Matthew McCallum Online - Oilumni: Celebrating the Edmonton Oilers from a Fan's Perspective

Number 16
1989-90 Edmonton Oilers Regular Season Road Blue (__ Set)

Kelly Buchberger was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the 9th round (188th overall) of the 1985 NHL Entry Draft. Between 1987-1999 he appeared with the Oilers in 795 NHL regular season games (4th on the all-time team history list, behind only Kevin Lowe, Mark Messier and Glenn Anderson), scoring 82 goals and 158 assists for 240 points. He also accumulated 1,747 career regular season penalty minutes, the most in Oilers history and more than 450 minutes ahead of the next closest player on the list, Kevin McClelland. In 78 playoff games with the Oilers Buchberger was 9-15-24 and accrued 116 minutes in penalties. He won 2 Stanley Cups in Edmonton silks and was team captain for four seasons from 1995-96 through 1998-99. His tenure with Edmonton ended on June 25, 1999, when he was exposed in the Expansion Draft and claimed by the Atlanta Thrashers. He subsequently played for Los Angeles, Phoenix and Pittsburgh before retiring during the NHL Lock-Out. Buchberger returned to the Oilers organization as a scout, a minor league coach, and currently serves as one of Craig MacTavish's assistant coaches.

For the better part of a decade, Kelly Buchberger was the heart and soul of the Oilers. He didn't score all that much, but he scored when the team needed a goal the most: 24 of his 82 career Oiler goals were game winners. You'd most frequently find him grinding in the corners where lesser men were afraid to venture. He worked the front of the net at both ends of the rink. He shadowed the opposition's top players. He killed penalties, potting 12 shorthanded goals in the process. He literally bled for the team, his face seemingly always a mess of cuts and nicks and bruises. In short, Buchberger was a hockey player's hockey player, the type of warrior you want on your side of the ice, and whom you hate to see on the other side of the faceoff dot.

Buchberger has always been among my favourite Oilers. It was impossible not to admire his work ethic and determination. If Gretzky was a player who made those around him better, Buchberger made those around him dig a little deeper, work a little harder and strive to follow his example.

I have a confession to make: Kelly Buchberger is one of my favourite Oilers. Of the more than 400 players that have made the squad over the last three decades, Buchberger likely ranks in my personal top ten, and that leaves some pretty impressive names looking up at him. What explanation can I have for this madness? It’s not like he saved my life in a fire, or married into my family. No, it simply comes down to the gritty game he played down there on the ice, night-in and night-out.
Buchberger played was drafted by the Oilers in 1985 and played with the team for over a decade.

Acquired from the MeiGray Group, _______.

Number 13
2008-09 Edmonton Oilers Regular Season Home Navy (Special Night)

Imagine, if you will, having a special sweater number on your favorite team that you like to collect. And then imagine that a bright, young talent joins that club and picks that number for his very own. You look forward to adding his game-worn togs to your collection. So much so, that even before the first set of gamers for his rookie season are available, you reserve his shirt with MeiGray. Then imagine your heartbreak when the price quoted to acquire that piece of cloth is twice what you're willing to pay, and three times what you actually think it is worth. For more than a year you curse your tightfisted upbringing and contemplate some scheme to afford the object of your desire. And then you read the following:
"Welcome to the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation 2008 Caps for Cancer Charity Auction in support of the Kids with Cancer Society, Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and charities across Oil Country! Show your support in the fight against cancer by bidding on this Andrew Cogliano game worn jersey from the Oilers exciting 3-2 come from behind victory over the Calgary Flames on October 18th, 2008. Televised on Hockey Night in Canada from coast to coast this classic Battle of Alberta match up saw the Oilers storm back from a two goal second period deficit thanks to a thunderous momentum changing hit and fight by Steve MacIntyre followed by three straight goals by Moreau, Pisani and Cogliano. In honor of the team's 30th year in the NHL and many epic battles versus Calgary the Oilers wore a brand new set of home blue jerseys for this game only. These attractive uniforms featured the team's 30th anniversary patch on the right shoulder and a special custom made Edmonton Oilers set tag located in the lower inside hem of the jersey that reads 'Battle of Alberta, October 18th 2008'.

"In addition there is a MeiGray Group authentication tag that reads 'NHL Game Worn Jersey, 2008-2009 Season' along with their inventory control number F10475. In the collar there is an Elite Sportswear label and a Made in Canada size 56 tag. This game worn jersey is crested with Cogliano's number '13' and surname on the back. As is to be expected it shows light game wear including a few nice light stick marks, board burns and material snags. As an added bonus the jersey has been nicely autographed by Andrew Cogliano on the back number making it ready for display in your Oilers memorabilia collection! Jersey comes complete with a Letter of Authenticity from the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club. Cogs scored the game winning goal (his 2nd of the season and 20th of his career) wearing this jersey...very cool Battle of Alberta footnote and story to go with this great gamer!"
You watched the game and thrilled to that game winning goal. (Heck, you still have the contest available on your TiVo.) The price is steep but not obscene (yet). And you can always use a charitable deduction at tax time. How can you NOT bid on that item?
Of course, nothing worth having is every THAT easy. With what looks to be the winning bid as the auction ends, I thrill to the thought of a Cogliano sweater -- with a great story behind it AND an autograph to boot -- at less than half the price MeiGray wanted to charge me. Then in the final seconds a new bid comes in from Pogge35. Thankfully, not enough to top my reserve. However, that bid extends the auction for another five minutes. Five minutes later, again with seconds to go, another bid from Pogge35. Still not enough to top my reserve, but again the clock extends for five more minutes. After an hour of watching my adversary wait five minutes and bid, wait five minute and bid, with another $200 more in bidded up value accumulated over that time, Pogge35 finally relents and the sweater is mine. ("More to charity, more to charity" becomes my calming mantra...)
It's the most I've paid for a gamer, but this sweater a very unique addition to my collection.

