Oilers fan question - Why does Mottau wear #27?

In Edmonton it would be blasphemy if someone donned #9 or #94. They may not be in the Hall of Fame, but both Glenn Anderson and Ryan Smyth were so revered that management would not let some player come in and where the jersey # of a Oil legend.

Now I've noticed this just about all year, but don't have a New Jersey Devil fan near me that can explain it for me. Why does Mike Motteau where #27 for the Devils? Especially being a d-man, you would think that there would be know way he'd want the comparison to a future Hall of Famer. Also sems weird when you have a old school coach and GM. I thought one of those two guys would disallow such a thing too.

Il let someone else explain the number situation.

But damn dude, that avatar is just plain sick. :biglaugh:

In Edmonton it would be blasphemy if someone donned #9 or #94. They may not be in the Hall of Fame, but both Glenn Anderson and Ryan Smyth were so revered that management would not let some player come in and where the jersey # of a Oil legend.

Now I've noticed this just about all year, but don't have a New Jersey Devil fan near me that can explain it for me. Why does Mike Motteau where #27 for the Devils? Especially being a d-man, you would think that there would be know way he'd want the comparison to a future Hall of Famer. Also sems weird when you have a old school coach and GM. I thought one of those two guys would disallow such a thing too.

1. Not many numbers available when you're not allowed to come in and choose above 30 as an un-established player.

2. **** Traitormayer.

He wears #27 because that's the number Lou gave him. Even before Mottau came along, I think Clarkson & someone else wore #27 after Niedermayer left. Lou likes to keep the numbers on the team low for some reason - nobody wears a number higher than Brodeur's #30 on the current team & there are only a few instances of higher numbers being worn at other times - usually with big enough name players that have worn the number elsewhere (Richer, Mogilny, Gilmour, etc.).

Not sure if that answers your question or not, but basically it was Lou's decision...not Mottau's. Not sure why Lou was so quick to use that number again though.

but it's not like Niedermayer didn't win Cups and Norris Trophies there. #27 should be deleted from the options.

Just seems wrong.

britdevil - thanks :)

The use of that number tells you exactly how much Lou thinks Scott's number should be retired. Even at that, if it does - so long as he's playing for another team, that number is fair game. Dano and Stevens didn't go play somewhere else, thus nobody was issued their number when they retired as Lou knew full well the plans to hang those numbers in the rafters.

27 will not be so fortunate. HOF - sure, but it takes a different standard of excellence to hang next to 3 & 4. Loyalty is paramount.

He wears #27 because that's the number Lou gave him. Even before Mottau came along, I think Clarkson & someone else wore #27 after Niedermayer left. Lou likes to keep the numbers on the team low for some reason - nobody wears a number higher than Brodeur's #30 on the current team & there are only a few instances of higher numbers being worn at other times - usually with big enough name players that have worn the number elsewhere (Richer, Mogilny, Gilmour, etc.).

Not sure if that answers your question or not, but basically it was Lou's decision...not Mottau's. Not sure why Lou was so quick to use that number again though.

Really. I like the low numbers too. I cringe whenever I see the likes of 76,77,78,83,88 or 89 floating around on the ice in Edmonton. But I guess precedent had been set here with Gretz so it open season. Sometimes it feels more like a football when I look at the roster.

Anyways thanks for the speedy reply and good luck against the Rags.

btw, Parise should of been an Oiler. Damn you Kevin Lowe!!!

In New Jersey it doesn't work that way. Niedermayer chose to leave and also hurt his former team in the process.

There's a policy in New Jersey to keep the numbers low. If we decided to honor and retire every player that plays here for a time and leaves we'd run out of numbers eventually. Jamie Langenbrunner is wearing #15 and I don't see anyone complaining about that. Johnny MacLean is still one of the best Devils ever.

Lamoriello has in fact said that Niedermayer's number probably will be retired some day, but until then there's not a problem with some other player wearing his number.

Ray Bourque wore #7 (Esposito) for some time until they decided to honor him. That's when Bourque changed to #77. I'm not saying the same thing will happen with Niedermayer, but I'm fully comfortable with Mottau wearing the #27.

