Spirit Players Get Creative Selecting Their Uniform Number

A common quote related to hockey numbers, often said jokingly to highlight the physical nature of the sport and its potential for facial injuries, is "Hockey players wear numbers because you can't always identify the body with dental records.”

In some sports, a specific uniform number is worth so much to a player that they will pay big money to buy it from a teammate. When Deion Sanders joined the Dallas Cowboys, he bought a teammate a new BMW in exchange for number 21. Although you really don’t hear about this happening in the National Hockey League, that doesn’t make the numbers any less important to the players.

A professional player can pick any number they choose, provided nobody else on the team already has a claim to that number, and the number is not retired by the team. A young hockey player would always give a veteran their number without even being asked, because that is what hockey players do.

Uniform numbers in professional hockey date back to the old National Hockey Association, one of the leagues that pre-date the NHL. The original intention was to help fans identify players and to help officials to credit statistics.

Players often come up with interesting substitutions when their preferred number is taken. Wayne Gretzky chose 99 because the number he wanted (9) was already taken when he debuted on the 1975 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the Ontario Hockey League. He wanted number 9 due to that being Gordie Howe’s number, who was Gretzky’s favorite NHL player.

According to Saginaw Spirit head equipment manager Lester Tiu, when a player arrives in Saginaw numbers 0-99 are available except for retired numbers and if a number is already being used by another player.

“Number 16 hasn’t been raised (to the rafters), but it won’t be ever worn by a Spirit player out of respect for the late Terry Trafford, who died in 2014,” explained Tiu.

The reasons Saginaw Spirit players chose their particular jersey number is wide and varied.

“I’ve played hockey for 13 years and I’ve worn number 29 my whole life,” said goaltender Andrew Oke. “When I was young, I got a street-set of (goaltender) pads for Christmas one year and it was the Marc-Andre Fleury model. He was my favorite player and I’ve worn 29 ever since.”

Right winger Liam Storch, who wears No. 21, said he wears that uniform number because his father wore that same number, adding that he’s been wearing the number since he was seven-years-old.

Nic Sima, another right winger, chose No. 92 because on a previous team he was No. 29 which he wore because his favorite player was NHL star Nathan MacKinnon. “When I got traded to the Spirit, Andrew Oke had 29 so I switched the numbers around to 92.”

Steady defenseman James Guo indicated that he wore number 17 for most of his younger years because it was his favorite number. “I was also wearing it for my time in Saginaw until Josh Bloom came back to Saginaw last year for the Memorial Cup run. He wanted his old number (17), so I gave it to him. Afterwards, when deciding on a new number, I wanted something unique. The Boston Bruins has always been my favorite team and Charlie McAvoy is a player I aspire to be like. So, I thought it would be fitting to go with 73 (McAvoy’s number).”

Spirit right winger Calem Mangone explained that he uses No. 7 strictly for motivation purposes. “In Minor Midget hockey, I got cut from my AAA team and then a week later they asked me to play for them and number 7 was the only number left. So, I use number 7 for motivation and that you can do anything you want in life if you want it bad enough. I’ve been wearing number 7 for six years.”

There was a thorough thought process between he and his father as to why high-scoring winger Michael Misa dons jersey number 77. “My Dad and me came up with number 77. I was born in 2007, so we used the numeral 7 as the first number, and I was the seventh player ever to be named ‘exceptional status’ so we used 7 as the second digit.”

Liu, the team’s veteran equipment manager, is fully prepared to stitch numbers on a jersey if a player acquisition comes during the season if the team is at home or on the road.

“If we add a player during the season, we pull the jersey and start assembling the nameplate (the player’s last name) and number,” said Tiu. “We carry a (sewing) kit when we go on the road; we bring all the parts.”

“When (General Manager Dave Drinkill) Drinks adds a player to the roster, he typically asks him what number he wants. Hopefully, that number is available. If not, arrangements need to be made. Like last year when Bloom wanted Guo’s number 17. They worked out a deal, but I’m not at liberty to say what they agreed upon,” he added. “Like most negotiations, they found a middle and then moved on.”

Tiu went on to say that unavailable numbers have actually held up potential trades.

 Retired numbers not available

Saginaw Spirit players cannot wear numbers 22 and 89 since they have been retired by the organization. Brandon Saad’s number 22 was retired on February 23, 2024, before a game against the North Bay Battalion. Saad was drafted by the Spirit in 2008 and went on to win two Stanley Cups with the Chicago Blackhawks. Vincent Trocheck’s number 89 was the first number to be retired by the Spirit. He is now an NHL All-Star for the NY Rangers. Trocheck played for the Spirit from 2009-10 to 2012-13.

NHL honors ‘The Great One’

Wayne Gretzky who retired as the National Hockey League's all-time leader in goals, points, and assists, had his number 99 retired league-wide at the 2000 NHL All-Star Game. The National Hockey League no longer permits 0 nor 00 for jersey numbers, as they cannot be entered into the NHL's database, and the available numbers only go up to 98 since the League retired 99 in honor of Gretzky.

This move not only recognized his unparalleled skill but also prevented any future player from wearing the number and being compared to the "Great One."