This is a complete list of numbers retired by the National Hockey League (NHL). A retired number is a jersey number that is taken out of circulation by a team as a way of honouring a former member of that team who wore that number; after the number's retirement, members of that team are not permitted to wear the number on their jerseys unless by permission of the original number holder.
The first team to retire a number was the Toronto Maple Leafs, which retired Ace Bailey's number 6 on February 14, 1934, prior to an All-Star game organized in his honour. The NHL currently has 182 retired numbers, 10 former retirements and 24 honoured numbers. Most of the numbers retired by the Hartford Whalers and Quebec Nordiques were put back in circulation when those franchises relocated and became the Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche, respectively, although the Hurricanes keep Gordie Howe's number 9 unofficially retired. The Minnesota North Stars' two retired numbers were carried over when that franchise relocated to become the Dallas Stars, and remain retired today. During its existence, the Arizona Coyotes had a policy of retaining the numbers retired when the franchise was the Winnipeg Jets but reversed it after the Phoenix Coyotes were sold and became the Arizona Coyotes; these were retroactively classified as honoured numbers as part of the Arizona Coyotes Ring of Honor. Honoured numbers are similar to retired numbers, except that they remain available for use by other players. Presently, only the Calgary Flames, the St. Louis Blues, and the Winnipeg Jets (the latter honouring the players of the original Jets) employ this designation.
Wayne Gretzky's number 99 was retired league-wide in 2000;[1] Gretzky's former teams the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings also separately retired his number.
As of August 2024[update], only the Utah Hockey Club and the Winnipeg Jets have no retired numbers. Five teams have retired six numbers that are not those of former players from their franchises: the Ottawa Senators, Florida Panthers (x2), Minnesota Wild, Seattle Kraken, and Vegas Golden Knights.
Twelve numbers have been retired by a team in honour of two different players.
Nine players have had their number retired by two different NHL teams:
- Bobby Hull – Chicago Blackhawks and the original Winnipeg Jets
- Gordie Howe – Detroit Red Wings and Hartford Whalers
- Wayne Gretzky – Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings (also retired league-wide)
- Ray Bourque – Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche
- Mark Messier – Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers
- Patrick Roy – Colorado Avalanche and Montreal Canadiens
- Tim Horton – Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs
- Red Kelly – Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs
- Scott Niedermayer – Anaheim Ducks and New Jersey Devils