Top 9 To Wear 9

Today is September the 9th, 2009.

9. 9. 09.

In honour of this day, I thought I'd pare down the ol' Top Ten list and offer the Top Nine players to ever wear sweater #9!

1. Gordie Howe - Mr. Hockey gets the edge on this list if only because he wore #9 longer than anyone else.

2. Maurice Richard - Forever #9, forever the Rocket.

3. Bobby Hull - Can you imagine Hull being third best on any list? Back in the days of Gordie, Rocket and the Golden Jet, #9 was everyone's favorite number.

4. Teeder Kennedy - One of the greatest playoff performers in hockey history

5. Johnny Bucyk - Hockey history has not really remembered "The Chief" as well as other players on the list. He was as good as any of them.

6. Andy Bathgate - See: Bucyk, John. Great player all but forgotten today.

7. Mike Modano - The only active player on the list. It's a shame #9 no longer as special as it used to be.

8. Charlie Conacher - The Big Bomber. He could score goals with the best of 'em.

9. Glenn Anderson - Need a big playoff goal? Better call on this #9.

Bonus 9 - Jozef Golonka, the great Slovak hockey star back in the 1950s and 1960s.

Did you know? Baseball greats Ted Williams, Roger Maris and Bill Mazeroski all wore #9.