Calgary Flames Retired Numbers – The Hockey Writers – Flames Historical past

*This archive was republished previous to Miikka Kiprusoff’s quantity retirement in March 2024

The Calgary Flames not too long ago accomplished their 52nd season as a member of the NHL. The group started because the Atlanta Flames in 1972 earlier than relocating to Calgary in the summertime of 1980. Moreover, their relocation launched the Battle of the Alberta, resulting in a number of memorable common season and playoff moments towards the Edmonton Oilers. 

Associated: THW’s Retired Numbers Assortment

Though the Flames gained just one Stanley Cup championship in 1989, they’ve been to the Last on two different events, in 1986 and 2004. Coincidently, whenever you look via the staff’s historical past guide, the three gamers whose numbers the franchise has retired have been all instrumental in these three prolonged playoff runs. Furthermore, the 2 gamers who are actually members of the “Without end a Flame” program are additionally franchise icons who have been a part of the staff’s early success within the late Eighties. 

Lanny McDonald’s #9 Turns into First Flames Retired Quantity – March 17, 1990

Lanny McDonald, who now serves as a Flames ambassador for neighborhood occasions, was born in Hanna, Alberta, 217 kilometers away from the Scotiabank Saddledome. Initially drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs because the tenth general choose in 1973, he made his debut later that 12 months and performed with the staff for seven years. 

After scoring 30 targets in three straight seasons, McDonald discovered himself on the way in which to the Colorado Rockies after 26 video games in 1979-80. McDonald performed 142 video games over three seasons with the Rockies earlier than Flames normal supervisor Cliff Fletcher orchestrated a commerce for the grizzled veteran on Nov. 25, 1981. The remainder, as they are saying, is historical past. 

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McDonald had 34 targets in 55 video games in his first half-season along with his new staff (Calgary) earlier than setting the franchise mark with 66 targets throughout 1982-83 whereas suiting up for all 80 video games. His efficiency that 12 months earned him the Invoice Masterson Trophy (Perseverance and Sportsmanship) and an eighth-place end in Hart Trophy (Most Worthwhile Participant) voting. Though he by no means scored greater than 33 targets in a season once more, McDonald grew to become an integral a part of the franchise by being named co-captain throughout the 1983-84 season, an honor he held till retirement in 1988-89. 

Most Flames followers keep in mind the staff’s solely championship celebration when the person with an iconic scruffy crimson mustache and beard hoisted the cup. Furthermore, not many gamers get to journey off into the sundown as champions; nevertheless, via his teammates’ assist, McDonald achieved simply that. Certainly, the Stanley Cup run in 1989 was memorable for McDonald, who simply surpassed 1,000 factors and 500 targets earlier than the playoffs began. 

Associated: Lanny McDonald: The Participant Behind the Mustache

The Flames had no retired numbers till this level of their historical past, so when McDonald’s quantity went to the rafters at Scotiabank Saddledome on Mar. 17, 1990, he grew to become the primary participant bestowed with such an honor. After eight years with the group, he retired with 215 targets, 191 assists, and 406 factors en path to the Hockey Corridor of Fame in 1992. 

Calgary-Born Mike Vernon Achieves Boyhood Dream – Feb. 6, 2007

Mike Vernon was born in Calgary on Feb. 24, 1953, and after rising as a goalie via the minor hockey system within the metropolis, he finally earned a shot to play within the NHL on the 1981 Entry Draft. The Flames used the 56th choice to draft Vernon, who had simply gained back-to-back Western Hockey League MVP and High Goaltender Awards in 1982 and 1983. Regardless of solely enjoying 19 video games between 1983 and 1986, he grew to become an NHL common throughout the 1986-87 season, showing in 54 video games and gathering 30 wins. 

Throughout his sophomore marketing campaign (1987-88), Vernon set a staff report with 39 wins in 64 video games earlier than one other spectacular season in 1988-89 (37 wins). Moreover, that very same 12 months he guided the Flames to the Presidents’ Trophy (Greatest Common Season Crew) and one other berth within the Stanley Cup Last towards the Montreal Canadiens. All eyes have been on the goaltender matchup as Vernon outduelled Patrick Roy to supply Calgary with their first championship. 

Associated: One for the Ages: Mike Vernon’s 1988-89 Season

After 5 extra seasons with the Flames, the staff traded their franchise goalie to the Detroit Crimson Wings on June 29, 1994, leaving the door open for Trevor Kidd to take over the job full-time. Ultimately, he would lead the Crimson Wings to their first Stanley Cup title in 55 years in 1997, profitable the Conn Smythe Trophy within the course of. Though his time with Detroit was memorable, he additionally performed with the San Jose Sharks and Florida Panthers earlier than a reunion with the Flames in 2000. 

When Vernon retired on Sept. 13, 2002, he owned all of the Flames goaltender information, together with 527 video games, 262 wins, 188 losses, 81 playoff video games, and 43 playoff wins. On the time, he was the NHL’s seventh-winningest goalie and one of many few netminders to win the Conn Smythe. Consequently, the Flames group acknowledged Vernon’s contributions to the membership by retiring his #30 to the rafters in a ceremony hosted on Feb. 6, 2007, towards the Chicago Blackhawks. 