Acquired from the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation, November 6, 2008.

Number 21
1989-90 Edmonton Oilers Regular Season Road Blue (__ Set)

Randy Gregg was the prototypical defensive defenseman, the kind of player who doesn’t make highlight reels or wins many individual awards, but the fellow you need on your blueline to win championships. I don’t think it’s coincidental that the season the Gregg took a sabatical from hockey (2005-06) the Oilers stalled in the playoffs against the Calgary Flames and squandered their chance for a three-peat.
This is an additional block of text necessary to run to the bottom of the photography block and ensure that the hard return line falls in the right place. Please ignore this text as it doesn't serve any particular purpose. That's right, you can stop reading now. Any time at all. Stop reading. Please stop reading. My gosh, you don't follow directions very well, do you? All right, keep reading, see if I care. You're not going to come across anything of interest in all this filler, but hey, I don't care how you waste your time, so go right ahead.

Acquired from the MeiGray Group, _______.

Number 13
2005-06 Edmonton Oilers Regular Season Home Navy Blue (1st Set)

Todd Harvey is yet another example of that “here for a good time, not a long time” type of player that wears Number 13. Signing as a free agent prior to the NHL Lock-Out, Oilers fans had to wait a whole lost season before he made his Edmonton debut. In some respects, it was worth the wait. Over 63 contests he scored 5 goals and 2 assists for 7 points, and added 32 penalty minutes. But Harvey’s contributions were greater than what got reported on the score sheet. As the team made its surprising march to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, Harvey added 1 goal and 1 assist and four penalty minutes in 10 playoff games.
Sadly, Harvey was one of the casualties of the Oilers youth movement in the summer of 2006 and was not re-signed to a contract, leaving the Number 13 available for a new generation.
This particular sweater is really special for a number of reasons. First, I pre-ordered it prior to the start of the season, just after training camp when it was announced Todd was going to wear my favourite number. It was fascinating to watch Harvey play the first part of the season in “my” sweater. It’s the sweater in which he scored his first goal as an Oiler.

Acquired from the MeiGray Group, October 11, 2005.

Number 27
2002-03 Edmonton Oilers Regular Season/Playoffs Home Navy (3rd Set)

Georges Laraque was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2nd round (31st overall) of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft. Between 1997-2006 he appeared with the Oilers in 490 NHL regular season games, scoring 43 goals and 68 assists for 111 points, and (perhaps most importantly for Laraque fans) accumulating 826 penalty minutes. In 36 playoff games, he was 3-6-9 with 64 minutes in the sin bin. Despite a publicly expressed desire to stay in Edmonton, the Oilers rebuffed his request for a no-trade clause in his new contract and Laraque signed with the Phoenix Coyotes as a free agent on July 6, 2006. He was subsequently traded to Pittsburgh, and later signed with Montreal.

You could say the Number 27 sweater has some history in Edmonton, and while it was in his care Georges Laraque upheld and greatly added to that proud tradition. Laraque was (and remains) perhaps the most feared fighter of his era, a lethal combination of size, strength and balance. He's that rare breed of player, like Dave Semenko (the original Oilers 27) before him, who fights less, accumulates fewer penalty minutes and frankly is more effective than other NHL enforcers BECAUSE of his reputation.

Based on the information available at the MeiGray website, it appears this sweater was worn in one regular season contest and in three games during the Oilers first-round tilt against the Dallas Stars. That's an unusually low number for a Home 3rd Set, but you must recall this was the year the Oilers introduced the dreaded "Oil-Gear" third sweater, which was worn predominantly in matches during their late-season push for the playoffs. The light use also likely explains why the cost-conscious Oilers didn't adopt a Home 4th Set for the playoffs.

The most expensive sweater in my collection when purchased (it has since been surpassed by my Andrew Cogliano), this item was acquired mainly at the behest of my youngest daughter Kathryn, a huge Georges Laraque fan. This is the girl with whom I waited nearly two hours in line during our February 2006 vacation in Edmonton so that she could meet and get a personalized autograph from her hockey hero. She counts it among one of the best days of her life. Devastated when Laraque left Edmonton as a free agent, she suggested I add a Laraque sweater to my collection. When I declined, citing the expense, she resolved to earn the money herself through allowance savings and payment for other odd chores. At her current pace, she'll have enough money in... oh, about 7 or 8 more years. When MeiGray's posted their 2006 Pre-Christmas Sale, I thought I'd pick it up early so she didn't have to worry about someone buying it out from under her.

