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 16. Keep up to date with the series everyday until the start of the 2023-24 NHL season.
Behind the Sweater Number: 16
The First 16s
According to Hockey Reference, 434 players have worn sweater number 16 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 with at least one player in that number. Hall of Famer Elmer Lach had the best season with 21 goals and 45 points with the Montreal Canadiens in 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 16. 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 16 that would go onto have decent to good careers. However, these were with other numbers. Legendary Habs coach Toe Blake had 16 before settling into the six sweater. Leo Boivin started off his Hall of Famer career with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 16. Russ Courtnall and Ulf Dahlen also had 16 for one season in their respective careers. Hall of Famer Rod Gilbert donned the 16 before finding his trademark number seven. Future donut magnate Tim Horton had 16 for a pair of seasons.
Hall of Famer Dickie Moore had sweater number 16 with Toronto. Mark Stone wore 16 with the Ottawa Senators. Another Hall of Famer in Norm Ullman had the number for three seasons with the Detroit Red Wings.
The Golden Brett
The battle for best of sweater number 16 was an intense one. There were players like Bobby Clarke, Henri Richard, Marcel Dionne and Pat Lafontaine just to name a few. However, Hull gets the edge by way of his 741 career goals. Brett’s father, Bobby Hull, actually started his career with the Chicago Black Hawks in 16. However, he would shift to number nine and then seven. The elder Hull would end his career with the Hartford Whalers in 16.
Brett would start his NHL career with the Calgary Flames before being traded to the St. Louis Blues. The younger Hull would finally take off in the Arch City when he scored 86 goals in the 1990-91 season. Hull was putting up numbers that even his father would be envious of. However, Stanley Cup success would elude the younger Hull. Brett eventually got his cup with the Dallas Stars and in Detroit.
He would change numbers a few times to nine, 22 and 15. However, his success as 16 was one of the best stretches as a player. Hull would let Pat Verbeek take 16 in Dallas and take 22.
Other 16s and the Future
As we mentioned, we can’t ignore greats like Richard, Clarke, Dionne and Lafontaine. All four are Hall of Fame players, but there are a number of players that great careers in sweater number 16. Trevor Linden and Bobby Holik had a long careers in the number 16. Another Hall of Famer in Michel Goulet had 16 for many seasons. Vladimir Konstantinov had his career tragically cut short in a limo accident, but was a great 16.
The future looks bright with players like Mitch Marner and Aleksander Barkov donning the number. We’re closing in on the start of the season and the debates are only going to get more intense.
Main photo by: Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images
