List of NHL retired numbers 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 . 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 . Currently in the NHL , there are 122 retired numbers , 7 former retirements , and 23 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 Arizona Coyotes had a policy of retaining the numbers retired when the franchise was the Winnipeg Jets but has reversed it after the Phoenix Coyotes were sold and became the Arizona Coyotes . Honoured numbers are similar to retired numbers , except that they remain available for use by other players . Presently , only the Calgary Flames , and the St . Louis Blues employ this designation . The Philadelphia Flyers have also unofficially retired number 31 in honour of goaltender Pelle Lindbergh , ever since his tragic death in 1985 . Wayne Gretzky ' s number 99 has been retired league - wide , although the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings separately retired Gretzky ' s number . Upon joining the league in 2000 , the Minnesota Wild had a ceremony retiring number 1 from circulation as a tribute to their fans . Seven numbers have been retired by a team in honour of two different players : number 12 by the Montreal Canadiens for Dickie Moore and Yvan Cournoyer , number 16 by the Montreal Canadiens for Elmer Lach and Henri Richard , number 3 by the Chicago Blackhawks for Pierre Pilote and Keith Magnuson , number 5 by the Canadiens for Bernie Geoffrion and Guy Lapointe , number 9 by the New York Rangers for Andy Bathgate and Adam Graves , number 1 by the Toronto Maple Leafs for Johnny Bower and Turk Broda , number 4 by the Maple Leafs for Hap Day and Red Kelly , number 7 by the Maple Leafs for King Clancy and Tim Horton , number 9 by the Maple Leafs for Charlie Conacher and Ted Kennedy , number 10 by the Maple Leafs for Syl Apps and George Armstrong , and number 27 by the Maple Leafs for Frank Mahovlich and Darryl Sittler . Only seven players have had their number retired by two different NHL teams : Unofficially retired numbers . These numbers are not considered officially retired , but have still been removed from circulation . Honoured numbers . Unlike the numbers retired by the Maple Leafs and Flames these honoured numbers remain in circulation . Some of the numbers honoured by the Blues remain in circulation , while others have been removed from circulation without being officially retired . Former retired numbers . It is very rare for a team to reissue a retired number , and usually requires a special circumstance , such as a number being requested for a family member ( such as Bobby Hull asking the Phoenix Coyotes to allow his son Brett to wear Bobby ' s number 9 ) , or the player for whom the number was retired coming out of retirement himself ( such as Mario Lemieux ) . In cases of franchise relocation , the handling of existing retired numbers is at the discretion of team management . They may decide to continue honouring the retired numbers , such as the Dallas Stars and Phoenix / Arizona Coyotes , or they may choose to make a " fresh start " and reissue the numbers , as the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes have done . The Hurricanes have an unusual exception with regards to Gordie Howe ' s number 9 . While the Hurricanes have not made any formal recognition of the Hartford Whalers ' retirement of the number , they have kept the number out of circulation since their 1997 relocation .