The best players to wear every jersey number in Rangers history (2024)

There aren’t many NHL teams, if any, that can check as many boxes on their all-time uniform numbers list as the New York Rangers.

They’ve been around since 1926, but they also have players who have worn No. 00 and No. 99 – the latter of which just happened to be the GOAT. Or, as we call him, TGO.

As time has gone on and higher “football lineman” numbers have come in vogue, the Rangers added uniform numbers like 67, 72 and 89 and 93, as well.

Here’s our list of which Rangers wore what, and who wore it best (some numbers have been skipped because no one has worn them yet).

0: Andy Aitkenhead

Noteworthy: Only three other players “officially” wore 0 for the Rangers, but it’s believed none actually wore it. Aitkenhead was credited with it during the “dynasty” in ’33-34. Aitkenhead gave up his No. 1 so that Danny Cox could make his NHL debut wearing 1 in 1934. Aitkenhead wore a sweatshirt with no number on it, and was officially listed as 0. Similar events led to Harry Lumley, Joe Schaefer and Jack McCartan being credited with wearing 0.

00: John Davidson

Current team president and the backbone of the ’78-79 team that reached the Stanley Cup final.

Noteworthy: He was the only Ranger to ever wear double-zero, and he wore it during the unfortunate period in which the Rangers fashioned the Winnipeg Jets uniforms. Martin Biron of Buffalo was the only other NHL player to wear 00 (in the 1990s).

1: Eddie Giacomin

Will forever be remembered for the night he returned as a Detroit Red Wing days after being waived in 1975.

Noteworthy: Giacomin’s No. 1 is retired in the rafters and he’s a Hall of Famer, but a number of other notable greats wore it, too, including Cup-winning goalies Aitkenhead (’28), Lorne Chabot (’33) and Dave Kerr (’40), along with John Ross Roach, Chuck Rayner, Gump Worsley, Johnny Bower, Jacques Plante, Gilles Villemure (briefly), Cesare Maniago. Also, Emile Francis wore it in his time as a Rangers goalie. Doug Soetaert was the last Ranger to wear No. 1 (’86-87) before it was retired.

Leetch’s No. 2 jersey was retired by the Rangers in 2008. (Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images)

2: Brian Leetch

No questions asked here, though Tom Laidlaw still tells me his number hangs in the ceiling. He wore it just before Leetch, who was probably the greatest player the Rangers ever drafted and developed. I think Brad Park’s 2 will also be next up there, but that’s a guess.

3: Harry Howell

If Park wasn’t the second-best defenseman in team history, it was Howell, whose jersey is in the rafters, too.

Noteworthy: Among the many to have worn No. 3 was Fred Shero, who later coached the Rangers to the Cup final. Personal favorites were Barry Beck and James Patrick (after Beck switched to No. 5).

4: Ron Greschner

Always a good debate whether his number should be retired.

Noteworthy: Kevin Lowe wore it proudly, with Greschner’s permission, on the ’94 Cup team. No. 4 hasn’t had a great run lately: Brad Brown, Mike Mottau, Greg de Vries, Erik Reitz, Michael Del Zotto, Raphael Diaz, Michael Kostka and Adam Clendening. Good God.

5: Bill Cook

The Hall of Famer and long-time captain wore it for 11 seasons including the franchise’s first two Stanley Cups on the Bread Line with brother Fred and Frank Boucher.

Noteworthy: It hasn’t been worn since Dan Girardi. Mac Colville wore No. 5 during the 1940 Cup season, among others.

6: Fred “Bun” Cook

Like his brother, he wore No. 6 for two Cups.

Noteworthy: Glen Sather wore 6 when he played for Emile Francis. Personal favorites: Manny Malhotra, Darius Kasparaitis.

7: Rod Gilbert

Hall of Famer, Rangers all-time leading scorer, and lifetime Blueshirt; also the first Rangers number ever retired.

Noteworthy: I think the number most worthy to be retired, but not likely to be after all these years, is that No. 7 of Frank Boucher, a Hall of Famer and two-time Cup winner who would go on to coach the Rangers to a third Cup in 1940.

8: Steve Vickers

Key player on the 1970s Bulldog Line, and one tough son of a gun.

