By: Nick Lanciani
My exploration of what retired numbers around the league may look like in the future continues. While there’s only a finite set of numbers to utilize on the back of a jersey, many teams choose to retire (or honor) some numbers based on extraordinary circumstances, dedication to the organization, or legendary status.
Many thoughts went through my head in each and every consideration. Feel free to agree or disagree- I want to know what you, the fans, consider worthy when evaluating a player, their career, and whether or not their number should be retired by a franchise. I am interested in seeing what you have to say, assuming you are actually a fan of the team and/or player that you argue for or against. Drop us a line in the comments or tweet to @DtFrozenRiver using #DTFRNumbersGame.
For each team, I thought of former and current players that should have their numbers retired now or once they hang up the skates.
Buffalo Sabres
Current Retired Numbers- 2 Tim Horton, 7 Rick Martin, 11 Gilbert Perreault, 14 Rene Robert, 16 Pat Lafontaine, 18 Danny Gare, 39 Dominik Hasek
Recommended Numbers to Retire-
81 Miroslav Satan
It might be a hard case to make for Satan, but he did have impressive numbers coincide with being one of the faces of the franchise for the Sabres in the 1990s and early 2000s.
26 Thomas Vanek
Vanek has spent the majority of his career with the Buffalo Sabres so far, so it would make sense for the first Austrian in the NHL to have his number retired by an organization that did so much for his career (and that he did so much for in general).
He graciously left Buffalo in a trade with the New York Islanders- seeking a career move, before spending a brief stint with the Montreal Canadiens. Now a member of the Minnesota Wild, Thomas Vanek is still one of the most popular players in upstate New York.
Vanek is a true ambassador of the game and surely should be recognized as such by the Buffalo community some day.
30 Ryan Miller
Despite how he left the Sabres, Ryan Miller’s number is certainly up for consideration in the future to be retired by Buffalo. Then again, it seems as though with goaltenders you have to be truly extraordinary (like Patrick Roy, Dominik Hasek, or Martin Brodeur extraordinary) to have your number retired by an organization.
Miller was once loved by Sabres fans all around. Now he is loathed for how he left, the return on the trade to St. Louis, and for signing with the Vancouver Canucks when there was much hype over a possible return to Buffalo.
Now it seems his prime is behind him, while the Canucks are in a turbulent position. Perhaps the only thing he has left to hold onto are his good memories with the Sabres.
29 Jason Pominville
Much like Thomas Vanek, Pominville spent the majority of his career so far with the Sabres before moving on to the Minnesota Wild. Retiring his number might be a long shot someday, but he played his way into the hearts and minds of many Sabres fans, especially longtime Buffalo play-by-play announcer, Rick Jeanneret, who likened the number of goals Pominville scored to “the population of Pominville” increasing.
Other Notes
Zemgus Girgensons without a doubt will see his number retired by the Buffalo Sabres someday if he spends his entire career with them. Maybe even Jack Eichel too.
Talk to me in twenty years about this one, okay?
