Today apparently is the day that more people will be married than any other in human history. I only recently learned this. My cousin and close friend Bill this week is in steamy Las Vegas. Had I known of the day’s significance earlier, likely I’d have arranged to travel with him there. But Bill’s a divorcee, so maybe we wouldn’t have been so lucky. Anyway, today’s appeal for lovers of course has everything to do with “Lucky 7s” — it’s 7/7/07.
And this made me wonder: how many NHLers bear the lucky number on their sweaters? Turns out, not as many as you might think, and I was struck by their relative anonymity. As of this past season, these players wore no. 7: Niclas Wallin, Steve Matador, Paul Martin, Trent Hunter, Joe Corvo, Michel Ouellet, Ian White, Brent Seabrook, Johnny Boychuk, Derek Armstrong, Greg deVries, Keith Tkachuk, and Brendan Morrison. That’s it. The Caps do not have a no. 7 at present on their roster, nor can they: Yvon Labre got to it early and had it retired by the club.
The league does have a couple of 77s: Alexei Zhitnik, Chris Gratton, Travis Roche, and Tom Gilbert. Adam Oates certainly was the most accomplished Cap to wear that version of the number, as he’s been the only one to.
The paucity of the lucky numer’s selection is all the more striking when you consider the litany of famous athletes who’ve worn it: in hockey, the number’s been retired for Phil Esposito, Howie Morenz, Bill Barber, Rod Gilbert, Paul Coffey, and Labre. John Elway wore it. So did Mickey Mantle. So did Jeri Ryan, sort of.
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Isn’t this because basically ever since Gretzky entered the league sporting a 99, every “star” player has had to essentially create their own mystique around their own “unique” number? Jagr’s ‘68 (a tribute to the Prague spring), Dougie Gilmour’s 93, Lindros’ 88, Coffey’s 77, etc., etc. No doubt there have been other star players with more conventional numbers, but my point is that there is a very real sense out there now that stars have to create their own identity rather than accepting the “star” numbers of the past - 7 or 9 among forwards, 1 among goalies.
It’s a bit of a shame, really. I for one never got all jazzed up about Sergei Fedorov’s 91 or Bryan Fogarty’s 43.
And yes, I know, there were some guys in the league wearing unconventional numbers before Gretzky, but it’s unlikely that Wilf Paiement’s 99 had any kind of an effect on anyone.
Did Coffey wear 77 before Bourque?
odessasteps: Good question.
According to wikipedia, Coffey switched to #77 when he joined Philadelphia in ‘96-’97. That would have been several years after Bourque started wearing #77 (because Esposito’s jersey number was retired by the Bruins) in 1987.
Thus, if Wikipedia can be trusted, you are correct - Ray was first.
Oops - immediately after hitting “post”, it occurred to me that Coffey had for sure worn 77 while playing for the Penguins. According to http://www.azhockey.com, he did - also commencing in 1987. Here’s where it gets tricky - Coffey presumably began wearing his 77 at the beginning of that season, whereas Bourque didn’t switch until December of ‘87 when Espo’s jersey was mothballed. Hence, it would seem that Coffey was first, but just barely.
Anyway, it would seem (again according to azhockey.com) that Garry Unger beat them both.
Who knew Wikipedia could be wrong?
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