The Greatest NHL Player Of All Time For Every Jersey Number!

[@elifaulds3168]

5 - Lidstrom 13 - Datsyuk 14 - Shanahan 16/17 - Hull 19 - Yzerman 20 - Robitaille 24 - Chelios 39 - Hasek 91 - Federov 96 - Holmstrom All on the 2002 Detroit Redwings coached by Scotty Bowman…. What a childhood

[@yashamaga13]

9 hall of famers. That team was stacked

[@troybaker7152]

I feel like this is the EA NHL 2002 team the list writer used lol.

[@LordBitememan]

This list is Wings-Habs-Bruins heavy. In other words, accurate.

[@PJK0PA15]

Yeah because they're original 6

[@dw7704]

Nothing against Iggy, he had a terrific career, (And I’m a Flames’ fan) But #12 should be Yvan Cournyer Winning several Cups, a great playmaker, and assisted on Henderson’s 72 Summit Series winner. At one point he owned the record for playoff points.

[@jcsieger9648]

Yes Yvan Cournoyer is in a different league/category, that's a no brainer. No logic on this one Sir........... 12 = Cournoyer

[@johnkieran7936]

5 honorable for potvin. I wanna be mad but hard to argue with lidstrom 31 I think Billy smith ties grant fuhr. 19 straight playoff series wins behind Billy.

[@mibo1984]

#21 Peter "The Great" Foooooorsbeeeeeerg!!!! ❤

[@clippedwings0]

I loved watching Forsberg carrying defensemen on his back and still making plays, but Stan Mikita was a legend. For the doughnut shop in Aurora, Illinois, if for no other reason...

[@mibo1984]

@@clippedwings0 Forsberg is two Times in Triple Gold Club ... That's a good reason to be the best #21 :p

[@troybaker7152]

Tomas Holmstrom 96??? Pavel Bure wore 96 and he was BY FAR a superior player. Probably the best 96 ever. This is a massive oversight dude. Fair to not put him at 10, but at 96 he is a lock.

[@ftgundead3132]

As a red wings fan I gotta agree, I loved Homer but he wasn’t the greatest

[@jessicamah326]

I agree

[@douglasbrydges6477]

I don't think Steve Yzerman scored 1755 goals

[@Messi-31-skibidirizz]

Yeah I don’t think he did

[@Jimbob_Real]

Wdym I’m pretty sure he did

[@Cheese1DS]

ehh maybe

[@dr.loomis4221]

@@Jimbob_Real 1755 points...not goals

[@boydriceisawesome2520]

lol was points

[@father042]

22:33 It's Klima, not Kilma

[@Unfunnybozo10]

Nobody cares shut up

[@Budnik93]

I said the same thing to myself.

[@Ilikehockey_21]

R.I.P.

[@dw7704]

Now the greatest trio of numbers, where they wore the number regularly The greatest would be 9 With Howe, Bobby Hull and Maurice Richard.

[@pastorfergus]

I agree. Honorable mention, I think, goes to 16 (Bobby Clarke, Brett Hull, and Henri Richard) and 19 (Larry Robinson, Joe Sakic, and Steve Yzerman).

[@dw7704]

@@pastorfergus that sounds fair

[@nolanscripture]

​@@pastorfergus Add Bryan Trottier as well for 19.

[@Lebowski55]

#19 (Trottier, Yzerman, Sakic, Toews)

[@robjohnson5872]

@@pastorfergus you must add Brian Trottier to the 19 list. That's why Stevie Y. chose the number.

[@cynthiastines8918]

Honorable mention should go to Bryan Trottier, who wore #19 not only for The New York islanders, but also for The Pittsburgh Penguins. He also has 7 Stanley Cups, 4 as an Islander, 2 as a Penguin, as well as 1 as an Assistant Coach for The Colorado Avalanche. He also won The Calder 🏆 Ross🏆, Hart 🏆, Conn Smythe 🏆, and The King Clancy 🏆. He's also in THE NHL OF FAME.

[@pastorfergus]

Phil Esposito scored 76 goals and had 76 assists for 152 points in 1970-71. This was his career high, not 156. He had only 80 points in 1976-77.

[@ronmailloux8655]

yes this guy got other stats wrong. Howe won 4 Stanley cups not six.

[@JPS47]

Hasek 39 and Biron 00/43 is my favorite starter/backup duo. I just wish it would have lasted a little longer.

[@bryannewcombe858]

Three heavyweights at #19, I was interested to see which one he.picked. Trottier and Sakic would have also been valid picks. #9 is so hard. I have a Habs bias so I always choose The Rocket, but Mr. Hockey...#9 is so hard.

[@pastorfergus]

As a Habs' fan, don't forget Larry Robinson as another heavyweight #19.

[@DrummerGuyCaam]

Great list overall, but #16 should be Henri Richard. Man had 11 cups, that's never gonna happen again 😂

[@rich.jerkov]

Hull had 350 more pts than Richard. At 741 goals, he more than doubled Richard's total. Henri's best season is 80pts. Hull once had a 86 GOALS season. Besides the 86 goals, he also had two 70 goals+ and two 50+ goals seasons. Hull also had four 100 pts seasons, one of which was for 131 pts. Besides Richard's 80pts season, he had two 70 pts season and two 60pts seasons. The rest of his seasons were in the 45-55 pts range. I'm a die-hard Habs fan, but Brett Hull is the superior player. By far.

[@denisrho1019]

@@rich.jerkov I came to see you post after I posted my comment; but here it is: I would dispute your pick for no 16: Brett Hull, yes.... but, for me I would go for HENRI RICHARD, 20 full seasons all with Montreal Canadians ! Wikipedia: Henri Richard has won the Stanley Cup 11 times (including 5 times in a row), more than any other player. He accumulated 1046 points (358 goals and 688 assists) in 1256 matches as well as 49 goals and 80 assists in 180 playoff matches. Brett Hull: His career total of 741 goals is 5th highest in NHL history, 2 Stanley Cup, and he is one of five players to score 50 goals in 50 games.

[@PFB1994]

Frank Mahovlich for #27 over Scott Niedermeyer and Peter Mahovlich for #20 over Luc Robitaille.

[@doaftheloaf]

frank may have an argument, peter doesn't.

[@csnide6702]

pete for sure

[@mjisthegoat88]

peter mahovlich over luc robitaille? are you related to him?

[@WilliamTheHeretic]

Lemieux is the greatest player of all time, while Gretzky is the most accomplished. If 66 was healthy throughout his career he would have scored more than 3300 points.

[@doaftheloaf]

3300 is a bit much, but he would have hit 1000 goals easy. i agree with the rest of your statement.

[@tonywoodward3404]

If

[@Bedwarsperson]

NAH

[@WilliamTheHeretic]

@@doaftheloaf He played until he was 40 and played 915 games scoring 690 goals and totaling 1723 points. He missed 889 games. His goals per game is .754 and points per game is 1.883 while constantly slowed down by injuries and treatments. 915 + 889 = 1804 games. 1804 x .754 = 1360 goals. 1804 x 1.883 is 3397 points. Howe played 2186 professional hockey games and at age 51 he scored 41 points in 80 NHL games. At age 51 he scored more goals than Gretzky did at age 37. At age 37 Gretzky scored 9 goals for 62 points in 70 games. At age 37 Lemieux scored 28 goals for 91 points in 67 games. Lemieux had more assists than Gretzky had points and in less games.

[@ColonizerChan]

@@WilliamTheHeretic This is under the assumption he maintains that point per game percentage, which is a dubious assumption

[@Rybr2]

18:46 Interesting fact. Alex Burmistrov said some years ago he always liked 69 number, but it's always had dirty jokes (sexual context) on both sides of Atlantic ocean (KHL and NHL) :) Anyway he played under 69 in Ak Bars (proof - kzbin.infof0XhBnyliso) and now playing for Spartak Moscow under 96 number (rearranging the numbers of 69).

[@SteveChase-p6y]

This list is a joke. Neither Richard brother makes it? Henri won more Stanley Cups, 11, then any other player.

[@doaftheloaf]

are you really going to argue that gordie howe shouldn't be on this list? and the cups are your only argument that the lesser richard should be ahead of the lesser hull.

[@SteveChase-p6y]

@@doaftheloaf yes

[@ottowagner3294]

#2 should be Eddie Shore

[@robjohnson5872]

My first thought was Al MacInnis, whom I would have chosen over Leetch personally, but it would be close. But then there's the incredible oversight of Doug Harvey - winner of 7 Norris Trophies. I really do not know much about either Shore or Harvey, but hear their names mentioned with greatness only.

[@gordtulk]

Doug Harvey

[@mrabon8]

I would have liked to have seen Eddie Shore play.

[@disneyjohn8536]

For Number 8 yes I agree on Ovi but should at least do an honorable mention to the Finnish Flash Teemu Selanne he is my all time favorite player. Also for number 19 honorable mention for Joe Sakic one of the best wrist shots in the game

[@alberthiggelke2525]

Selanne also wore #76 hands down better than subban

[@disneyjohn8536]

​@alberthiggelke2525 Selanne never wore 76 to my knowledge but he did wear 13 in his rookie year with Winnipeg and 1 year in Anaheim

[@tmatuga]

this is the one that surprised me. i get picking ovi for his run at the goal record. but damn, this might be the one time on this list where it's ok to have an honorable mention. pretty hard to exclude the finnish flash.

[@trevorwiazek5594]

Yzerman scored 1755 goals impressive. Ovie will never catch him....

[@pattaccone]

My thoughts exactly

[@62rockin]

19 should have been Bryan Trottier, 6 time Stanley Cup Champion. for years the best all around player in the NHL.

[@starbright451]

19 Marcus Näslund, 21 Börje Salming, Peter Forsberg

[@jeanlucfaille7495]

16 Brett Hull ??? tabarnak Henri Richard won 11 Stanley Cup...

[@rich.jerkov]

Hull had 350 more pts than Richard. At 741 goals, he more than doubled Richard's total. Henri's best season is 80pts. Hull once had a 86 GOALS season. Besides the 86 goals, he also had two 70 goals+ and two 50+ goals seasons. Hull also had four 100 pts seasons, one of which was for 131 pts. Besides Richard's 80pts season, he had two 70 pts season and two 60pts seasons. The rest of his seasons were in the 45-55 pts range. I'm a die-hard Habs fan, but Brett Hull is the superior player.

[@hollowmade]

@@rich.jerkovCompletely agree. No shadow on Richard but 11 Cups are team efforts and this ranking is about the greatest players to wear each jersey number.

[@Z0RDR4CK]

Although as a Red Wings fan I don't like the Bruins and the AV's, I do respect milestone careers of their players and I still can remember Ray Bourque lifting the Cup in his very last game. For me it still is one of the most touching moments I've witnessed in hockey.

[@gymguy25]

Howe only won 4 Cups, it’s Klima, not Kilma, Matthews never won a scoring title, Yzerman doesn’t have 1755 goals, Esposito’s career high in pts is 152 and Doug Harvey is recognized by many as the 2nd best defenseman ever and he wore #2.

[@tommiebethmarker7607]

Yzerman had 1755 regular season points. Richard trophy is a scoring title as well and yes Matthews have won it three times.

[@yashamaga13]

​@@tommiebethmarker7607 if someone says "scoring title" they are referring to the Art Ross trophy. Most points = scoring title

[@matthiasamaderro6102]

Furthermore Espos points came in 1970-71, not six years later as the video claims.

[@gregthompson3785]

Number 26 is absolutely correct.

[@adamdesanti6713]

Great blast from the past! Damn, 9 and 19 I'd imagine are an embarrassment of riches. After 44 it really gets hit or miss.

[@garrytemchuk7408]

Yzerman wore #19 as an homage to the true owner of this #'s greatness; Bryan Trottier. Trottier and #19 will always be synonymous with one another. He should have been the choice. He was the oar that guided the Islanders boat to 4 Stanley cups in a row; 19 consecutive playoff series wins; two feats that will likely never happen again. You could also change Billy Smith's #31 over Grant Fuhr IMHO.

[@doaftheloaf]

yzerman, trottier, and sakic would all have been solid choices for 19 and you can't really go wrong with any of them.

[@maitrehg]

19 = Sakic

[@sirekumasutra7022]

Trottier would be behind Yzerman, Sakic, and maybe Jumbo Joe

[@doaftheloaf]

@@sirekumasutra7022 I don’t see how you can make that argument for thornton.