When my middle daughter, Kathryn, chose her favourite hockey player, I have to admit I was surprised she picked Georges Laraque. “I like the tough guys, dad,” she declared. Well, who can fault her for that?
On a trip to Edmonton in February 2006 for a friend’s wedding – I know, who in their right mind gets married in February in Edmonton? – our visit coincided with the annual Oilers autograph session. Indulgent father than I am, I visited a half-dozen stores to find just the right 8-by-10 glossy of Georges Laraque, and then we went to Kingsway Garden Mall and stood in line for two hours so that Katie could get her picture autographed. Georges was gracious and gentlemanly, and that personalized picture hangs proudly on her wall to this day.
Envious of my modest game worn sweater collection, Katie wanted a Laraque sweater of her own. A rather expensive luxury, I told her she could save up for it and she started in earnest. Now, at this point the story should become a tale of hard work and industriousness, and relate how the little 10 year old scrapped her pennies together to buy her prize. Reality didn’t quite work that way.
Knowing it would be many moons before Kate would have enough funds for the sweater, and fearing that by the time she’d accumulated enough scratch that a game worn Georges Laraque sweater would be a tough find, I purchased it for her on the sly and hid it away. My decision of kindness was made all the easier when MeiGray hosted a sale. (As you'll see below, it’s hard to pass up a bargain.)

Acquired from the MeiGray Group, December 7, 2006.

Number 13
1990-91 Edmonton Oilers Regular Season Road Blue (__ Set)

Ken Linseman was acquired by the Edmonton Oilers with Don Nachbaur in return for Risto Siltanen and the rights to Brent Loney on August 19, 1982. Over the next two seasons, he was the catylist that helped propel the Oilers to two straight Stanley Cup Final appearances and their first Cup triumph in 1983-84. In that wake of that first Cup victory, Linseman was shipped off to the Boston Bruins for Mike Krushelnyski on June 21, 1984. While with Boston, he played against his old mates in the 1988 Final, then moved along to Philadelphia. On August 31, 1990 he became a second-time-around Oiler when he signed as a free agent, but lasted only the one season before being traded to Toronto for cash on October 7, 1991. In his three seasons with the Oilers, Linseman played 200 regular season games, scoring 58 goals, 120 assists for 178 points and generated 394 penalty minutes. In the playoffs, he was 16-13-29 with 87 penalty minutes in 37 games.

Ken Linseman was the first Edmonton Oiler to wear Number 13. That alone should be enough for me to want this sweater, but his on-ice performance and contributions toward that first Stanley Cup makes an exceptionally compelling argument. Linseman was partnered with Mark Messier and Glenn Anderson on the Oilers second line, a trio that would have been a first-line unit on most of the other 20 clubs in the NHL.

This sweater is from Linseman's second stint with the Oilers, when the wear-and-tear of 14 NHL seasons was finally catching up with him.

Ken Linseman enjoyed two stints with the Edmonton Oilers, and as is usually the case in such matters, the original run proved to be much more successful than the sequel.
The Oilers first acquired Linseman on August 19, 1982, from the Hartford Whalers – who had acquired him earlier in the day from the Philadelphia Flyers – along with Don Nachbaur in return for Risto Siltanen and Brent Loney. Nicknamed “The Rat”, Linseman had a well-deserved reputation as an agitator and was brought into the Oilers line-up to provide a bit more sandpaper and grit. For the next two seasons he displayed all that and more.
Paired with Mark Messier and Glenn Anderson, Linseman anchored an incredibly productive and deadly second-line trio that helped propel the Oilers to the Cup Final in 1983 and won the big prize in 1984.
Still basking in that Cup-winning glow, Linseman was traded on June 21, 1984 to Boston for Mike Krushelnyski. While a member of the Bruins, he faced off against he old Oilers mates in the 1988 Stanley Cup Final.
After five seasons with the Bruins and an injury-shortened stint in Philadelphia, Linseman re-upped with the Oilers for the 1990-91 season. In the 56 games of his second go-around, he scored 7-29-36 and generated 94 penalty minutes. However, despite the team advancing to the Conference Finals in the post-season, Linseman only appeared in 2 playoff games, picking up 1 assist and no penalty minutes. It was not a surprise when prior to the next season, on October 7, 1991, the Oilers dealt Linseman to the Toronto Maple Leafs for cash.
Ken Linseman holds a special place in the hearts of Oilers fans for scoring the Cup winning goal in 1984. His 200 career Oilers games puts in __ on the all time list, and his __ goals and __ points are good for __ and __ place, respectively. Although a member of only two playoff runs with the club (and 2 games of a third), Linseman’s totals are among the team leaders.
This sweater (from his second tour of duty) shows a lot of board and stick wear, the type of abuse you would expect a player like Linseman to attract and absorb. And with Linseman a slightly smaller man than I am, this is a sweater I enjoy wearing as it’s not excessively long in the sleeve without shoulder pads.

Acquired from the MeiGray Group, _______.

Number 19
2005-06 Edmonton Oilers Regular Season Home Navy Blue (3rd Set)

Marty Reasoner was acquired by the Edmonton Oilers from the St. Louis Blues on July 1, 2001, as part of the spoils in the Doug Weight trade. After four seasons with the Oilers, he was unexpectedly shipped to the Boston Bruins on March 9, 2006 as part of a package for Sergei Samsonov, and subsequently missed the Oilers dramatic run to the Stanley Cup Final. On July 4, 2006, Reasoner re-signed with Edmonton as a free agent and played two more seasons with the Oilers before signing with Atlanta in summer 2008.

When you think of Marty Reasoner, the words "grit", "determination" and "character" immediately come to mind. He's a player built in the Kelly Buchberger mould: willing to give heart, body, blood and soul for the good of the team.

