In the lengthy history of the Calgary Flames franchises, there are a lot of players that had unique runs with the organization. But there are only a few players with peculiarities in their careers that make you go “Well that’s odd…” Forward Steve Begin is one of those players.

Begin began his National Hockey League career with the Flames. 15 years later, he ended his career with the Flames. In-between, he played for four other teams and during his run with the Flames he wore five different jersey numbers.

As we await Ryan Lomberg’s illustrious return to the C of Red and his addition to the annals of two-time Flames, let’s discuss Begin’s time with the club.

Hailing from Trios-Riveries, Quebec, Begin played his junior hockey in the QMJHL with the Val-d’Or Foreurs. While he never put up gaudy offensive numbers in the Q, he was willing to play a physical style of game that created space for his teammates (and led to Begin taking up residency in the penalty box).

He was selected in the second round, 40th overall, by the Flames in the 1996 NHL Draft. (He was selected after the Flames had earlier chosen Derek Morris and Travis Brigley). After another year in junior, he made the Flames out of training camp in 1997 (wearing #57) but was eventually sent back to the Foreurs, where he helped his team win the league’s championship.

Begin went pro the following season and spent five seasons in the Flames system. He made the team out of camp in 1999-2000, wearing #7, but was sent back to the AHL. When he was called back up mid-season, Chris Clark had been called up before him and assigned #7, so Begin was given #33 instead. But there’s more! The Flames acquired Brad Werenka and Marc Bureau prior to the trade deadline, giving Werenka #33 and Bureau #7. As a result, Begin was given #26 (his third number of that season) and Clark was assigned #17.

Anyway, Begin bounced back and forth between the NHL and AHL in 1999-2000 and 2000-01, and was a part of the Calder Cup-winning Saint John Flames in 2001. He finally carved out a full-time NHL gig the following season.

After two seasons with the Flames as a physical depth player that didn’t generate much offence, Begin was packaged with Chris Drury and sent to Buffalo in exchange for Steven Reinprecht and Rhett Warrener (before he came to prominence as a podcaster). Begin played precisely zero games with the Sabres, though, as he was claimed by the Montreal Canadiens in the NHL’s final waiver draft in October 2003.

Aside from a brief run in the AHL during the 2004-05 lockout season, Begin remained a full-time NHLer for the next several seasons, spending time with Montreal, Dallas and Boston. His playing style started to catch up with him, though, and by the time he landed with Nashville in 2010-11 he wasn’t quite as effective as he had been in the past… and found himself sliding into the AHL with Milwaukee as a result.

Begin didn’t play anywhere during the 2011-12 season due to a hip injury. He was invited to Flames training camp on a pro try-out before the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season… and worked his tail off, ultimately making the team. He played 36 games with the Flames that season while wearing 25.

Despite his showing the prior season with the big club, Begin instead was offered an AHL deal with the Abbotsford Heat for the following season. He just couldn’t stay healthy, though, and ended up retiring midway through the 2013-14 season due to his lingering injuries.

Begin was never an offensive dynamo at most levels of hockey. Heck, his NHL peak was 23 points in a single season. But he carved out a 524-game NHL career and won championships at two other levels through hard work and a willingness to play a very physical and grinding style of hockey.

He just could never quite settle on a jersey number.