Defenseman Olli Maatta will wear a number other than No. 3 for the first time in his NHL career when he hits the ice for the Blackhawks next season.
Maatta — who wore No. 3 for six seasons with the Penguins before being traded in June for Dominik Kahun and a 2019 fifth-round pick — will sport No. 6 with the Blackhawks, the team announced Thursday.
Maatta was unable to pick No. 3 because it is one of six numbers the Blackhawks have retired. It’s unique among the six retired numbers because it was retired for two players in Keith Magnuson and Pierre Pilote on Nov.