Rarest Rangers sweaters in franchise history, including Wayne Gretzky
The New York Rangers are an Original Six franchise with 11 retired numbers. Since the NHL started to track jersey numbers in 1950-51, most numbers between one and 25 have been worn over 30 times, while some higher digits have only been worn once.
Now, eight numbers remain that have never been worn by a Rangers player: Nos. 52, 57, 59, 65, 66, 69, 83, and 98. Meanwhile, 17 numbers have been worn only once; here are those digits and the players behind the sweater.
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Rangers players and their distinctive numbers
00 – John Davidson
John Davidson has a deep connection to the Rangers, not only as a goalie from 1975 to 1983 but as a long-time broadcaster with the MSG Network. After leaving the booth, he got an executive job with the St. Louis Blues and then the Columbus Blue Jackets before serving as President of the Rangers from 2019 to 2021. Davidson remains one of two players in NHL history to wear No. 00, with the other being Martin Biron. Eventually, the league unceremoniously retired the number, so no one else would ever wear it.
60 – Alex Belzile
Alex Belzile appears in the Rangers database as the only player to wear No. 60. However, he’s never worn the sweater in an official NHL game. According to his career profile, he has only appeared in 44 NHL games with the Montreal Canadiens and is a member of the Hartford Wolf Pack in 2024-25, waiting for another crack at the league.
63 – Anthony Duclair
Initially drafted (80th overall) by the Rangers in 2013, Anthony Duclair made his NHL debut in 2014-15, skating in 18 games while wearing No. 63. He scored 17 points as a 19-year-old before a trade for Keith Yandle sent him to the Arizona Coyotes in March 2015.
64 – Tyler Motte
Tyler Motte has played with the Blueshirts on two separate occasions, first in 2021-22 and then again in 2022-23. During his first stint, which lasted only eight games, he wore No. 64 and remains the only player to wear those digits. Motte scored no points that season but collected 10 in 24 games in 2022-23 while wearing No. 14.
68 – Jaromir Jagr
Not only is Jaromir Jagr the only Rangers player ever to wear No. 68, but he may also be the last, as arguably the greatest skater, to wear the number in NHL history. After dominating the 1990s with the Pittsburgh Penguins, he took his act to Broadway in 2003-04.
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In his first full campaign with the Blueshirts (2004-05), Jagr set the franchise records for goals (54) and points (123) in a single season. Even though he spent just three and half years with the Rangers, he scored 319 points in 277 games, which equals a 1.15 points-per-game average.
72 – Filip Chytil
Filip Chytil is one of two active players on this list and wears No. 72, the same number he’s had since his debut in 2017-18. Entering his eighth season with the Rangers, the 24-year-old has scored 64 goals and 144 points in 337 games. Unfortunately, injuries derailed Chytil’s 2023-24 season, and he only dressed 10 games before returning for six games during the playoff run.
78 – Brennan Othmann
Brennan Othmann is one of New York’s top prospects. He wore No. 78 in three NHL games in 2023-24. The former 16th overall pick from 2021 has been in the American Hockey League for two seasons, collecting 49 points in 67 games.
79 – K’Andre Miller
K’Andre Miller is the only other active player on this list and has worn No. 79 his entire career, which is entering its fifth season. As another first-round pick, 22nd overall in 2018, he finished his first year as an All-Rookie Team member and was 12th in Calder Trophy voting. In 294 games, Miller has scored 29 goals and 105 points.
82 – Martin Straka
Martin Straka, who wore No. 82 throughout his career, came to New York to play alongside his best friend Jagr in 2005. Over three seasons, the Czechia center scored 65 goals and 187 points in 224 games. During his debut on Broadway, Straka scored 75 points, the third-highest point total of his career.
87 – Donald Brashear
Enforcer Donald Brashear played his final NHL season in New York, skating in 36 games while wearing No. 87. He picked up an assist and finished fourth with 73 penalty minutes. In 1,025 games, Brashear compiled 2,634 penalty minutes, which ranks 15th all-time in NHL history.
89 – Pavel Buchnevich
Pavel Buchnevich was a third-round pick (75th overall) in 2013 and played the first five seasons of his career with the Blueshirts. He scored 79 goals and 195 points in 301 games before a trade to the Blues in July 2021. Even though Buchnevich outperformed his New York totals in the Midwest, he remains a topic of discussion in the Big Apple as one of the good players who got away.
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92 – Michael Nylander
Michael Nylander was a well-traveled NHL veteran who played for seven franchises, including the Rangers. He is the father of William and Alex Nylander. At the tail-end of his career, Michael came to the Big Apple as a free agent and played 160 games, collecting 162 points, arguably the best stretch of his career. He wore No. 92 with each team, remaining the only one in New York.
94 – Derek Boogaard
Derek Boogaard played 277 games in the NHL, racking up 589 penalty minutes, and was known as one of the league’s top heavyweights. He dressed 22 games with the Rangers in 2010-11, scoring two points and collecting 45 penalty minutes. Boogaard’s last NHL game was on Dec. 9, 2010, when he picked up a fighting major. Unfortunately, he passed away on May 13, 2011.
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95 – Vinni Lettieri
Vinni Lettieri came to the Rangers as an undrafted free agent and appeared in 19 games as a rookie in 2017-18. The following season, he skated in 27 games but only scored three points. He did not appear in the NHL again until 2020 when he signed as a free agent with the Anaheim Ducks.
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97 – Matt Gilroy
Matt Gilroy played for the Rangers twice in his career, wearing No. 97 on both occasions. As another undrafted free agent, he debuted in 2009-10 and collected 26 points in 127 games before departing as a free agent to sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning. After a year, Gilroy returned in 2012-13 to skate in 15 more games (no points) before finishing his NHL career in 2013-14 as a member of the Florida Panthers.
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99 – Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky was already “The Great One” before he donned the iconic Rangers sweater, the only Original Six team he skated during his legendary career. After shattering the NHL record book with the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings, he briefly skated in St. Louis and rejoined his longtime teammate Mark Messier in New York in 1997.
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Together, the duo led the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Final, with Gretzky scoring one of his final playoff hat tricks in a memorable performance against the Panthers in the first round.
In three seasons, Gretzky scored 249 points in 234 games, including his final goal (Apr. 12, 1999) and final point in his last contest against Jagr and the Penguins on Apr. 18, 1999. He remains the last player to wear No. 99 as the NHL retired the sweater league-wide.
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