After Ovechkin retires, how long until his number is retired by the Capitals?

[Gregor Samsa]

Both Crosby and Ovechkin might as well have their numbers retired today but I think Ovechkin means more to the Capitals than Crosby does to the Penguins. The Penguins had Mario Lemieux and cups. The Capitals had neither. I’m not saying Ovechkin is or isn’t better than Crosby. As soon as Ovechkin calls it a career, is his number in the rafters right away?

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[Ceremony]

No I think they'll give it out to the first AHL call-up the first season after he calls it quits.

 

[Moose Head]

Both guys really should have their numbers retired as soon as possible.

 

[Section 104]

I wonder if they might do it the year he is elected to the Hall of Fame. But they probably will do it the year after he retires unless he decides to get away from hockey by spending a year in Antarctica

Of course the Chicago White Sox retired Harold Baines #3 when he was 30, still playing for the Texas Rangers (he had been traded there three weeks earlier), there was no public announcement before hand so fans didn’t realize what was going on during Umbrella Day and Baines himself didn’t know it was going to happen (last game of a three game series with Texas, Baines had a groin pull and wasn’t playing).

 

[895]

What a weird premise for a thread. Both guys are getting their numbers retired as soon as they want them to be.

 

[Crow]

As soon as it makes sense as a publicity event for the fans.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Within a year.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

20 minutes

 

[Cenzhin]

I'll say 5-10 years

 

[ITM]

Both Crosby and Ovechkin might as well have their numbers retired today but I think Ovechkin means more to the Capitals than Crosby does to the Penguins. The Penguins had Mario Lemieux and cups. The Capitals had neither. I’m not saying Ovechkin is or isn’t better than Crosby. As soon as Ovechkin calls it a career, is his number in the rafters right away?

His number will be retired opening night, the season after he retires, of that I have no doubt. Same with Crosby. Had Pittsburgh never had Lemieux (and Jagr, etc...), Crosby's accomplishments are exceptional in their own right.

I get what you're saying about Ovechkin, and I think in a way that's true. But when I think of the Montreal Canadiens, certainly there's a case that Maurice Richard means most in their pantheon for a number of statistical if not cultural reasons. But then you hear people talk about Howie Morenz and Toe Blake who came before him in a certain way, and certainly those from the 70s those who talk about Lafleur. Time will tell.

I think Crosby is to Lemieux in a way, what Lafleur is/was to Richard, if less in excellence, only slightly, but held in the highest esteem. There's nothing really like that for Washington, so again, I think your point has weight.

And because Ovechkin and Crosby are so integrated in each other's NHL identity, that's another reason I think Crosby is going to be remembered in a way not unlike Jagr and Ovechkin. All-time greats, only slightly less in excellence according to particular interpretations, but of equal footing in terms of league history.

Been a heck of a ride watching them both push each other.

Leafs fan hoping Matthews enters the conversation in the coming years.

 

[Shark Finn]

They already did

 

[GKJ]

Depends on whether they want to wait until before or after he’s inducted into the Hall of Fame, and how many times they want to cash in on Ovechkin appreciation nights.

 

[JoeSakic13]

Only if he gets to share the retirement banner with Caps legend Jan Bulis.

 

[ViD]

Only after 13 goes into rafters in Detroit

 

[Salsa Shark]

I wonder if they might do it the year he is elected to the Hall of Fame. But they probably will do it the year after he retires unless he decides to get away from hockey by spending a year in Antarctica

Of course the Chicago White Sox retired Harold Baines #3 when he was 30, still playing for the Texas Rangers (he had been traded there three weeks earlier), there was no public announcement before hand so fans didn’t realize what was going on during Umbrella Day and Baines himself didn’t know it was going to happen (last game of a three game series with Texas, Baines had a groin pull and wasn’t playing).

Never want to follow the White Sox lead, ha

 

[Voight]

Home opener the following season.

(assuming he retires at the end of a season and doesn't do it mid year or gets some career ending injury mid season)

 

[Mogo]

Is it off-season already?

 

[Toby91ca]

For people like Ovechkin and Crosby, their numbers will end up getting retired as quickly as they can arrange. Would come down to scheduling. For the most part, with the obvious guys, they try to do so early in the next season. Sometimes is really quick....Bobby Orr couldn't keep going and played his last game with Chicago in November 1978 and the Bruins retired his number in January 1979 (2 months later). That was an interesting one as he left Boston a couple years earlier on bad terms. Brett Hull tried to keep playing after the lockout and didn't make it through the first month of the year, retired in October 2006. STL retired his number about 6 or 7 weeks later.

 

[Randyne]

Only after 13 goes into rafters in Detroit

They didn't? wow
Datzyuk is an icon.

 

[GrkFlyersFan]

It'll be the first season he retires, but not necessarily at the Home Opener. Maybe the first time Pittsburgh comes in.

 

[Breakers]

Umm jersey retirements are about marketing and events and press, they’ll drag it out over a few months at least

 

[Bleedred]

The first year he’s retired.

Unless he decides to play in the KHL when he’s done here. I don’t think they’ll have him come all the way over here during hockey season to retire his number in that case.