'NHL's Who Wore It Best?': Nos. 20-11

Wayne Gretzky's No. 99 is retired throughout the NHL not only because he is considered the greatest player in League history, but because the number and his name are synonymous.

Though there is no debate over who the best player to wear that number is, there are 98 other numbers with more than one worthy candidate. That is where the "NHL's Who Wore It Best?" comes in.

NHL.com writers and editors have cast their votes, each selecting his or her top three for each number, with the top vote-getter receiving three points, second place receiving two points and third place receiving one point.

Candidates will be debated, and the winners revealed, in a weekly, five-part series first airing on Sportsnet each Friday at 5 p.m. ET, and re-airing each Tuesday on NBCSN (5 p.m. ET) and NHL Network (6:30 p.m. ET). NHL.com will provide the list of winners each Friday at 5:30 p.m ET following the premiere of each episode, beginning this week.

Today, we look at Nos. 20-11:

No. 20 -- Luc Robitaille

Seasons worn:Los Angeles Kings 1986-94, 1997-2001, 2003-06; Pittsburgh Penguins 1994-95; New York Rangers 1995-97; Detroit Red Wings 2001-03

Career stats:1,394 points (668 goals, 726 assists) in 1,431 games

Voting points:57 (all 19 first-place votes)

The skinny:Robitaille won the Calder Trophy as the League's top rookie in 1986-87, when he had 84 points (45 goals, 39 assists) in 79 games, and he scored at least 40 goals in each of his first eight seasons, including an NHL career-high 63 in 1992-93. Following his second stint with the Kings, he joined the Red Wings in 2001-02, when he was able to win the Stanley Cup for the only time in his career. Robitaille ranks 13th in NHL history in goals and 22nd in points, and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009.

Fun fact:Robitaille wore No. 15 with Hull of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League but No. 20 in each of his 19 NHL seasons. Two players (Steve Larouche and Ray Ferraro) wore No. 20 with the Kings after Robitaille was traded to the Penguins on July 29, 1994, but Los Angeles would go on to retire No. 20 in Robitaille's honor on Jan. 20, 2007.

Others receiving votes:Ed Belfour, 26 (0-11-4); Dino Ciccarelli, 13 (0-4-5); Bob Pulford, 10 (0-3-4); Peter Mahovlich, 2 (0-1-0); Leo Boivin, 1 (0-0-1); Evgeni Nabokov, 1 (0-0-1)

Analysis: "In the early years of his career he was one of the best scoring threats in the League. Even during the middle of his career when he battled injuries, Robitaille stayed consistent. He's the highest-scoring left wing in NHL history, one of the most memorable Los Angeles Kings of all time, and the greatest to ever wear No. 20."-- Rob Reese, NHL.com fantasy editor

No. 19 -- Steve Yzerman

Seasons worn:Detroit Red Wings 1983-2006

Career stats: 1,755 points (692 goals, 1,063 assists) in 1,514 games

Voting points:50 (12-7-0)

The skinny:Yzerman, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009, ranks 10th in NHL history in goals, ninth in assists and seventh in points. He won the Stanley Cup three times (1997, 1998 and 2002) with the Red Wings, including winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player in the playoffs in 1998. He also won the Selke Trophy as the League's best defensive forward in 1999-2000, the Ted Lindsay Award, given annually to the most outstanding player in the NHL as voted by members of the NHL Players' Association, in 1988-89, and the Masterton Trophy as the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey in 2002-03.

Fun fact:Yzerman, who wore No. 19 in honor of another Hockey Hall of Famer, Bryan Trottier, was selected by the Red Wings with the No. 4 pick in the 1983 NHL Draft, one pick after Trottier's team, the New York Islanders, took Pat LaFontaine, the player the Red Wings really wanted (LaFontaine had played junior hockey in the Detroit area). The Red Wings retired his No. 19 on Jan. 2, 2007.

Others receiving votes:Joe Sakic, 36 (5-9-3); Bryan Trottier, 17 (1-2-10); Larry Robinson, 10 (1-1-5); Jonathan Toews, 1 (0-0-1)

Analysis:"Let's say that Stevie Y is one of the greatest leaders in hockey history. He was a selfless centerman who under coach Scotty Bowman transformed himself from a great offensive talent into a tremendous two-way player." -- Dave Stubbs, NHL.com columnist

No. 18 -- Denis Savard

Seasons worn:Chicago Blackhawks 1980-90, 1995-97; Montreal Canadiens 1990-93

Career stats:1,338 points (473 goals, 865 assists) in 1,196 games

Voting points:51 (13-6-0)

The skinny:Savard won the Stanley Cup with the Canadiens in 1993, but he's best known for everything he did with the Blackhawks in the 1980s. He had seven straight seasons with at least 32 goals and 90 points from 1981-88, including an NHL career-high 131 points (44 goals, 87 assists) in 1987-88. Savard was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000.

