Defenseman Olli Maatta will wear a number other than No. 3 for the first time in his NHL career when he hits the ice for the Blackhawks next season.
Maatta — who wore No. 3 for six seasons with the Penguins before being traded in June for Dominik Kahun and a 2019 fifth-round pick — will sport No. 6 with the Blackhawks, the team announced Thursday.
Maatta was unable to pick No. 3 because it is one of six numbers the Blackhawks have retired. It’s unique among the six retired numbers because it was retired for two players in Keith Magnuson and Pierre Pilote on Nov. 12, 2008. Bryan Berard was the last player to wear it in 2004. Maatta has also worn No. 3 for international competitions with Finland’s national teams.
Michal Kempny last worn No. 6 in 2018.
Who gets No. 40?
Free agent signees Ryan Carpenter and Robin Lehner have both worn No. 40 their entire NHL careers, but it’s the latter that will sport it for the Blackhawks. Carpenter will switch to No. 22, the number he wore at Bowling Green State University.
Lehner won the match.
Robin Lehner wears number 40. Ryan Carpenter wears number 40. Steel Cage Match ahead. #Blackhawks
— Chris Boden (@BodenTweets) July 2, 2019
Ryan Carpenter and Robin Lehner both have only worn No. 40 in their NHL careers. If Lehner calls seniority based on years in the league, which number should Carpenter go with? #Blackhawks
— Second City Hockey🍪 (@2ndCityHockey) July 2, 2019
Brandon Manning, who was traded to Edmonton last season, is the last player to wear No. 22.
Kubalik
Dominik Kubalik will wear No. 8. He wore No. 81 with HC Ambri-Piotta in Switzerland’s National League and No. 18 for the Czech Republic’s men’s national team at the World Championship. Future Hockey Hall of Famer Marian Hossa (2010-17) is the only player to wear No. 81 in Blackhawks franchise history, and No. 18 is retired for Hockey Hall of Famer Denis Savard.
Nick Schmaltz was the last player to wear No. 8 before he was traded to Arizona last November.
Staying the same
Forwards Andrew Shaw and Zack Smith and defenseman Calvin de Haan will all keep the number they had with their previous teams. Shaw will have No. 65 like he did during his first stint in Chicago. He is the only player in franchise history to have the number.
Smith will have No. 15, which he has worn since 2010 in Ottawa after two seasons with No. 47. De Haan has worn No. 44 his entire career.
Artem Anisimov, who was traded to Ottawa for Smith, wore No. 15. Jan Rutta is the last player to skate as No. 44 for the Blackhawks.
Prospects
Alexander Nylander and John Quenneville will keep Nos. 92 and 47, respectively, while Aleksi Saarela makes the switch from No. 7 (AHL)/15 (NHL) to No. 28. Brent Seabrook wears No. 7 and Smith has No. 15.
The last player to wear No. 92 was Nylander’s father, Michael. Rob Scuderi last had No. 47 in 2018. Henri Jokiharju, who was traded to Buffalo for Nylander, wore No. 28 last season.