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What number will Mark Barberio wear for the Avalanche this season?

With Jonathan Bernier wearing #45, Barberio is going to have to find a new number.

By Tom Hunter
Colorado Avalanche v Ottawa Senators Photo by Francois Laplante/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images

Earlier this week, David Gunnarson released a preview of another one of his amazing goalie masks on his Instagram page. This time it was Jonathan Bernier’s new Colorado Avalanche design.

It’s another incredible job by DaveArt and you can find an in depth look at the paint job from Cat Silverman over at inGoal, but there is one thing in particular that sticks out for me - the number 45.

Last season in Anaheim, Bernier wore #1 with the Ducks - the number he wore with the Lewiston MAINEiacs during his time in the QMJHL. The number 45 is one that he adopted when he moved to the AHL to play for the Manchester Monarchs and kept wearing with the Los Angeles Kings and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Now, if his new mask is any indication, Bernier is going back to #45. So where does that leave Mark Barberio?

Barberio started with it in Montreal and continued to wear #45 after being acquired by the Avs last season. With Bernier putting the number on his mask, it looks like the defenseman is going to be wearing a new number when he suits up for the Avs this fall.

Detroit Red Wings v Tampa Bay Lightning
Barberio wearing #8 with the Lightning
Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images

The only other number Barberio has worn in the NHL is #8 - which he wore during his two seasons in Tampa Bay. But that’s Joe Colborne’s number - so it’s out of the question.

That brings us to the #44. It’s the number that Barberio wore in junior while playing for Moncton, and is likely the origin of his change to 45 in the first place. The number 44 is unspoken for in the Avs organization - it wasn’t even given out as a place holder to any of the kids at rookie camp. So it’s a likely solution.

Maybe he goes back to 44, maybe he comes up with something completely new, or maybe Jonathan Bernier jumped the gun and didn’t know there was already a #45 on the team (given his history, that wouldn’t be at all surprising).

Mark Barberio is a defenseman that many Avs fans are pretty high on - he’s just going to look a little different this season.

That is a pretty damn nice mask though.