Do you often wonder why certain players wear certain numbers? Sometimes it’s a lucky number, sometimes it’s what their favorite player growing up wore, and sometimes they simply didn’t have a choice when they joined a team and never bothered to change it later.
Here we look at the Buffalo Sabres‘ Sam Reinhart, and why he wears the ’23’.
Video courtesy of Buffalo Sabres
Former players to have worn the ’23’ for Buffalo include:
- Eddie Shack (1971-1972)
- Paul Terbenche (1971)
- René Robert (1972-1973)
- Larry Carriere (1973-1978)
- John Gould (1973)
- Joe Noris (1974)
- Ken Breitenbach (1976-1979)
- Mike Ramsey (1980)
- Bob Hess (1981-1982)
- Randy Cunneyworth (1981)
- Hannu Virta (1982)
- Kai Suikkanen (1983)
- Sean McKenna (1983)
- Ron Fischer (1983)
- Gates Orlando (1985-1987)
- Ray Sheppard (1988-1990)
- Jiri Sejba (1991)
- Randy Hillier (1992)
- Bill Houlder (1993)
- Sean McMorrow (2003)
- Chris Drury (2004-2007)
- Colin Stuart (2011)
- Ville Leino (2012-2014)
Data courtesy of Hockey Reference
Some highlights include captain Chris Drury whose clutch exploits in the post-lockout years made him a fan favorite. Randy Cunneyworth is also in there, who recently became the winningest head coach of the Rochester Americans after posting win #338. Mike Ramsey and Rene Robert are other legends to have worn ’23’ that fans will fondly remember.
What are some of your memories associated with the ’23’ sweater?