No, you generally cannot wear #99 in professional hockey (NHL) because it was retired league-wide for Wayne Gretzky, making it a sacred number reserved for his legacy, though you might find it in casual, beer league, or youth hockey where rules are less strict. In the NHL, only Gretzky wore it, and the league universally honors him by not allowing it, though some players in lower leagues might use it if they feel a personal connection or just like the number.
Wayne Gretzky's number 99 was retired league-wide in 2000; Gretzky's former teams the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings also separately retired his number. As of December 2025, only the Utah Mammoth and the Winnipeg Jets have no retired numbers.
That day, his number 99 was also retired, across the NHL. At the time of his retirement, Gretzky held 61 NHL records. The usual three-year waiting period for election to the Hockey Hall of Fame was also waived for number 99.
However, knowing of his impact on the game and greatness with a stick, the NHL announced the retirement of the no. 99 across the league on February 6, 2000. This was done at the 50th All-Star game in Canada and this was to make it known that no NHL player may wear the No. 99 in honor of Gretzky.
There was only 1 player to rock a #0 in NHL history, Neil Sheehy in 87-88 for Hartford. The league banned #0 and #00 in the 1990s because their player database couldn't handle the null value.
No, number 69 is not officially banned in the NHL, but it's unofficially discouraged due to its sexual connotations, leading to only two players ever wearing it (Mel Angelstad and Andrew Desjardins) before they changed numbers, with GMs often steering players away from it as an unspoken rule. While no formal ban exists like for Wayne Gretzky's 99, teams and the league prefer players avoid the number to prevent jokes and distractions, making it effectively unavailable for most.
99 is only been worn by five NHL players ever. The number was officially retired after the 2000 season. in honor of the Great One, Wayne Gretzky.
Following the 1989 24 Hours of Daytona, months after his fatal plane crash, IMSA retired Al Holbert's #14. CART retired the use of #99 after the fatal accident of Greg Moore in 1999.
On March 6, 1982, Wilf Paiement became the last player in the NHL to wear the number 99 other than Gretzky. International Ice Hockey And Sports and 501 ot... Daniel Escolano was how Lanny McDonald ended up with the Rockies Wilf came to Toronto. He and Wayne Gretzky scored in the same game during a 7-1 Toronto win.
Gretzky Rule: In the Silver League, a player may not score more than three (3) goals in any game. If a fourth goal is scored by the same individual, it will not count.
Number 99 stands alone as hockey's most sacred digit, officially retired league-wide in honor of Wayne Gretzky. The Great One's astronomical 2,857 career points and 61 NHL records made this number synonymous with hockey excellence itself.
Wayne Gretzky
With his finesse and speed, “The Great One” revolutionized the game. Wayne Gretzky shattered long-standing records, notably accumulating an unprecedented 2,857 points. He also earned four Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers (1984–85, 1987–88) and was named the NHL's MVP nine (!)
The NHL no longer permits the use of 0 or 00 as the league's database cannot list players with such numbers, and in 2000 the league retired the number 99 for all member teams in honor of Wayne Gretzky.
Gimmicks: Skating with the Cup after the playoffs gives NHL 94 the edge big time. Throw in the breaking glass on shots, and the glass smacker makes it the hands down winner between the 2. A.I.: It's not even close, NHL 95 takes it. Harder to score those out of the corner goals or those blue-line slapshots.
It was with the Greyhounds that Gretzky first wore the number 99 on his jersey. He originally wanted to wear number 9—for his hockey hero Gordie Howe—but it was already being worn by teammate Brian Gualazzi. At coach Muzz MacPherson's suggestion, Gretzky settled on 99.
It may simply be a number but it's far more than just a number. Say 99 and the hockey world knows Wayne Gretzky is being referenced. With 66 it can only be The Magnificent One – Mario Lemieux.
No, number 69 is not officially banned in the NHL, but it's unofficially discouraged due to its sexual connotations, leading to only two players ever wearing it (Mel Angelstad and Andrew Desjardins) before they changed numbers, with GMs often steering players away from it as an unspoken rule. While no formal ban exists like for Wayne Gretzky's 99, teams and the league prefer players avoid the number to prevent jokes and distractions, making it effectively unavailable for most.
It was during that 1977-1978 OHA season that Gretzky started wearing his now-iconic '99', after his usual Gordie Howe-inspired '9' was taken by another player. Next came the pros.
No. 0. What's even rarer than the double-zero is the single zero in the NHL. Only one man has worn this number, and most likely you've never heard of him.
While Kelce is a three-time Super Bowl champion, he was one-upped by a hockey legend who joined the couple in their seats. Hockey legend and four-time Stanley Cup champion Wayne Gretzky sat next to Swift and Kelce to catch some of the championship action at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.
Only two other players prior to Gretzky wore 99 in an NHL game: Rick Dudley - Winnipeg Jets (1981) Wilf Paiement - Toronto Maple Leafs (1980-82) #LordStanleysSilver #NHL #NHLHockey #NHLHistory #HockeyHistory #NHLHallOfFame.
3, 2011, and played seven seasons in the League, including winning the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015 (wearing No. 11). Fun fact:Desjardins and forward Melvin Angelstad (two games with the Washington Capitals in 2003-04) are the only players in NHL history to wear No. 69.
The National Hockey League no longer permits 0 nor 00 for jersey numbers, as they cannot be entered into the NHL's database, and the available numbers only go up to 98 since the League retired the number 99 in honour of Wayne Gretzky.
Bibeault is one of two NHL players to ever wear number 0, the other was Neil Sheehy.