Who wore number 28 in NHL?

The fortunate players who get to choose their own number often choose a lucky number, stick with the one they’ve always worn or wear a number in honor of a family member. Some players though, choose a number that’s cute or a deep and meaningful number.

Claude Giroux

Claude Giroux is a Canadian professional ice hockey player known as the forward and captain of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Flyers selected Giroux 22nd overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. He has been the Flyers’ team captain since January 13, 2013, and became one of the longest tenured captains in team history during the 2020-21 season.

Prior to playing in the NHL, Giroux played his major junior career with the Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), where he helped the team win a 2008 President’s Cup and earned the Guy Lafleur Trophy as the 2008 playoff MVP. Internationally, he won a gold medal with Team Canada in the 2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.

Giroux made his debut with the Flyers in February 2008 and joined the roster full-time midway through the 2008–09 season. In 2011, after the blockbuster trades of Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, Giroux took over the role of the club’s first line centre. He was the club’s top point-scorer in the 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, and 2020–2021 seasons. In 2012 and 2014, he finished third in the League in point-scoring. In 2018, he finished second in the league with 102 points, behind only Connor McDavid.

Steve Larmer

Steven Donald Larmer is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward. He is the brother of Jeff Larmer.

As a youth, Larmer played in the 1974 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Peterborough, Ontario.

Steve Larmer played in the NHL for the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers and was known as one of the NHL’s best power forwards of that era. He won the 1983 Calder Memorial Trophy as well as being named to the NHL All-Rookie Team that year. From 1982 to 1993, Larmer played in 884 consecutive games for the Blackhawks, one of the longest consecutive-games streaks in league history. He had a chance at breaking Doug Jarvis’ record for consecutive games played but a contract dispute in 1993 officially ended his streak.

Larmer was selected to play in Pittsburgh in the 1990 All-Star Game, and in Chicago’s 1991 All-Star Game as well. In the 1990-91 season he finished 5th in voting for NHL league MVP. Larmer was great at both ends of the ice as he received Frank J. Selke Trophy votes on five occasions (1989-17th, 1991-3rd, 1992-8th, 1993-10th, 1994-13th) as best defensive forward in the league. He received votes for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy on five occasions. He won a Stanley Cup with the Rangers in 1994, where he served as alternate captain, and scored his 1,000th point and played in his 1,000th game in 1994–95, his final season.

Larmer was a member of the 1991 Canada Cup team for Canada and played on team’s top line with Wayne Gretzky where Larmer led the entire competition in goals (6) and ranked second in points (11) behind only Gretzky.

Brian Rafalski

Brian Christopher Rafalski is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New Jersey Devils and Detroit Red Wings, in the SM-liiga for HPK and HIFK, and in the Elitserien for Brynäs IF.

After struggling to enter the NHL, spending four seasons in European leagues, Rafalski won the Stanley Cup three times, playing in five Stanley Cup finals in his NHL career (2000, 2001, 2003, 2008, 2009). Rafalski also played for the United States national team in three Olympic ice hockey tournaments (2002, 2006, and 2010).

Steve Duchesne

Steve Duchesne is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League with several teams from 1986 until 2002. He was a three-time NHL All-Star and was a member of the Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings in 2002.

Duchesne began his notable hockey career with the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Never drafted by an NHL team, he was signed as a free agent by the Los Angeles Kings on October 1, 1984. He played one season with the New Haven Nighthawks of the American Hockey League before becoming an NHL regular in 1986–87. In his rookie NHL season, he played well enough to be named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. It did not take Duchesne long to establish himself as an above average offensive defenceman. In the 1988–89 NHL season, he led all defensemen in shorthanded goals with 5.

