94-95 Paul Brousseau Quebec Nordiques Jersey

March 17th, 2008

This is the game worn 1994-95 road Quebec Nordiques jersey of right wing Paul Brousseau.

Paul Brousseau was selected by the Quebec Nordiques in the second round, 28th overall in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft.

Brousseau began his major junior career as a member of the Chicoutimi Saguenéens in 1989-90 as a 16-year-old. IN 57 games during his rookie year he scored 17 goals and 41 points. The following year he played in Trois Rivieres with the Draveurs, scoring 30 goals and 96 points in 67 games. In 1991-92, Brousseau was sent to the Hull Olympiques where he once again scored 96 points, albeit in ten fewer games. During his final year of junior with the Olympiques, he finished the year with 75 points on 27 goals and 48 assists in 59 games.

In 1993-94, Brousseau turned pro and joined the Cornwall Aces of the AHL, the affiliate of the Nordiques. In 69 games he scored 18 goals and 44 points.

This jersey is from the strike shortened 1994-95 season and shows very light wear — perhaps used during the abbreviated pre-season as Brousseau did not play an NHL game that season.

It is a size 56 knit jersey manufactured by CCM. All logos and numbers are sewn. The name is sewn to a knit nameplate.

Brousseau’s chance at the NHL came in the 1995-96 season when he suited up for eight games with the Colorado Avalanche. During that stint he scored his one and only NHL goal. The next season, he joined the Tampa Bay Lightning and played a total of 17 games for the Lightning over two years.

In 2000-01, he led the AHL’s Louisville Panthers in scoring as also played one game for the Florida Panthers before deciding to head to Europe for the remainder of his hockey career.

I acquired this jersey in January of 2007 from Pete Mehdradeh who had originally purchased it from Murf Denny. While this jersey doesn’t fit my “Hartford” theme, I’d always wanted an all-sewn Quebec Nordiques jersey.

Posted in National Hockey League, Quebec Nordiques | No Comments »

92-93 Wayne MacPhee Brantford Smoke Jersey

March 10th, 2008

This is the game worn 1992-93 home Brantford Smoke jersey of defenseman Wayne MacPhee.

Wayne MacPhee was an undrafted rough and tumble blueliner who spent 4 junior seasons in the OHL with the North Bay Centennials playing alongside old school tough guys like Kevin Kerr and Nick Kypreos.

Following his junior days, he opted to attend the University of Prince Edward Island for two years and was named a CIS All-Canadian during the 1991-92 season.

He would begin his pro career in the fall of 1992 playing for his hometown Brantford Smoke, at the time, members of the Colonial Hockey League and the team won the Colonial Cup that season. This jersey is from his rookie season.

MacPhee would play in Brantford for 6 seasons as the CoHL would eventually become the United Hockey League in 1997.

I acquired this jersey in February of 2008 from Rick Cormier up in Moncton, NB.

The jersey shows nice wear with many repairs, including some re-inforced repairs up near the size tag. The jersey is a size XL and has a narrow snap and velcro fight strap. The red and black numbers are all sewn on.

The crest is a sewn-on twill patch with the train logo screened on. The is evidence of some blood staining on the smoke just above the engine.

The name is also screened to an Ice Sheen nameplate that is sewn on. The back hem features a HiLi manufacturers patch sewn on the right side.

This jersey is the only CoHL in my collection. It is also the only HiLi Ice Sheen jersey in my collection.

It is most definitely the ugliest jersey in my collection, by far, and therefore one of my favorites too.

Posted in Brantford Smoke, Colonial Hockey League | No Comments »

85-86 Sylvain Turgeon Hartford Whalers Jersey

March 4th, 2008

This is the game worn 1985-86 road Hartford Whalers jersey of left wing Sylvain Turgeon.

Sylvain Turgeon was drafted second overall by the Hartford Whalers in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft behind Brian Lawton. While Lawton would turn out to be a bust for the Minnesota North Stars, Turgeon would have immediate success at the NHL level leading the Whalers with 40 goals in his rookie season as an 18 year old.

Based on the CCM “born-on” date behind the size tag that reads “86 04″, this jersey was either worn towards the end of the 1985-86 season and/or the beginning of the 1986-87 season.

The Whalers only lasted two rounds (9 games) into the 1986 playoffs and based on the heavy wear this jersey shows, it’s reasonable to believe that it could also be from the 1986-87 season.

The jersey is a CCM mesh that I originally acquired from another collector in October of 1997.

The size tag, which is falling off reads TG/XL. It also has Turgeon’s 16 written on it in black sharpie as do all of the Hartford Whalers jerseys in my collection.

Name, numbers, and crest are all sewn. There is no nameplate, the letters are individually sewn on directly. The rear CCM hem pattern is blue-blue-green, with white lettering, and is embroidered.

Inside, the fightstrap has pulled free from the twill base and the snap has also been pulled through. Turgeon was hardly a brawler, but the fightstrap clearly shows that it was a different game in the 1980’s.

The exterior of the jersey shows a ton of wear. Board burns, repairs, and stick marks litter the sleeves and front of the jersey. The white sections on the sleeves show some yellowing. The stitching at the front of the neckline has popped.

There are some easily identifiable black marks across the front crest as well as the numbers on the right and left sleeves, but to date, I haven’t found a photo match though I’ve no doubt one will turn up sooner or later. As luck would have it, most of the time the photos on hockey cards were not taken in Hartford, so the Whale are almost always in their road greens in pictures.

This is one of my favorites in my collection. Partially because it’s from a fan favorite of my favorite team, but mostly because of all of the wear it shows and because of the small size. It was a different era in the NHL. Equipment that fit, more goal scoring, and a lot more rough stuff…

Posted in Hartford Whalers, National Hockey League | No Comments »

98-99 Joe Suk Macon Whoopee Jersey

March 2nd, 2008

This is the game worn 1998-99 road Macon Whoopee jersey of center Joe Suk.

While born in Chicago, Joe Suk opted to head north as a teenager and spent four seasons playing for the Hull Olympiques before opting to go to University — again, north of the border.

Following four seasons playing for Dalhousie, Suk made his professional debut in the ECHL with the Louisville Riverfrogs for the 1995-96 season.

That would be the peak of his professional career as the following season, he headed to Macon, Georgia to play for the Central Hockey League’s Macon Whoopee.

This jersey is likely from the 1998-99 season when Joe suited up for 68 games. He finished fifth on the team in scoring with 15 goals and 26 assists. His younger brother, Steve Suk would finish second on the team in scoring that season.

Following his playing career and after the Whoopee folded, Suk became the general manager of the Macon Trax which played in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League, the WHA2, and the Southern Professional Hockey League before eventually folding as well. He is still involved in hockey in the Atlanta area.

The jersey is made of a mesh material and the numbers, front crest, shoulder patches, and the assistant’s “A” are all sewn tackle twill. The nameplate is mesh and the letters are individually sewn.

It was manufactured by Jersey Express and is a size XXL. The ironed-on Jersey Express logo on the rear hem has fallen off, though there is still evidence of it being there. There is a velcro-snap fight strap.

The front fig leaf crest is signed by Suk with his number 77 immediately underneath. The jersey shows light wear overall.

I originally acquired this jersey from William Samples in February of 2004.

While this jersey doesn’t really fit my usual “Hartford” theme, who could not want a Macon Whoopee jersey with the classic fig leaf logo?

And when the player’s last name is Suk and the team’s name is Macon Whoopee, well, it’s almost like an added bonus.

Posted in Central Hockey League, Macon Whoopee | No Comments »