Fun fact:Savard switched to No. 9 when he joined the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 1993-94 season because No. 18 was already being worn by Rob DiMaio. However, he kept No. 9 the following season despite DiMaio being traded to the Philadelphia Flyers on March 18, 1994. The Blackhawks retired No. 18 in his honor on March 19, 1998.

Others receiving votes:Serge Savard, 39 (5-11-2); Dave Taylor, 10 (0-0-10); Marian Hossa, 8 (1-1-3); Walt Tkaczuk, 2 (0-1-0); Sergei Brylin, 1 (0-0-1); James Neal, 1 (0-0-1); Ed Westfall, 1 (0-0-1); Mike Ricci, 1 (0-0-1)

Analysis:"Especially in the old Chicago Stadium, it seemed as though every time he touched the puck the people would get up out of their seats. All the creativity he had, he terrorized all of us whenever we had to play against him." -- Kelly Hrudey, Sportsnet analyst

No. 17 -- Jari Kurri

Seasons worn:Edmonton Oilers 1980-90; Los Angeles Kings 1991-96; New York Rangers 1996; Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 1996-97; Colorado Avalanche 1997-98

Career stats: 1,398 points (601 goals, 797 assists) in 1,251 games

Voting points: 56 (18-1-0)

The skinny: Kurri is one of 20 players to score at least 600 goals, and he ranks 21st in NHL history in points. He won the Stanley Cup five times with the Oilers, including in 1984-85, when he scored an NHL career-high 71 goals in the regular season before leading all players in the playoffs with 19 goals. Kurri was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001.

Fun fact:Kurri wore No. 11 with Jokerit in Finland's top professional league before joining the Oilers in 1980-81. But with No. 11 already being worn by Mark Messier, Kurri was issued No. 17 and wore it for 17 of his NHL seasons. Two other players (Scott Thornton and Rem Murray) wore No. 17 after the Oilers traded Kurri to the Philadelphia Flyers on May 30, 1991, but Murray switched to No. 16 for the 2001-02 season because the Oilers retired No. 17 in Kurri's honor on Oct. 6, 2001.

Others receiving votes:Ilya Kovalchuk, 24 (0-9-6); Rod Brind'Amour, 21 (1-4-10); Wendel Clark, 12 (0-5-2); Jean-Guy Talbot, 1 (0-0-1)

Analysis:"Kurri was the perfect complement to Wayne Gretzky, a fast, talented right wing who knew how to get open and what to do with the puck after Gretzky got it to him." -- John Kreiser, NHL.com managing editor

No. 16 -- Brett Hull

Seasons worn:Calgary Flames 1986-88; St. Louis Blues 1988-98; Dallas Stars 1999-2001; Phoenix Coyotes 2005

Career stats: 1,391 points (741 goals, 650 assists) in 1,269 games

Voting points:39 (10-3-3)

The skinny: Hull was one of the best shooters in the game and ranks fourth in NHL history in goals. In 1990-91, he won the Hart Trophy as the League's most valuable player and the Ted Lindsay Award, given annually to the most outstanding player in the NHL as voted by members of the NHL Players' Association, after scoring 86 goals, the third most in a single season in NHL history. From 1988-94, Hull led the NHL with 380 goals, 75 more than Steve Yzerman, who was second. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009.

Fun fact: Brett and his father, fellow Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Hull, each started his career wearing No. 16; Bobby wore it for his first four seasons with the Blackhawks. Brett wore No. 16 with the Flames and Blues but switched to No. 22 when he joined the Stars in 1998 because No. 16 was being worn by forward Pat Verbeek. Although he would go back to No. 16 the following season after Verbeek signed with Detroit Red Wings as a free agent, Hull is best known with the Stars for scoring the Stanley Cup-clinching goal in triple overtime of Game 6 against the Buffalo Sabres while wearing No. 22. Hull again won the Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings in 2002, but this time he was wearing No. 17 because No. 16 was taken out of circulation after the 1997 auto accident that ended defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov's career. The Blues retired Hull's No. 16 on Dec. 5, 2006.