Flames Honor Their All-Time Main Scorer Jarome Iginla – March 2, 2019

The Flames had a prolonged contract dispute with All-Star heart Joe Nieuwendyk in the summertime of 1995. Unable to return to phrases, the staff traded away their former first-round choose to the Dallas Stars in December 1995, which altered the franchise’s course for the subsequent twenty years. In change for the six-time 30-goal scorer, the Flames acquired Jarome Iginla, a former first-round choose (eleventh general) in that 12 months’s Entry Draft. Little did anybody know on that day, the Flames would discover their all-time main scorer, a child born and raised in Edmonton. 

Iginla opened up his NHL profession with 21 targets and 50 factors in his first season, 1996-97, to complete second within the Calder Trophy (Rookie of the 12 months) voting. After a sophomore stoop in 1997-98, he regained his scoring contact to pot 28 targets, kicking off 13 years in a row the place he netted greater than 28 lamp-lighters throughout the common season. Throughout an period when scoring was down throughout the league, Iginla set a career-high with 52 targets in 2001-02 en path to profitable the Lester B. Pearson Award (MVP voted by gamers), the Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy (most targets), and the Artwork Ross Trophy (league’s main scorer). 

Associated: Calgary Flames With 100-Level Seasons

Two years after his finest season, Iginla paced the league once more in targets scored (41) to win his second profession Rocket Richard trophy in 2003-04. Moreover, he claimed the King Clancy Award (management) whereas being captain of the Flames throughout their first Stanley Cup Last look since 1989, an eventual loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven video games. Sadly, the league would go on strike shortly after, costing Iginla a golden alternative to win within the prime of his profession, a second he might by no means recapture once more. 

On Mar. 1, 2009, Iginla scored two targets and added three assists (5 factors) to surpass Theoren Fleury because the franchise’s main scorer. Moreover, a 12 months later, on Mar. 3, 2010, Iginla handed Fleury once more to grow to be the Flames’ all-time objective scorer with #365. Sadly, all good issues have to finish, and with the franchise treading water for a number of seasons, the participant and group agreed to half methods. 

The Flames traded away the face of the staff to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Mar. 28, 2013. When Iginla left, his title was itched upon a lot of the staff’s information, like 1219 video games, 525 targets, 570 assists, and 1095 factors, with 9 seasons as staff captain. His impression on the group and neighborhood is unmeasurable, as he helped to interrupt obstacles and ensure hockey was for everybody.

Sadly, Iginla completed his profession trying to find a Stanley Cup title that he would by no means win with further stops enjoying for the Colorado Avalanche, Boston Bruins, and Los Angeles Kings earlier than retiring on July 30, 2018. Naturally, the Flames didn’t wait lengthy to honor their finest participant, retiring Iginla’s iconic #12 in a ceremony on Mar. 2, 2019, towards the Minnesota Wild. 

Flames Introduce “Without end a Flame” Program – Feb. 15, 2012

In 2012, the Flames created a program to honor previous gamers who made important contributions to the franchise with out formally retiring their numbers. That 12 months, the membership celebrated the primary inductee, Al MacInnis, on Feb. 27, 2012, whose #2 banner made its approach to the rafters on the Saddledome.

Because the fifteenth general choice within the 1981 Entry Draft, MacInnis would star on the Flames’ blueline for 13 seasons, profitable the Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe in 1989. Earlier than becoming a member of the St. Louis Blues via a commerce in 1994, he departed the group as their finest defenseman with 803 video games, 213 targets, 609 assists, and 822 factors. Ultimately, MacInnis would grow to be one in all 5 members of the 1989 staff to enter the Hockey Corridor of Fame along with his induction in 2007.

The Flames celebrated the twenty fifth anniversary of their championship in 2014 by honoring their former captain Nieuwendyk’s #25 in a ceremony on Mar. 7, 2014. As a former-first choose (twenty seventh general) in 1985, he blossomed into an elite objective scorer with the staff, profitable the Calder Trophy and All-Rookie honors throughout his first season. Moreover, he can be an integral member of the 1989 profitable staff, scoring 51 targets that season, his second consecutive season with 51 targets. Nieuwendyk departed the Flames in 1995, ending his nine-year run with 577 video games, 314 targets, 302 assists, and 616 factors. Though he would win the Stanley Cup with Dallas and New Jersey, his finest years have been with the Flames group. 

Associated: Calgary Flames’ 50-Purpose Scorers

Via 50 seasons, the Flames have solely retired three numbers and honored two; nevertheless, the staff has but to concern #14 (Fleury) and #34 (Miikka Kiprusoff) upon their departures. Proper now, these gamers are entrance runners for induction into the Without end a Flame program, with two further names, Mark Giordano and Mikael Backlund, to hitch the record upon retirement. However, the Flames take jersey retirement very significantly, bestowing the glory upon a choose few, which implies a participant has to have carried out one thing particular whereas sporting the flaming C brand.