9: Andy Bathgate

Apologies to my favorite person to ever play for the Rangers, Adam Graves, whose 9 went up to the ceiling before the Hall of Famer Bathgate’s.

Noteworthy: Murray Murdoch, a relative of Mark Messier, wore it for the first two Rangers Cups. Rick Middleton wore 9 before the worst trade in franchise history.

10: Bill Fairbairn

Another great member of the Bulldog Line. Runners-up include Clint Smith, Ron Duguay and Esa Tikkanen.

Noteworthy: Did you know that Jean Ratelle and Andy Bathgate each wore 10 for one season? And that Guy Lafleur wore it for his partial season as a Ranger – after being elected into the Hall of Fame?

11: Mark Messier

Again, not even a debate, with apologies to 50-goal scorer and GAG Line left winger Vic Hadfield, whose 11 was also retired.

Noteworthy: We all know that Graves wore 11 for one game, before Messier was acquired, and that Kelly Kisio wore it, and the C, before that. Did you know that Bobby Carpenter was the last Rangers’ 11 before Kisio?

12: Bryan Hextall Sr.

Another Hall of Famer from the early years, and a Cup champ in 1940.

Some personal faves: Don Maloney, Kris King, Eddie Olczyk,

13: Sergei Nemchinov

There have only been eight Rangers to wear 13. Nemchinov is a fave, but also one of the group of the first four Russians to have his name on the Cup.

14: Brendan Shanahan

Narrowly beats out Don Murdoch. Only a few players wore No. 14 for more than two seasons.

Noteworthy: Craig MacTavish played 12 regular-season games as a Ranger. But he won a fairly critical faceoff wearing 14 once upon a time.

15: Anders Hedberg

Scored many goals, none bigger than his winner against the Islanders in the Cup semifinals in 1979. Close call with Jim “Chief” Neilson.

16: Lester Patrick

Won six Stanley Cups as a coach and GM, and as a player, famously coming out of the stands in an emergency at age 44 to play goalie, and won Game 2 of the 1928 Cup final. That was one of only two NHL games in which he played, and the first as a goalie.

17: Dean Prentice

Played 11 of his 22 NHL seasons wearing No. 17 for the Rangers.

18: Walt Tkaczuk

Center of the Bulldog Line, a captain, and a great Ranger from ’67-81.

Some faves: Tony Granato and Marc Staal.

The Rangers retired Ratelle’s number during a ceremony at MSG in 2018. (Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports)

19: Jean Ratelle

The GAG Line center and Hall of Famer whose number was retired two seasons ago.

Noteworthy: Jesper Fast was wearing 19 when Ratelle was honored, so he switched to 17.

20: Jan Erixon

Drove Mario Lemieux up a tree by shadowing him. Perhaps Chris Kreider can overtake him.

21: Sergei Zubov

Tough call. But a Hall of Famer who led the ’94 champs in scoring takes it, ahead of Derek Stepan, Pete Stemkowski, Camille Henry. Personal favorite: George McPhee.

22: Mike Gartner

Another HOF. Too bad Mike Keenan forced him off the championship team. Nod to the People’s Champ, Nick Fotiu.

23: Jeff Beukeboom

Just outside the Core Four of ’94: Leetch, Graves, Messier, Richter.

Noteworthy: Current Rangers assistant GM and former captain Chris Drury wore 23. Was a huge Don Mattingly fan.

24: Ryan Callahan

The heart-and-soul captain was traded, in a contract hassle, before the 2014 Cup final run for Martin St. Louis.

25: John Ogrodnick

Few wore it longer or produced as much as Johnny O.

26: Dave Maloney

Youngest captain in team history who led them to 1979 Cup final. Personal faves: Joey Kocur, Martin St. Louis.

27: Alexei Kovalev

Borderline HOF and perhaps the most skilled player to ever wear the uniform, plus Cup champ in ‘94. Close behind: Ryan McDonagh and Mike Rogers, who scored 100 points in ’81-82.

28: Tomas Sandstrom

Great shot, good size and skating, was part of the trade (with Granato) for Bernie Nicholls, which led to the Messier deal.

Noteworthy: Mikko Leinonen, who wore 28 in 1982, shares with Wayne Gretzky the Stanley Cup playoff record of six assists in one game. A most unlikely feat.

