5 days ago
Soo Greyhounds to retire Jeff Carter's number this season
Jeff Carter will return to Sault Ste. Marie this fall for one final moment in the spotlight — this time, in the rafters.
Article content
The longtime NHL forward and Greyhounds alumnus announced Thursday morning via the team's social media that his No. 7 jersey will be officially retired on Saturday, Nov. 22, during a special pre-game ceremony at GFL Memorial Gardens.
Article content
Carter, who captained the Greyhounds and later carved out a 19-year NHL career that included two Stanley Cups, will be on hand for the special ceremony as part of the team's home game against the London Knights that evening.
Article content
Article content
'Jeff Carter was a great Greyhound who went on to have a long and decorated NHL career,' said Greyhounds president and governor Tim Lukenda in a news release. 'We will be very proud to recognize Jeff's accomplishments by having his jersey hanging among those of other Greyhound legends.'
Article content
Article content
Carter will join John Vanbiesbrouck (1), Craig Hartsburg (4), Adam Foote (5), Ron Francis (10), Joe Thornton (19), and Wayne Gretzky (99) as the only Hounds to have their numbers retired. Thornton's number was the most recent addition to the rafters, being honoured in November 2023.
Article content
Originally selected third overall in the 2001 OHL Priority Selection, Carter made an immediate impact in Sault Ste. Marie. Over four seasons with the Greyhounds (2001–2005), he recorded 123 goals and 123 assists in 236 regular-season games. He added 12 points in 15 playoff contests and was named captain for his final two seasons.
Article content
Article content
The London, Ont., native was a standout at the junior level, earning spots in the CHL Top Prospects Game and multiple OHL All-Star teams. In 2005, he was named CHL Sportsman of the Year and a First Team All-Star.
Article content
'Putting the Greyhounds jersey on over my four-year career in the Soo was so special,' Carter said in a statement. 'Now having it hanging in the rafters alongside the Soo Greyhounds greats means the world to my family and I. I can't wait to get back up to the Soo and show my family around the great city of Sault Ste. Marie and see all the familiar faces.'
Article content
Carter represented Canada internationally at the U17, U18, and U20 levels, including a gold medal performance at the 2005 World Juniors, where he scored seven goals in six games.
Article content
Drafted 11th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2003, Carter played 1,321 NHL games with the Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Los Angeles Kings, and Pittsburgh Penguins. He finished his career with 442 goals and 409 assists, won Stanley Cups with the Kings in 2012 and 2014, appeared in two NHL All-Star Games, and helped Canada win Olympic gold at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.
