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 80. Keep up to date with the series everyday until the start of the 2023-24 NHL season.
Behind the Sweater Number: 80
Opening 80s
According to Hockey Reference, 22 players have worn sweater number 80. The first one was when Geoff Sanderson donned the number for two seasons with the Buffalo Sabres. Sanderson had worn a few different numbers like eight, 13 and 18 before settling on 80 with Buffalo. The native of Hay River, Northwest Territories went back to eight in his final season in Buffalo in 1999-2000. Sanderson would have eight and 14 for the rest of his career after leaving Western New York.
Kevin Weekes was the next to wear sweater number 80 when he started with the New York Islanders. Weekes had worn one and 35 in stops with the Florida Panthers and Vancouver Canucks. However, he switched to 80 with the Isles. Weekes originally wanted to wear 00, but the league banned that number. He took the number that looked like 00 and that was 80. Weekes would go back to one in his final stint with the New Jersey Devils.
The Top 80
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nik Antropov had worn nine and 11 in his first couple seasons with the team. However, Owen Nolan was acquired by the club and he usually wore 11. Antropov offered up the number and wanted number 19. However, Mikael Renberg had the number according to Scott Morrison’s book By the Numbers.
The former player out of Kazakhstan went with sweater number 80 because that was his birth year. Antropov had success with Joe Nieuwendyk and Alexei Ponikarovsky as part of the Skyline because of their size. He had 193 goals, 272 assists and a 28-goal season in 2008-09 with the Leafs and New York Rangers. The 788-game NHL veteran carved out a nice career by being a solid two-way centre for over a decade.
Other 80s
The odd Ilya Bryzgalov wore sweater number 80 for a pair of seasons after having 30 for most of his careeer. Chris Stewart carried the number for a couple of seasons with the Sabres. Matt Tennyson wore the number for parts of three seasons with the San Jose Sharks before going with five, seven and 26 in other stops in his NHL career.
The Future of 80
There are some good players that could wrest the top player to wear sweater number 80 crown. Pierre-Luc Dubois after taking 13 and 18 earlier in his career. Dubois took the number after the death of former Columbus Blue Jackets teammate Matiss Kivlenieks, who died in a fireworks accident. Kivlenieks, who had worn 80 in two seasons with the Jackets, jumped in front of a stray mortar to protect Elvis Merzlikins and his family.
Dubois made the classy decision to wear number 80 and has 129 goals in his NHL career. “PLD” is going to carry on the legacy of his fallen teammate.
Calgary Flames goalie Daniel Vladar put together a strong season and has become a sought-after goalie. He could make sweater number 80 his own if the Flames do decide to trade him.
Main photo by: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports
