Retired NHL Hockey Jersey Numbers
Retiring a NHL hockey jersey number is the ultimate honor a NHL team can bestow upon a player. It signifies that the player has made an outstanding contribution to the NHL team, the sport, and the community, and their legacy will forever be remembered. When a team retires a player’s NHL jersey, no other player on the team will ever wear that jersey number again. This practice is done as a way to honor and recognize exceptional athletes who have made significant contributions to their NHL team and sport. Retired NHL jerseys are often referred to as “hanging from the rafters” because they are literally put on display in the team’s home venue.
So, when you see a retired NHL hockey jersey hanging in a hockey arena, it represents not only the player’s achievements but also the team’s gratitude and respect for their impact on hockey.
These NHL jersey numbers have been retired by the Chicago Blackhawks:
| Date NHL Jersey Number Retired | NHL Jersey Number Retired | NHL Player Name |
|---|---|---|
| November 20, 1988 | Number 1 | Glenn Hall |
| November 12, 2008 | Number 3 | Pierre Pilote and Keith Magnuson |
| February 25, 2024 | Number 7 | Chris Chelios |
| December 18, 1983 | Number 9 | Bobby Hull |
| March 19, 1998 | Number 18 | Denis Savard |
| October 19, 1980 | Number 21 | Stan Mikita |
| November 20, 1988 | Number 35 | Tony Esposito |
| November 20, 2022 | Number 81 | Marian Hossa |
Interesting tidbits about retired NHL hockey jersey numbers.
- Bobby Hull’s number 9 jersey was also retired by the original Winnipeg Jets on October 19, 2016.
- Brent Hull is Bobby Hull’s son. Brent Hull’s NHL jersey number 16 was retired by the St. Louis Blues on December 5, 2006.
- The first team to retire a NHL jersey number was the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 14, 1934 for Ace Bailey’s number 6.
- As of 2024, the NHL has 182 retired jersey numbers, 10 former retirements and 24 honored numbers. Honored numbers are similar to retired numbers, except that they remain available for use by other players.
- Wayne Gretzky’s NHL jersey number 99 was retired league-wide in 2000.
- Only the new Winnipeg Jets have no retired NHL jersey numbers as of 2024.
- Five hockey teams have retired six NHL jersey numbers that are not those of former players from their franchises: the Ottawa Senators, Florida Panthers (x2), Minnesota Wild, Seattle Kraken, and Vegas Golden Knights.
Note: Some of this post was generated by Microsoft’s Copilot AI companion and then some modifications were made.