29: Reijo Ruotsalainen

Beck’s fast-skating, hard-shooting little partner who went on to win two Cups with Edmonton.

The longtime goalie will one day see his No. 30 hanging at Madison Square Garden. (Robert Binder/NHLI via Getty Images)

30: Henrik Lundqvist

Greatest goalie in Rangers history, owns all the records. Beat out Davidson, now his boss, and Gilles Villemure, among others. Glenn Healy says he can’t wait to see his uniform number in the rafters.

31: Dan Blackburn

Potentially a great career ruined by a terrible shoulder injury.

32: Stephane Matteau

Scored two double-OT goals in the 1994 Eastern final, including the most famous goal in franchise history.

33: Tony Amonte

Legit first-line scorer traded away before his prime to get Matteau in ’94.

34: John Vanbiesbrouck

Has as many Vezina trophies as Lundqvist and Richter combined.

35: Mike Richter

The only goalie to win a Stanley Cup for the Rangers in the last 80 years. Number is in the rafters.

Zuccarello was traded to Dallas in the middle of his ninth season with the Rangers. (Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports)

36: Mats Zuccarello

Led the Rangers in scoring four times in five years, and won the Steven McDonald Award in three of those seasons.

37: Paul Broten

Tough call. The checking winger was the only player to wear 37 more than three years. George McPhee wore it for three.

38: Jeff Bloemberg

Unfortunately, always connected with the Rangers-Islanders playoff brawl in 1990. Michael Sauer might be at the top of the list if not for the career-ending concussion in 2011-12.

39: Doug Weight

Like Amonte, traded in his youth (for Esa Tikkanen in ’93) as Neil Smith built the ’94 Cup winner.

40: Mark Pavelich

One of the Miracle On Ice Olympians to later join Herb Brooks with the Rangers, he once scored five goals in a game. Apologies to Steve Valiquette.

41: Jed Ortmeyer

The current director of player development beats out goalie Eddie Mio.

Noteworthy: Stu Bickel was 1.000 on faceoffs wearing 41.

42: Artem Anisimov

Best known for his “Rifleman” celly, was one of the key pieces (with Brandon Dubinsky) in the Rick Nash trade.

43: Martin Biron

Toward the end of a long career, he was Lundqvist’s backup when the Rangers became competitive again in 2010.

Pionk was the key piece in the trade that sent Jacob Trouba from Winnipeg. (Harrison Barden-USA TODAY Sports)

44: Neal Pionk

Traded in the deal that brought Jacob Trouba. I was going to go with Lindy Ruff to watch Twitter break.

Noteworthy: Ron Duguay wore 44 when he returned in ’86.

45: Arron Asham

Scored the Game 7 winning goal against Washington in 2013, and is the only player to score a goal for every team in the old Atlantic Division.

46: Dan Girardi

Yes, he is best known as No. 5. But Girardi wore 46 as a rookie in ’06-07. The only others to wear it were Marek Hrivik and Rob O’Gara.

47: Rich Pilon

The former Islanders rugged D-man wore it for three seasons with the Rangers.

48: Brendan Lemieux

The current Ranger, son of Claude, and Oscar Lindberg, are the only two to wear that number.

49: Dan Fritsche

Played 16 games for the Rangers. Greg Moore played six, Ilkka Heikkinen played seven.

50: Lias Andersson

Despite his controversial parting with the team … nobody else wore 50.

51: Fedor Tyutin

Was a decent defenseman for parts of five seasons.

53: Derek Morris

Was a stabilizing defenseman in his one partial season (’08-09).

54: Brandon Dubinsky

Wore 54 as a rookie in ’06-07.

55: Marty McSorley

One of the toughest ever, but he will soon be replaced here by Ryan Lindgren … if he hasn’t already been.

56: Michael Sauer

Mentioned earlier … he’s the only player to ever wear 56 for the Rangers.

58: John Gilmour

The nimble defenseman played parts of two seasons for the Rangers.

Nash was one of the marquee names traded as part of the Rangers’ recent rebuild. (Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports)

61: Rick Nash

Scored 42 goals in 2014-15, during which the Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy.

62: Carl Hagelin

The lightning-quick winger played four seasons during the team’s glory years of the last decade.

