Did 99 retire?

League Wide Retirement Ceremony

The league retired Wayne Gretzky’s 99 at the 50th annual all-star game in Toronto on February 6, 2000.

Is number 99 retired in the NHL?

Wayne Gretzky's No. 99 is retired throughout the NHL not only because he is considered the greatest player in League history, but because the number and his name are synonymous. Though there is no debate over who the best player to wear that number is, there are 98 other numbers with more than one worthy candidate.

Why is 99 retired?

While almost every hockey team has at least one retired number, there is only one number that's retired league-wide: #99. It was Wayne Gretzky's number. It was retired across the entire NHL in 2000.

Is number 99 retired in all sports?

Wayne Gretzky, No. 99, changed the game during his 21 seasons in the NHL. In homage to the dominance and skill level with which Gretzky played, No. 99 has been retired league wide (it's the only number retired league wide to date).

Is 99 retired league wide?

Wayne Gretzky's number 99 was retired league-wide in 2000; Gretzky's former teams the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings also separately retired his number. As of February 2023, only the Winnipeg Jets have no retired numbers.

The Worst Retired Numbers in NHL History

Can you wear 69 in the NHL?

3, 2011, and played seven seasons in the League, including winning the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015 (wearing No. 11). Fun fact: Desjardins and forward Melvin Angelstad (two games with the Washington Capitals in 2003-04) are the only players in NHL history to wear No. 69.

Has anyone worn 99 since Gretzky?

Jersey numbers are so important because it's how fans identify their favourite athletes. For example, Number 99 is synonymous with one player, and one player only. Other players have worn the number 99, but Gretzky is the only player who fans identify as '99. '

Why did Gretzky wear 99?

It was with the Greyhounds that Gretzky first wore the number 99 on his jersey. He originally wanted to wear number 9—for his hockey hero Gordie Howe—but it was already being worn by teammate Brian Gualazzi. At coach Muzz MacPherson's suggestion, Gretzky settled on 99.

What team has no retired jerseys?

As of 2022, only two teams in the NBA do not have any retired numbers: the Los Angeles Clippers and the Toronto Raptors.

Who is the greatest player to wear 99?

WAYNE GRETZKY

The Great One is also the Greatest 99. A nine-time Hart Trophy winner and four-time Stanley Cup champion, Gretzky spent the final three years of his legendary career with the Rangers. As a 16-year-old in the Ontario Hockey League, Gretzky wanted to wear No.

Why isn t 88 retired?

“The numbers that you don't see any more are 8, 12, 22 and 74.” Those belong to, in order, Troy Aikman, Roger Staubach, Emmitt Smith and Bob Lilly. “The reason that you continued to see 88 in circulation through the years is because of jersey number restrictions that were put in place at some point in the early 1980's.

Why Jagr wears 68?

The reason Jagr has worn No. 68 in his career is to remember 1968, which was the year the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia following the Prague Spring. From a 1992 Sports Illustrated story: When the Communists took over Czechoslovakia in 1948, the grandmother said, they appropriated all the privately owned farms.

Can you wear 0 in the NHL?

The NHL no longer permits the use of 0 or 00 as the League's database cannot list players with such numbers, and in 2000 the League retired the number 99 for all member teams in honor of Wayne Gretzky.

Can you wear number 66 in the NHL?

This number is synonymous with one man. In 915 games, Mario Lemieux scored 690 goals and 1,723 points wearing the No. 66 for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He also saved the team from bankruptcy twice and is currently the owner of the team.

Why do goalies wear 31?

Numbers in the thirties were seen as "safe" for goaltenders, since most numbers below thirty were already spoken for by forwards and defensemen (remember that "high numbers" were essentially-unheard of at this time).

What number is retired in MLB?

42 – Robinson's number with the Brooklyn Dodgers – would be permanently retired throughout Major League Baseball. Players who were wearing No. 42 at the time were allowed to continue with the number, with the understanding that no more would follow.

Is 23 retired on the Bulls?

Of course the Chicago Bulls retired Michael Jordan's No. 23. But so did the Miami Heat, even though Jordan never played for them.

Can you wear retired jersey?

Once a number is retired, no future player from the team may wear that number on their uniform, unless the player so-honored permits it; however, in many cases the number cannot be used at all.

Why did Miami Heat retire 23?

Chicago Bulls icon Michael Jordan didn't play a single second for the Miami Heat, but the franchise retired his No. 23 jersey in April of 2003 as a sign of respect to him and his achievements.

Can kids wear 99 in hockey?

99 – The Great One

Unless you are the Great One, this number is completely off limits to any hockey player anywhere in the known universe. It is retired in the NHL, and pretty much around any hockey leagues in North America, and quite likely in the whole world.

How rare is a Wayne Gretzky card?

Wayne Gretzky was born in 01/26/1961 in Brantford. There are currently 7077 Cards of Wayne Gretzky in our Database including 0 rookie Cards and 4831 variations Cards. The most valuable Card of Wayne Gretzky is currently 1979 Topps #18 Wayne Gretzky PSA 10 by Topps from 1979 with a worth of approx. $1200000.0.

Why did Lemieux wear 66?

Winner of three of the last four Stanley Cups. Lemieux had emerged as the second-most popular player in the game and a legitimate Hart candidate. His ascension was on schedule by any reasonable measure. Still, Lemieux had not forgotten why he chose to wear the '66' as a nod to Gretzky's '99'.

Why is number 32 retired in the NHL?

Seattle Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke addressed the crowd before the game, congratulating them for their 32,000 ticket deposits made in a single day at the birth of the franchise. "You did it. And we will never, ever forget," Leiweke said. "And tonight, we will retire the number 32.

What numbers are not allowed in hockey?

19, 25, 36, 41, 45, 50, 70, 72, 74 and 88 are all worn by at least one player at each position. Of course, 66, 69 and 99 are not worn by anybody.

Who wore 00 in the NHL?

The number 00 has only been worn twice in NHL history. Martin Biron wore 00 for the 1996 season with the Buffalo Sabres, but only appeared in three games and had an 0-2 record. The only other time the number appeared on an NHL surface was by goaltender John Davidson in his 1977-78 campaign with the New York Rangers.