Nashville Predators: Greatest Sweater Numbers in Team History
A team’s history can be told in many ways, one being sweater numbers players wore. The Nashville Predators are gaining quite a collection.
Sports are steeped in history. Fans who follow teams for years can recall spectacular moments including even the smallest of details. It could be from championship winning moments to the unlikeliest of comebacks. Just twenty years into their existence, the story of the Nashville Predators is filled with such moments.
Few things in a team’s history bring memories like the numbers on the players’ backs. The number 23 will forever be associated with Michael Jordan. Well, unless you are a die-hard Chicago Cubs fan, then you think Ryne Sandberg. The number 42? Jackie Robinson. Eighteen? Peyton Manning.
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Wayne Gretzky will forever be associated with 99. Bobby Orr is #4. FanSided’s Dave Stevenson states P.K. Subban is the greatest player to wear the number 76. It is interesting to see how many current players may be the best to sport their numbers.
With the Predators being one of the youngest teams in the NHL, it is interesting to see 72 numbers have been worn on the ice. Fourteen of those have only been on the back of one player each. Ten sweaters were given to 8 or more players. The most worn? That would be the number 14, which has been used 11 times. Mattias Ekholm is one of those players, but also put on 42.
What are the greatest sweater numbers in Nashville Predators’ history? We try to provide the answers.
A perfect 10
Five Nashville Predators donned the 1-0. It may be the best number in team history. On the current roster, Colton Sissons wears the number and is performing well. In three season with this sweater, Sissons is emerging as an important player. Last season, he finished with a career-high 27 points. It was his six goals and six assists in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs that will go down in team history. When the Predators needed a forward to step up, Sissons did, notching two game-winning goals in the postseason.
The player we will likely remember all-time to wear the number 10 deserves a place in the Predators Ring of Honor. Well, if they had one. Second in franchise history in points and third in goals is Martin Erat. Selected in the seventh round of the 1999 Draft, Erat helped establish a new team in winning fashion. The Predators went to the playoffs seven times with Erat nearly 44 points per season.
However, Erat would be traded to the Washington Capitals in 2012 for Filip Forsberg. I think it worked out well for the Predators.
I’d give it a 6
The number 6 is big in the NBA. The first two that come to mind for most is Julius Ervin and Patrick Ewing. And, Lebron James during his time in Miami.
As for the NHL, over 400 players lay claim to #6. Phil Housley may be the best to shoulder this sweater number all-time. For the Predators, however, it leads us to one player: Shea Weber.
For 11 seasons, Weber held the number 6 for the Nashville Predators. Four times he was an All-Star, and a Norris Trophy finalist three times. Weber failed to score more than 40 points three times in his Predator career, and one of those was during the abbreviated 2012-13 season. He ranks third in team history with 443 points, 142 more than fourth place.
The effects of his play and whispers of his name continue to echo through the halls of Bridgestone Arena. Weber was used in acquiring P.K. Subban from Montreal in 2016.
11 11, make a wish
When all is said and done, we could be saying the best player in Predators’ history worn #11. Right now, it would likely be true. As is the story with many top players that have played for Nashville, the original #11 was traded away. Still, he deserves a spot in the eventual Ring of Honor.
The first player ever selected by the Nashville Predators was David Legwand. In 15 season, Legwand amassed a franchise-best 210 goals, 356 assists, and 566 total points. His 956 games played are nearly 200 more than Weber. It is easy to see why many consider him the best skater in team history.
Can that change? Probably. But, will it be another player to wear the same number. It could happen. How?
The top prospect in the Predators’ system worn #11 last season, and could continue to don the number. After epic campaigns in the KHL and Olympics, excitement and hope surround the 19-year-old forward. Still, he is young and not played in real action yet.
But, there is no doubting the potential.
Number Nine.
Six players lay claim to wearing number nine. Two of those players are true NHL Superstars. This coming season will the seventh year for one of those stars. The other was only here for two seasons.
7 + 2 = 9.
Between them, they have 416 points. 4 – 1 + 6 = 9.
They have a total of 495 games in a Predators’ jersey. Oddly enough, divide that by 9 and you get 55…
…which is the total number of goals by Paul Kariya as a Predator.
The only formerPredator elected to the NHL Hall of Fame, Kariya was one of the most exciting players during his time. In two full seasons, which he played every game, Kariya tallied 161 points. That ranks 22nd in franchise history. To this day, he is the team’s single-season leader in assists (54) and points (85).He helped lead the Predators to their best season ever.
That was until last season. Then, it was a different #9. And with 255 points in Nashville, Filip Forsberg ranks ninth in team history. No Predators has more than his 6 hat tricks. Forsberg ranks first (33) and second (31) in goals in a season as a Predators.
Alternate jerseys, then and now. dark. Next
Nine just may be the best number ever for a Nashville Predator.