Who wore number 34 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.

Auston Matthews

Auston Taylour Matthews is an American professional ice hockey player known as the center and alternate captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born in San Ramon, California, Matthews and his family moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, when he was an infant. After playing baseball and hockey during his childhood, he developed a particular interest in hockey after watching the local Arizona Coyotes play. A product of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in the United States Hockey League (USHL), Matthews played for the ZSC Lions of the Swiss National League prior to being drafted into the NHL in 2016, winning a Swiss Cup title that same year. Matthews was widely considered the top prospect of the draft, and was selected first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Matthews became the first player in modern NHL history to score four goals in his NHL debut. He scored 40 goals in his first season in 2016–17, setting the Maple Leafs rookie record and becoming just the second rookie since the 2004–05 lockout to reach the milestone (along with Alexander Ovechkin); he is just the fourth teenager in league history to accomplish the feat. His performance won him the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie for the season. In 2020–21, Matthews won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the league’s leading goal scorer with 41 goals in 52 games.

Internationally, Matthews has represented the United States in numerous tournaments including a U17 WHC gold medal, two U18 WJC gold medals and two IIHF World U20 Championship appearances.

John Vanbiesbrouck

John Vanbiesbrouck, nicknamed “the Beezer” and “VBK”, is an American professional ice hockey executive and former player. As a goaltender, he was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007. Vanbiesbrouck played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils.

He began his career playing major junior hockey for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Following a successful season with the Greyhounds, he was drafted by the New York Rangers in the fourth round, 72nd overall, in the 1981 NHL Draft. After his junior career ended, he played for the Rangers minor league affiliate, the Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League. Despite the team’s near collapses due to financial concerns, Vanbiesbrouck led the Oilers to a league championship and shared the league’s MVP honors.

Vanbiesbrouck began playing full-time with the Rangers in the 1984–85 season. He won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender and was named a First Team NHL All-Star the following season. After playing in parts of 11 seasons with the Rangers, he was selected in the 1993 NHL Expansion Draft by the Florida Panthers.

In Florida, Vanbiesbrouck was a three-time All-Star and led the Panthers to their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance, in 1996. While in Florida, he recorded his 300th career victory, becoming the 15th goaltender and only the second American goalie in NHL history to do so. During his career, Vanbiesbrouck compiled a record of 374 wins, 346 losses, 119 ties and 40 shutouts, making him, at the time, the winningest American-born goaltender, and also at the time, tying Frank Brimsek for most career shutouts by an American-born goaltender. Both records have since been broken by Ryan Miller of the Anaheim Ducks and Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings respectively.

Internationally, Vanbiesbrouck has represented the United States on several occasions. He played in the 1982 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships as well as four IIHF World Championships. He was named to the Second All-Star team at the 1985 World Ice Hockey Championships. He also played in two Canada Cup tournaments, registering the lowest goals against average (GAA) in 1987 and was a back-up goaltender during the Americans’ second-place finish in 1991. He represented Team USA for the final time in 1998, serving as the back-up on the Olympic ice hockey team.

Following his playing career, he took over as the head coach and general manager of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. However, after using a racial slur referencing team captain Trevor Daley, he resigned. Vanbiesbrouck worked as a broadcaster and in hockey-related businesses. In 2013, Vanbiesbrouck was named the general manager of the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the Tier I junior United States Hockey League (USHL). In 2018, he was hired by USA Hockey as the assistant executive director of hockey operations and would be involved with selecting players for the US national teams.

Vanbiesbrouck was a hybrid goaltender who combined the butterfly style and the more traditional stand-up style. He was strong at playing his angles and challenged shooters well. Small for a goaltender, standing only 5′ 8″, he relied on his quickness to regain his feet after making saves or to make additional saves in goalmouth scrambles. Vanbiesbrouck was aggressive when it came to playing the puck, which helped him tie the Rangers single season record for assists by a goaltender and set the Rangers career record as well.

Mikka Kiprusoff

Miikka Sakari Kiprusoff, nicknamed “Kipper”, is a Finnish former professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Calgary Flames and San Jose Sharks during his National Hockey League (NHL) career. He was selected in the fifth round, 116th overall, by the Sharks in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft, and has also played professionally for TPS of the Finnish SM-liiga, as well as for both AIK IF and Timrå IK of the Swedish Elitserien.

Kiprusoff represented Finland several times on the international stage, earning silver medals at the Ice Hockey World Championships in 1999 and 2001, as well as leading the Finns to a surprise second-place finish at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. He also helped the Finnish national hockey team win the bronze medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Kiprusoff began his professional career with TPS in 1994, and was named the best goaltender and best player of the playoffs in 1999 as he led them to the SM-liiga championship. He then moved to North America in 1999, and after two All-Star seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL), made his NHL debut with the San Jose Sharks, where he served primarily as the team’s backup. A trade to the Calgary Flames in 2003–04 brought Kiprusoff into a starting role, and he set a modern NHL record for lowest goals against average (GAA) at 1.69 as he helped the Flames reach the 2004 Stanley Cup Final. He won the Vezina Trophy as the best goaltender in the NHL in 2006 along with the William M. Jennings Trophy for giving up the fewest goals in the League. He played in his first NHL All-Star Game in 2007.

Jamie Macoun

Jamie Neil Macoun is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played over 1,000 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) during a 17-year career. An undrafted player, Macoun played three seasons of college hockey with the men before signing with the Calgary Flames in 1983. Macoun was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team on defence in 1984 and, after missing 17 months due to injuries suffered in an automobile accident, was a member of Calgary’s 1989 Stanley Cup championship team. He was involved in one of the largest trades in NHL history, a ten-player deal that sent him to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1992. He remained in Toronto until traded to the Detroit Red Wings in 1998, with whom he won his second Stanley Cup.

Internationally, Macoun played with Team Canada at three World Championships. He was a member of the silver medal-winning teams in 1985 and 1991, and was named the best defenceman of the 1991 tournament.

Jake Allen

Jake Allen is a Canadian professional ice hockey player known as the goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). Allen was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the second round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft with the 34th overall pick. Allen won the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019.

Dave Allison

David Bryan Allison is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played three games with the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL) during the 1983–84 season and is best known for a brief stint as head coach of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators during the 1995–1996 season. He was the head coach of the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers from 2014 to 2018.

Josh Anderson

Joshua Anderson is a Canadian professional ice hockey right wing known for playing with the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the fourth round, 95th overall, by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. A power forward known for speed and physicality, Anderson became known as “the Powerhorse”.

Frank Banham

Frank Banham is a Canadian-born Hungarian former professional ice hockey winger who last played for Hungarian club, SAPA Fehérvár AV19 in the Austrian Hockey League (EBEL).

Cole Bardreau

Cole Bardreau is an American professional ice hockey forward known for playing with the Bridgeport Islanders of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Philadelphia Flyers on March 12, 2015.

Bob Beers

Robert Charles Beers is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He’s also known as a radio commentator on Boston Bruins broadcasts on the 98.5 The Sports Hub Bruins radio network and an occasional contributor to NESN Bruins and College Hockey broadcasts. Beers played Division 1 College Hockey at the University of Maine, in Orono, Maine. He is one of many former Black Bear players who went on to play in the NHL.

Shawn Belle

Shawn James Robert Belle is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers and the Colorado Avalanche.

Mike Berger

Michael D. Berger is a Canadian retired ice hockey defenceman. He played in the NHL for the Minnesota North Stars.

He also played in the Central Hockey League for the Tulsa Oilers.