Jersey numbers in all sports have important meanings and there always seem to be some numbers that just attract greatness.

Obviously, different numbers will always stand out in different sports like 42 in baseball, 99 in hockey, 23 in basketball, 10 in soccer and 12 in football. However, those aren’t the numbers that stand out today. In hockey, people often think of 97 and 87, but we’re after something else: What numbers are attracting great players around the league?

Throwing goalies out the window, because a lot of numbers have never been worn by goalies and vice versa, we’re looking at the best starting five (Three forwards, two defencemen) in NHL jersey numbers.

 

 

#Repost @bardown ••• Which number creates the best current line-up? 🤔

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#9
Panarin – Eichel – Hall
Provorov – Orlov

This has to be the favourite coming out of the gate. With Eichel switching to number nine you are able to switch him into the middle of the ice and put together a legit all-star lineup. With this you can even build around it for the future.

#8
Ovechkin – Turris – Pavelski
Doughty – Werenski

Having Ovi and Doughty in the same lineup is lethal enough to make the list, but add in the rest of these guys and we’re having a hard time deciding between this and number nine.

#29
Draisaitl – MacKinnon – Laine
Djoos – Koekkoek

We’re pretty sure this one isn’t going to compete with the top two right now, but if you want to pick a line for the future, this could be it. Christian Djoos is a pretty great under-the-radar prospect in the league and Slater Koekkoek was taken 10th overall in 2012 and is only 24.

#88
Kane – Gaudette – Pastrnak
Burns – Schmidt

If Gaudette is able to turn his Hobey Baker Award into NHL success, this lineup could compete with anything above it. Kane and Pastrnak are two of the best wingers in hockey and, aside from Nate Schmidt’s suspension, those are two legit top-pairing defencemen.

#19
Toews – Backstrom – Tkachuk
Bouwmeester – Hamilton

We’re not sure this one can really compete with the others at the moment, but a bounce back year from Toews as well as a step forward by Tkachuk could change that.

Honorable mentions: There were a lot of great other numbers out there like 13 (Barzal, Gaudreau, Hischier), 71 (Malkin, W. Karlsson, Larkin) and 91 (Tavares, Stamkos, Seguin Tarasenko) that are loaded on forward but just have no defencemen and vice versa for three and four.

If we had to choose, we’re going number nine. The young stars are just too good to pass over.