[@SteveChase-p6y]

Everyone forget the real owner of 19? 6 Stanley Cups, Conn Smythe winner, 2 Norris cups, 3 first team all-star and 3 second team all-stars. And... Beat the shit out of Dave Schultz in his rookie year. The one and ONLY true #19. Larry Robinson

[@CGAWFA]

2 should be Eddie Shore

[@Chi6_Ind3]

Bedard probably will take #98 because he was tied for the leading scorer on the Blackhawks with Jason Dickinson with 22 goals this season

[@AnimalClans]

Mats Sundin may not have won a Stanley Cup, but the rest of his stats dwarf Pavel Datsyuk at #13. And while Yvan Cournoyer did win 10 Stanley Cups, I do agree Jarome Iginla is the best #12. And while Henri Richard did win 11 Stanley Cups, Brett Hull did have the better overall career and stats for #16.

[@rickpapineau5939]

Cups shouldn't be part of the equation when discussing individual greatness... TEAMS win Cups. Otherwise, Justin Williams is three times the player Ovechkin is.

[@jakevolk1227]

I paused when he mentioned his decision for 13. I knew I wasn't going to be the only one bothered haha

[@ftgundead3132]

Holy hell did I just get so many nostalgic throwbacks to the days of the 90’s early 2000’s NHL. As a red wings fan I was truly happy to see us so well represented but even I gotta admit idk if I would call Fedorov the greatest Russian hockey player.

[@Cclater]

#19 Sakic for sure ❤️

[@ryanstewart4444]

I would have called 19 and 31 ties. Both Sakic and Yzerman have openly admitted to their "sameness" - flip of the coin. 31 has lots that are very close.

[@MrNWA4Life]

#6 should have been Toe Blake. Captained the Canadiens to two Cups. Phil Housley? Give me a brrak.

[@GoryEyedBeast1978]

Well Mike Gartner loses 11 to Messier and 22 to Bossy...Gartner really is one of the most overlooked in history

[@NickelCitySaint]

I hear its way more popular in beer leagues tho......... Nice.

[@blowstuffup1]

Honestly Mikko Rantanen is my pick for 96. He has been way more productive and has won a cup as well. He has a lot of hockey left and he has more points in way less seasons played. Honorable to Bure though I don't think he wore that his entire career like the other two.

[@jz7459]

#2 Brian Leetch over Doug Harvey or even Eddie Shore ???

[@YouSirAreNoob]

who or who?

[@markastoforoff7838]

I'm going to say that 99 goes to Wilf Paiement. What you disagree and say some guy named Gretzky was better? How dare you. Paiement had that number first. Just because Gretzky broke all the records means nothing. Paiement was actually a pretty good player, nowhere near Gretzky but still a solid player.

[@olmrgosh1128]

Alex megaleny was part of the Vancouver Canucks

[@McSorleyFan33]

50 Corey Crawford. He was amazing goalie for the hawks the best

[@tifpo33]

#41 Craig Anderson doesn't typically get the respect that he should and is definitely among the best goalies of the last decade. Not sure of the competition at 41 but a thumbs up for the well crafted shout out.

[@Masonwheat-c5s]

I have won the Stanley Cup

[@penfold7455]

Brett Hull for no. 16? What about Bobby Clarke of the 70s-era Philadelphia Flyers? Three Harts, one Selke, a Bill Masterton, a Lester Pearson (now Ted Lindsay), two Stanley Cups (with one team) and 8 All-Star Game appearances; all the while being a diabetic.

[@johnleak8396]

Henri Richard should have been the choice for #16. Eleven Cups as a player, no contest.

[@joebarr725]

Marcel Dionne.

[@robjohnson5872]

@@johnleak8396 Henri was a great talent. But I'd have to give it to Brett because of his goal scoring ability. If we were going to give a larger amount of weight to Stanley Cup wins as a player, there's some pretty strong Canadiens players who would dominate.

[@gordtulk]

Dionne - hands down.

[@csnide6702]

and a jerk to boot

[@worm2909]

53… Jeff Skinner?!? Laughs in Moritz Seider

[@clippedwings0]

Not a lot of classic competition for numbers in the 50's and above. They used to assign sleeping compartments on the trains by number, so all the vets wanted the lower numbers.

