It was originally released in August 2015 and updated in September 2025.
In the course of the NHL’s history, there are many records in the books that are rarely broken. The best ice class ever made was quite clear. On top is Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Bobby Orr, while others drip underneath. The awards are named after some great greatness of all time. For example, the Maurice Richard Trophy is named after the first person to score 50 goals in 50 games and 500 games, rewarding players with the most goals each season.
The unique way for teams to honor the best players in their respective history is the jersey numbers worn by retired players. This tradition began with Ace Bailey #6, which the Toronto Maple Leafs retired on February 14, 1934. Lemieux’s #66 has not been retired by the league yet, but no one has worn it since he retired, because it is known to be “informal retirement”.
Apart from these numbers, #9 is the most common retirement number, which is invested 10 times by 9 separate teams (two retirements of the New York Rangers). Nine are often called the best number ever, as the number of superstars puts it on their backs. Because nine if it’s the most retired figure, we’ll use it to see the best #9s in NHL history.
The best retired player wearing #9
Lanny McDonald – Calgary Flame
Lanny McDonald and his brilliant beard scored 544 goals and 1,090 points in 1,111 games for the Leaf, Rockies and Flames. He won a Stanley Cup with his flames.
Johnny Bucyk – Boston Brown Bear
During his career in 1664, Bucyk recorded 597 goals and 1472 points. He went on to win two Stanley Cups, big, bad tans.
Paul Kariya – Anaheim’s powerful duck
Kariya’s career has been huge, although he has never captured the Cup. In 15 NHL seasons, he scored 402 goals and 989 points in 989 games. His phone number should be retired by the duck, or at least respected.
Bernie Nichols – King of Los Angeles
Bernie Nicholls played for six teams in his 18-year career and never won the Cup in 13 playoffs. In 1127 games, he scored 475 goals and 1209 points.
Best Current #9s
JT Miller – New York Rangers
So far, the New York Rangers ranked 15th in 2011, scoring 260 goals and 709 points in 871 games. He was a prominent contributor to the Rangers in six seasons, and he held two 20 goals games before being traded to Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2017-18 season. He played only 94 games with them, and then the block crunch forced the trade to the Vancouver Canucks. This is where the story becomes interesting.
Miller’s first season with the Garners was a historic one. He has always been their best player at night and soon became the leader of the dynamic young core they are building. His career-high 32 goals and 99 points are the team’s number one, making him the most productive forward since Henrik and Daniel Sedin. In the 2024-25 season, he returned to the Rangers.
Jack Eichel – Las Vegas Golden Knights
The Grand Center from North Chelmsford, Massachusetts is one of the most important works of the Golden Knights. He was an elite contributor to the game, and when he was Buffalo Saber, he did it without his teammates. At night and at night, he is the reason you watch Sabers hockey. As the highest-paid player in the team’s history, he is the face of the team and the league. Saber traded him to the Golden Knights of Vegas in 2021, and he helped them win the 2023 Stanley Cup.
Eichel has scored 239 goals and 369 assists in 616 games since finishing second in the 2015 NHL Draft, behind Edmonton Oilers’ superstar Connor McDavid.
Ivan Provorov – Columbus Blue Jacket
Since selecting the seventh time in the 2015 draft, Ivan Provorov has become a generation of players in the flyer and now blue jacket. His professional number speaks for himself – in just nine years, he has made impressive games with 77 goals and 205 assists.
Born in Russia, the stud is one of the best and smartest defensive players in the league, seeking warm-up missiles to shoot, and the smartest hockey fans often don’t notice. When he finished speaking, this #9 would likely see his phone number hanging on the after-sub in Wells Fargo Center.
Philip Fosberg – Nashville Predator
Before he played the NHL game, the Nashville Predators acquired Filip Forsberg in an unbalanced deal, bringing Martin Erat and Michael Latta to the Washington capital. He has since developed into the most stable and deadliest scorer for the Predators, with at least 20 goals except for one whole season, including five 30 goals and two 40-goal seasons.
Through 780 NHL games, he has 318 goals and 681 points. He played a key role as the Predator entered the 2017 Stanley Cup final, ending with 16 points in 22 games. He is also known for his successful attempt at “SVECH”, a hockey-style goal, which he played against the Edmonton Oilers on January 14, 2020.
Clayton Keller – Utah Mammoth
Clayton Keller didn’t waste any time at all times and became one of the best young players in the league. The Utah forwards are already the fourth highest score in the 2016 NHL draft class, including Patrik Laine, Auston Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk.
He also showed high durability, and despite his scoring production of 5-foot-10, he hasn’t missed a NHL career game yet. His script has won him an eight-year contract extension, so we will see more of the SLC’s Keller in the coming years.
5 Best #9s in NHL History
5: Mike Modano – Dallas Stars
Often considered the best American of all time, Modano won a Stanley Cup with the stars. In his career, he scored 617 goals and 1,520 points in 1,675 games, while the score began to drop. In 1988, the Minnesota North Stars made their NHL debut in the 1989 playoffs.
His most successful individual season was in 1993-94, when he scored 50 goals. As for his record as an American, Modemano has played the most goals, scores, playoff points and games in NHL history.
4: Glenn Anderson – Edmonton Oilers
Glenn Anderson had his best match ever with Gretzky and Messier. In the 1354 game, he scored 591 goals and 1313 points, winning six Stanley Cups in his time. Anderson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009. He was a Canadian Cup twice and retired in 2009 by the Edmonton Oilers. Anderson was selected 69th by Edmonton in 1979. He played 16 NHL seasons, separated between Maple Leafs, Blues, Rangers and Oilers.
3: Bobby Hull – Chicago Blackhawks
Hull played 1,182 games in the NHL, scoring 672 goals and 1,299 points for the Blackhawks, while he also coached the Winnipeg Jets while in the WHA.
He won a Stanley Cup. Hull has won three Art Trophy titles in most individual points in a season, with two Hart Memorial Trophys being the league’s MVP and 10 shocking first All-Star teams. In his 23 seasons, Hull became one of the best and only players in the league to be ever made.
2: Maurice Richard – Montreal Canadian
Considered one of the best shooters in NHL history. He scored 626 goals in 1,111 games in his way to the Habs’ eight Stanley Cups, totaling 1,111 games. Richard won the All-Star Game seven times and won the Hart Trophy in 1946-47.
One of his most prestigious achievements was winning the Lou Marsh trophy and becoming the Canadian Athlete of the Year in 1957. Richard was frightened by his brilliant eyes on the ice, staring at his opponent as he approached them. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1961 just one year after his retirement.
1: Gordie Howe – Detroit Red Wings
This eternal miracle played the unheard of 26 NHL seasons, with another six in the WHA. Howe scored 869 goals and 2010 points in the 1924 Olympics. He is one of the most respected players of all time. Hao’s incredible career can be summed up by his seemingly indestructible list of records.
He played the most regular season game ever, and in 1767, it was also the most games on a team, at 1,687. He has the most seasons in the NHL, with the most relationship with Chris Chelios, 26 and the most consecutive 20 goals-scoring seasons, with 22 seasons ranging from 1949 to 1971. He scored the most goals (801), scored (1,850) on any right-winger in history. Howe has made his most All-Star appearance ever and has an incredible 23 games. Finally, he was the oldest NHL game at the age of 52. This record is certainly not going to be broken, because the 40-year-old is really pushing it now.
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