This sweater was worn three times in NHL game action prior to Reasoner's surprise trade deadline departure. It was initially worn on March 1, 2006, the Oilers first home game after the Olympic break. The home side lost 4-2 that night, but Reasoner notched a goal in the losing effort, his ninth of the season, deflecting a 40-foot Marc-Andre Bergeron blast. (By happy coincidence, we were on vacation in Edmonton at the time and my son and I attended that game.) The last two home games -- March 3, a 3-2 victory over San Jose and March 7, a 4-3 shootout loss to Dallas -- were otherwise uneventful for Reasoner, and with his trade to Boston this shirt went into the storage locker.

I cannot resist a bargain.
In the wake of the 2006-07 season, after the near miss at the Stanley Cup and amidst all the turmoil surrounding the Pronger affair, I’d been reflecting on the types of hockey players I’ve always liked: the plumbers, the grinders, the muckers. Maybe it’s because that’s the kind of game I played on the ice. And when thinking about guys like that on the Oilers my thoughts turned to poor old Marty Reasoner. What a season: broken ribs, broken cheek bone, assorted other minor injuries. And then the unkindest cut of all: how unfair, after he gives heart, soul, bruises and blood to the team, to be shipped off at the trade deadline and miss out on the improbable Stanley Cup run. Hockey is a tough business.
A few days later, Meigray.com offered a deeply discounted sale, and among the items available was Reasoner’s sweater. After my ruminations, how could I pass that up? Even better, shortly after getting my sweater, Reasoner re-signed with the Oilers.

Acquired from the MeiGray Group, July 14, 2006.

Number 94
2005-06 Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup Finals Road White (__ Set)

My son was in tears when the Edmonton Oilers traded Ryan Smyth on March __, 2007.
This sweater is a unique addition to my collection in a number of ways. At present, it’s the only white sweater that I own. It’s also just game-issued, not game worn, so it suffers from a lesser degree of authenticity.
This is an additional block of text necessary to run to the bottom of the photography block and ensure that the hard return line falls in the right place. Please ignore this text as it doesn't serve any particular purpose. That's right, you can stop reading now. Any time at all. Stop reading. Please stop reading. My gosh, you don't follow directions very well, do you? All right, keep reading, see if I care. You're not going to come across anything of interest in all this filler, but hey, I don't care how you waste your time, so go right ahead.

Acquired from the MeiGray Group, July 19, 2007.

Number 13
2001-02 Edmonton Oilers Regular Season Road Navy (__ Set)

German Titov was a March 14, 2000, trade deadline acquisition picked up from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Josef Beranek. His tenure with the Oilers was brief. Titov appeared in just 7 regular season games with the Edmonton Oilers – notching no goals, four assists and four penalty minutes – and another five playoff contests – scoring 1-1-2 and zero penalty minutes – before signing in the 2000 off-season as an unrestricted free agent with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.
While his tenure with the Oilers was somewhat unmemorable, this sweater shows excessive wear and damage, including an interesting tear that looks like it was caught on the boards.
This is an additional block of text necessary to run to the bottom of the photography block and ensure that the hard return line falls in the right place. Please ignore this text as it doesn't serve any particular purpose. That's right, you can stop reading now. Any time at all. Stop reading. Please stop reading. My gosh, you don't follow directions very well, do you? All right, keep reading, see if I care. You're not going to come across anything of interest in all this filler, but hey, I don't care how you waste your time, so go right ahead.

Acquired from the MeiGray Group, May 31, 2006.

No Number
2005-06 Edmonton Oilers Regular Season Reebok Navy Practice

I bought this on a whim. I’d dithered about buying a replica version of this practice jersey for months and then, lo and behold, here was the real thing worn in practice by who-knows-whom, and available for about the same price. How was I to resist?
This is an additional block of text necessary to run to the bottom of the photography block and ensure that the hard return line falls in the right place. Please ignore this text as it doesn't serve any particular purpose. That's right, you can stop reading now. Any time at all. Stop reading. Please stop reading. My gosh, you don't follow directions very well, do you? All right, keep reading, see if I care. You're not going to come across anything of interest in all this filler, but hey, I don't care how you waste your time, so go right ahead.
This is an additional block of text necessary to run to the bottom of the photography block and ensure that the hard return line falls in the right place. Please ignore this text as it doesn't serve any particular purpose. That's right, you can stop reading now. Any time at all. Stop reading. Please stop reading. My gosh, you don't follow directions very well, do you? All right, keep reading, see if I care. You're not going to come across anything of interest in all this filler, but hey, I don't care how you waste your time, so go right ahead.

Acquired from the MeiGray Group, July 14, 2006.

Got any comments? Want to work up a trade? Please reach me via email.

Notice: The hockey-related portions of this not-for-profit, non-commercial fan web site are unaffiliated with the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club; the National Hockey League (NHL) and its member teams; the National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) and its member players; and their trading card company licensees. Any trademarks and images from these entities that have been used herein for editorial purposes remain the exclusive property of the original rights holders. All other elements of this web site, including but not limited to site design and content, are copyright © 1993-2011 Matthew S. McCallum, all rights reserved.

