Marcus Kruger gives No. 16 to Andrew Ladd

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Turn back the clock to 2010.

Andrew Ladd will get his familiar No. 16 Blackhawks sweater back after all. The team announced Friday that Marcus Kruger relinquished the number and will switch to No. 22.

The Blackhawks didn’t say whether anything was given to Kruger in return for the digits.

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Jersey numbers on pro teams can sometimes go for as much as $50,000. That’s a decent chunk of change for a player like Kruger, who’s signed to a one-year deal worth $1.5 million.

The 25-year-old forward, who has worn No. 16 his entire six-year NHL career, has been out with a wrist injury since December.

With the Blackhawks now in even better position to capture their fourth championship in seven seasons, a shiny new Stanley Cup ring might be all the compensation necessary for Kruger.

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