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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.

Of all the jersey retirements I’ve seen via replay or live, Phil Esposito’s is probably the most moving. Ray Bourque’s reveal of his newly donned 77 was just as, if not more, moving as Phil’s recognition and retirement of the #7. You can youtube the ceremony.

As much as we love the players, the 2008 cup team wasn’t the team that would see the type of accolades as 2002 (which was just an insane amount of hall of fame players). If 91 and 13 are off the table at this point, it isn’t a given that there is a replacement. Detroit is rebuilding, and I have a sincere hope that a hall of fame induction or jersey retirement will attach itself to someone in the final iteration of Yzerman’s vision to create a contender. Those extra moments of accolade add to and remind us of so many great moments in the history of the franchise. For those who have lived through the difficult ‘80s and into the ‘90s where some of the contemporary greats took the ice it’s difficult to be on the lower rungs again. We will see if the team is able to climb a little higher this season and come closer to a new found respect for the Winged Wheel.

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