Your absolute favorite jersey!

[Brilliant!]

You all there's that one in your collection that you cherish above all others...so what is it? What's the one jersey you own that no matter what happened, you would NEVER part with it. In other words, what do you want to be buried in?

For me, it's not too hard a choice actually. I'm pretty sure I'd put it above all the others I own. It has to be my game-worn Rangers TBTC from 1991-92:

They just don't come much better than that.

So, with that said, let's hear them! What's yours?

[SabreFaninNYC]

I would say its a toss up between my Pominville alt vintage jersey:

or my Slovenian Kopitar jersey (uploaded the actual one in another forum).

Either one you would have to pry out of my cold dead hands....

[JeffB]

Game worn Soviet Central Red Army jersey with the name on the back in Cyrillic.

A true icon of Russian hockey history from the most dominant team ever - and a high quality CCM too! The best of both worlds.

I'm not sure I'd want to be buried in it though. I think it might be embarrassing to be later dug up and be mistaken for a Communist rather than a hockey fan. Maybe when I kick the bucket I'll put it in my will to ship it to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

[Brilliant!]

Wow. That is awesome. Post CCCP jersey too. I don't think I've ever seen that logo before. Who is that? Not Kovalev is it? Looks like too many letters to be him.

[JeffB]

Wow. That is awesome. Post CCCP jersey too. I don't think I've ever seen that logo before. Who is that? Not Kovalev is it? Looks like too many letters to be him.

It's not actually post-CCCP. The Soviet Union still existed at the time, thus the hammer and sickle logos. Red Army (CSKA) was (and still is) a club team in the Soviet League. I almost referred to it as a "Pro League", but they weren't "pros" back then, were they? That's how they were able to send 35 year olds to the Olympics to compete against our college kids in 1980.

The player was Pavel Kostichkin, who by the way, was the one who started the Punch up in Piestany by slashing Theo Fleury. Check out the video. If you've never heard of the fight, it's quite the story. It got so out of control that the refs left the ice, they turned off the lights in the arena and both teams were kicked out of the World Juniors, costing Canada a medal and giving Don Cherry a soapbox that launched him into the national spotlight and even spawned the "20 kids" quote at the bottom of my signature.

But I digress...

[benpc21]

I have two that fall into this category.

First is my Game Worn Portland Winter Hawks 25th Anniversary Jersey. I've wanted this since it came out in late 2000, but at the time, I was in the 9th grade and still growing and $125 for a jersey was crazy to think about, so I never bought one when they were for sale. After a few years of keeping my eyes peeled I was finally able to find one, a game worn at that. My collection is based around Winter Hawks players who moved on to bigger and better, so I had to have this jersey, as you almost never see them at games, and the fact its so loved/hated as well as game worn also add to its place in my heat.

My all time favorite jersey is not too special. Its an authentic KOHO Vancouver Canucks Alternate Jersey. During the lockout shop.nhl.com had a clearance sale on almost all CCM/KOHO jerseys, so I made a Christmas list and sent it to my parents. Since it was on the internet, this became my dad's responsibility and he got me a Thrashers 3rd and Oilers 3rd which I got for Christmas. He died about 4 months later from cancer, and a week after his death as I was about to leave to go back to Seattle for school, my mom gave me a package, which was the jersey. My dad had bought it and given it her and told her to hang on to it and give it to me when the time was right. In the future, I'm going to make it a Jozef Balej jersey, as he was a Winter Hawk back when my dad used to take me to games (before I could drive) and not only does it add to my collection, but I feel its fitting to make it a player we watched together back in the day.

[JeffB]

That Winter Hawks with the feathers is an all-time classic attention getter. And in a good way in my book.

[Brilliant!]

It's not actually post-CCCP. The Soviet Union still existed at the time, thus the hammer and sickle logos.

I misspoke actually. Initially, I took it for a post-CCCP logo'd Soviet National jersey but it's not. That's one that was worn in Russia. I get it now. That's pretty effin awesome. Is that all screened on or are the numbers twill?

[rabinsurance]

I have two that fall into this category.

