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 5. Keep up to date with the series everyday until the start of the 2023-24 NHL season.
Behind the Sweater Number: 5
Gimme Fives
According to Hockey Reference, 356 players have worn sweater number 5 since since jersey records were kept in the 1950-51 season. However, it does not list very many players before then that may have taken the number. Five of the Original Six teams had someone wearing number five. The Montreal Canadiens had four players wearing the number, but future Hall of Famer Bernie Geoffrion would end up with the best career. New York Rangers Hall of Famer Buddy O’Connor wore the number.
Five was mostly known for a number for defencemen. However, there were a few forwards that did take up the numeral. Forwards like Geoffrion held their own with the numbers. Marcel Dionne also wore the number for three seasons. However, there will be a number of defenders on the list for the best to wear number five.
Cameos
There are always a number of players that wore sweater number 5 that would go onto have decent to good careers. However, these were with other numbers. Hall of Fame coach Al Arbour wore five with the Detroit Red Wings before taking up coaching another famous five. Fellow Hall of Famer Leo Boivin wrapped up his career in Minnesota with the number. Phil Esposito wore the number with the Rangers before settling on 77. Doug Harvey had a stint in Detroit with the numeral.
Larry Murphy started off as a five, but shifted to 55 later in his career. Hall of Famer Serge Savard wore five with the original Winnipeg Jets. The late Ruslan Salei wore the number with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim before switching over the 24.
The Perfect Human Being
It was another hard decision to make for being the best to wear sweater number 5. However, the choice to go with the man known as the Perfect Human Being was too great. The best to don the number five is Nicklas Lidstrom just barely over Denis Potvin. The Swede won seven Norris Trophies. four Stanley Cups, and was the first European captain to win the Conn Smythe.
Lidstrom accomplished many things in his 20 seasons in Hockeytown. The story of him getting the number five is a pretty simple one. He said that he was just handed the number and he went with it. Lidstrom didn’t lobby for the number, but he made it his own. The Swedish blueliner was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015.
Great 5s and the Future
We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Potvin and his four Stanley Cups. Potvin won three Norris Trophies and still gets “Potvin Sucks” chants from Rangers fans. Other great number fives include Guy Lapointe, Mark Giordano, Mark Howe, Harry Howell and Rod Langway.
Aaron Ekblad is the current best player to wear five in the league. Stay tuned to the next stop on the countdown as we draw closer to the start of the NHL season.
Main photo by: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
