Every sport has its fair share of iconic numbers. In the world of hockey, for example, Wayne Gretzky’s No. 99 looms large. Kids dream of wearing it, but, at the same time, putting those digits on your back is off-limits. No one, no matter how talented you might be, can touch the Great One.
That’s even true of Connor Bedard.
Throughout the forward’s youth career, he largely wore No. 98. And nothing will change at the NHL level; he’s also sporting the same jersey number with the Chicago Blackhawks.
But have you ever wondered what’s behind the choice? Well, it’s a mixture of logistics and prophetic confidence.
Let’s break it down.
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Why Does Connor Bedard Wear No. 98?
By and large, athletes are creatures of habit; once you’ve worn the same number for years, you aren’t going to change it without good reason. Children, however, have a different frame of reference: their favorite players. That can create something of a logjam, with several kids hoping to rock the same jersey number.
“Houman Ershadi, a manager of our team who was a big part of our ’05 development group, went around the room and asked every kid ‘what number do you want?’ when they were 5,” Jon Calvano, who coached a young Bedard with the Vancouver Vipers told Rob Johnstone for a Post Media story. “Numbers 87 and 97 were popular, so we had to have votes and draw names to see who got the number.”
The number 87, of course, belongs to Sidney Crosby, and 97 was worn by Matt Barzal during his Western Hockey League (WHL) days. And 99, as noted above, is perpetually off-limits, thanks to Gretzky.
With those choices off the table, Bedard snagged the available choice: 98. And while that’s not much of a story—the logistics more or less made his choice for him—the tale isn’t finished.
“When Connor asked for 98, our manager asked him, ‘Who’s 98?'” Calvano added. “He said, ‘I’m 98.’
“We kind of looked at him like, ‘You’re 5 and that’s your response?’ It was pretty neat to hear a 5-year-old say, ‘That’s my number.'”
From there, the rest is history.
“Nobody really said anything,” Calvano said. “Then he just played.”
Bedard’s 98 Jersey Is More Popular Than Ever
Whether you believe it was prophetic or precocious that the young forward insisted 98 was simply his number, he’s been proven right.
Even before reaching the NHL, Bedard proved to be a star. He dominated the WHL with the Regina Pats, piling up 143 points (71 goals and 72 assists) during his best junior season. On the national stage, he also starred for Canada at the 2023 World Junior Championships, tallying an incredible 23 points in seven games en route to a gold medal. Bedard also claimed a 2022 WJC gold and was part of a Candian squad that took the top spot in 2021’s World U18 Championships.
Given that he did all of that before becoming the first overall pick of the 2023 NHL draft, it’s easy to see why Bedard is popular. And his star has risen to a new level since joining the Blackhawks.
On the eve of the 2023-24 NHL opener, the league reported that Bedard has the highest-selling jersey since June. That’s understandable. This is a talented rookie who’s suiting up for a historic franchise. You couldn’t buy the jersey before June 28 but it still speaks volumes about his status. Outdoing the likes of Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin isn’t insignificant, no matter the mitigating factors at play.
And, put it this way: If No. 98 continues his upward trajectory, Bedard jerseys will only continue to sell like hotcakes.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.