[@jamescarlson3931]

Holmstrom over Rantanen is hilarious. Rantanen has more goals more points and a 50 goal season. Some serious Redwing bias on this list

[@Nyx-qw5yh]

I’d argue that 19 could’ve gone to Sakic, though I can definitely understand how Yzerman deserves it too

[@mjsteele42]

I suspect, if you asked the men themselves, they both would have given it to the other one. As a lifelong Wings fan, I pick Yzerman, but I'll openly admit that Joe Sakic is the only member of the 90s Avalanche that I have ever had respect for.

[@tommiebethmarker7607]

@@mjsteele42 No respect for Forsberg? :D I'd pick Yzerman over Sakic as well as a neutral Caps fan

[@mjsteele42]

@@tommiebethmarker7607 Not really. Forsberg took too many dives.

[@jz7459]

Mike Bossy scored 60 goals 5 times not 4.

[@alberthiggelke2525]

#4 Jean Beliveau, 12 Yvan Cournoyer 16 Henri Richard, #76 Teemu Selanne

[@yashamaga13]

Selanne wore #8. You're thinking of his 76 goal season

[@lendelos]

8 - Teemu Selanne, 9 - Paul Kariya, 10 - Gaborik, 12 - Peter Bondra, 13 - Mars Sundin, 21 - Peter Forsberg, 88 Eric Lindros, for honourable mention

[@toptenguy1]

And Sakic wore #88 during his rookie year, but I don't know if that's long enough to count, haha

[@loltrope3266]

11 should be saku koivu (no but yes in my hearth)

[@aidanwotherspoon905]

A cancer survivor is a better candidate for #11 than a classless bastard who dishonoured a cancer victim by insisting on wearing it in Vancouver

[@olmrgosh1128]

Same thing with Phil Esposito was a Canuck back in the 50’s and 60’s

[@thewolfdoctor761]

27 should be Frank Mahovlich

[@SaveznaRepublikaJugoslavija]

The higher lesser worn numbers should be interesting lol

[@christopherhopkins949]

#6, Phil Housley, really? I would take Zdeno Chara in a heartbeat.

[@olmrgosh1128]

Don’t forgot pavel Demetria was a Canuck player during his prime years in the NHL before his airplane crash

[@donaldcornchowder9112]

Pavol Demitra was in his prime as a Blue, not as a Canuck.

[@jz7459]

Gordie Howe won 4 Stanley Cups not 6.

[@Catinkontti]

#96 Mikko Rantanen!!

[@DARK24-7]

Cool list-just one thing I noticed at #85 the player's name is KLIMA not KILMA pronounced (kleemah.)

[@Masonwheat-c5s]

I am on oils

[@mantis4630]

My Alltime Nr.24 is Ruslan Salei 💗

[@ElmoNator39]

Number 8 should've been Selänne not Ovie that was a war crime of a choice. I agree Ovechkin is one of the greatest goal scorers ever, but surely not picked ahead of Selänne into a list like this.

[@logan_paul_apology]

for 99, there is a runner up. Wilf Paiement wore 99 for 187 games with the leafs

[@davemeade1901]

You should do a top ten of each number.

[@pierrelambert3874]

how can you forget Henri Richard for number 16 with 11 stanley cups

[@hollowmade]

11 team efforts does not make him the best individual player for the jersey number.

[@aidanwotherspoon905]

69 is a toss-up between fictional players Doug “the thug” Glatt, and Shoresy 😂

[@ellisblom339]

Brian Leetch doesn't even belong on the same rink as Eddie Shore. That is a complete joke.

[@jeffisme12]

12 should be Marleau.

[@denisrho1019]

I would dispute your pick for no 16: Brett Hull, yes.... but, for me I would go for HENRI RICHARD, 20 full seasons all with Montreal Canadians ! Wikipedia: Henri Richard has won the Stanley Cup 11 times (including 5 times in a row), more than any other player. He accumulated 1046 points (358 goals and 688 assists) in 1256 matches as well as 49 goals and 80 assists in 180 playoff matches. Brett Hull: His career total of 741 goals is 5th highest in NHL history, 2 Stanley Cup, and he is one of five players to score 50 goals in 50 games.

[@olmrgosh1128]

Ya dude there’s pavel bure the Russian rocket and Trevor linden and sedin brothers henrik and Daniel sedin Geoff cortneil

[@jacobmcneil5065]

Yzerman scored 1,700 goals… that’s incredible

[@hockeyfan519]

I know I'm reaching on this one but I'd take quick for #32 instead of hunter. Most wins from a American goaltender, 2 Stanley cups, winning the conn smythe the one year.

