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Chris Chelios is being honored by the Chicago Blackhawks as his jersey number will be hoisted to the rafters. This is an honor that players take seriously, and even the most stoic of athletes are visibly moved in the ceremony.
My wife and I were lucky enough to be a Lidstrom’s jersey retirement. Nick wasn’t a player who wore his emotions on his sleeve, but even one of the all time greats seemed taken in by the ceremony and watched as the number 5 took its place in the rafters.
There has been a massive amount of debate on one name in particular, and now it has turned into a battle in the view of world events. Fedorov’s #91 had already been a hotly debated topic. Unfortunately, his value as a player is overshadowed by world events that see former Detroit pundits using media platforms to dissect the former Wing.
It’s probably safe to say that the Red Wings organization won’t touch this scenario with a ten foot pole. One of the next top candidates could find themselves equally maligned as Datsyuk was a human highlight reel for years in the organization. His desire to play in his home country was satiated years ago, but again the situation would find Detroit being pushed and pulled in directions that no team wants to deal with.
As you move beyond that, there hasn’t been much campaigning for other players. Zetterberg doesn’t seem to have a consensus amongst fans at this point. Any conversation about Osgood turns into a fairly divisive battle. Detroit doesn’t seem to be an organization that takes the removal of a number from circulation lightly. Gordie Howe had apparently wanted his son Mark to wear #9 in his tenure, but Mark refused. He had too much respect for the man and the legacy to see the number even temporarily back in play.