Newest Capitals Get New Jersey Numbers For 2022-23

The newest Washington Capitals have secured their sweater numbers for the 2022-23 campaign.

Dylan Strome will wear No. 17 with the Capitals. 2022 second-rounder Ryan Chesley is the most recent member of the club to sport the number, having been assigned it at Capitals Development Camp this past week. Before him was Michael Raffl, who wore it in 2021, was preceded by Ilya Kovalchuk, Aaron Volpatti, Dustin Penner and Wojtek Wolski over the last decade. Former captain Chris Clark wore the number from 2006-2010.

The 25-year-old center started his NHL career wearing No. 20 with the Arizona Coyotes. After his trade to the Chicago Blackhawks, he switched to 17. Lars Eller currently wears 20. At the junior level with the OHL’s Erie Otters, Strome sported No. 19, which currently belongs to NIcklas Backstrom — and will likely next go to the rafters when he hangs up the skates following his Hall of Fame tenure with the club. He also wore No. 91 with the Tucson Roadrunners, which currently belongs to Joe Snively.

At the NHL level, Raffl was the last to sport No. 17 during the regular season back in 2020-21. Before him came Ilya Kovalchuk, Aaron Volpatti, Dustin Penner, Wojtek Wolski and D.J. King over the last decade. Former captain Chris Clark also wore the number from 2006-2010.

New No. 1 netminder Darcy Kuemper will wear one of the classic goalie numbers, keeping his No. 35 that he’s worn over the course of his career. That sweater number was going to be Henrik Lundqvist’s when he signed with Washington back in 2020, however, he never got to play with the Capitals due to a heart condition. Before Lundqvist was Justin Peters in 2015, Frederic Cassivi back in 2007 and nine others before him. Clay Stevenson wore 35 this past week at camp.

READ MORE ON WHN: What Lies Ahead For Ivan Miroshnichenko In 2022-23?

Erik Gustafsson will take on No. 56. He has also worn 32 and 52 over the course of his career. Only three other players in team history have worn 56: Patrick Wey (2014), Chris Bourque (2008-10) and Garret Stroshein (2004). Oskar Magnusson sported the number at camp this past week.

Connor Brown, who came over in a trade from the Ottawa Senators, will sport No. 28. After starting his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs wearing numbers 16 and 12, he switched to 28 in 2017 and has worn it since. Some of the Washington skaters to wear it: Daniel Carr in 2021, Brendan Leipsic in 2020 (terminated contract after trash-talking his teammates online), Jakub Jerabek, Paul Carey and Kris Beech. As for the most notable player to sport the number, Alex Semin, from 2004-2012. Vincent Iorio wore 28 last year at camp. He switched to 38 this season.

Charlie Lindgren will take on an interesting, non-standard goalie number in 79. The last name to wear that: Australian Nathan Walker. The 28-year-old netminder has been wearing 39 for a few years now and has also worn 35 in the past. Those numbers now belong to Anthony Mantha and Kuemper. He could take on a classic goalie number in No. 1 or No. 30. He has also worn 40.

As for players on two-way deals, Henrik Borgstrom will keep his classic No. 13 at the NHL level, which belonged most recently to Jakub Vrana. Matt Irwin will keep his No. 52, a number he’s worn for a long time.

In the prospect world, 2022 first-rounder Ivan Miroshnichenko was listed as No. 10. That number most recently belonged to Daniel Sprong, who was traded to the Seattle Kraken for Marcus Johansson at the deadline. Before him: Brett Connolly, Mike Richards, Martin Erat, Matt Bradley and 10 others.