	Edmonton Oilers Game-Worn Sweater Collection When I acquired my seventh game-worn Oilers sweater shortly before Christmas 2006, I thought it was about time to develop a web page to celebrate and showcase this part of my hockey memorabilia collection. Rather than just post-up a picture with a blurb "Look at this neat shirt!", I wanted to do something a bit more special. So along with the requisite cool picture is a brief write-up on the player who wore that sweater, a short commentary on why owning that particular sweater is important to me and (when possible) a description of the specific game action that occurred around that sweater. Every sweater has a story. You'll notice there is a significant numeric subset in this modest collection: Number 13 figures prominently. That's my old playing number, and I've always had a special affection for those Oilers who similarly lacked triskadecaphobia. I have sweaters for four of the six players to wear Number 13 with Edmonton. I'd love to add the other two, but the sweaters of Risto Jalo (3 games in 1985-86) and Ray Whitney (9 games in 1997-98) might prove near impossible to obtain. Still, half the joy of collecting is the chase! The other half, of course, is enjoying the accomplishment and sharing it with others. So without further ado, welcome to my game-worn sweater collection!
	Kelly Buchberger Number 16 1989-90 Edmonton Oilers Regular Season Road Blue (__ Set) Kelly Buchberger was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the 9th round (188th overall) of the 1985 NHL Entry Draft. Between 1987-1999 he appeared with the Oilers in 795 NHL regular season games (4th on the all-time team history list, behind only Kevin Lowe, Mark Messier and Glenn Anderson), scoring 82 goals and 158 assists for 240 points. He also accumulated 1,747 career regular season penalty minutes, the most in Oilers history and more than 450 minutes ahead of the next closest player on the list, Kevin McClelland. In 78 playoff games with the Oilers Buchberger was 9-15-24 and accrued 116 minutes in penalties. He won 2 Stanley Cups in Edmonton silks and was team captain for four seasons from 1995-96 through 1998-99. His tenure with Edmonton ended on June 25, 1999, when he was exposed in the Expansion Draft and claimed by the Atlanta Thrashers. He subsequently played for Los Angeles, Phoenix and Pittsburgh before retiring during the NHL Lock-Out. Buchberger returned to the Oilers organization as a scout, a minor league coach, and currently serves as one of Craig MacTavish's assistant coaches. For the better part of a decade, Kelly Buchberger was the heart and soul of the Oilers. He didn't score all that much, but he scored when the team needed a goal the most: 24 of his 82 career Oiler goals were game winners. You'd most frequently find him grinding in the corners where lesser men were afraid to venture. He worked the front of the net at both ends of the rink. He shadowed the opposition's top players. He killed penalties, potting 12 shorthanded goals in the process. He literally bled for the team, his face seemingly always a mess of cuts and nicks and bruises. In short, Buchberger was a hockey player's hockey player, the type of warrior you want on your side of the ice, and whom you hate to see on the other side of the faceoff dot. Buchberger has always been among my favourite Oilers. It was impossible not to admire his work ethic and determination. If Gretzky was a player who made those around him better, Buchberger made those around him dig a little deeper, work a little harder and strive to follow his example. I have a confession to make: Kelly Buchberger is one of my favourite Oilers. Of the more than 400 players that have made the squad over the last three decades, Buchberger likely ranks in my personal top ten, and that leaves some pretty impressive names looking up at him. What explanation can I have for this madness? It’s not like he saved my life in a fire, or married into my family. No, it simply comes down to the gritty game he played down there on the ice, night-in and night-out. Buchberger played was drafted by the Oilers in 1985 and played with the team for over a decade. Acquired from the MeiGray Group, _______.
	Andrew Cogliano Number 13 2008-09 Edmonton Oilers Regular Season Home Navy (Special Night) Imagine, if you will, having a special sweater number on your favorite team that you like to collect. And then imagine that a bright, young talent joins that club and picks that number for his very own. You look forward to adding his game-worn togs to your collection. So much so, that even before the first set of gamers for his rookie season are available, you reserve his shirt with MeiGray. Then imagine your heartbreak when the price quoted to acquire that piece of cloth is twice what you're willing to pay, and three times what you actually think it is worth. For more than a year you curse your tightfisted upbringing and contemplate some scheme to afford the object of your desire. And then you read the following: "Welcome to the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation 2008 Caps for Cancer Charity Auction in support of the Kids with Cancer Society, Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and charities across Oil Country! Show your support in the fight against cancer by bidding on this Andrew Cogliano game worn jersey from the Oilers exciting 3-2 come from behind victory over the Calgary Flames on October 18th, 2008. Televised on Hockey Night in Canada from coast to coast this classic Battle of Alberta match up saw the Oilers storm back from a two goal second period deficit thanks to a thunderous momentum changing hit and fight by Steve MacIntyre followed by three straight goals by Moreau, Pisani and Cogliano. In honor of the team's 30th year in the NHL and many epic battles versus Calgary the Oilers wore a brand new set of home blue jerseys for this game only. These attractive uniforms featured the team's 30th anniversary patch on the right shoulder and a special custom made Edmonton Oilers set tag located in the lower inside hem of the jersey that reads 'Battle of Alberta, October 18th 2008'. "In addition there is a MeiGray Group authentication tag that reads 'NHL Game Worn Jersey, 2008-2009 Season' along with their inventory control number F10475. In the collar there is an Elite Sportswear label