Total Pageviews

Thursday, June 30, 2011

John Tavares London Knights Jersey

The Oshawa Generals held the first pick in the 2005 draft, and they selected Tavares, earning him the Jack Ferguson Award, which is given to the player picked first overall in the OHL Priority Selection. Tavares played his first OHL game on September 23, 2005, scoring his first OHL goal in a game held just three days after his 15th birthday. He showed he could play in the OHL immediately, scoring ten goals in his first nine games with the Generals, and finished the 2005–06 season with 77 points, including 45 goals. Tavares was named to the OHL's all-rookie team, and won both the Emms Family Award and CHL Rookie of the Year awards as the top first-year player in both the OHL and CHL respectively.

As a 16-year old in 2006–07, Tavares was selected to represent the OHL for two games in January for the annual ADT Canada-Russia Challenge, including one game in Oshawa. Later that month, on January 25, 2007, Tavares registered a 7-point night in a 9-6 win versus the Windsor Spitfires. He scored four goals and three assists, including his 50th goal of the season in his 44th game. Towards the end of the season, on March 16, 2007, Tavares recorded his 70th and 71st goals of the season, breaking Wayne Gretzky's OHL record for most goals by a sixteen-year-old. He was awarded the Red Tilson Trophy as the most outstanding player in the league, and named the CHL Player of the Year.

Tavares scored 40 goals in 59 games for the Generals during the 2007–08 season, while his 118 points was placed him third in OHL scoring. Tavares led the OHL in scoring until he missed several games to participate with Team Canada at the 2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. As Tavares was participating in the 2009 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, it was speculated that the Generals were ready to trade him to the London Knights. Tavares' future with the Generals had been questioned since the beginning of the season as the Generals were not expected to seriously contend for the championship, while the Knights were among the league leaders. The deal was made official on January 8, 2009 as Oshawa sent Tavares, Michael Del Zotto and Darryl Borden to the Knights, in exchange for Scott Valentine, Christian Thomas, Michael Zador and six draft picks.

Tavares made his debut with the Knights on January 11, 2009 against the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors. Making his return to Oshawa at the 2009 CHL Top Prospects Game as captain of Team Orr, he recorded an assist in a 6–1 win over Team Cherry, but injured his shoulder after Zack Kassian of the Peterborough Petes checked him behind the net. On March 8, 2009, Tavares set the OHL goal-scoring record with his 214th goal, passing the previous record held by Peter Lee. The next day, he received his third OHL Player of the Week recognition of the season.

John Tavares
Center
Born Sep 20 1990 -- Missisauga, ONT
Height 6.00 -- Weight 202 -- Shoots L

Selected by New York Islanders round 1 #1 overall 2009 NHL Entry Draft

--- Regular Season ---
Season Team Lge GP G A Pts PIM
------------------------------------------------------------------
2008-09 London Knights OHL 24 32 18 50 22

John Tavares London Knights

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Vincent Lecavalier AK Kazan Bears Jersey

Lecavalier was drafted first overall by Tampa Bay in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, during which new Lightning owner Art Williams proclaimed that Lecavalier would be "the Michael Jordan of hockey". On March 1, 2000, following his sophomore season, he was named captain, becoming the youngest captain in NHL history at 19 years and 314 days (since surpassed by Sidney Crosby). Previously, Steve Yzerman had held that honour, having been named captain of the Detroit Red Wings at 21 years, 5 months. Lecavalier however never fulfilled expectations and was later stripped of the captaincy before the 2001–02 NHL season when Lightning management decided he was too young even as a high calibre player. Around that time, he clashed frequently with head coach John Tortorella. Tortorella demanded more accountability from his players, and showed this by stripping Lecavalier of the team captaincy after he missed the start of 2001–02 because of contract negotiations.

Tortorella has since noted that Lecavalier has matured and become a less selfish player since losing the team captaincy. During the 2003–04 NHL season, while Martin St. Louis led in regular season scoring and Brad Richards led in the playoffs, Lecavalier played a key role in the team's Stanley Cup victory, assisting on the Cup-clinching goal. He was named MVP of the Canadian National Team in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, which Canada won. During the lockout which canceled the 2004–05 NHL season, Lecavalier, along with Lightning teammates Nikolai Khabibulin and Brad Richards, played for Ak Bars Kazan in the Russian Superleague. Lecavalier scored 16 points as Kazan finished 4th in the league and lost in the first round of the playoffs.