Others receiving votes: Marcel Dionne, 33 (5-7-4); Bobby Clarke, 23 (2-6-5); Henri Richard, 12 (2-1-4); Pat LaFontaine, 6 (0-2-2); Michel Goulet, 1 (0-0-1)

Analysis:"Brett Hull was one of the best pure goal-scorers in the history of the game. 86 goals one year, one of the hardest shots, most accurate shots … he was a fantastic player." -- Kelly Hrudey, Sportsnet analyst

No. 15 -- Milt Schmidt

Seasons worn: Boston Bruins 1936-55

Career stats:575 points (229 goals, 346 assists) in 776 games

Voting points:42 (12-2-2)

The skinny:Schmidt was seventh in goals, second in assists, and fourth in points in the NHL from 1936-55, the length of his playing career. He won the Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 1939 and 1941, and the Hart Trophy as the League's most valuable player in 1950-51, when he had 61 points (22 goals, 39 assists) in 62 games. Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1961, Schmidt also won the Stanley Cup as the Bruins general manager in 1970 and 1972.

Fun fact:Schmidt is the only player on this list whose career ended before 1960. He wore No. 15 for his entire NHL career, spent more than 80 years with the Bruins in a variety of roles, and helped Boston sign Bobby Orr in 1962. The Bruins retired his No. 15 on March 13, 1980.

Others receiving votes:Ryan Getzlaf, 28 (2-8-6); Bert Olmstead, 16 (2-5-0); Bobby Smith, 12 (2-2-2); John MacLean, 8 (0-1-6); Anders Hedberg, 3 (1-0-0); Eric Nesterenko, 3 (0-1-1); Dany Heatley, 1 (0-0-1); Jim Neilson, 1 (0-0-1)

Analysis:"Milt Schmidt may be the best Bruins player of all time. Bobby Orr, the other player up for that honor, believes it belongs to Schmidt, who has his name on the Stanley Cup four times. No other No. 15 has those credentials or support." -- Shawn P. Roarke, NHL.com Senior Director of Editorial

No. 14 -- Dave Keon

Seasons worn:Toronto Maple Leafs 1960-75; Harford Whalers 1979-82

Career stats:986 points (396 goals, 590 assists) in 1,296 games

Voting points: 43 (11-5-0)

The skinny: Keon won the Stanley Cup four times with Toronto (1962, 1963, 1964, 1967), including winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player in the playoffs in 1967. He also won the Calder Trophy as the League's top rookie in 1960-61, and the Lady Byng Trophy as the player voted to best combine sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct and ability in consecutive seasons (1961-62, 1962-63). Keon was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1986.

Fun fact: During the announcement in 2016 that he was joining Toronto's Legends Row, Keon said that he actually didn't want to wear No. 14. He wore Nos. 8 and 24 during training camp in 1960 and wanted to stick with No. 24 when he made the team. Keon objected when the trainer gave him No. 14, saying it was a number usually given to players called up from the minors and then sent back. The Maple Leafs retired No. 14 in his honor on Oct. 15, 2016.

Others receiving votes:Brendan Shanahan, 36 (8-5-2); Theo Fleury, 17 (0-5-7); Justin Williams, 7 (0-0-7); Jean Ratelle, 4 (0-2-0); Rene Robert, 2 (0-0-2); Fern Flaman, 1 (0-0-1); Woody Dumart, 1 (0-0-1); Jamie Benn, 1 (0-0-1)

Analysis:"I grew up watching 'Hockey Night in Canada' and Keon was a legend. Calder Trophy winner, four-time Stanley Cup winner, did everything the right way. He was a wonderful play-maker, just a grace to his game." -- Kelly Hrudey, Sportsnet analyst

No. 13 -- Pavel Datsyuk

Seasons worn:Detroit Red Wings 2001-16

Career stats:918 points (314 goals, 604 assists) in 953 games

Voting points: 50 (13-5-1)

The skinny: When Datsyuk decided to return to his home of Russia after the 2015-16 season, then Detroit general manager Ken Holland called him an "incredible Red Wing." With Detroit, Datsyuk won the Stanley Cup twice (2002, 2008), the Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward three seasons in a row (2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10), and the Lady Byng Trophy as the player voted to best combine sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct and ability four seasons in a row (2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09).

