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 11. Keep up to date with the series everyday until the start of the 2023-24 NHL season.
Behind the Sweater Number: 11
The First to Turn it up to 11
According to Hockey Reference, 409 players have worn sweater number 11 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. Tod Sloan of the Toronto Maple Leafs scored 31 goals 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 11. 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 11 that would go onto have decent to good careers. However, these were with other numbers. Tony Amonte wore 11 for two seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers. Future head coach Bruce Boudreau had the number for the Leafs. The late Jimmy Hayes wore the number for two seasons with the Boston Bruins. Adam Graves wore 11 for one season before a certain Rangers icon took the number.
Hall of Famer Newsy Lalonde wore the number with the New York Americans. Al MacInnis started his Calgary Flames career with 11 before eventually ending up with two. Joe Mullen ended his Hall of Famer with the Boston Bruins in sweater number 11. Mark Recchi wore 11 with the Flyers. Steve Shutt also donned 11 towards the end of his career.
Mess
The one people look to as the beat to wear sweater 11 is Mark Messier. He started life with the Edmonton Oilers as a rugged forward, but his game would evolve. The Edmonton native would actually start his career in the World Hockey Association before moving to his hometown club. Messier would get his first Conn Smythe in the 1982-83 season and was a large part of the Oilers dynasty.
He would move to the Rangers and help them end their curse in 1994. Messier was the second Rangers player to have a Hall of Famer career in the 11 sweater. Vic Hadfield led a storied career with the Blueshirts in that jersey. Messier said he wore the 11 because of his father, Doug, according to Scott Morrison’s book By the Numbers.
Other 11s
Gilbert Perrault, David Legwand and Daniel Alfredsson are among the number of players that wore 11 with zeal. Mike Gartner, Brian Sutter, Saku Koivu, Busher Jackson and Howie Meeker also had storied careers in the 11 sweater.
Max Domi will wear the number this season with Toronto while Adam Fantilli will don the digits in Columbus. Southern California has some great 11s in Anze Kopitar and Trevor Zegras each have the number.
Main photo by: Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images
