A history of Flames numbers: #23, Sean Monahan
By Ari Yanover
7 years agoSean Monahan wore #20 for the Ottawa 67’s when the Flames drafted him. He never went back, instead making the NHL right out of his very first training camp in 2013, when the number belonged to Curtis Glencross.
Monahan was basically guaranteed to have a longer, and better, career than Glencross, but it had been his number for quite some time. It would have been bad form to change it – and so, Monahan got #23, which the Flames gave him off the bat.
It’s stuck. And it’s kind of fitting, what with linemate Johnny Gaudreau wearing #13 and all.
#23 on the Flames
Monahan is the 17th player in Flames franchise history to wear #23:
- D Bob Murray
- D Larry Carriere
- D Pat Ribble
- D Miles Zaharko
- D Paul Reinhart
- D Ken Sabourin
- LW Stephane Matteau
- LW Nevin Markwart
- RW C.J. Young
- RW Greg Paslawski
- RW Sheldon Kennedy
- C Aaron Gavey
- C Clarke Wilm
- LW Martin Gelinas
- LW Eric Nystrom
- D Scott Hannan
- C Sean Monahan
The number started off as one just for defencemen. It did experience a brief revival with Hannan – remember that time? – but as it stands, Monahan is actually only the third centre to wear #23 for the Flames.
And I was going to put Monahan’s picture at the top, but – guys. There was truly no choice here.
The best #23
It’s unfair to compare points by defencemen to points by forwards, but Reinhart rightfully stands out. There’s him – and then there’s Gelinas, who did a hell of a lot for the Flames in his short time here as a player.
Monahan is definitely going to challenge the both of them, though. He’s already second to only Reinhart in points per game, and his best years are still ahead of him. Back-to-back 60+ points in his early 20s? His career is going to be a really fun ride.
Previous numbers
| #1 – Brian Elliott | #3 – Jyrki Jokipakka |
| #5 – Mark Giordano | #6 – Dennis Wideman |
| #7 – T.J. Brodie | #10 – Linden Vey |
| #11 – Mikael Backlund | #13 – Johnny Gaudreau |
| #15 – Ladislav Smid | #17 – Lance Bouma |
| #18 – Matt Stajan | #19 – Matthew Tkachuk |
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