#24 should be retired? But to who?

[eva unit zero 271]

Its up to ilitch and after the whole 'will he won't he' season with carolina and detroit bidding for him, I really doubt Mr I will give Feds that distinction.

#5 will be double-hung as the next number in the rafters (Lidstrom and Kelly). After that it will be #30. Following that #91 has a slim chance at making it, and then we see numbers such as #13 possibly being the second double-hung number going up for Datsyuk and Slava Kozlov; of current players, #40, #55, #26, #51, and #35 could all earn jersey retirements from the current roster.

[Buppy 1,720]

Maybe Red Kelly's number wasn't retired because he spent a significant amount of time playing for the Leafs.

All the players the Wings have retired spent either their entire career, or almost their entire career (like say Howe) playing for the Wings.

I don't see them giving it to two players who played a long time with other franchises.

We're not the divealanche.

True he played a while in Toronto, but Sawchuk also played about the same number of seasons outside Detroit. And Kelly is considered one of the all-time great defensemen. Maybe not as relatively great as Sawchuk, but still probably worthy of retirement.

...

I can't see why not. The guys NHL resume is nearly as impressive as Yzermans, and he was a huge part of the 3 cup teams.

No where near Yzerman. 200 fewer goals, 600 fewer points, never captain, disputes with management, left on bad terms, played a decent portion of his career with other teams, not one of the NHLs all-time greatest...

Fedorov's number will not, and should not, be retired here.

#5 will be double-hung as the next number in the rafters (Lidstrom and Kelly). After that it will be #30. Following that #91 has a slim chance at making it, and then we see numbers such as #13 possibly being the second double-hung number going up for Datsyuk and Slava Kozlov; of current players, #40, #55, #26, #51, and #35 could all earn jersey retirements from the current roster.

Kelly wore #4 didn't he?

Ozzie, like Fedorov, has a case, but unlikely he'll ever get that honor. He's not an all-time, hasn't played his whole career here, hasn't ever really been considered among the best of his era even. Not really anything special that says he should be given that honor.

Kozlov is laughable, as are Kronwall, Hudler, and Filppula barring any massive improvements in ability. Datsyuk is highly unlikely. Hank would have to improve greatly, and still probably need a nice and successful tenure as captain. Jury's still out on Howard, but I would say the odds are overwhelmingly against.

If any of those players were the standard for retiring numbers, we could probably find someone for every number. Fill the rafters, and make the honor meaningless.

5 will go up, 6 should (but probably won't, at least until Ilitch is gone), and maybe 4. That's it for the forseeable future.

[HankthaTank 1,100]

#5 will be double-hung as the next number in the rafters (Lidstrom and Kelly). After that it will be #30. Following that #91 has a slim chance at making it, and then we see numbers such as #13 possibly being the second double-hung number going up for Datsyuk and Slava Kozlov; of current players, #40, #55, #26, #51, and #35 could all earn jersey retirements from the current roster.

Eva where is the % possibility for any of these players? I am disappointed! I can probably bet a large amount that Ozzie will not be retired as much as everyone is willing to think so. Hank is way higher up than Pav imo but who knows, both are great players.

[Nic 59]

I honestly skimmed the first and third page of this thread, but I have a suggestion.

Official 'off limits' numbers, according to Wiki anyway, fall under 2 categories. Formally retired and 'out of circulation'.

This off season makes it a great time to bring up the point.

Modano wanted to 'flip' his 9 and make it a 6 but the organization brought Larry Aurie to his attention and drove his decision to the #90.

Aurie's number was never formally retired, but our organization stood by explaining to a player why it should not be taken.

Maybe our organization could just speak to guys coming to us, quietly, that we have had one historically great and tragically deceased player wear the number 24 and yet another do the number strong justice but has since retired and geuinely discourage, but not protest anyone from wearing it to honor them both?

Edited August 10, 2010 by Nic

[Jasper84 333]

Maybe our organization could just speak to guys coming to us, quietly, that we have had one historically great and tragically deceased player wear the number 24 and yet another do the number strong justice but has since retired and geuinely discourage, but not protest anyone from wearing it to honor them both?

Was just skimming older topics and couldn't help but comment on this. I doubt they will do that, considering they've given 24 to Salei.

[skyphoenix 153]

Can Zetterberg and Datsyuk be retired as a duo? We can hang up the number 1340 and have it say "Euro Twins".

[eva unit zero 271]

Eva where is the % possibility for any of these players? I am disappointed! I can probably bet a large amount that Ozzie will not be retired as much as everyone is willing to think so. Hank is way higher up than Pav imo but who knows, both are great players.

Those are the players on the current roster who began their career as Wings and have had strong careers or still have the potential to have strong careers. The chances for those numbers to be retired is not great, but Jiri Hudler's #26 and Valtteri Filppula's #51 are both more deserving based on the standard Red Wing criteria than Brendan Shanahan's #14 Chris Chelios #24.

[Buppy 1,720]

Those are the players on the current roster who began their career as Wings and have had strong careers or still have the potential to have strong careers. The chances for those numbers to be retired is not great, but Jiri Hudler's #26 and Valtteri Filppula's #51 are both more deserving based on the standard Red Wing criteria than Brendan Shanahan's #14 Chris Chelios #24.

Flip and Happy would be doing well if their career numbers can match what Shanny did just in his time here. They'd need to average 25+ goals and/or 50+ points for the next 10 years to do that.

They might, by the end of their careers, be as deserving as Shanny is now (which, btw, is not at all). Right now, they're not even close. They're a bit closer to Chelios (who again, isn't anywhere near deserving) since half his time here was as a well-over-the-hill role-player, but I think they still have a ways to go to match even that inauspicious height.

Barring a near miraculous-leap in their level of play, neither will ever approach the rafters.

[eva unit zero 271]

Flip and Happy would be doing well if their career numbers can match what Shanny did just in his time here. They'd need to average 25+ goals and/or 50+ points for the next 10 years to do that.

They might, by the end of their careers, be as deserving as Shanny is now (which, btw, is not at all). Right now, they're not even close. They're a bit closer to Chelios (who again, isn't anywhere near deserving) since half his time here was as a well-over-the-hill role-player, but I think they still have a ways to go to match even that inauspicious height.

Barring a near miraculous-leap in their level of play, neither will ever approach the rafters.

Yes, it's unlikely for either, but both are more likely than Shanahan.

[Buppy 1,720]

Yes, it's unlikely for either, but both are more likely than Shanahan.

Fair enough, considering Shanny's chances are pretty close to zero.

[HomeNugget 2]

Neither player did enough in Detroit to deserve such an honor.