[@Peilla]

HOW MANY GOALS DID YZERMAN GET!?!?

[@silntstl]

1,755 LOL

[@rich.jerkov]

@@silntstl It's 1755 points, 792 goals.

[@silntstl]

@@rich.jerkov Yes I know. But the screen clearly stated 1755 GOALS.

[@Dar7501]

​@@rich.jerkovtry again

[@michelbeaudry-d8l]

YVAN COURNOYER ***12***

[@troybaker7152]

ALSO Mats Sundin at 13 is a no brainer. Dastyuk was awesome and Im a red wings guy, but Mats Sundin is one of the all time greats.

[@YouSirAreNoob]

how many cups did he have? Anyways I loved him in Trailer Park Boys na mean?

[@devonmacdonald4893]

Pavel Bure 96?

[@boydriceisawesome2520]

i would pick joe sakic over yzerman but both were great!

[@bobschenkel7921]

Got myself two hockey jerseys, Numbers 9 & 10. Gordie How and Guy LaFleur. THE BEST.

[@bobschenkel7921]

Um it's spelled HOWE dummy. Sheesh. Sorry Gordie.

[@devonmacdonald4893]

Glad you had Phil Housley highly underrated player.

[@tomlillandt1344]

I disagree with number 13, i.e. Datsyuk being better than Teemu Selanne. He has more goals, more points, a Stanley Cup, Calder Trophy, most goals a rookie has ever scored, etc.

[@csnide6702]

Sudin was better than Datsyuk and I LOVE Yzerman but Sakic or Trottier could have a case made for them.

[@clippedwings0]

May have been some Wings bias on this one... I would have given that one to Sundin, too.

[@csnide6702]

@@clippedwings0 especially how Datsyuk screwed his teammates when he retired after signing a big extension.

[@muratomar6502]

Bobby Clarke??? #16 Flyers

[@MrNoraxe]

Hasek wanted 9 when he came to Chicago. But they just pointed to the rafters and said it was taken xD Also I like Gibson, but Zuccarello > Gibson

[@tyvulpintaur2732]

6:10: 1,755 goals?!

[@jackpethybridge160]

16. Bobby Clarke

[@SavitTheGoalie]

39 because of Dominic hasek, his the reason I love hockey

[@jimharnock1605]

Missed opportunity to use Wilf Paiement at 99

[@randigruber2353]

Klima, not Kilma

[@miikamakalainen1524]

#19 Id put Sakic over Yzerman...both incredible players and very close...just feel like Sakic was inch better...

[@mattbalas8828]

#29 should be Marc-Andre Fleury. He's second in All-time wins.

[@goku_eater460]

Umm If I can ask anyone how I start watching hockey as a new fan

[@aidanwotherspoon905]

Messier was absolutely classless for wearing #11 in Vancouver

[@canden-t7w]

The greatest hockey team over the years thus far is the great Montreal Canadiens.

[@jz7459]

#85 Its Klima not Kilma.

[@maitrehg]

19 = Sakic. Better points per game average in regular seasons AND playoffs than Yzerman even if Joe had his prime in the Dead Puck Era. Won the scoring title (Hart) and the Conn Smythe. NHL record for most overtime goals in the playoffs. NHL record for longest period of time between his first 100-point season and his last 100-point season.

[@alainbellemare2168]

16 pocket rocket Henri richard 11 Stanley cups with one team

[@ethanparker7900]

Kinda surprised that Stamkos wasn't named for 91

[@SkisandBeer970]

In no way is he better than Fedorov. If Fedorov had been allowed by the Soviet Union to enter the NHL sooner than he had, he’d have a lot more accolades. You can make an argument he’s the greatest Russian player ever next to Ovechkin

[@ethanparker7900]

@@SkisandBeer970 yes he is the 2nd best russian but idk if hes the best 91. He played in an era that was far easier to score so thats likely why he won more accolades but the numbers arent better

[@mjsteele42]

@@ethanparker7900 Uhhh...no. Fedorov played in the dead puck era, dude.

[@rich.jerkov]

Fedorov put up numbers during the dead puck era and was one of the best defensive forwards.