Sweater numbers are synonymous with players. Most hockey fans can instantly tell you a great player by the number they wear on their back. There are many different stories about how players became associated with the famous numbers. Many odd and interesting facts surround these numbers as well. As we count down the start of the 2023-24 NHL season, we take a look at the story behind the numbers. Today we continue with sweater number 78. Keep up to date with the series everyday until the start of the 2023-24 NHL season.
Behind the Sweater Number: 78
The First 78s
According to Hockey Reference, 23 players have worn sweater number 78. The first player to wear that number was Pavol Demitra, who had the number when he first broke into the league with the Ottawa Senators. Demitra first broke into the league in the 1993-94 season. He’d keep the jersey for all three seasons with the Senators. However, he would switch to his trademark 38 with the St. Louis Blues. Demitra would sadly pass in the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash. The Slovakian forward was universally beloved by the hockey world. He’s gone, but his legacy lives on.
The next player to wear sweater number 78 was Eric Landry with the Montreal Canadiens. Landry took the sweater for two seasons in the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons. He only wore it for 53 games with the Habs. Marc Pouliot would be the next to take the number for four seasons with the Edmonton Oilers. He wore the number for 176 games with the club.
The Quiet History of 78
There really hasn’t been much of history associated with sweater number 78 Pierre-Édouard Bellemare was voted the best player to wear that number when the NHL did its Who Wore it Best series. Bellemare wore the number for 237 games for the Philadelphia Flyers through 2014-17. Filip Chlapík only wore the number for 57 games across four seasons with the Senators. T.J. Brodie has the number currently for the Toronto Maple Leafs after wearing six and 66 with the Calgary Flames.
There are currently only two other players like Nico Sturm, Jacob Bryson listed as wearing 78 on active rosters. Other players are listed with the number, but have yet to debut in the league.
The Future of 78
Most of the numbers on the countdown have at least one or two well-known players. However, sweater number 78 hasn’t gotten much run. That would change if one player finds a bond with the number and takes it from there. A couple of good seasons could make the number their own. It’s into the great wide open with sweater number 78
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