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 27. Keep up to date with the series everyday until the start of the 2023-24 NHL season.
Behind the Sweater Number: 27
The First 27s
According to Hockey Reference, 386 players have worn sweater number 27 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 Kenny Girard and Mike Nykoluk both of the Toronto Maple Leafs to first don the digits. Nykoluk wore the number for 32 games that season while Girard only had it for three games. Another Leafs player would take the number the next season, but we will get to him more a little bit later.
The first non-Leafs player to wear sweater number 27 was Orland Kurtenbach with the Boston Bruins. This was during the 1961-62 season, where he played in eight games. Kurtenbach would move onto the number seven and 25.
Cameos
There are always a number of players that wore sweater number 27 that would go onto have decent to good careers. However, these were with other numbers. J.P. Parise started off his career with the Bruins as 27 for two seasons. Future NHL general manager Marc Bergevin had sweater number 27 with the Detroit Red Wings. Todd Bertuzzi was 27 for his first number with the Vancouver Canucks. Rod Brind’Amour was 27 for the first part of his tenure with the Carolina Hurricanes. Mike Green ended his NHL career with the Edmonton Oilers in the 27 sweater. Travis Hamonic had the number for his two seasons in Vancouver.
Hall of Famer Guy Lapointe had the number for a season with the Bruins. Reed Larson had the number with the Oilers for one season. Czech Hall of Famer Václav Nedomanský wore the number for a season with the St. Louis Blues. Hall of Fame builders in Craig Patrick and Jim Rutherford also had the sweater 27. Future broadcaster Eddie Olczyk wore sweater number 27 with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Scott Niedermayer
There have been plenty of talented players to wear sweater number 27, but Scott Niedermayer likely has the biggest trophy case. His honours started back in the WHL when he won the Seaman and Stafford Smythe trophies with the Kamloops Blazers. The Edmonton native would continue to rack up the wins in his professional and international careers. Niedermayer collected two Olympic gold medals for Team Canada and a World Junior Championship. He’d also win four Stanley Cups as well as the Norris Trophy and the Conn Smythe Trophy.
The former third overall pick in the 1991 NHL Draft was one of the best defencemen of his era with the New Jersey Devils and the Anaheim Ducks. Him and his brother, Rob Niedermayer, were one of the most formidable brother combinations for their era. Scott had his number retired by the Devils in 2011.
Other 27s and the Future
Darryl Sittler and Ron Hextall are two great 27s that come to mind when thinking of the number. Frank Mahovlich was one of the first famous players to wear the number in the 1960s. Shayne Corson carved out a solid career with the number. Former Miracle on Ice player Dave Christian also wore the number for a good part of his career. Alex Kovalev was a part of the New York Rangers winning the 1994 Stanley Cup. Glenn Murray also recorded a good career with the number. Teppo Numminen played in nearly 1,400 games. NHL 94 cheat code Jeremy Roenick wore the number for many seasons. Mustache purveyor Harold Snepsts played in over 1,000 games as well.
Alex Pietrangelo wore the number with the Blues and Alec Martinez carried the number with the Los Angeles Kings. New York Islanders captain Anders Lee also dons the digits. Ryan McDonagh has won multiple titles for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Main photo by: B Bennett/Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images)