and a Made in Canada size 56 tag. This game worn jersey is crested with Cogliano's number '13' and surname on the back. As is to be expected it shows light game wear including a few nice light stick marks, board burns and material snags. As an added bonus the jersey has been nicely autographed by Andrew Cogliano on the back number making it ready for display in your Oilers memorabilia collection! Jersey comes complete with a Letter of Authenticity from the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club. Cogs scored the game winning goal (his 2nd of the season and 20th of his career) wearing this jersey...very cool Battle of Alberta footnote and story to go with this great gamer!" You watched the game and thrilled to that game winning goal. (Heck, you still have the contest available on your TiVo.) The price is steep but not obscene (yet). And you can always use a charitable deduction at tax time. How can you NOT bid on that item? Of course, nothing worth having is every THAT easy. With what looks to be the winning bid as the auction ends, I thrill to the thought of a Cogliano sweater -- with a great story behind it AND an autograph to boot -- at less than half the price MeiGray wanted to charge me. Then in the final seconds a new bid comes in from Pogge35. Thankfully, not enough to top my reserve. However, that bid extends the auction for another five minutes. Five minutes later, again with seconds to go, another bid from Pogge35. Still not enough to top my reserve, but again the clock extends for five more minutes. After an hour of watching my adversary wait five minutes and bid, wait five minute and bid, with another $200 more in bidded up value accumulated over that time, Pogge35 finally relents and the sweater is mine. ("More to charity, more to charity" becomes my calming mantra...) It's the most I've paid for a gamer, but this sweater a very unique addition to my collection. Acquired from the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation, November 6, 2008.
	Randy Gregg Number 21 1989-90 Edmonton Oilers Regular Season Road Blue (__ Set) Randy Gregg was the prototypical defensive defenseman, the kind of player who doesn’t make highlight reels or wins many individual awards, but the fellow you need on your blueline to win championships. I don’t think it’s coincidental that the season the Gregg took a sabatical from hockey (2005-06) the Oilers stalled in the playoffs against the Calgary Flames and squandered their chance for a three-peat. This is an additional block of text necessary to run to the bottom of the photography block and ensure that the hard return line falls in the right place. Please ignore this text as it doesn't serve any particular purpose. That's right, you can stop reading now. Any time at all. Stop reading. Please stop reading. My gosh, you don't follow directions very well, do you? All right, keep reading, see if I care. You're not going to come across anything of interest in all this filler, but hey, I don't care how you waste your time, so go right ahead. Acquired from the MeiGray Group, _______.
	Todd Harvey Number 13 2005-06 Edmonton Oilers Regular Season Home Navy Blue (1st Set) Todd Harvey is yet another example of that “here for a good time, not a long time” type of player that wears Number 13. Signing as a free agent prior to the NHL Lock-Out, Oilers fans had to wait a whole lost season before he made his Edmonton debut. In some respects, it was worth the wait. Over 63 contests he scored 5 goals and 2 assists for 7 points, and added 32 penalty minutes. But Harvey’s contributions were greater than what got reported on the score sheet. As the team made its surprising march to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, Harvey added 1 goal and 1 assist and four penalty minutes in 10 playoff games. Sadly, Harvey was one of the casualties of the Oilers youth movement in the summer of 2006 and was not re-signed to a contract, leaving the Number 13 available for a new generation. This particular sweater is really special for a number of reasons. First, I pre-ordered it prior to the start of the season, just after training camp when it was announced Todd was going to wear my favourite number. It was fascinating to watch Harvey play the first part of the season in “my” sweater. It’s the sweater in which he scored his first goal as an Oiler. Acquired from the MeiGray Group, October 11, 2005.
	Georges Laraque Number 27 2002-03 Edmonton Oilers Regular Season/Playoffs Home Navy (3rd Set) Georges Laraque was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2nd round (31st overall) of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft. Between 1997-2006 he appeared with the Oilers in 490 NHL regular season games, scoring 43 goals and 68 assists for 111 points, and (perhaps most importantly for Laraque fans) accumulating 826 penalty minutes. In 36 playoff games, he was 3-6-9 with 64 minutes in the sin bin. Despite a publicly expressed desire to stay in Edmonton, the Oilers rebuffed his request for a no-trade clause in his new contract and Laraque signed with the Phoenix Coyotes as a free agent on July 6, 2006. He was subsequently traded to Pittsburgh, and later signed with Montreal. You could say the Number 27 sweater has some history in Edmonton, and while it was in his care Georges Laraque upheld and greatly added to that proud tradition. Laraque was (and remains) perhaps the most feared fighter of his era, a lethal combination of size, strength and balance. He's that rare breed of player, like Dave Semenko (the original Oilers 27) before him, who fights less, accumulates fewer penalty minutes and frankly is more effective than other NHL enforcers BECAUSE of his reputation. Based on the information available at the MeiGray website, it appears this sweater was worn in one regular season contest and in three games during the Oilers first-round tilt against the Dallas Stars. That's an unusually low number for a Home 3rd Set, but you must recall this was the year the Oilers introduced the dreaded "Oil-Gear" third sweater, which was worn predominantly in matches during their late-season push for the playoffs. The light use also likely explains why the cost-conscious Oilers didn't adopt a Home 4th Set for the playoffs. The most expensive sweater in my collection when purchased (it has since been surpassed by my