Quote:
Originally Posted by Funkhouser
Now I know it is hard to compare eras, but I find it embarrassing to amplify the success of a club that has won 1 stanley cup, and has not proceeded past the second round in 20+ years over a club who has won 24 cups.
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Or things have changed when it comes to honoring players who played in the league. I think most people realize in a 32 team league winning the Cup is more luck than a single player's skill. One player can only do so much with their ice time, ask McDavid.
There has been 175 jersey retirements in the NHL and only six had their jersey retired in the first 43 years of the league, 11 in the first 60 of the league. The next 48 years? 164! That's 94% of all jersey retirements in the last half century.
Since the year 2000, when 99 was retired around the league, there have been 118 retired jerseys. Over 2/3rd of all jersey retirements have happened in the past quarter century.
Does Backlund deserve the honor? Probably not, as he isn't a household name outside of Calgary. But I don't think percentage of years a team is in the league to amount of player jersey retirements is the best way to decide if a team is honoring too many people.