63: Anthony Duclair

The current Ottawa Senator (at last check) is the only Ranger to wear 63.

67: Benoit Pouliot

Made some great music with Zuccarello and Derick Brassard in the Cup final year of ’14.

68: Jaromir Jagr

Simply one of the greatest players ever, holds the club records with 54 goals and 123 points in 2005-06.

70: Mackenzie Skapski

Goalie nicknamed “The Buffalo Killer” by coach Alain Vigneault, he beat the Sabres 3-1 and 2-0 in his only two NHL starts (both in 2015).

71: Mike Rupp

Known for his fists, he scored twice in the 2012 Winter Classic and did the Jagr Salute to the Flyers bench. Also was involved in Bickel’s “faceoff” win in ’11-12.

72: Filip Chytil

Still miles to go for the 20-year-old first-rounder.

73: Brandon Pirri

Spent one season with the Rangers.

74: Joel Bouchard

Same as Pirri above.

75: Brandon Halverson

Goalie once thought to be a top prospect.

76: Brady Skjei

The recently-departed defenseman, traded for a first-rounder to Carolina at the deadline, never quite lived up to the bar he set his rookie season.

77: Phil Esposito

Espo came to the Rangers in the controversial trade (with Carol Vadnais) from Boston for Ratelle, Park and Joe Zanussi in 1975 and was a big piece in the ’79 Cup final run. Tony DeAngelo is going to have to settle for second place.

80: Kevin Weekes

He was the Rangers’ No. 1 goalie in ’05-06 when Henrik Lundqvist arrived as a seventh-round draft pick.

81: Marcel Hossa

Not quite the player his brother Marian was, but a better pick than Enver Lisin.

82: Martin Straka

The former Penguin formed a formidable line with Jagr and Michael Nylander, scoring 65 goals and 187 points in three seasons.

84: Corey Locke

Played three of his nine NHL games with the Rangers.

86: Wojtek Wolski

He was given a shot to be Marion Gaborik’s linemate. But coach John Tortorella “couldn’t get him out of the hot tub.”

87: Donald Brashear

An all-time tough guy, Brashear was a bit past his prime when he arrived in New York.

Lindros played three seasons for the Rangers from 2001-02 through 2003-04. (Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images)

88: Eric Lindros

He never approached his Hall of Fame, Hart Trophy, Legion of Doom, pre-concussion form, but was still plenty good after being acquired from Philadelphia.

Noteworthy: Ken Hodge also wore 88 for two seasons, after coming over from Boston in the worst trade ever, for Rick Middleton.

89: Pavel Buchnevich

The only Ranger to wear 89., the winger has had flashes of really good hockey in the second half of each of the last two seasons.

90: Vlad Namestnikov

Was a darn good Ranger in his one full season with the team. Only Alexandar Georgiev has also worn 90.

91: Markus Naslund

The one-time great Vancouver Canuck scored 24 goals then retired after his only season in New York.

92: Michael Nylander

Had 49 goals and 162 points in 160 games as a Ranger riding shotgun with Jagr.

See Martin Straka.

Zibanejad is just the third player in Rangers history to score five goals in a game. (Joshua Sarner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

93: Mika Zibanejad

Arguably the current Rangers’ most important and complete player and likely future captain.

Noteworthy: Petr Nedved, who wore 93 in his second tenure with New York and most of his career, was given No. 10 his first time around as the team frowned upon non-traditional numbers. Keith Yandle also later wore 93 for the Rangers.

94: Derek Boogaard

Big tough guy played part of one season for the Rangers before his unfortunate and tragic demise.

95: Vinni Lettieri

He has been up and down from Hartford (AHL) the last three seasons. Was an AHL all-star this season.

96: Emerson Etem

The bust of a return from the Carl Hagelin trade.

97: Matt Gilroy

An undrafted defenseman from North Bellmore, N.Y. and a Hobey Baker award winner for Boston U.

99: Wayne Gretzky

The Great One, the best to ever lace them up, literally hung up his skates for the final time on April 18, 1999 after three seasons with the Rangers. His number was retired league-wide that day. Gretzky holds virtually every scoring record in the NHL book. His 99 should be up in the Garden rafters.

(Top image: Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images)