Vincent Lecavalier
Center
Born Apr 21 1980 -- Ile Bizard, PQ
Height 6.04 -- Weight 208 -- Shoots L

Selected by Tampa Bay Lightning round 1 #1 overall 1998 NHL Entry Draft

--- Regular Season ---
Season Team Lge GP G A Pts PIM
------------------------------------------------------------------
2004-05 Kazan Ak-Bars Russi 30 7 8 15 78

Vincent Lecavalier Ak Kazan Bears Jersey

Friday, June 17, 2011

Gordie Howe New England Whalers Jersey

As Howe emerged as one of the game's superstars, he was frequently compared to the Montreal Canadiens' Maurice "Rocket" Richard. Both were right wingers who wore the same sweater number, were frequently contenders for the league scoring title, and could also play rough if needed. During their first encounter in the Montreal Forum, when Howe was a rookie, he knocked Richard out cold with a punch after being shoved. The Red Wings and Canadiens faced off in four Stanley Cup finals during the 1950s. When Richard retired in 1960, he paid tribute to Howe, saying "Gordie could do everything."

The Red Wings were consistently contenders throughout the 1950s and early 1960s but began to slump in the late 60s. When Howe turned 40, in 1967–68, the league expanded from six to twelve teams and the number of scoring opportunities grew as the game schedule increased. Howe played the 1968–69 season on a line with Alex Delvecchio and Frank Mahovlich. Mahovlich was big, fast, and skilled, and Delvecchio was a gifted playmaker. The three were dubbed "The Production Line 3" and at forty-years-old, Howe reached new scoring heights, topping 100 points for the only time of his NHL career with 44 goals and a career-high 59 assists.

Following his personal best 103-point season, however, conflict with the Red Wings organization arose after Howe discovered he was just the third-highest paid player on the team with a $45,000 salary. Furthermore, while owner Bruce Norris increased Howe's salary to $100,000, he blamed Howe's wife, Colleen, for the demand. Howe remained with the Red Wings for two more seasons, but after twenty-five years, a chronic wrist problem forced him to retire after the 1970–71 season and he took a job in the Red Wings front office. At the beginning of 1972, he was offered the job as first head coach of the New York Islanders, but turned it down.

A year later, he was offered a contract to play with the Houston Aeros of the newly formed World Hockey Association, who had also signed his sons Mark and Marty to contracts. Dissatisfied with not having any meaningful influence in the Red Wings' office, he underwent an operation to improve his wrist and make a return to hockey possible, and he led his new team to consecutive championships. In 1974, at the age of 46, Howe won the Gary L. Davidson Trophy, awarded to the WHA's most valuable player (the trophy was renamed the Gordie Howe Trophy the following year). Howe played with the Aeros until 1977, when he and his sons joined the New England Whalers.

In the final season of the WHA, Gordie had the opportunity to play with Wayne Gretzky in the 1979 WHA All-Star Game. The format of the game was a three-game series between the WHA All-Stars against HC Moscow Dynamo. The WHA All-Stars were coached by Jacques Demers and Demers asked Howe if it was okay to put him on a line with Wayne Gretzky and his son Mark Howe. In Game One, the line scored seven points, as the WHA All-Stars won by a score of 4–2. In game two, Gretzky and Mark Howe each scored a goal and Gordie Howe picked up an assist as the WHA won 4–2. The line did not score in the final game but the WHA won by a score of 4–3.

