canadiens.com
Jul 14, 2009, 9:00 AM EDT
MONTREAL – While they’ve yet to slip on a Habs jersey for the first time, all newly acquired Canadiens now know what numbers they will wear on their backs in 2009-10.
First up is Jaroslav Spacek, who will don Tom Kostopoulos’ former No. 6, the same number the veteran defenseman sported while with the Sabres, Blackhawks and Oilers.
As for scrappy forward Travis Moen, he will be rocking the No. 32 he wore when he raised the Stanley Cup in 2006-07 with the Anaheim Ducks.
Fresh off his winning of the Stanley Cup with the Penguins, king-sized blue-liner Hal Gill was obviously unable to claim his usual No. 2, with it currently hanging above the ice at the Bell Centre in honor of Doug Harvey. As a result, Gill has gone with the No. 75 in honor of his birth year. Gill becomes the first to wear it since Yann Danis in 2005-06. Only four other players had worn the number dating back to 1934-35.
Fellow rearguard Paul Mara turned back the clock by opting for the No. 22, the digits he wore for his first NHL game back in 1998-99 with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
After having worn nothing other than the No. 14 while with the New Jersey Devils, Brian Gionta decided against asking Tomas Plekanec for his number. Instead, the speedy winger went with Christopher Higgins’ former No. 21, making Gionta the 46th player to ever wear those digits for the Habs. Only the No. 20 has been more popular with Canadiens players over the years, with 55 different players having worn it dating back to 1909.
Manny Almela is a writer for canadiens.com