When it comes to the game of hockey, many players become synonymous with particular jersey numbers. Who else’s mind goes right to Jarome Iginla when thinking of #12, or to Lanny McDonald when thinking about #9?

But number assignments can be super weird and random. Some numbers are very personally meaningful to players, paying tribute to heroes or other important figures. And some are just randomly-assigned camp numbers that they hold onto.

So here’s a snapshot of the current Flames roster and – based a combination of research and interviews – why they wear the numbers that they do.

Cooley has worn #1 during most of his career stops dating back to his time with Springfield of the NAHL. Since then, he’s worn it with University of Denver (NCAA) in two of three seasons, Florida (ECHL), Rochester (AHL), Milwaukee (AHL), Calgary (AHL) and San Jose (AHL). He’s worn other numbers on occasion, but he keeps coming back to #1.

Wolf grew up in California and was a big Los Angeles Kings/Jonathan Quick fan, so #32 seems to be the number he gravitates towards. He wore it in Everett (WHL), Stockton (AHL) and Calgary (AHL).

Maatta’s rotated between three low numbers since coming to North America: #2 with London (OHL), Utah and Detroit; #6 in Los Angeles and Chicago; and #3 in Pittsburgh. #3 was available when Maatta arrived from Utah.

Bahl wore #88 in junior, in the AHL while in New Jersey’s system and with the Devils. Andrew Mangiapane was traded to Washington the same summer the Flames acquired Bahl, so we suspect #88 was probably available had Bahl wanted it, but he evidently opted for a more traditional, low number.

Parekh wore #19 with the GTHL’s Markham Majors and the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit. He was given #89 as a training camp number, but he switched to #19 when he made the Flames out of training camp.

Bean wore #2 during major junior and during his first season with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. However, Gustav Forsling got #2 in Bean’s second season in the AHL, and Bean switched to #24. He’s essentially stuck with that number ever since, though he wore #22 during his three seasons in Columbus.

Whitecloud wore #32 in college at Bemidji State and with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. He wore #2 during his time in Vegas. With neither of those numbers available in Calgary, he got another number.

Kuznetsov wore #5 in the USHL with Sioux Falls and #2 both in college at the University of Connecticut and in the QMJHL with Saint John. He was given #37 as a training camp number and has kept it so far, including during his entire time in the AHL.

Hanley’s late brother, Jordon, wore #44 when he played. Hanley’s worn #44 quite often: during four seasons in college at the University of Massachusetts, one season with AHL Tucson, and during his last four seasons with the Dallas Stars. (He wore #4 during two seasons with AHL Texas.)

Brzustewicz wore #4 during his second season with the U.S. National Development Program and during both seasons with the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers. He was given #48 as a training camp number by the Flames.

Pachal wore #94 both with Vegas and their AHL club, the Henderson Silver Knights and it followed him to Calgary.

Huberdeau wore #11 in junior with Saint John and during his whole run in Florida. He switched to #10 after arriving in Calgary because Mikael Backlund had #11.

Backlund wore #60 with the Flames originally. He had #11 during his first AHL season with the Abbotsford Heat (2009-10), then switched to #12 the following season – veteran AHLer Quintin Laing joined the team as captain and got #11. That same season, Backlund’s NHL number got shuffled from #60 to #11. According to The Athletic’s Julian McKenzie, then-coach Darryl Sutter’s rationale for giving Backlund #11 was it would make him look taller.

Frost wore #16 during his four seasons with the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds. When he joined the Flyers in 2019-20, he was assigned #48 (as Bobby Clarke’s old #16 was retired by the organization). He returned to his OHL number when he moved to Calgary.

Sharangovich wore #17 on his way up through hockey in Belarus and, aside from a season in the KHL with Dynamo Minsk (wearing #87) and one season with AHL Binghamton (#22), he’s worn it everywhere he’s gone.

Beecher wore #17 at prep school, at the U.S. National Development Program and during three seasons with the University of Michigan. With Nick Foligno wearing #17 with the Bruins when Beecher went pro, he switched to #19, which he wore with both the Bruins and AHL Providence. When he was claimed by Calgary off waivers, #19 was taken, so he got a slightly different number.

Coleman wore #25 during junior and college. He was given #40 in his first season with New Jersey (2016-17), but swapped to #20 the following season (2017-18) and continued to use that number in New Jersey, Tampa Bay and Calgary.

Strome wore #17 with OHL Barrie and #18 with OHL Niagara. He continued with #18 with Edmonton and the NY Islanders, and switched to #16 with the NY Rangers and Anaheim. Both were unavailable when he was traded to Calgary.

Coronato wore #27 with USHL Chicago, but moved to #19 when he was with Harvard – teammate Austin Wong already had it before Coronato arrived. Coronato wore #39 initially with the Flames, but swapped to #27 in 2023-24.

Honzek wore #29 on his way up through Slovak hockey, and wore it again with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants. He was initially assigned #42 by the Flames, but switched to #29 this season.

Suniev wore #19 with the BCHL’s Penticton Vees and #16 with the University of Massachusetts. He was initially assigned #84 by the Flames, but he swapped to #36 when he signed his entry-level deal and joined the NHL club late last season.

Gross wore #13 during his three seasons with the NCAA’s St. Cloud State University. That number is likely permanently unavailable, so he ended up with a multiple of that digit.

Klapka usually wore #15 on his way up, both in Czech hockey and during parts of two seasons with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm. When he joined the Flames organization he was given a pretty standard forward training camp number and has stuck with it.

Zary wore #18 with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers. He was assigned #47 as a training camp number and has stuck with it.

Lomberg has been no stranger to odd, high numbers during his career. He wore #56 during his first run with the Flames organization, then switched to #94 in Florida. When he returned to Calgary, he moved to #70. It seems quite random.

Pospisil’s training camp number years ago when he joined the Flames organization was #76, and he hasn’t changed it since.

Farabee usually wore #28 at lower levels, notably in his second season at the U.S. National Development Program and Boston University. When he arrived in Philadelphia in 2019-20, though, Claude Giroux had #28, so Farabee was given #49 instead. (He wore #28 with AHL Lehigh Valley, though.) He was switched to #86 in 2020-21, and he’s kept that number in the NHL ever since.

Gridin is a big fan of Russian star Evgeny Kuznetsov, who wore #92. So whenever Gridin’s had the opportunity to wear #92, he’s done so – like in his second season with the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks and his lone season with the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes. His training camp number with the Flames was #51, but he switched to #92 in October when he made the NHL roster.

Olofsson wore #95 in Vegas and Colorado, and bounced between #71, #68 and #41 during his run in Buffalo. He was born in 1995, so that seems to be the major connection here.