When the WHA folded in 1979, the renamed Hartford Whalers joined the NHL. While the Red Wings still held his NHL rights even though he'd retired eight years earlier, the Whalers and Red Wings reached a gentlemen's agreement in which the Red Wings agreed not to reclaim him. The 51-year-old Howe signed on for one final season playing in all 80 games of the schedule, helping his team to make the playoffs with fifteen goals. One particular honor was when Howe, Phil Esposito, and Jean Ratelle were selected to the mid-season all-star game by coach Scotty Bowman, as a nod to their storied careers before they retired. Howe had played in five decades of all-star games and he would skate alongside the second-youngest to ever play in the game, 19-year-old Wayne Gretzky. The Joe Louis Arena crowd gave him a standing ovation twice, lasting so long, he had to skate to the bench to stop people from cheering. He had one assist in the Whalers' 6–3 win.
Gordie Howe
Right Wing
Born Mar 31 1928 -- Floral, SASK
Height 6.00 -- Weight 205 -- Shoots R

--- Regular Season ---
Season Team Lge GP G A Pts PIM
------------------------------------------------------------------
1977-78 New England Whalers WHA 76 34 62 96 85
1978-79 New England Whalers WHA 58 19 24 43 51
------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals 134 53 86 139 136
Gordie Howe New England Whalers

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

The Wayne Gretzky Collection

Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League (NHL), and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters, players, and the NHL itself. Upon his retirement on April 18, 1999, he held forty regular-season records, fifteen playoff records, and six All-Star records. He is the only NHL player to total over 200 points in one season – a feat he accomplished four times. In addition, he tallied over 100 points in 16 professional seasons, 14 of them consecutive. Gretzky's jersey number, 99, has been retired by all teams in the National Hockey League. He was voted one of six players to the International Ice Hockey Federation's (IIHF) Centennial All-Star Team in a poll conducted by a group of 56 experts from 16 countries.

After the World Hockey Association folded in 1979, the Edmonton Oilers and three other teams joined the NHL. Gretzky's success in the WHA carried over into the NHL, despite some critics suggesting he would flounder in what was considered the bigger, tougher, and more talented league. The Oilers, like the other surviving WHA teams, were allowed to protect two goaltenders and two skaters from being reclaimed by the established NHL teams. Under normal circumstances, Gretzky would have been removed from the Oilers and placed in the pool for the 1979 NHL Entry Draft, but his personal services contract he had signed with the Indianapolis Racers of the WHA prevented this.

In his first NHL season, 1979–80, Gretzky proved his critics wrong. He was awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy as the League's Most Valuable Player (the first of eight in a row) and tied for the scoring lead with Marcel Dionne with 137 points. Although Gretzky played 79 games to Dionne's 80, Dionne was awarded the Art Ross Trophy since he scored more goals (53 vs. 51). The season still stands as the highest point total by a first year player in NHL history. Gretzky became the youngest player to score 50 goals but was not eligible for the Calder Memorial Trophy, given to the top NHL rookie, because of his previous year of WHA experience. The Calder was awarded to Boston Bruins defenceman Ray Bourque.

The Edmonton Oilers finished first overall in their last WHA regular season. The same success was not immediate when they joined the NHL, but within four seasons, the Oilers were competing for the Stanley Cup. The Oilers were a young, strong team featuring forwards Mark Messier, Gretzky, Glenn Anderson and Jari Kurri, defenceman Paul Coffey, and goaltender Grant Fuhr. Gretzky was its captain from 1983–88. In 1983, they made it to the Stanley Cup Final, only to be swept by the three-time defending champion New York Islanders. The following season, the Oilers met the Islanders in the Final again, this time winning the Stanley Cup, their first of five in seven years. Gretzky was named an officer of the Order of Canada on June 25, 1984, for outstanding contribution to the sport of hockey. Since the Order ceremonies are always held during the hockey season, it took 13 years and 7 months—and two Governors General—before he could accept the honour. He was promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada in 2009 "for his continued contributions to the world of hockey, notably as one of the best players of all time, as well as for his social engagement as a philanthropist, volunteer and role model for countless young people". The Oilers also won the Cup with Gretzky in 1985, 1987 and 1988

On August 9, 1988, in a move that heralded significant change in the NHL, the Oilers traded Gretzky, along with McSorley and Krushelnyski, to the Kings for Carson, Martin Gelinas, $15 million in cash, and the Kings' first-round draft picks in 1989 (later traded to the New Jersey Devils – New Jersey selected Jason Miller), 1991 (Martin Ručínský), and 1993 (Nick Stajduhar). "The Trade", as it came to be known, upset Canadians to the extent that New Democratic Party House Leader Nelson Riis demanded that the government block it, and Pocklington was burned in effigy outside the Northlands Coliseum. Gretzky himself was considered a "traitor" by some Canadians for turning his back on his adopted hometown, and his home country; his motivation was widely rumoured to be the furtherance of his wife's acting career.