Duchesne remained with the Kings until May 30, 1991, when he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in a deal that brought future Hall of Famer Jari Kurri to Los Angeles. Duchesne played one season in Philadelphia, before being involved in one of the biggest trades in NHL history, moving to the Quebec Nordiques with a package of several players and cash in the Eric Lindros trade. Although Duchesne set a career high with 82 points in Quebec, he was again traded after one season to the St. Louis Blues. He spent two seasons with the Blues before being acquired by the upstart Ottawa Senators. After two successful seasons with the Senators, in which he scored the goal that clinched the team’s first ever playoff spot, he was traded back to the Blues for Igor Kravchuk due to financial considerations. Duchesne’s journeyman status continued, as he returned to the Kings as a free agent after one season with the Blues. During his first season back with the Kings, he was traded to the Flyers at the trade deadline. Finally, after the 1998–99 season, Duchesne signed as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings, where he would win the Stanley Cup in his final season, 2001–02.

Reed Larson

Reed David Larson is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman and former captain of the Detroit Red Wings who played 904 regular season games in the National Hockey League between 1976 and 1990. He is a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.

Jaret Anderson-Dolan

Jaret Lynn Anderson-Dolan is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward known for playing with the Ontario Reign in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Anderson-Dolan was selected in the second round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, 41st overall, by the Kings.

Andreas Athanasiou

Andreas Athanasiou is a Canadian professional ice hockey center known for playing with the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Athanasiou was drafted 110th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Bob Attwell

Robert Allan Attwell was an American-born Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 22 games in the National Hockey League with the Colorado Rockies between 1979 and 1981.

Donald Audette

Donald Daniel Audette is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played fourteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Buffalo Sabres, Los Angeles Kings, Atlanta Thrashers, Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens and Florida Panthers.

Fred Barrett

Frederick William Barrett is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 745 games in the National Hockey League. He played for the Minnesota North Stars and Los Angeles Kings. His brother, John, also played in the NHL.

He is the Great Uncle of Canadian Ski Cross athlete Phil Tremblay and brother-in-law of Quebec politician and author Rodrigue Tremblay.

Sergei Bautin

Sergei Vladimirovich Bautin is a retired ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League for the Winnipeg Jets, Detroit Red Wings and the San Jose Sharks.

Winnipeg Jets GM Mike Smith drafted Bautin in the first round, 17th overall in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft.

Sergei ended up playing 130 games for the Jets, scoring 5 goals and 25 assists for 30 points, collecting 176 penalty minutes. He wore the number 3, and was usually paired with fellow Russian Igor Ulanov.

On March 8, 1994, Bautin, along with Bob Essensa, was traded to the Detroit Red Wings for Tim Cheveldae and Dallas Drake. After his stint with Detroit, Sergei then signed on as a Free Agent with the San Jose Sharks in 1995. He played the rest of the 1995–96 season with San Jose’s IHL affiliate, the Kansas City Blades.

In addition to his NHL experience, Bautin was a significant member of the 1992 Unified Team (former Soviet Union) where they received Gold Medal honors by beating Canada 3–1.

Sergei continued his career playing for pro teams in Sweden, Germany and Japan before finishing his career in Russia.

After his retirement, he returned to Kansas City, where, as of January 2009, he is the head coach of the Kansas City Outlaws Bantam AA Hockey team. He also runs various hockey camps throughout the summer. He is also involved with Team Kansas, a player development program with an emphasis on team play and chemistry. The teams are divided by birth years and meet twice a week.

As of 2010, Bautin began coaching for Colorado Evolution in Stapleton, Colorado. Bautin coached all levels at the B, A, AA, and AAA. Bautin coached the Colorado Evolution U15 AAA to 2017 National Runner-Up after losing to the Yale Jr. Bulldogs 7-2. He left Colorado Evolution in Spring of 2018 and became head coach of Colorado Thunderbirds 2007 team.

Nathan Beaulieu

Nathan Anthony Richard Beaulieu is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman known for playing with the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 17th overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens.

In junior, Beaulieu helped the Saint John Sea Dogs win the 2011 Memorial Cup, and was named to the tournament’s all-star team.