweater number 21. Mikita is a Chicago icon and had a donut shop named after him in Wayne’s World. Salming is one of the first great European players to come over and made himself a Toronto ice. Carbonneau was a proven winner and a three-time Selke winner. Sergei Zubov helped the Rangers end their curse in 1994. Bob Baun nearly played 1,000 games and won four championships. Tony Granato also carved out a lengthy career for himself.
Current players like Brayden Point, Nick Cousins and Jason Robertson each don the number. The countdown is only just getting better.
Main photo by: Brian Bahr/Getty Images