Fun fact:Datsyuk wore No. 13 in Russia before joining the Red Wings and is still wearing it currently in the Kontinental Hockey League. He is the second player in Detroit history to wear No. 13. Datsyuk took it after fellow Russian Vyacheslav Kozlov, who wore it from 1992-2001, was traded to the Buffalo Sabres.

Others receiving votes:Mats Sundin, 42 (5-13-1); Teemu Selanne, 6 (1-1-1); Bill Guerin, 5 (0-0-5); Vyacheslav Kozlov, 5 (0-0-5); Ken Linseman, 3 (0-0-3); Johnny Gaudreau, 1 (0-0-1); Sergei Nemchinov, 1 (0-0-1); Mike Cammalleri, 1 (0-0-1)

Analysis:"He was extremely, deceptively, strong on his skates and that was a big reason why I think he was so productive in his career. Impressive how he defended as well, a reliable player in all situations, and he really looked like he loved playing the game. It looked like it came easy to him, it just looked like it was something he was born to do. I loved watching him play and I think (he's) a big reason why Detroit was so successful for so long." -- Keith Jones, NBCSN analyst

No. 12 -- Jarome Iginla

Seasons worn: Calgary Flames 1996-2013; Pittsburgh Penguins 2013; Boston Bruins 2013-14; Colorado Avalanche 2014-17

Career stats: 1,300 points (625 goals, 675 assists) in 1,554 games

Voting points:49 (14-3-1)

The skinny: Iginla is Calgary's leader in a number of categories, including games played (1,219), goals (525), points (1,095), power-play goals (161), and game-winning goals (83). In 2001-02, he had 96 points (52 goals, 44 assists) in 82 games and won the Art Ross Trophy as the leading scorer in the NHL, the Maurice Richard Trophy as the League's leading goal-scorer, and the Ted Lindsay Award, given annually to the most outstanding player in the NHL as voted by members of the NHL Players' Association. Iginla also shared the Maurice Richard Trophy with Ilya Kovalchuk and Rick Nash in 2003-04, when he scored 41 goals.

Fun fact:Iginla wore No. 24 for two games during the 1996 Stanley Cup Playoffs and part of the 1996-97 season before switching to No. 12 after forward Paul Kruse (who had been wearing the number) was traded to the New York Islanders on Nov. 27, 1996. Iginla wore No. 88 with the Los Angeles Kings for the final 19 games of his career in 2016-17 because No. 12 was already being worn by Marian Gaborik. The Flames retired No. 12 in his honor on March 2, 2019.

Others receiving votes:Yvan Cournoyer, 28 (2-9-4); Dickie Moore, 11 (2-1-3); Adam Oates, 10 (0-3-4); Patrick Marleau, 6 (0-1-4); Sid Abel, 4 (1-0-1); Tim Kerr, 3 (0-1-1); Peter Bondra, 2 (0-1-0); Eric Staal, 1 (0-0-1)

Analysis: "This was an easy one for me. Iginla wore No. 12 for almost all of his 20 NHL seasons. He was admired for his power-forward mentality and ability in the clutch. He was one of the best goal-scorers in the game." -- Mike G. Morreale, NHL.com staff writer

No. 11 -- Mark Messier

Seasons worn:Edmonton Oilers 1979-91; New York Rangers 1991-97, 2000-04; Vancouver Canucks 1997-2000

Career stats:1,887 points (694 goals, 1,193 assists) in 1,756 games

Voting points: 57 (all 19 first-place votes)

The skinny:Messier is ranks ninth in NHL history in goals, third in assists and third in points. He won the Stanley Cup six times (five with the Oilers, once with the Rangers), the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs in 1984, and the Hart Trophy as the League's MVP twice (1989-90 with the Oilers; 1991-92 with the Rangers). Messier, who is second in NHL history behind Wayne Gretzky in playoff goals (109), assists (186) and points (295), was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007.

Fun fact: Messier wore the same number his father, Doug Messier, wore with Portland of the Western Hockey League in the 1960s. The Rangers (Jan. 12, 2006) and Oilers (Feb. 27, 2007) have each retired No. 11 in his honor.

Others receiving votes:Mike Gartner, 23 (0-9-5); Gilbert Perreault, 22 (0-7-8); Daniel Alfredsson, 9 (0-2-5); Anze Kopitar, 2 (0-1-0); Ulf Nilsson, 1 (0-0-1)

Analysis: "Messier is a cut above all the choices here with six Stanley Cup championships, a Hockey Hall of Fame induction, and having left a significant mark pretty much everywhere he played." -- Tim Campbell, NHL.com staff writer