Rankings: how teams have retired numbers.

[Offsides 21]

I think Fedorov deserves to have his number retire here, though I agree that it will probably not happen.

Reguardless of what people think of him, I know that he loved the team, and put his heart and soul into the team.

Also, he was one of the best Red Wings to ever wear the sweater.

-2nd ALL TIME playoff scoring leader (to Stevie Y) in about 20 less games

-4th ALL TIME in career points in 500 or so less games

-3 Stanley Cups = integral player and leader

-Hart Trophy

-2 Selke Trophies

-Runner up to the Calder

-Pearson

-Numerous all-star games

All as a Wing.

He's one of the best Red Wings in history, whether he is not here now or not, I think he deserves to be up there. Anyway, who would ever wear 91?

Edited April 3, 2007 by Offsides

[Airborn 0]

I think Fedorov deserves to have his number retire here, though I agree that it will probably not happen.

Reguardless of what people think of him, I know that he loved the team, and put his heart and soul into the team.

Also, he was one of the best Red Wings to ever wear the sweater.

-2nd ALL TIME playoff scoring leader (to Stevie Y) in about 20 less games

-4th ALL TIME in career points in 500 or so less games

-3 Stanley Cups = integral player and leader

-Hart Trophy

-2 Selke Trophies

-Runner up to the Calder

-Pearson

-Numerous all-star games

All as a Wing.

He's one of the best Red Wings in history, whether he is not here now or not, I think he deserves to be up there. Anyway, who would ever wear 91?

If Federov had his jersey retired here, he'd be the first player ever to be booed at his ceremony. I don't condone it, but you know it's true.

[Icteria virens 11]

Stevie got it early, but he was a leader. Alex can't touch Stevie there. Stevie is the ultimate leader, and always will be.

Stevie said himself that when he first recieved the 'C' he needed to grow into the role, that there were many leaders on the team and he hadn't found his voice. Maybe this is just typical humble Steve but I'm not sure.

I'm NOT trying to diminish his captaincy at all but it'd be like if we gave the C to Zata now instead of down the road like many of us predict (after Lids retires and we sign Zata to a long term deal), Zata would have had to grow into the role right now a bit, don't you think?

Perhaps the same situation was apparent before Delvecchio's reign?

[C-TownWing 0]

Yzerman is known as 'The Captian'. I believe he had the longest tenured 'C' in any sport, ever. That says something about him. Delvecchio was a great player, but he isn't on Yzermans level. Stevie is up there all alone.

No, you are wrong, I can, and DO hold it against him. He didn't get to wear the 'C' in those years because he wasn't the leader he needed to be. Stevie got it early, but he was a leader. Alex can't touch Stevie there. Stevie is the ultimate leader, and always will be.

You HAVE to admit that circumstances being what they were, it was a lot easier to become captain of the Wings in the mid 80s vs. the early 50s. If Howe, Lindsay and Abel played for the Wings in 1986, Yzerman probably would've had to wait a couple years.

I also did a little homework...

Complete list of NHL captains with tenure longer than Alex Delvecchio, one team: Steve Yzerman, Joe Sakic, Scott Stevens, Ray Bourque, George Armstrong. If you want to count non-consecutive service, tack on Mario Lemieux and Mark Messier (Rangers). Either way, that's pretty exclusive company.

Basically, Delvecchio was #2 ever in this category when he retired behind Armstrong. Call him the Joe Sakic of his day. Even if Sakic were to retire (or the unthinkable happens and he leaves) before catching Stevie's 21 years, would you blame the Avs for tacking a C on his banner just because he wasn't the longest-serving ever? I sure wouldn't. If he were to pass Yzerman, should we go up and rip the C off ours? Hell no.

[Kp-Wings 3]

I think Fedorov deserves to have his number retire here, though I agree that it will probably not happen.

Reguardless of what people think of him, I know that he loved the team, and put his heart and soul into the team.

Also, he was one of the best Red Wings to ever wear the sweater.

-2nd ALL TIME playoff scoring leader (to Stevie Y) in about 20 less games

-4th ALL TIME in career points in 500 or so less games

-3 Stanley Cups = integral player and leader

-Hart Trophy

-2 Selke Trophies

-Runner up to the Calder

-Pearson

-Numerous all-star games

All as a Wing.

He's one of the best Red Wings in history, whether he is not here now or not, I think he deserves to be up there. Anyway, who would ever wear 91?

Bad idea. Pretty much the whole city, minus a rare few, hate his guts. Not just because he left, but because he was kind of a whiner when he was here. I don't hate Fedorov at all, as I still remember what a good player he was when he was here. But not everyone feels this way, and he would be booed straight out of the arena.

[superstarsingh 23]

Harold Ballard made a mess of such for the Leafs.

[redwinger4747 6]

Bad idea. Pretty much the whole city, minus a rare few, hate his guts. Not just because he left, but because he was kind of a whiner when he was here. I don't hate Fedorov at all, as I still remember what a good player he was when he was here. But not everyone feels this way, and he would be booed straight out of the arena.

I agree, this would probably happen. This would also happen in Pittsburgh with Jagr, they hate him as well. Fair or not, Yzerman just raised the bar for the honor of jersey retirement for Detroit as far as im concerned. Fedorov was a great player, but what about his commitment, heart, loyalty, leadership, sacrifice (pay cuts? nope), do you really think they even COMPARE to Yzerman's commitment, heart, loyalty, etc? Not at all.

Should we really look up and see "Fedorov" right next to "Yzerman," like an equal, hanging from the rafters? NO.

[Never_Retire_Steve 35]

1. Montreal Canadiens

2. Detroit Red Wings

3. New York Islanders

4. New York Rangers

5. Philadelphia Flyers

6. New Jersey Devils

7. Chicago Blackhawks

8. Boston Bruins

9. Calgary Flames

10. Carolina Hurricanes

11. LA Kings

12. Vancouver Canucks

13. Edmonton Oilers

14. Pittsburgh Penguins

15. St. Louis Blues

16. Buffalo Sabres

17. Dallas Stars

18. Washington Capitals

19. Ottawa Senators

20. Colorado Avalanche

21. Toronto Maple Leafs

[auxlepli 17]

Personally I like the way the Leafs honor numbers as opposed to retiring a number. It's crazy the way Montreal is with all those weird, wacky, high numbers. The Habs will probably have to use three-digit numbers soon. lol

Chicago does that with street names too. Instead of re-naming a street after a person, they place a sign under the proper name for the person being honored. More cities should do that IMO.

Tangentally, only two types of banners should be raised - retired number banners and championship banners.

I hate seeing division champ banners, conference champ banners and President Cup banners. Only one matters IMO and that's Cup winners!

I agree with people who posted no in regards to retiring Shanny's and Fedorov's numbers.

[LIDDYGIBBY5 1]

Here is the standard for a number going into the rafters. Everyone agrees that it should happen. That is how high the standard should be. No one would argue the names up there now, or at the time that they went up. That is how you decide.

[eva unit zero 271]

Here is the standard for a number going into the rafters. Everyone agrees that it should happen. That is how high the standard should be. No one would argue the names up there now, or at the time that they went up. That is how you decide.

Yzerman, Howe, Delvecchio all had their digits retired right after they left. There was no debate

Lindsay, Abel, and Sawchuk weren't retired until they had been out of the league for decades and the team had been under new ownership for a decade. That suggests there was some debate about whether they deserved it.

[Offsides 21]

I also prefer the Leafs system where great players are honored and no numbers are retired. That would leave room for some great players who've been big parts of the org. to be honored, but okay, they are not necessarily rafter material:

i.e. Shanahan, Osgood, etc.