I'm even disappointed in Niedermayer and also pissed. He screwed the Devils by that late decision, a decision he had made up long before he signed with the Ducks. He chose to leave and leave us in that position. He wasn't traded. That's why we're not so sentimenal when we're talking about this guy.

but it's not like Niedermayer didn't win Cups and Norris Trophies there. #27 should be deleted from the options.

Just seems wrong.

britdevil - thanks :)

If Niedermayer didn't want to see someone else wearing #27 for the Devils, he should've stayed.

And he won 1 Norris Trophy with the Devils, not multiple trophies.

Really, it's not a big deal though - funny how other team's fans seem to have much more of a problem with it than Devils fans, who more or less care less about it. And this is coming from someone that DOES want to see the Devils retire Niedermayer's number at one point (though I'm probably in the minority).

The use of that number tells you exactly how much Lou thinks Scott's number should be retired. Even at that, if it does - so long as he's playing for another team, that number is fair game. Dano and Stevens didn't go play somewhere else, thus nobody was issued their number when they retired as Lou knew full well the plans to hang those numbers in the rafters.

27 will not be so fortunate. HOF - sure, but it takes a different standard of excellence to hang next to 3 & 4. Loyalty is paramount.

Alright. But riddle me this. How loyal is Lou to his players? Players move on. It's a business now and both sides of the fence now have to make roster decisions based on salary and performance.

The use of that number tells you exactly how much Lou thinks Scott's number should be retired. Even at that, if it does - so long as he's playing for another team, that number is fair game. Dano and Stevens didn't go play somewhere else, thus nobody was issued their number when they retired as Lou knew full well the plans to hang those numbers in the rafters.

27 will not be so fortunate. HOF - sure, but it takes a different standard of excellence to hang next to 3 & 4. Loyalty is paramount.

Lou has come out and said that it's a probability that the Devils will retire Neidermeyer's number. But in the meantime, I think you're right: as long as he is an active player for another team, number 27 can be given to a player, until such time as it is retired. It's not retired yet.

If Niedermayer didn't want to see someone else wearing #27 for the Devils, he should've stayed.

And he won 1 Norris Trophy with the Devils, not multiple trophies.

Really, it's not a big deal though - funny how other team's fans seem to have much more of a problem with it than Devils fans, who more or less care less about it. And this is coming from someone that DOES want to see the Devils retire Niedermayer's number at one point (though I'm probably in the minority).

Sorry. Felt like he should of won more there. But he was a finalist on multiple occassions. Beware the wrath of Lou.

Fair enough guys. You answered everything for me. I you make it out the 1st round you could do some real damage in the East. Good luck.

Additionally, the only blasphemy would have been if someone wore #4 before it was retired. Less so for #3, but you would see a good amount of people upset over it. I'd say #27 for us is closer to #44 for you guys than it is #94 or 9.

Good luck.

In the words of Han Solo.

"Were gunna need it."

Wow, I love that avatar.

http://hfboards.com/customavatars/avatar62324_1.gif
I love you.

Alright. But riddle me this. How loyal is Lou to his players? Players move on. It's a business now and both sides of the fence now have to make roster decisions based on salary and performance.

Lou is extremely loyal to the players who are loyal to the organization. He said repeatedly while he was still playing that Scott Stevens would always have a job in the organization as long as he wanted it.

Lou has also shown no qualms towards paying fair market value, and sometimes overpaying, for his own free agents. He just doesn't overpay for outside free agents.

Sorry. Felt like he should of won more there. But he was a finalist on multiple occassions. Beware the wrath of Lou.

Was he even a finalist on multiple occasions in NJ? Somehow I doubt it. He was always in the shadow of Stevens (who was too "defensive" to win the award for best defenseman) until the 2003 playoffs and Stevens subsequent concussion problems.

Silly question in my opinion, the Devils are not ones to hold to some childish fantasy of loyalty until the number is retired. The thought that a number shouldn't be used before it has been retired is silly. When the number is retired it will no longer be in use, till then it's fair game. Kind of simple really.

For reasons stated above it hasn't been retired.. as such, they gave the number away immediately because the longer they waited the more significant the number would become and the harder it would be to give it to someone else. He still may get retired though, but not before #30.