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This is a complete list of numbers retired by the National Hockey League (NHL). A retired number is a jersey number that is taken out of circulation by a team as a way of honouring a former member of that team who wore that number.
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The first team to retire a number was the Toronto Maple Leafs, which retired Ace Bailey's number 6 on February 14, 1934, prior to an All-Star game organized in his honour.
Currently in the NHL, there are 122 retired numbers, 7 former retirements, and 23 honoured numbers. Most of the numbers retired by the Hartford Whalers and Quebec Nordiques were put back in circulation when those franchises relocated and became the Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche, respectively, although the Hurricanes keep Gordie Howe's number 9 unofficially retired. The Arizona Coyotes had a policy of retaining the numbers retired when the franchise was the Winnipeg Jets but reversed it after the Phoenix Coyotes were sold and became the Arizona Coyotes. Honoured numbers are similar to retired numbers, except that they remain available for use by other players. Presently, only the Calgary Flames, and the St. Louis Blues employ this designation. The Philadelphia Flyers have also unofficially retired number 31 in honour of goaltender Pelle Lindbergh since his death in 1985.
Wayne Gretzky's number 99 has been retired league-wide, although the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings separately retired Gretzky's number.
Upon joining the league in 2000, the Minnesota Wild had a ceremony retiring number 1 from circulation as a tribute to their fans.
Eleven numbers have been retired by a team in honour of two different players: number 12 by the Montreal Canadiens for Dickie Moore and Yvan Cournoyer, number 16 by the Montreal Canadiens for Elmer Lach and Henri Richard, number 3 by the Chicago Blackhawks for Pierre Pilote and Keith Magnuson, number 5 by the Canadiens for Bernie Geoffrion and Guy Lapointe, number 9 by the New York Rangers for Andy Bathgate and Adam Graves, number 1 by the Toronto Maple Leafs for Johnny Bower and Turk Broda, number 4 by the Maple Leafs for Hap Day and Red Kelly, number 7 by the Maple Leafs for King Clancy and Tim Horton, number 9 by the Maple Leafs for Charlie Conacher and Ted Kennedy, number 10 by the Maple Leafs for Syl Apps and George Armstrong, and number 27 by the Maple Leafs for Frank Mahovlich and Darryl Sittler.
Only seven players have had their number retired by two different NHL teams:
Unofficially retired numbers
These numbers are not considered officially retired, but have still been removed from circulation.
Honoured numbers
Unlike the numbers retired by the Flames these honoured numbers remain in circulation. Some of the numbers honoured by the Blues remain in circulation, while others have been removed from circulation without being officially retired.
Former retired numbers
It is very rare for a team to reissue a retired number, and usually requires a special circumstance, such as a number being requested for a family member (such as Bobby Hull asking the Phoenix Coyotes to allow his son Brett to wear Bobby's number 9), or the player for whom the number was retired coming out of retirement himself (such as Mario Lemieux).
In cases of franchise relocation, the handling of existing retired numbers is at the discretion of team management. They may decide to continue honouring the retired numbers, such as the Dallas Stars and Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes, or they may choose to make a "fresh start" and reissue the numbers, as the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes have done.
The Hurricanes have an unusual exception with regards to Gordie Howe's number 9. While the Hurricanes have not made any formal recognition of the Hartford Whalers' retirement of the number, they have kept the number out of circulation since their 1997 relocation.