Hello folks! It's been a while!
I hope you've all been keeping well during the off season. It's not long until the puck drops, thankfully!
I'm going to get straight to the point. It seems to me that the old chestnut debate over retired numbers has flared up again today on Twitter, so rather than send a series of incoherent tweets I thought I'd actually get back to writing a blog post about it all, so I hope you've got your feet up and a cuppa nearby.
The Steelers have six retired numbers, those being 4, 7, 9, 11, 16 and 26.
Now, in my opinion, only TWO of those numbers should definitely be retired at this stage, those being the number 11 of "The Duke" Tommy Plommer and the number 26 of "Rocket" Ron Shudra, the man that is quite literally Mr Sheffield Steelers.
You're probably thinking to yourselves "Only two? SERIOUSLY?!" and the answer to that is yes, just the two. Allow me to explain why number by number, however, for the purposes of games played and points etc, I am only going to be looking at league campaign stats only (stick tap to eliteprospects.com).
Number 4 - Tim Cranston:
"Turbo" Tim was a Steelers player for five seasons. That's right, just five seasons. He played in 206 games and scored 299 points. Now, admittedly that is an average of 1.45 points per game, but where is the longevity of service? He was a Steelers player for half of the time required for a testimonial. Mark Thomas, a current Steeler, is entering his 10th season with the club and will be getting a testimonial in February 2015. Sure he doesn't have the points output that Cranston had, but that is down to being two different types of player but also having played in different eras, so to speak. Now I know there are probably other sides of the argument that would make very valid points for a number retirement, but for me, "Turbo" Tim Cranston should not have had his number retired.
Number 7 - Ronnie Wood:
Now, this one is rather tricky for me, because this is WAY before my time as a hockey fan, but Ronnie Wood played just two seasons for the club, however, those two seasons were right at the start of the clubs existence. He was also the clubs General Manager as well for a season and a half during that time. He played 59 games and scored 105 points. An average of 1.78 points per game. I never saw Ronnie Wood play but because of his involvement with the club early doors, this one is a maybe for me.
Number 9 - Ken Priestlay:
Like Tim Cranston, Priestlay was a Steeler for five seasons, but boy oh boy did he ever come with quite a CV. A draft pick of the Buffalo Sabres back in 1985, he had 168 games in the NHL, and 151 in the AHL, then as a Steeler he played in 182 games and scored an eye watering 317 for an average of 1.74 points per game. The stats cannot be argued with and having seen Priestlay play with my own eyes he was certainly a heck of a player. Just to make that absolutely clear, after having three years away from the game (1999-2002), he played a season in Dundee (2002-03) and in 33 games scored 71 points, an average of 2.15 points per game. However, it was just five season in Sheffield. Again, to me, that isn't quite long enough. Had he played for the Steelers in the three years he didn't play at all, then I'd be leaning more towards a number retirement, but instead I'm leaning more towards somewhere between a no and a maybe.
Number 11 - Tommy Plommer:
Ah, "The Duke" Tommy Plommer. This is where it gets a bit more interesting. An eight year Steeler. That's much more like it! 310 games and 282 points. Not quite a point per game average, but Tommy wasn't the type of player to get you a point a game. He was more your little pesty grinder type of player that wasn't afraid of a rumble in the jungle, or two, or several. The longevity of service in this case makes him worthy of a number retirement, but it shouldn't have been done yet, or better yet, it should have been done SOONER rather than later. Why? I'll tell you why, because of another player, Jeff Legue.
Jeff Legue was a seven year Steeler of the modern day EIHL era. In 403 games he scored 497 points. An average of 1.23 points per game. Whilst no longer a Steeler, Jeff will be playing still for the next three years across the road for the Sheffield Steeldogs, where he will receive a testimonial for having spent ten years in the city of Sheffield, something which I think he rightfully deserves.
Despite playing in separate eras, both players are worthy of having their numbers retired, however, both wore number 11, and Plommer's number 11 was retired while Legue was an active member of the Steelers, yet Legue carried on wearing the number. Now, there may or may not have been an agreement allowing Jeff to do so (I don't know for certain, so I'm not going to get into that) but generally if a number is going to be retired, then the current player relinquishes the use of that number and starts using another number as part of the ceremony. If you want a good example of this, look no further than when now legendary NHL player Ray Bourque relinquished his then number 7 jersey, to Phil Esposito, who was having his number 7 retired by the Boston Bruins. Bourque himself now has his number 77 (the number he started using after relinquishing number 7) hanging in the rafters along with Esposito's number 7 and many other retired Bruins numbers.
Where the problem has originated in the first place though, is the length of time it has taken the Steelers to retire Plommer's number 11. Legue didn't start playing for the Steelers until the 2007-08 season. Plommer stopped playing for the club at the end of the 1999-2000 season. That alone is seven years difference, and it was still a further four years before the number was retired as part of the Steelers 20th anniversary celebrations. It took the club (a somewhat ironic) eleven years to retire Plommer's number 11 jersey. It should have been done before Legue was a Steeler. Legue would have still achieved what he did no matter what number he wore, and thus his number would be due for retirement some day in the future also. As it stands, the club will end up with two number 11's in the rafters, and whilst there is nothing wrong with that, Plommer's should have been done much sooner. It's a yes to having Plommer's number 11 up there for me.
Number 16 - Tony Hand:
Tony Hand. He has announced that this coming season will be his last as a hockey player (notice the problem yet?), by which time he will be 47 years old. I'll say that again, he'll be 47 years old. He is without a shadow of a doubt the greatest British ice hockey player of all time. His stats alone are second to none.
However, there are two issues with Tony Hand having had his number 16 retired by the Steelers. Firstly, he spent just four seasons with the club. The second shortest of any of the clubs retired numbers. The bigger issue, is that until the conclusion of this coming season, Tony Hand will have STILL been playing professional ice hockey.
Like I said above, he is the greatest British player of all time, I'm not gonna take that away from him, and quite frankly no-one can either. Does he deserve some recognition for this? Of course he does. When he does hang them up at the end of this season, his number 9 (which is the number he is much more known for wearing) should be retired country wide. Even right down to the junior ranks (yes I feel that strongly about it).
In my opinion though, retired numbers are for players who have actually retired from playing the game professionally, which makes Tony Hand's number 16 a big no from me.
Number 26 - Ron Shudra:
Do I even need to explain this one? "Rocket" Ron Shudra. The man that is quite simply Mr Sheffield Steelers. A twelve year Sheffield Steeler across three stints with the club. He even followed that time as a Steeler with three years as a Sheffield Scimitar (now the Steeldogs) so you could argue that he is even Mr Hockey in terms of the city of Sheffield itself. In the twelve years he played for the Steelers, Shudra played 430 games and scored 572 points. An average of 1.33 points per game. Now you'd think that for a forward that is pretty good going, but what should be remembered is Shudra was a defenceman. Sure some of the quality of the leagues Shudra played in weren't that great. He did score 148 points in just 32 games in the Steelers first season after all, but you still simply cannot argue with the overall stats, and what he has given the club, the city of Sheffield, and even British ice hockey itself over the years. He is Mr Sheffield Steelers. He is Mr Hockey in the city of Sheffield. He is without a doubt worthy of having his number 26 in the rafters. It's an unquestionable yes from me.
So, there you have it folks. My opinions on the Sheffield Steelers retired numbers.
As always, thoughts, opinions and feedback are always welcome at the usual sources.
@FrozenSteelBlog
@IAmMcCausland
@TomWalkeden
@AwkwardGinge
Until next time...
Alan
@AwkwardGinge
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