Gretzky's first season in Los Angeles saw a marked increase in attendance and fan interest in a city not previously known for following hockey. The Kings now boasted of numerous sellouts. Many credit Gretzky's arrival with putting non-traditional U.S. hockey markets on "the NHL map"; not only did California receive two more NHL franchises (the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and San Jose Sharks) during Gretzky's tenure in L.A., but his popularity in Southern California proved to be an impetus in the league establishing teams in other parts of the U.S. Sun Belt. Gretzky broke Gordie Howe's career goal-scoring record and won the scoring title, but the team began a long slide, and despite numerous player and coaching moves, they failed to qualify for the playoffs again until 1998. Long before then, running out of time and looking for a team with which he could win again, Gretzky had been traded from the Kings at his request.

On February 27, 1996, Gretzky joined the St. Louis Blues in a trade for Patrice Tardif, Roman Vopat, Craig Johnson, and two draft picks. He partially orchestrated the trade after reports that he was unhappy in Los Angeles surfaced. At the time of the trade, the Blues and New York Rangers emerged as front-runners, but the Blues met his salary demands. Gretzky was immediately named the team's captain. He scored 37 points in 31 games for the team in the regular season and the playoffs, and the Blues came within one game of the Conference Finals. However, the chemistry that everyone expected with winger Brett Hull never developed, and coach Mike Keenan publicly criticized him. Gretzky rejected a three-year deal worth $15 million with the Blues, and on July 22, he signed with the New York Rangers as a free agent, rejoining longtime Oilers teammate Mark Messier for a two-year $8 million (plus incentives) contract.

Gretzky ended his professional playing career with the New York Rangers, where he played his final three seasons and helped the team reach the Eastern Conference Finals in 1997. The Rangers were defeated in the Conference Finals in 5 games by the Philadelphia Flyers, despite Gretzky leading the Rangers in the playoffs with 10 goals and 10 assists. For the first time in his NHL career, Gretzky was not named captain, although he briefly wore the captain's 'C' in 1998 when captain Brian Leetch was injured and out of the lineup. After the 1996–97 season, Mark Messier signed a free agent contract with the Vancouver Canucks, ending the brief reunion of Messier and Gretzky after just one season. With Messier's departure from the Rangers, the spotlight was on Gretzky once again. The Rangers, however, did not return to the playoffs during the remainder of Gretzky's career.

