Quote:
Originally Posted by Resolute 14
You missed the point.
25 was never out of circulation. Ever. Bollig was the ninth player to wear it after Nieuwendyk. Nobody has worn 14 after Fleury, and nobody will wear 12 after Iginla. Those numbers are gone and retired.
The tiers are there - retirement and honouring - only hidden. FAF is just what they call the ceremony. Though I expect Iginla is going to force the team into making those tiers explicit when his time comes.
To answer your earlier question, the way Nieuwendyk left was, by itself, why the Flames shouldn't retire 25, and Vernon belongs in the HHOF.
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No missed point at all. I am completely aware that 25 was never out of circulation. My point is that there is nothing that says 12, 14 etc. are. Just the fact that nobody has worn those numbers does not guarantee that nobody will. In fact, the FAF program specifically mentions that honoured numbers remain available for use. There are not 2 tiers of honour. Retirement has simply been replaced by FAF which guarantees NOTHING. As to Nieuwendyk's departure, he was traded. Big whoop. It was no more acrimonious than Fleury's departure, who you seem to think has been unofficially "retired". And if a trade away from the franchise, one which worked out very well for us (Iggy) disqualifies Nieuwendyk from getting his # retired for his HOF career, how is it that the Habs were able to put 33 in the rafters?