2019 New Sweater Numerology

With the start of Colorado Avalanche training camp it’s time to focus on some new numbers which will grace the burgundy and blue in the coming 2019-20 season. There are a mix of new debuts and old favorites among the bunch, let’s meet them.

Kevin Connauton – #7

A new look for Connauton in Colorado as he dons the number 7 for the first time in his lengthy NHL career. In his previous three stops in the NHL he chose numerals 4, 23 and 44 plus the number 6 frequently in his college, junior and minor hockey days. As all those now virtually unavailable Connauton had to make a new friend. The 7 in Colorado was last worn by Mark Alt who has now moved on to the number 10. John Mitchell and Greg de Vries made the number 7 famous in Avalanche history, now it’s up to Connauton to do the same. The 7 is quite popular in the NHL as 17 players last year represented the number including Brady Tkachuk and Jordan Eberle.

Valeri Nichuskin – #13

The lucky 13 didn’t go unoccupied for long as the the number recently vacated by Alexander Kerfoot was picked up by the newly signed forward Nichuskin. It’s a new number for him as he’s worn 43 everywhere he’s been from Dallas to CSKA in the KHL and the Russian national team. Fellow countryman Igor Shvyrev gets to stick with 43 for now as Nichuskin moves to this more traditional forward number worn by 19 players in the NHL last season such as Johnny Gaudreau and Nico Hischier.

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare – #41

This newcomer brings the number 41 from his two-year stint in Vegas but he has also worn 78 in the past. The burgundy 41 was previously earmarked for Nicolas Meloche but he will have to wear new threads in 46 if he gets an opportunity. Bellemare will have his work cut out for him to erase the memory of Andrew Bodnarchuk who last sported the 41. Better memories of past 41 owners include Tyson Barrie, Craig Anderson and Martin Skoula. The 41 is typically more of a goalie number with five instances of them last season such as still Anderson, Mike Smith and Jaroslav Halak.

Bowen Byram – #45

Byram’s 45 number choice is curious as he wears 44 in junior with the Vancouver Giants but that number is currently held on the Avalanche by Mark Barberio. Also, with Hockey Canada in international events Byram tends to wear the number 4 but it might be too soon after Tyson Barrie’s departure to snag that digit. So the feeling is 45 might be temporary but that’s his number for now and should Byram make his NHL debut this fall that is the number he will be wearing. The threads were last worn by Johnathan Bernier also by Barberio and who could forget Dennis Everberg. As much as the Avalanche have seemingly made the 45 favored only eight players in 2018-19 wore the number including some younger defensemen in Sami Vatanen and Brendan Guhle. Of course Bernier still sported his number, too.

Joonas Donskoi – #72

Upon his arrival from San Jose Donskoi could have pulled seniority and plucked his old standard 27 from Ryan Graves. Perhaps preferring a return to when he played for Karpat in Finland, Donskoi is going for an Avalanche debut with the number 72. This will be only the third appearance of a 70s number in Avalanche history with the 71 and 77 as the only other two numerals who made it onto a burgundy sweater. Nine current owners of the 72 count Tomas Chabot, Sergei Bobrovsky, Andreas Athanasiou but only 37 players total in NHL history. 

Vladislav Kamenev – #81

After the 91 was vacated, presumably due to Nazem Kadri’s sweater selection, Kamenev had to rebrand from his preferred number and he chose to go with a fresh number 81. Only Tomas Vincour in Avalanche lore donned the 81 for seven games in the 2014-15 season. The number is lightly used throughout the NHL as well with only 24 owners in league history. However the 81 is gaining popularity with nine instances last year including some trendy owners in Johnathan Marchessault, Phil Kessel and Kyle Connor.

Nazem Kadri – #91

A bit of a surprise that the big summer acquisition Nazem Kadri did not bring his trusty 43 with him from Toronto but instead opted for a fresh start in a throwback. The number 91 was Kadri’s with the London Knights in junior, though it is one digit off his 1990 birth year but is rather a reversed 19 which he wore with the Kitchener Rangers. Only Vladislav Kamenev has worn a burgundy 91 but eight players last year made the number fashionable including some high profile snipers in Steven Stamkos, John Tavares, Vladimir Tarasenko and Tyler Seguin.

Andre Burakovsky – #95

One final newcomer brings another new numeral launch to the burgundy and blue and that’s Andre Burakovsky in yet again a trendy 90’s number outfit, though this one is his logical 1995 birth year choice. In Washington he previously played wearing the number 65 his entire career but given the option Burakovsky elected to go with a different number yet still familiar to him. Back in his youth in Sweden and junior days Burakovsky wore the 95 with both Malmo and the Erie Otters. As popular as birth year number choices are currently, only two regular NHL players displayed the 95 in the 2018-19 season who were Matt Duchene and Henrik Borgstrom, ironically 1995 is neither of their birth years. 

Rookies – #00

There are a few other numbers which might make a debut appearance in burgundy this season. For the rookie prospects Shane Bowers will wear 14, which was recently vacated by Blake Comeau. Thankfully Conor Timmins discarded the cursed 18 and has now moved on to 20 and should make fonder memories then either Ben Smith or Reto Berra did. Calle Rosen might only be a rookie in theory as many expect him to get a significant look with the Avalanche and he will be doing so wearing 48, the first since Daniel Briere. Finally, Martin Kaut hopes to be the second in Avalanche history sporting number 61 and stick around a lot longer than Andre Benoit did.

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