The final game of Gretzky's career was a 2–1 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 18, 1999, in Madison Square Garden. The national anthems in that game were adjusted to accommodate Gretzky's departure. In place of the lyrics "O Canada, we stand on guard for thee", Bryan Adams ad-libbed, "We're going to miss you, Wayne Gretzky". The Star-Spangled Banner, as sung by John Amirante, was altered to include the words "in the land of Wayne Gretzky". Gretzky ended his career with a final point, assisting on the lone New York goal scored by Brian Leetch. At the time of his retirement, Gretzky was the second-to-last WHA player still active in professional hockey, Mark Messier, who himself attended the game along with other representatives of the Edmonton dynasty, being the last.
Wayne Gretzky
Center
Born Jan 26 1961 -- Brantford, ONT
Height 6.00 -- Weight 185
--- Regular Season ---
Season Team Lge GP G A Pts PIM
------------------------------------------------------------------
1978-79 Indianapolis Racers WHA 8 3 3 6 0
1978-79 Edmonton Oilers WHA 72 43 61 104 19
1979-80 Edmonton Oilers NHL 79 51 86 137 21
1980-81 Edmonton Oilers NHL 80 55 109 164 28
1981-82 Edmonton Oilers NHL 80 92 120 212 26
1982-83 Edmonton Oilers NHL 80 71 125 196 59
1983-84 Edmonton Oilers NHL 74 87 118 205 39
1984-85 Edmonton Oilers NHL 80 73 135 208 52
1985-86 Edmonton Oilers NHL 80 52 163 215 46
1986-87 Edmonton Oilers NHL 79 62 121 183 28
1987-88 Edmonton Oilers NHL 64 40 109 149 24
1988-89 Los Angeles Kings NHL 78 54 114 168 26
1989-90 Los Angeles Kings NHL 73 40 102 142 42
1990-91 Los Angeles Kings NHL 78 41 122 163 16
1991-92 Los Angeles Kings NHL 74 31 90 121 34
1992-93 Los Angeles Kings NHL 45 16 49 65 6
1993-94 Los Angeles Kings NHL 81 38 92 130 20
1994-95 Los Angeles Kings NHL 48 11 37 48 6
1995-96 Los Angeles Kings NHL 62 15 66 81 32
1995-96 St. Louis Blues NHL 18 8 13 21 2
1996-97 New York Rangers NHL 82 25 72 97 28
1997-98 New York Rangers NHL 82 23 67 90 28
1998-99 New York Rangers NHL 70 9 53 62 14
------------------------------------------------------------------
WHA Totals 80 46 64 110 19
NHL Totals 1487 894 1963 2857 577

Indianapolis Racers

Edmonton Oilers

Los Angeles Kings

Team Ninety-Nine (1994 Lockout)

LA Kings "Burger King" Alternate

St. Louis Blues

New York Rangers

NHL All Star Game

Team Canada

Friday, June 10, 2011

Jim Craig Atlanta Flames Jersey

He is best known as the goalie for the United States in the Miracle on Ice, when the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team defeated the favoured Soviet Olympic hockey team. Craig played a key role in one of the landmark moments in United States sports history. In the game against the Soviet Union in the 1980 Winter Olympics, Craig deflected 36 of 39 shots from an attacking unit led by the great Boris Mikhailov. Craig's skill was the most helpful in the final moments of the game and allowed the underdog U.S team to retain their one goal lead and eventually win 4-3. The flag that Craig wore after the upset is now displayed at the Sports Museum of America in New York City. Two days later, he again would lead the way to a 4-2 victory over Finland, clinching the gold medal.

Originally drafted by the Atlanta Flames with the 72nd pick in the 1977 NHL Entry Draft, Craig joined the Flames shortly after the Olympics and won his first game as an NHL professional. However, he found it difficult to duplicate his magic in the NHL. The following season, the Boston Bruins brought him home to Massachusetts in a trade with Atlanta. He served as the Bruins' backup goaltender during the 1980-81 regular season but again failed to make an impression and he did not participate in the 1981 NHL Playoffs. Craig returned to the US national team for the 1981 Canada Cup but missed the tournament due to injury and the following season was spent in the minor leagues with the Erie Blades. Craig's final moment of glory was in 1983 when he again played very well for the United States in the 1983 IIHF Pool B tournament. Craig was named goaltender of the tournament and the Minnesota North Stars promptly signed him to a free agent contract. He would make a final three NHL appearances for the North Stars in 1984 before retiring from hockey.

Jim Craig
Goalie
Born May 31 1957 -- North Easton, MA
Height 6.01 -- Weight 190 -- Shoots L

Selected by Atlanta Flames round 4 #72 overall 1977 NHL Amateur Draft
Selected by Cincinnati Stingers round 9 #79 overall 1977 WHA Amateur Draft
Season Team Lge GP Min GA EN SO GAA W L T Svs Pct
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1978-79 Boston University ECAC 0 1009 60 0 0 3.57 0 0 0 0 0.000
1979-80 Atlanta Flames NHL 4 206 13 0 0 3.79 1 2 1 0 0.000
1980-81 Boston Bruins NHL 23 1272 78 1 0 3.68 9 7 6 0 0.000
1983-84 Minnesota North Stars NHL 3 110 9 0 0 4.91 1 1 0 47 0.839

