Why Jarome Iginla chose No. 88 with LA Kings

Jarome Iginla is No. 12. He wore it as a Flame. He wore it as a Penguin. He wore it as a Bruin. He wore it with the Avalanche.

Now he’s a Los Angeles King, after their trade deadline acquisition of him, and there was a problem: Marian Gaborik wears No. 12 for the Los Angeles Kings.

Iginla needed a new number, and he chose a curious one: No. 88.

The Kings have never had a No. 88. Only 19 players have worn it in NHL history, although eight players in the NHL currently wear it. In some cases, it’s thanks to a birth year, like Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks; in other cases, like that of Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks, it’s a case of taking an old number and then adding another one to it – he was No. 8 with the Minnesota Wild.

But why did Iginla choose the number?

Turns out, like so many other things in the NHL, we have Wayne Gretzky to thank for it.

“Actually a true story, one of the only jerseys I ever bought was when Gretzky got traded to the Kings,” he said when he was acquired.

“I mean, I was a huge Oilers fan growing up, [but] I bought a Kings jersey and I put on number 88 and I put my name on the back when I was about ten years old. I don’t know if that number’s available, but the kids might like that one.”

Turns it was, and Jarome Iginla is now No. 88.

This number change actually piqued the interest of another fan base: “Star Wars” fans.

That would be bounty hunter IG-88 on the right, and Kings sniper IGGY-88 on the left. May the Force be with him.

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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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