By the Numbers :: 21 – 30

On By mpetrella

Here’s your third installment of By the Numbers. 1-10 can be found here, and 11-20 can be found here.

This may be the last section of numbers with deep history, since there haven’t been many Hall of Famers wearing 51 and such… yet…

21

First Wearer :: Ken Kilrea, 1938
Current Wearer :: Ville Leino
Other Notables :: Marcel Pronovost, Andy Bathgate, Pete Mahovlich, Ron Stackhouse, Danny Grant, Adam Oates, Borje Salming, Bob Errey, Boyd Devereaux
The story of #21 :: It could have been Igor Grigorenko’s if he hadn’t limped back to Russia with his tail between his legs.

22

First Wearer :: Don Deacon, 1938
Current Wearer :: Brett Lebda
Other Notables :: Stu McNeill, Dennis Polonich, Dennis Hextall, Murray Craven, Brad Park, Dave Barr, Dino Ciccarelli, Mike Knuble, Yuri Butsayev
The story of #22 :: Nice run in 22 from Hextall to Knuble.

23

First Wearer :: Eddie Nicholson, 1947
Current Wearer :: Brad Stuart
Other Notables :: Johnny Wilson, Guy Charron, Robbie Ftorek, Basil McRae, Lee Norwood, Kevin Miller, Greg Johnson, Stacy Roest, Mathieu Schneider
The story of #23 :: Always seems like the number that’s just kind of GIVEN, ya know?

24

First Wearer :: Calum McKay, 1948
Most Recent Wearer :: Chris Chelios, 2009
Other Notables :: Bart Crashley, Gary Doak, Pete Mahovlich, Bob McCord, Randy Manery, Greg Joly, Bob Probert
The story of #24 :: Clearly reserved for badasses.

25

First Wearer :: Ed Stankiewicz, 1953
Most Recent Wearer :: Darren McCarty, 2009
Other Notables :: Hank Bassen, John Ogrodnick, Dave Lewis, Troy Crowder
The story of #25 :: Did you know John Ogrodnick is one of only six Red Wings to score 50 goals in a season?

26

First Wearer :: Doug Roberts, 1963
Most Recent Wearer :: Jiri Hudler, 2009
Other Notables :: Al Cameron, Steve Short, Jim Korn, Barry Melrose, Joey Kocur, Ray Sheppard, Wes Walz
The story of #26 :: What do you remember most: Barry Melrose’s mullet, Joe Kocur’s fists or Ray Sheppard’s hands?

27

First Wearer :: Frank Mahovlich, 1967
Most Recent Wearer :: Darryl Bootland, 2007
Other Notables :: Denis Dejordy, Buster Harvey, Bob Ritchie, Brent Peterson, Brad Smith, Reggie Leach, Darryl Sittler, Harold Snepsts, Doug Houda, Jim Cummins, Micah Aivazoff, Marc Bergevin, Aaron Ward, Fredrik Olausson, Patrick Boileau
The story of #27 :: Haaaaaaa-roooooold. Haaaaaa-roooooooold.

28

First Wearer :: Barry Salovaara, 1975
Current Wearer :: Brian Rafalski
Other Notables :: Reed Larson, Dallas Drake, Tomas Sandstrom, Yan Golubovsky, Steve Duchesne, Tomas Kopecky
The story of #28 :: Kopecky switched from 32 to 28, just in time for the Red Wings to acquire long-time 28 wearer Brian Rafalski.

29

First Wearer :: Terry Sawchuk, 1968
Most Recent Wearer :: Ty Conklin, 2009
Other Notables :: Brian McCutcheon, Tim Sheehy, Ted Nolan, Randy Ladouceur, Gilbert Delorme, Randy McKay, Dennis Vial, Mike Vernon, Jason Williams
The story of #29 :: All good memories of Mike Vernon were wiped away by Jason Williams.

30

First Wearer :: Hank Bassen, 1965
Current Wearer :: Chris Osgood
Other Notables :: Roger Crozier, Roy Edwards, Rogie Vachon, Greg Stefan
The story of #30 :: Of the 18 players to wear #30, only Ozzie, Stefan, and Edwards lasted more than a season in it.