Our mission to preserve the history of pro hockey through the sweater uniform numbers players wear is to objectively come up with a list of the greatest players at each number based on their career performance. This look is based on facts and statistics gathered as of 1/1/2022.
Let us start our journey on identifying the greatest number 8s in NHL/WHL history by looking at the players that wore the number that are in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
- Sylvio Mantha
- Bill Mosienko
- Allan Stanley
- Larry Murphy
- Cam Neely
- Dick Duff
- Igor Larionov
- Bill Hay
- Mark Recchi
Our next bit of recognition is of the players who have had the number retired by clubs that they played for along with the date of the number being officially retired. For the number 8 they are:
- Frank Finnigan Ottawa Senators October 8, 1992
- Bill Goldsworthy Dallas Stars February 15, 1992
- Cam Neely Boston Bruins January 12, 2004
- Barclay Plager St. Louis Blues March 24, 1981
- Teemu Selanne Anaheim Ducks January 11, 2015
Bill Mosienko
Born November 2, 1921, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, was Hockey Hall of Fame Right Wing Bill Mosienko. This legend was a two-time NHL All-Star and won the 1944-45 Byng Award. Mosienko spent his entire 14-year career with the Chicago Black Hawks, scoring 258 goals with 282 assists. A famous moment during his career included him scoring three goals in just 21 seconds against the New York Rangers in 1952.
Cam Neely
Born June 6, 1965, in Comox, British Columbia, was Hockey Hall of Fame Right Wing Cam Neely. Neely played right wing for the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League from 1983 to 1996. Those that knew him called him " Bam-Bam Cam", as he was one of the most dominant power forwards of his generation. Cam reached the fifty goal mark three times, played in five All-Star games, and was named the league's Second Team All-Star at right wing. At the time of this writing Neely is the Boston Bruins' all-time leading playoff goal scorer with 55. He ranks tenth in playoff points for Boston with 87. Neely was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2005. Neely moved on to become an executive for the Bruins after playing.