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Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings By The Numbers

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3 years ago

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The Red Wings have unveiled the numbers to be worn by the club's newest players.

The numbers that the newest members of the Detroit Red Wings will wear this season were unveiled by the club on Wednesday.

Here’s a look at what they’ll be wearing, who wore it most recently, and who wore it best.

Nick Leddy (No. 2)

Leddy wore No. 2 on the back of his jersey for all seven of his seasons with the New York Islanders, so he’s simply continuing that tradtion. He wore No. 8 previously with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Who Wore It Last: Defenseman Joe Hicketts, in 2019-20, was Detroit’s previous wearer of jersey No. 2.

Who Wore It Best: Take your pick. Hall of Famers Black Jack Stewart and Slava Fetisov were both No. 2. So was Doug Young, Detroit’s first Stanley Cup-winning captain in 1935-36 and Gary Bergman, a member of Team Canada during the 1972 Summit Series.

Mitchell Stephens (No. 22)

Stephens has worn No. 67 his entire pro career with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Forward Taro Hirose already has that number with the Wings. Stephens never wore No. 22 in junior. The closest was the No. 23 he donned for Canada at the 2015 World U18 Championship.

Who Wore It Last: Defenseman Patrik Nemeth was No. 22 from 2019-21 until he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche at least season’s NHL trade deadline.

Who Wore It Best: Hall of Famer Dino Ciccarelli scored 41 goals for the 1992-93 Wings while wearing No. 22. Hall of Famer Brad Park concluded his NHL playing career wearing No. 22 with Detroit from 1983-85. Fellow Hall of Fame defenseman Marcel Pronovost donned No. 22 for the 1949-50 Stanley Cup champion Wings.

Pius Suter (No. 24)

Suter wore No. 24 with the Swiss world junior squad, as well as last season for the Chicago Blackhawks. He wore 44 with ZSC Lions Zurich of the Swiss League and 22 during his days with the OHL’s Guelph Storm.

Who Wore It Last: Defenseman Jon Merrill and forward Richad Panik both wore No. 24 for the Wings in 2021.

Who Wore It Best: Two Hall of Fame defenseman – Chris Chelios (1999-2009) and Leo Boivin (1965-66) – wore No. 24 as Red Wings. However, any Detroit fan will immediately identify No. 24 with one player and one player only – Bob Probert (1985-94). He’s still Detroit’s single-season penalty minute record holder with 398 minutes in 1987-88. Probert was also an NHL All-Star that season, along with being the league’s most feared and respected enforcer.

Alex Nedeljkovic (No. 39)

Nedeljkovic wore No. 39 in the OHL with the Plymouth Whalers and in the NHL for the Carolina Hurricanes. He’s also worn Nos. 1, 29, 30, 31, 34, and 35 during his junior and pro playing days.

Who Wore It Last: Right-winger Anthony Mantha (2015-21) was a three-time 20-goal scorer while wearing No. 39 for the Wings.

Who Wore It Best: The Dominator. Goaltender Dominik Hasek won two Stanley Cups during three separate stints as a Red Wing between 2001-08.

Jordan Oesterle (No. 82)

Oesterle wore No. 82 when he made his NHL debut with the Edmonton Oilers on February 21, 2017. He’s stuck with the digits through NHL stops with the Blackhawks, Arizona Coyotes and Detroit. Oesterle also wore No. 82 for Team USA at the 2018 IIHF World Championship.

Who Wore It Last: Right-winger Tomas Kopecky wore No. 82 for the Wings from 2007-09.

Who Wore It Best: Kopecky is in fact the only previous Detroit player to wear No. 82. The good news for Wings fans is that every season in which the club has suited up a No. 82, they’ve gone to the Stanley Cup final.

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