Andrew Cogliano), this item was acquired mainly at the behest of my youngest daughter Kathryn, a huge Georges Laraque fan. This is the girl with whom I waited nearly two hours in line during our February 2006 vacation in Edmonton so that she could meet and get a personalized autograph from her hockey hero. She counts it among one of the best days of her life. Devastated when Laraque left Edmonton as a free agent, she suggested I add a Laraque sweater to my collection. When I declined, citing the expense, she resolved to earn the money herself through allowance savings and payment for other odd chores. At her current pace, she'll have enough money in... oh, about 7 or 8 more years. When MeiGray's posted their 2006 Pre-Christmas Sale, I thought I'd pick it up early so she didn't have to worry about someone buying it out from under her. When my middle daughter, Kathryn, chose her favourite hockey player, I have to admit I was surprised she picked Georges Laraque. “I like the tough guys, dad,” she declared. Well, who can fault her for that? On a trip to Edmonton in February 2006 for a friend’s wedding – I know, who in their right mind gets married in February in Edmonton? – our visit coincided with the annual Oilers autograph session. Indulgent father than I am, I visited a half-dozen stores to find just the right 8-by-10 glossy of Georges Laraque, and then we went to Kingsway Garden Mall and stood in line for two hours so that Katie could get her picture autographed. Georges was gracious and gentlemanly, and that personalized picture hangs proudly on her wall to this day. Envious of my modest game worn sweater collection, Katie wanted a Laraque sweater of her own. A rather expensive luxury, I told her she could save up for it and she started in earnest. Now, at this point the story should become a tale of hard work and industriousness, and relate how the little 10 year old scrapped her pennies together to buy her prize. Reality didn’t quite work that way. Knowing it would be many moons before Kate would have enough funds for the sweater, and fearing that by the time she’d accumulated enough scratch that a game worn Georges Laraque sweater would be a tough find, I purchased it for her on the sly and hid it away. My decision of kindness was made all the easier when MeiGray hosted a sale. (As you'll see below, it’s hard to pass up a bargain.) Acquired from the MeiGray Group, December 7, 2006.
	Ken Linseman Number 13 1990-91 Edmonton Oilers Regular Season Road Blue (__ Set) Ken Linseman was acquired by the Edmonton Oilers with Don Nachbaur in return for Risto Siltanen and the rights to Brent Loney on August 19, 1982. Over the next two seasons, he was the catylist that helped propel the Oilers to two straight Stanley Cup Final appearances and their first Cup triumph in 1983-84. In that wake of that first Cup victory, Linseman was shipped off to the Boston Bruins for Mike Krushelnyski on June 21, 1984. While with Boston, he played against his old mates in the 1988 Final, then moved along to Philadelphia. On August 31, 1990 he became a second-time-around Oiler when he signed as a free agent, but lasted only the one season before being traded to Toronto for cash on October 7, 1991. In his three seasons with the Oilers, Linseman played 200 regular season games, scoring 58 goals, 120 assists for 178 points and generated 394 penalty minutes. In the playoffs, he was 16-13-29 with 87 penalty minutes in 37 games. Ken Linseman was the first Edmonton Oiler to wear Number 13. That alone should be enough for me to want this sweater, but his on-ice performance and contributions toward that first Stanley Cup makes an exceptionally compelling argument. Linseman was partnered with Mark Messier and Glenn Anderson on the Oilers second line, a trio that would have been a first-line unit on most of the other 20 clubs in the NHL. This sweater is from Linseman's second stint with the Oilers, when the wear-and-tear of 14 NHL seasons was finally catching up with him. Ken Linseman enjoyed two stints with the Edmonton Oilers, and as is usually the case in such matters, the original run proved to be much more successful than the sequel. The Oilers first acquired Linseman on August 19, 1982, from the Hartford Whalers – who had acquired him earlier in the day from the Philadelphia Flyers – along with Don Nachbaur in return for Risto Siltanen and Brent Loney. Nicknamed “The Rat”, Linseman had a well-deserved reputation as an agitator and was brought into the Oilers line-up to provide a bit more sandpaper and grit. For the next two seasons he displayed all that and more. Paired with Mark Messier and Glenn Anderson, Linseman anchored an incredibly productive and deadly second-line trio that helped propel the Oilers to the Cup Final in 1983 and won the big prize in 1984. Still basking in that Cup-winning glow, Linseman was traded on June 21, 1984 to Boston for Mike Krushelnyski. While a member of the Bruins, he faced off against he old Oilers mates in the 1988 Stanley Cup Final. After five seasons with the Bruins and an injury-shortened stint in Philadelphia, Linseman re-upped with the Oilers for the 1990-91 season. In the 56 games of his second go-around, he scored 7-29-36 and generated 94 penalty minutes. However, despite the team advancing to the Conference Finals in the post-season, Linseman only appeared in 2 playoff games, picking up 1 assist and no penalty minutes. It was not a surprise when prior to the next season, on October 7, 1991, the Oilers dealt Linseman to the Toronto Maple Leafs for cash. Ken Linseman holds a special place in the hearts of Oilers fans for scoring the Cup winning goal in 1984. His 200 career Oilers games puts in __ on the all time list, and his __ goals and __ points are good for __ and __ place, respectively. Although a member of only two playoff runs with the club (and 2 games of a third), Linseman’s totals are among the team leaders. This sweater (from his second tour of duty) shows a lot of board and stick wear, the type of abuse you would expect a player like Linseman to attract and absorb. And with Linseman a slightly smaller man than I am, this is a sweater I enjoy wearing as it’s not excessively long in the sleeve without shoulder pads. Acquired from the MeiGray Group, _______.