First is my Game Worn Portland Winter Hawks 25th Anniversary Jersey. I've wanted this since it came out in late 2000, but at the time, I was in the 9th grade and still growing and $125 for a jersey was crazy to think about, so I never bought one when they were for sale. After a few years of keeping my eyes peeled I was finally able to find one, a game worn at that. My collection is based around Winter Hawks players who moved on to bigger and better, so I had to have this jersey, as you almost never see them at games, and the fact its so loved/hated as well as game worn also add to its place in my heat.

My all time favorite jersey is not too special. Its an authentic KOHO Vancouver Canucks Alternate Jersey. During the lockout shop.nhl.com had a clearance sale on almost all CCM/KOHO jerseys, so I made a Christmas list and sent it to my parents. Since it was on the internet, this became my dad's responsibility and he got me a Thrashers 3rd and Oilers 3rd which I got for Christmas. He died about 4 months later from cancer, and a week after his death as I was about to leave to go back to Seattle for school, my mom gave me a package, which was the jersey. My dad had bought it and given it her and told her to hang on to it and give it to me when the time was right. In the future, I'm going to make it a Jozef Balej jersey, as he was a Winter Hawk back when my dad used to take me to games (before I could drive) and not only does it add to my collection, but I feel its fitting to make it a player we watched together back in the day.

benpc21, I think you underestimate how special your Canucks jersey really is. You can never replace the memories of your father that I'm sure are associated with that jersey. It may not be special as far as a rare or game-used piece, but no one can ever put a value on what that jersey means to you. And that's the true meaning of special. Thanks for sharing that with us.

[Yzerman fan]

My favorite jersey is the one Hudler is wearing in this photo at the bottom. He only played like 7 games for Vsetin that season because his father was sick and he headed him while nursing his father. I won the jersey from the teams game worn auction....

[SabreFaninNYC]

That Winter Hawks with the feathers is an all-time classic attention getter. And in a good way in my book.

I agree, its a really unique design and a great jersey! I wish the NHL would take a cue from some of these minorER leagues and do special one-off game jerseys with more "flair".

[JeffB]

It's not actually post-CCCP. The Soviet Union still existed at the time, thus the hammer and sickle logos.

I misspoke actually. Initially, I took it for a post-CCCP logo'd Soviet National jersey but it's not. That's one that was worn in Russia. I get it now. That's pretty effin awesome. Is that all screened on or are the numbers twill?

Correct. It's not a National Team "CCCP" jersey, but a Soviet League club team - THE club team.

The National Team was generally made up of 90% players from the Red Army club team.

Everything is sewn on except the name on the back, which is a rubbery heat sealed type. The main crest UCKA letters, and Hammer and Sickle stars on the front and shoulders are screen printed onto twill, which are then sewn on.

Also, the player who wore it played 65 games in the AHL in 92-93. That was it for his time in North America, except perhaps for some brief tours with Soviet teams vs. NHL clubs, so his time here was very limited, so I felt fortunate to pick this signed card of him up from ebay this week wearing the same style jersey. I'm don't think it's my exact jersey for photomatch purposes, since those shots were taken in North America and would have had the names on the back in English, but it's always possible they put the English names on a nameplate and took them off when they went back home to save some money.

[benpc21]

benpc21, I think you underestimate how special your Canucks jersey really is. You can never replace the memories of your father that I'm sure are associated with that jersey. It may not be special as far as a rare or game-used piece, but no one can ever put a value on what that jersey means to you. And that's the true meaning of special. Thanks for sharing that with us.

Thanks for the reply. I agree completely with your assessment of the situation. They way I look at it, special falls into two categories when it comes to jerseys. The design/use of the jersey and then the actual jersey itself. The Hawks is my favorite in the design/use category, because its so rare and on top of that different looking. The Canucks jersey falls into the actual jersey itself. There is nothing different about it than any other of its type, but it has the sentimental value which is priceless. Basically the Hawks jersey is the piece I'm proudest of in my collection, if I had to sell all my jerseys, I'd sell that Hawks jersey and all the other rare pieces and never sell the Canucks (and the few other ones my dad went out of his way to pick up for me on business trips, etc).

I agree, its a really unique design and a great jersey! I wish the NHL would take a cue from some of these minorER leagues and do special one-off game jerseys with more "flair".

I too agree. Especially with the NHL and RBK charging an arm and a leg for Winter Classic jerseys, you think they would be all over this.

