Sweaters numbers are synonmous 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 start with sweater number 99. Keep up to date with the series everyday until the start of the 2023-24 NHL season.
Behind the Sweater Number: 99
Pre-Gretzky 99s
The most famous player in hockey don the number 99 is obviously Wayne Gretzky. However, there have been a number of players that have worn the 99. According to HockeyReference.com, three players have worn the “double nines” in NHL history. However, Scott Morrison’s book Behind the Numbers has three Montreal Canadiens players wear that number in the 1934-35 season.
Joe Lamb, Desse Roche and Leo Bourgault each had that number. Broadcaster Dick Irvin in Morrison’s book said that Canadiens ownership gave them the high numbers to compete with football. However, Irvin wasn’t able to fully confirm the legend. The number wouldn’t be worn until 1980 when Wilf Paiement and Gretzky would each have that number. Rick Dudley rounded out the modern trio in 1981.
Paiement would wear some different numbers during his career, including 9, 11, 14 and 27. The Earlton, Ontario native would have a career total of 356 goals in 946 games. Paiement would play 14 years in the NHL while Dudley would only wear 99 for one season. Dudley also donned the numbers 9, 17 and 32 in his 309 game NHL career.
How Gretzky Got 99
Morrison’s book tells the story of how Gretzky got the famous number. Gretzky was a fan of the great Gordie Howe (who will feature when we get to the number nine.) However, the future Great One couldn’t get nine because veteran Brian Gualazzi had that number with the Soo Greyhounds. Gretzky tried different numbers like 11, 14, 19 and 25 until coach Muzz MacPherson said the 16-year-old try 99.
MacPherson remembered players like Phil Esposito wearing 77 and John Davidson taking 00 for a time. The rest was history despite him flirting with going back to the number 11 due to his liking of Gilbert Perreault. However, Gretzky stuck with 99 even though he had chances to change his number back to his favoured number nine. Gretzky did wear 25 in his first game with the Edmonton Oilers when they were in the World Hockey Association after being traded from the Indianapolis Racers.
The Best 99
Gretzky is obviously the choice to be the best 99 and that debate is closed. The Great One along with Mark Messier, Jari Kurri and others helped the Edmonton Oilers become the dominant force in the 1980s. Gretzky won four Stanley Cups and nine Hart Trophies for the league’s most valuable player. He is also the league’s all-time leader in goals (894), assists (1,963) and points (2,857). Gretzky would still be the league’s all-time leading point-getter even if all he had were assists.
He also may have played a large hand in the NHL’s expansion in the Southern United States. Gretzky came to the Los Angeles Kings after the big trade and spread hockey to non-traditional markets. He was a massive driver in attendance for a number of years. Fans in all markets came to see the Great One as it’s not often the best player in a sport comes to town.
The Future of 99
Gretzky’s future with the number is secure as the league retired the number 99 at the end of his NHL career. He was the 10th player in league history to have the traditional five-year waiting period waived so he could enter the Hockey Hall of Fame. No one will ever wear the number 99 sweater in the National Hockey League again. This is much like how Major League Baseball retired the number 42 in honour of Jackie Robinson.
Gretzky may be the last number 99 in NHL history. However, that number will live on in youth hockey rinks because of his greatness. A number of kids will try to emulate the skills possessed by the best player in the game of hockey. Number 99 is the quintessential hockey number and that’s thanks to Wayne Gretzky. No one will don sweater number 99 in the NHL again.
Main photo by: Porter Binks/USA TODAY NETWORK