	Marty Reasoner Number 19 2005-06 Edmonton Oilers Regular Season Home Navy Blue (3rd Set) Marty Reasoner was acquired by the Edmonton Oilers from the St. Louis Blues on July 1, 2001, as part of the spoils in the Doug Weight trade. After four seasons with the Oilers, he was unexpectedly shipped to the Boston Bruins on March 9, 2006 as part of a package for Sergei Samsonov, and subsequently missed the Oilers dramatic run to the Stanley Cup Final. On July 4, 2006, Reasoner re-signed with Edmonton as a free agent and played two more seasons with the Oilers before signing with Atlanta in summer 2008. When you think of Marty Reasoner, the words "grit", "determination" and "character" immediately come to mind. He's a player built in the Kelly Buchberger mould: willing to give heart, body, blood and soul for the good of the team. This sweater was worn three times in NHL game action prior to Reasoner's surprise trade deadline departure. It was initially worn on March 1, 2006, the Oilers first home game after the Olympic break. The home side lost 4-2 that night, but Reasoner notched a goal in the losing effort, his ninth of the season, deflecting a 40-foot Marc-Andre Bergeron blast. (By happy coincidence, we were on vacation in Edmonton at the time and my son and I attended that game.) The last two home games -- March 3, a 3-2 victory over San Jose and March 7, a 4-3 shootout loss to Dallas -- were otherwise uneventful for Reasoner, and with his trade to Boston this shirt went into the storage locker. I cannot resist a bargain. In the wake of the 2006-07 season, after the near miss at the Stanley Cup and amidst all the turmoil surrounding the Pronger affair, I’d been reflecting on the types of hockey players I’ve always liked: the plumbers, the grinders, the muckers. Maybe it’s because that’s the kind of game I played on the ice. And when thinking about guys like that on the Oilers my thoughts turned to poor old Marty Reasoner. What a season: broken ribs, broken cheek bone, assorted other minor injuries. And then the unkindest cut of all: how unfair, after he gives heart, soul, bruises and blood to the team, to be shipped off at the trade deadline and miss out on the improbable Stanley Cup run. Hockey is a tough business. A few days later, Meigray.com offered a deeply discounted sale, and among the items available was Reasoner’s sweater. After my ruminations, how could I pass that up? Even better, shortly after getting my sweater, Reasoner re-signed with the Oilers. Acquired from the MeiGray Group, July 14, 2006.
	Ryan Smyth Number 94 2005-06 Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup Finals Road White (__ Set) My son was in tears when the Edmonton Oilers traded Ryan Smyth on March __, 2007. This sweater is a unique addition to my collection in a number of ways. At present, it’s the only white sweater that I own. It’s also just game-issued, not game worn, so it suffers from a lesser degree of authenticity. This is an additional block of text necessary to run to the bottom of the photography block and ensure that the hard return line falls in the right place. Please ignore this text as it doesn't serve any particular purpose. That's right, you can stop reading now. Any time at all. Stop reading. Please stop reading. My gosh, you don't follow directions very well, do you? All right, keep reading, see if I care. You're not going to come across anything of interest in all this filler, but hey, I don't care how you waste your time, so go right ahead. Acquired from the MeiGray Group, July 19, 2007.
	German Titov Number 13 2001-02 Edmonton Oilers Regular Season Road Navy (__ Set) German Titov was a March 14, 2000, trade deadline acquisition picked up from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Josef Beranek. His tenure with the Oilers was brief. Titov appeared in just 7 regular season games with the Edmonton Oilers – notching no goals, four assists and four penalty minutes – and another five playoff contests – scoring 1-1-2 and zero penalty minutes – before signing in the 2000 off-season as an unrestricted free agent with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. While his tenure with the Oilers was somewhat unmemorable, this sweater shows excessive wear and damage, including an interesting tear that looks like it was caught on the boards. This is an additional block of text necessary to run to the bottom of the photography block and ensure that the hard return line falls in the right place. Please ignore this text as it doesn't serve any particular purpose. That's right, you can stop reading now. Any time at all. Stop reading. Please stop reading. My gosh, you don't follow directions very well, do you? All right, keep reading, see if I care. You're not going to come across anything of interest in all this filler, but hey, I don't care how you waste your time, so go right ahead. Acquired from the MeiGray Group, May 31, 2006.
	No Name No Number 2005-06 Edmonton Oilers Regular Season Reebok Navy Practice I bought this on a whim. I’d dithered about buying a replica version of this practice jersey for months and then, lo and behold, here was the real thing worn in practice by who-knows-whom, and available for about the same price. How was I to resist? This is an additional block of text necessary to run to the bottom of the photography block and ensure that the hard return line falls in the right place. Please ignore this text as it doesn't serve any particular purpose. That's right, you can stop reading now. Any time at all. Stop reading. Please stop reading. My gosh, you don't follow directions very well, do you? All right, keep reading, see if I care. You're not going to come across anything of interest in all this filler, but hey, I don't care how you waste your time, so go right ahead. This is an additional block of text necessary to run to the bottom of the photography block and ensure that the hard return line falls in the right place. Please ignore this text as it doesn't serve any particular purpose. That's right, you can stop reading now. Any time at all. Stop reading. Please stop reading. My gosh, you don't follow directions very well, do you? All right, keep reading, see if I care. You're not going to come across anything of interest in all this filler, but hey, I don't care how you waste your time, so go right ahead. Acquired from the MeiGray Group, July 14, 2006.
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