[Crimson]

My custom Decepticons jersey that I made. Based on Anaheim's third that they used for all of what, one season? Two? Before the Samueli sale, so the color pattern isn't easily recognized by the layperson. But black with white and purple accents? Original and rare.

[Brilliant!]

HA! Dude I love that one. Did you wear that one to CIII by chance? I seem to recall seeing somebody with a really wild custom hockey jersey out there from the 501st but I didn't get a chance to talk to them about it.

[akteon]

Toss up between two jerseys for me - luckily one is a jersey I'd never wear (even to my own burial) my 1998 Nagno Team USA jersey autographed by most of the team which I now have safely framed:

The one I'd probably like to buried in is my Rangers White Liberty Richter - because a) gotta love the Starter mesh and watching Richter in the 1988 Calgary Olympics when I was in Jr. High led me to be a Rangers fan and more of a hockey fan in general (despite how poorly the US did during those Olympics)

[Crimson]

HA! Dude I love that one. Did you wear that one to CIII by chance? I seem to recall seeing somebody with a really wild custom hockey jersey out there from the 501st but I didn't get a chance to talk to them about it.

No -- oddly enough, I've never been to any of the Celebrations. CV is being talked about and one of the candidate cities is Chicago, so that'd be a better chance for me to go, but it's not up there on the priority list ($$$).

And sadder still is that the hockey jersey trend is kicking up in the 501st, but it seems that people who don't have clue #1 about hockey jerseys are heading up these projects so they're coming up with quotes for poorly designed or overly expensive products, and when those of us who DO know hockey provide constructive criticism, we're met with "oh, I don't know much about hockey/jerseys"

.... um ..... what?

[b0bb33z3r]

forgive my ignorance but what does TBTC mean? thanks.

edit: nevermind. I figured it out.

Edited November 17, 2008 by b0bb33z3r

[Hazzard]

Nothing too special, Ive just always loved Luc Robitaille... and it was my first ever authentic

[Carl]

If you're looking to get the right "A" tilted towards the right and with round edges. Exclusive pro has it. And I think they're the only ones that have the accurate "A"s and "C"s for the Kings.

[peca_fan]

All of my favourite jerseys I have yet to purchase!

For ones I own...

Kevin Bieksa Bowling Green NCAA Jersey, took me forever to track the jersey down and just as long for the customization!

[Hazzard]

If you're looking to get the right "A" tilted towards the right and with round edges. Exclusive pro has it. And I think they're the only ones that have the accurate "A"s and "C"s for the Kings.

Hmm I didnt know mine was incorrect... this is no longer my favorite jersey if its inaccurate!

[Avizzv92]

It's my favorite, too bad it is a replica or it be even more awesome then it already is (But it's miles ahead of reebok's replicas they have at NHL.shop) ... I was at a pre-season camp at Mellon Arena and they where raising money for hurricane Katrina victims, for a donation you get a ticket to get Lemieux's autograph. I was pretty close to the front of the line so he didn't rush the autograph and it came out really nice. Also got Crosby on a puck, it was his first season and didn't own his jersey and heard he wouldn't sign Pens jerseys because of the superstition.

Edited August 28, 2009 by Avizzv92

[Krendelev]

Probably this one. It was worn by Igor Podomatski during Slava Fetisov's retirement game in Moscow. Podomatski was the only non NHLer on Russia's 1998 Olympic team.

[HawksFanInDC]

Probably this one. It was worn by Igor Podomatski during Slava Fetisov's retirement game in Moscow. Podomatski was the only non NHLer on Russia's 1998 Olympic team.

While the Blackhawks CCM ultrafil TBTC Barberpole is my grail, and recently acquired and on the way to EPS to be customized, I have to go with this one. It is my first authentic jersey, bought for me by my parents when I was 11. Shortly after my travel hockey team won the right to have a practice at the old Chicago Stadium by selling the most tickets in the annual charity raffle and some players came by and signed autographs. I got Roekick to sign mine.

The jersey has an authentic NHL 75th Anniversary patch on the right chest. I recently got the jersey altered and had a 1992 Stanley Cup Finals Patch sewn onto a piece of ultrafil and over and around the NHL 75th Patch. That is how the Blackhawks and Penguins did it in the Finals that year.