Jim Craig Atlanta Flames Jersey

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Kelly Hrudey Los Angeles Kings Jersey

Hrudey played junior hockey for three years with the WHL Medicine Hat Tigers. He was drafted in the second round (38th overall) of the 1980 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders. Hrudey first played for the Indianapolis Checkers, New York's minor league affiliate, and moved to the main club in the 1984–85 season. He was the Islanders' goaltender in 1987 when they defeated the Washington Capitals in the longest game in club history, a four-overtime Game 7 thriller known as the "Easter Epic", which was won on a goal by Pat LaFontaine after 68:47 of overtime. Hrudey made 73 saves (a playoff record) in a 3–2 Islander victory that ended just before 2am on Easter morning. Later in 1987, he was the third string goaltender on Team Canada during the 1987 Canada Cup, but did not appear in a game.

In 1989, he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings and would play there for eight seasons. His most notable achievement was playing in the 1993 Stanley Cup finals, but the team lost to Patrick Roy's Montreal Canadiens. In 1996, he signed with the San Jose Sharks and played his last two seasons there before retiring in 1998. Nicknamed 'Hollywood' while playing in LA, Hrudey was also known for wearing a blue bandana underneath his mask throughout his career.




Kelly Hrudey
Goalie
Born Jan 13 1961 -- Edmonton, ALTA
Height 5.11 -- Weight 190 -- Shoots L

Selected by New York Islanders round 2 #38 overall 1980 NHL Entry Draft
Season Team Lge GP Min GA EN SO GAA W L T Svs Pct
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1978-79 Medicine Hat Tigers WHL 57 3093 318 0 0 6.17 12 34 7 0 0.000
1979-80 Medicine Hat Tigers WHL 57 3049 212 0 1 4.17 25 23 4 1879 0.899
1980-81 Medicine Hat Tigers WHL 55 3023 200 0 4 3.97 32 19 1 1698 0.895
1981-82 Indianapolis Checkers CHL 51 3033 149 0 1 2.95 27 19 4 1339 0.900
1982-83 Indianapolis Checkers CHL 47 2744 139 0 2 3.04 26 17 1 1171 0.894
1983-84 New York Islanders NHL 12 535 28 0 0 3.14 7 2 0 261 0.903
1984-85 New York Islanders NHL 41 2335 141 2 2 3.62 19 17 3 1093 0.886
1985-86 New York Islanders NHL 45 2563 137 0 1 3.21 19 15 8 1318 0.906
1986-87 New York Islanders NHL 46 2634 145 1 0 3.30 21 15 7 1073 0.881
1987-88 New York Islanders NHL 47 2751 153 0 3 3.34 22 17 5 1314 0.896
1988-89 New York Islanders NHL 50 2800 183 6 0 3.92 18 24 3 1268 0.874
1988-89 Los Angeles Kings NHL 16 974 47 1 1 2.90 10 4 2 443 0.904
1989-90 Los Angeles Kings NHL 52 2860 194 7 2 4.07 22 21 6 1338 0.873
1990-91 Los Angeles Kings NHL 47 2730 132 4 3 2.90 26 13 6 1189 0.900
1991-92 Los Angeles Kings NHL 60 3509 197 4 1 3.37 26 17 13 1719 0.897
1992-93 Los Angeles Kings NHL 50 2718 175 4 2 3.86 18 21 6 1377 0.887
1993-94 Los Angeles Kings NHL 64 3713 228 9 1 3.68 22 31 7 1991 0.897
1994-95 Los Angeles Kings NHL 35 1894 99 3 0 3.14 14 13 5 1000 0.910
1995-96 Phoenix Roadrunners IHL 1 50 5 0 0 5.95 0 1 0 24 0.828
1995-96 Los Angeles Kings NHL 36 2077 113 2 0 3.26 7 15 10 1101 0.907
1996-97 San Jose Sharks NHL 48 2631 140 4 0 3.19 16 24 5 1123 0.889
1997-98 San Jose Sharks NHL 28 1360 62 4 1 2.74 4 16 2 538 0.897

Kelly Hrudey Los Angeles Kings Jersey