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

[ViD]

Imagine the ticket prices for that retirement night game

I say retire the jersey # right after Ovie breaks Gretzky's goalscoring record. In between the puck hitting the back if the net and the center ice faceoff.

To be honest, an interesting idea, first time ever to retire a number of a currently active player

 

[MadLuke]

Hard to say, as the player-ceremony decision can impact the schedule, the team would want for them to be there, etc...

As soon as it match a game with a crowd and the players want it (they could be unsure if they fully retire or want to play in the khl....)

Jagr made the penguins wait a very long time for example.

 

[zar]

“If” he retires.

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

He'll still be wearing the jersey as it gets raised to the rafters. Someone will have to get him out.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

The premise of this thread is weird. Both Sid & Ovechkin should and will have their numbers retired pretty damn quickly. The only way Sid's number is in the rafters a meaningful amount of time before Ovechkin's is if Ovi decides to continue playing in Russia after retiring from the NHL and the schedules don't allow him to actually be in Washington for a ceremony. There are a lot of reasons Jagr had to wait a good while that won't apply to Ovechkin, even if he just keeps playing in perpetuity. The fact the Penguins were able to get Jagr over in the middle of the season for his means the Caps may not even wait until he's finished in Russia, so long as there's a break that allows him to be in Washington for it.

Honestly I really hope they both get their numbers retired within the same week...that'd be so special and appropriate. No need to hold it up if one retires before the other, but if they go out at the same time it'd just be cool. At the end of the day these guys both clinched their number retirements a long, long, long time ago and nobody is wearing those numbers for their respective franchises again, even if it's not immediately retired. Michel Briere was the last Penguin to wear #21, even if it took 30 years for it to be officially retired.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

They should retire it the day he breaks the record.

 

[tarheelhockey]

It’s already retired, they’re just not gonna tell Ovie he can’t do what he wants.

 

[These Are The Days]

Assuming he's playing his last game as a Capital, you do it the night of his last game. Especially if he has already broken Gretzky's goal record

 

[Fallschirmyager]

One of two games. At the last home game of the retirement season or the first home game of the next season.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I think his jersey retirement will be different from most players. I could see the NHL itself organizing some special ceremony where they would (hopefully) gift him a special commemorative item to crown his exceptional achievement as the highest goalscorer of all time.

It’s not every day that a player of this caliber retires. There’s only one other player in this league deserving of something exceptional on the same scale, and he’s known for wearing #87.

 

[Sniper99]

Crosby 8.7 seconds after he retires, Ovechkin 8 seconds

 

[BraveCanadian]

Like, instantly?

 

[Jumptheshark]

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?

Both players get their number retired right away

 

[Midnight Judges]

It will take about 12 seconds.

 

[cptjeff]

No current player should have their number retired league-wide

No player should have their number retired league-wide, period. The Gretzky thing was moronic.

It'll be the first year after he retires, but not opening night. Opening night is already a big event. You stick it in some otherwise quiet midseason game (December 8, January 8, February 8, take your pick) to make that otherwise boring night a hot, premium ticket, get it on every highlight package nationally, etc. You know, like every other jersey retirement ever.

 

[stephenball]

I think it’s silly to retire a number league wide just because you were the best player. I can understand 42 being retired league wide in baseball, because it meant more than just being the best at the game. But 99 being retired league wild seems ridiculous, because that kind of things sorts itself out, like how you don’t really see 66.

 

[Peter Griffin]

Why is this even a thread?

 

[Duffy13]

He shouldn't even get off the ice after his last shift without his jersey being started to go up

 

[Voight]

Ovechkin is def not a great enough player to have his number retired league wide. Can we stop the pandering please? He has 1555 pts in 1432 games. I value assists to be just as important as goals. Plus I highly value how a player plays in the D-zone, which he was never great at. Plus he didn't play center. Scoring goals on the PP is valuable of course, but as a complete player, he doesn't cut it for me.

If Ovechkin's number is retired league-wide, so should Malkin's. His ppg is better.

The only active player right now in the NHL who should have their number retired league wide is Crosby.

Lol no.

 

[Siludin]

Literally a matter of scheduling. Likely happens at some particular and specific night the following Oct-Dec (probably when they face the Penguins at home or something) - they will likely book it on the same night as a "meaningful" game.

 

[barkovcanfinnish]

I wonder if they’d retire his number on his last game? Like genuinely.