Poll: Retire #72. Yea or Nay?

[Viqsi]

Simple question, prompted because he just got himself a new drinking glass. Explanations are for discussion; I considered filling out the poll with more detailed responses but was ending up with too many redundant possibilities.

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[Viqsi]

My argument for:
He's an important part of team history, he's likely a HHOF lock now, and a large part of why that's the case is because of the two Vezinas he won wearing union blue. I think that's something that deserves acknowlegement.

 

[JohnnyJacket13]

He was more impactful for this franchise than #61 and far more decorated…so yeah

 

[Aaaarrgghh]

No. But nothing against Bobrovsky. I am as a rule against retiring numbers.

 

[GoJackets1]

I came in here to say no, but you all convinced me to a yes.

 

[koteka]

If you retire Nash’s number, you have to retire Bob’s, and that was my thought before the Cup win tonight.

The better question is who are the greatest hockey players ever to play for the Jackets and where does Bob rank? Is he number 2?

 

[Long Live Lyle]

He’ll be our first-ever HHOFer that definitely wouldn’t make it in if you didn’t include his CBJ tenure. Fedorov is technically our first but obviously would’ve made it in whether he played for us or not. Hitchcock also likely would’ve been inducted without his CBJ contributions.

I think that’s a yes to me for Bob.

 

[MAHJ71]

I came in here to say no, but you all convinced me to a yes.

Lol, I’m getting there.

 

[squashmaple]

Yes, but not til after he retires.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Eventually. But I honestly think it comes back to whatever his relationship is with the team when his career is done. There was bitterness on both sides there at the end. His 2 Vezina in Columbus are important but his cup win tonight should literally have zero impact if his number gets retired in Columbus because it didn't happen here.

 

[Seedtype]

No. But nothing against Bobrovsky. I am as a rule against retiring numbers.

Yeah, to me that's a thing the older teams do.

Maybe when/if we start getting Cup banners we can consider retiring numbers then.

 

[Aaaarrgghh]

Yeah, to me that's a thing the older teams do.

Maybe when/if we start getting Cup banners we can consider retiring numbers then.

Personally, I think it gets a bit silly when you nearly can't have a one-digit number because you're playing in Boston.

 

[squashmaple]

Yeah, to me that's a thing the older teams do.

Maybe when/if we start getting Cup banners we can consider retiring numbers then.

I'm fine with the most important player for the franchise each decade getting retired, provided they also have league-wide hardware. Nash had a Rocket and was The Blue Jacket in the aughts. Bob had two Vezinas and basically was The Blue Jacket in the '10s. Honestly, someone wearing that mantle for the '20s isn't looking great so far.

 

[Long Live Lyle]

Eventually. But I honestly think it comes back to whatever his relationship is with the team when his career is done. There was bitterness on both sides there at the end. His 2 Vezina in Columbus are important but his cup win tonight should literally have zero impact if his number gets retired in Columbus because it didn't happen here.

I pretty much agree, although I’d note that part of my argument in his favor is he’ll be in the HHOF, and that’s partly due to the Cup. I look at it as a Hall of Famer who won 2 Vezinas for your franchise deserves his number retired.

 

[Viqsi]

I'm fine with the most important player for the franchise each decade getting retired, provided they also have league-wide hardware. Nash had a Rocket and was The Blue Jacket in the aughts. Bob had two Vezinas and basically was The Blue Jacket in the '10s. Honestly, someone wearing that mantle for the '20s isn't looking great so far.

The closest we've got so far is Boone, and I love him more than life itself but no. I think hope remains for Fantilli and/or some of the other kids tho.

 

[Long Live Lyle]

The other interesting thing is only nine players have had their number retired by multiple teams. If Bob gets his retired by both CBJ and Florida, he’d be #10 (unless someone else gets theirs retired by two teams first):

• Bobby Hull – Chicago Blackhawks and the original Winnipeg Jets
• Gordie Howe – Detroit Red Wings and Hartford Whalers
• Wayne Gretzky – Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings (also retired league-wide)
• Ray Bourque – Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche
• Mark Messier – Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers
• Patrick Roy – Colorado Avalanche and Montreal Canadiens
• Tim Horton – Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs
• Red Kelly – Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs
• Scott Niedermayer – Anaheim Ducks and New Jersey Devils

 

[Viqsi]

The other interesting thing is only nine players have had their number retired by multiple teams. If Bob gets his retired by both CBJ and Florida, he’d be #10 (unless someone else gets theirs retired by two teams first):

• Bobby Hull – Chicago Blackhawks and the original Winnipeg Jets
• Gordie Howe – Detroit Red Wings and Hartford Whalers
• Wayne Gretzky – Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings (also retired league-wide)
• Ray Bourque – Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche
• Mark Messier – Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers
• Patrick Roy – Colorado Avalanche and Montreal Canadiens
• Tim Horton – Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs
• Red Kelly – Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs
• Scott Niedermayer – Anaheim Ducks and New Jersey Devils

I don't think that's likely unless he's more than just a finalist for the Vezina this year.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

I was always on team yes, but the clock is already struck on that one as it’s already been worn. (Carson Meyer)

I don’t think we’ll see another one retired for a long time. He and Nash may be the first ones inducted in a future ring of honor or something, but I think the jersey will remain open.

 

[Long Live Lyle]

I don't think that's likely unless he's more than just a finalist for the Vezina this year.

Maybe it’ll depend on how he finishes, but he was essentially one of the top 2 or 3 players of two Eastern conference champions, probably the top player of a Stanley Cup champion, a Vezina finalist, and will play there eight years. It’s Florida, it’s not like the Canadiens or Bruins with an incredible history. I think he has a great shot of having his number retired by them.

 

[majormajor]

I was always on team yes, but the clock is already struck on that one as it’s already been worn. (Carson Meyer)

I feel like I've seen it before where a number is retired, and there's been some other player wearing that number in between. It's not a relevant consideration for me. If they want to retire Bob's number, then Meyer isn't going to get in the way of that. We're talking maybe five years from now anyways.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

I feel like I've seen it before where a number is retired, and there's been some other player wearing that number in between. It's not a relevant consideration for me. If they want to retire Bob's number, then Meyer isn't going to get in the way of that. We're talking maybe five years from now anyways.

Perhaps it’s happened in hockey, but it certainly didn’t with Nash. And it certainly hasn’t in the NFL in recent years to my recollection.

 

[Long Live Lyle]

Perhaps it’s happened in hockey, but it certainly didn’t with Nash. And it certainly hasn’t in the NFL in recent years to my recollection.

It’s rare but does happen. Chelios got his #7 retired by the Hawks this year, Seabrook wore it after he did. That’s the first example that comes to mind, I know there are others.

 

[ViD]

As much as I like Bob, I don’t think that’s a good idea.

Was not drafted by us, left us on bad terms, won his cup with another team.

It sounds like retiring a number just to retire a number.

Frankly, I’d rather retire Foligno’s number

 

[EspenK]

If he lost Game 7 would you still vote yes?

 

[tunnelvision]

That was an easy no for me. I've never had anything personal against Bob, I loved him as a Jacket and I was very happy he won the cup.

I think in general we should have high standards for number retirement. Have a long career here in a key role and win a cup with CBJ should be minimum requirements.

Probably only exception to this can be the first meaningful player for the organisation such as Nash who was a captain, a popular star player and a big reason why the team had any kind of success in their first 10 years of existence, and who on top of that had a special connection to the team founder. Let alone all off-ice contributions he's been doing for years.

That's why Nash applies but Bob or Foligno do not.