Old practice jerseys

[adalbort 1]

Hi guys,

I got ahold of some old St. John's Maple Leafs jerseys. That was the AHL affiliate of Toronto, located in St. John's, NL from 1991-2005, which then became the Marlies.

Can anybody tell me what year these might be from?

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/690/mtc9.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/703/i4qj.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/826/bi98.jpg

Also I received a game jersey, but by the looks (CCM, no fight strap, size) and feel I imagine its a replica.

Year? Looks somewhat more modern.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/36/xuzy.jpg

[MountainKing 10]

Sp made jerseys for the AHL from 2000 to 2005, they also made the Bauer tagged jerseys which we're from the mid 90s if I remember correctly.

And that CCM is a replica

[joshy207 15]

I can't confirm MountainKing's dates, but the SP-branded jerseys are newer than the Bauer-branded ones, and the "Flying B" Bauer logo debuted around 1996, after Nike bought them. I would assume the CCM jersey is the oldest...

[MountainKing 10]

Might not be the case on the CCM, I'm not super familiar with AHL replicas but in the NHL, CCM often made replicas when other brands were the on ice jersey back in the 90s.

[dewey79 3]

The SP jersey is 2001/02, Bauer is pre 2k.I used to work for the jersey company that lettered their jerseys

[adalbort 1]

The SP jersey is 2001/02, Bauer is pre 2k.I used to work for the jersey company that lettered their jerseys

Were both the SP and Bauer jerseys manufactured by SP?

Would the jerseys be used for more than one season, or do they supply the team every year with different jerseys?

[dewey79 3]

Both actually, then SP started applying the logos of other brandss on the outside of the jerseys and putting their tags in them. A lot of the practice jerseys were used through a couples season. We would either apply a velcro nameplate and vinyl numbers to the jerseys for the turnover that the AHL teams have or sometimes just apply a velcro namplate and no number and when the teams got new players we would make a nameplate up and send it out or sometimes if the team was playing locally against the Providence, Manchester, Hartford I would hand deliver myself if they needed asap.

[MountainKing 10]

Bauer, Nike and Pro-Player were all SP jerseys that had a different manufactures label on them. At one point Nike, ProPlayer and Bauer both had contracts with teams in the NHL, AHL and all sorts of various leagues. I'm guessing this proved to be a financial disaster given how quick they all ended up out of the jersey business, but that's just my theory. SP made and still makes some of the nicest jerseys around after the CCM ultrafils.

Dewey kind of summed up the rest - I have a lot of those velcro nameplate jerseys in my collection from the ECHL and AHL. They're kind of cool conversation pieces...not that I have people over to discuss jerseys in my closet! These days teams get new sets, sometimes multiples on a yearly basis, the days of velcro name plates at the high levels of hockey are a thing of the past, you'll still find it at the junior levels. The teams and leagues have figured out there's a lot of money in the hobby so now they try to get as much out there as they can. The Blackhawks for example make jerseys for guys who make camp but don't make the team and then they ask a pretty penny for them.

[dewey79 3]

Most teams start out with 2 sets of jerseys sometimes 3-4 for playoffs or some players get more. I have 2 Chara jerseys that were specially made for him when he was with the Islanders, they're huge and I have a Martin LaPointe jersey that has 2 inches added. Tose would come from CCM/Koho with it written on size tag. I think I have a Glen Metropolit jersey that is a Size 60, at that time players couldn't wear a size bigger than a 58 so that was a special request.

[adalbort 1]

Both actually, then SP started applying the logos of other brandss on the outside of the jerseys and putting their tags in them. A lot of the practice jerseys were used through a couples season. We would either apply a velcro nameplate and vinyl numbers to the jerseys for the turnover that the AHL teams have or sometimes just apply a velcro namplate and no number and when the teams got new players we would make a nameplate up and send it out or sometimes if the team was playing locally against the Providence, Manchester, Hartford I would hand deliver myself if they needed asap.

Oh, I meant how many practice jerseys per season, not actual game jerseys (practice jerseys did not have numbers or plates did they? These certainly don't).

I can't imagine using the same practice jersey every day for 2 years, that thing would be destroyed, given that now they use I think 3 sets of blacks and whites per season...

Also, isn't SP headquartered in Quebec? You seem to mention the New England area...

[dewey79 3]

Usually one set and yes they are in Quebec, not the friendliest to deal with sometimes. They wasnted to do all the cresting in house but we were the only company at the time besides them to have a laser cutter for the twill numbers and names so they didn't like losing work to the US.

And it was a Brendan Witt Jersey, I believe there was one 54 sized jersey the rest were 56-58 according to old paperwork I have

[adalbort 1]

One of them jerseys is a 58G (which I presume it stands for Grand - Large in French), way too big!!

Is there any way to make it fit, sewing the sides for example, or am I better off trying to find a swap for it?

[wrangler 157]

"G" in a jersey size generally means a goalie cut, I thought.

[Chadd 916]

Yeah, 58G should be a goalie cut. The larger arms are usually a dead giveaway on that.

[JR Boucicaut 3805]

Yeah, that's all correct info. The switch from Bauer to SP was 2000-01.

I own several SP jerseys - Orlando IHL ultrafil SP game, Orlando ultrafil Bauer road, 3 Orlando ultrafil Bauer practice, AHL Manchester practice, Rangers/Oilers airknit PP practice, Rangers game PP, Nike USA 2002, Nike Sweden 1998

Nashville was the only Bauer branded NHL team.

[adalbort 1]

Yeah, that's all correct info. The switch from Bauer to SP was 2000-01.

I own several SP jerseys - Orlando IHL ultrafil SP game, Orlando ultrafil Bauer road, 3 Orlando ultrafil Bauer practice, AHL Manchester practice, Rangers/Oilers airknit PP practice, Rangers game PP, Nike USA 2002, Nike Sweden 1998

Nashville was the only Bauer branded NHL team.

How can I know what year the jersey belongs to? I'm trying to match it to the player, but it was given to me by the former team dr. in a black bag so hardly any chance to find out from that source...

[adalbort 1]

Is this a replica or a real pro-stock jersey?

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/36/r8bi.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/541/963i.jpg

Anybody knows of approximate year?

[MountainKing 10]

It appears to be authentic, might be a team issued/pro stock since most ECHL teams didn't sell authentics until recently. The only thing that is suspect on it being team issued is it's lacking a sponsor patch which the Aces usually have. OT was used by some teams in the early 2000'e.

[adalbort 1]

My understanding is that logo started being used in 2008

http://www.hockeydb.com/stte/alaska-aces-4598.html

What do you mean by team issued? By authentic do you mean the jerseys that are the same as the ones the team uses, but are NOT those ones in particular?

By the way, I am told by SP apparel that they started operations in 1999, and I assume that is why the switch from Bauer to SP happened in 2000/01. So none of the Bauer jerseys before 1999 were made (technically) by SP, they were done by Bauer (in the same Granby, QC factory where SP now manufactures).

[MountainKing 10]

My understanding is that logo started being used in 2008

http://www.hockeydb.com/stte/alaska-aces-4598.html

What do you mean by team issued? By authentic do you mean the jerseys that are the same as the ones the team uses, but are NOT those ones in particular?

By the way, I am told by SP apparel that they started operations in 1999, and I assume that is why the switch from Bauer to SP happened in 2000/01. So none of the Bauer jerseys before 1999 were made (technically) by SP, they were done by Bauer (in the same Granby, QC factory where SP now manufactures).

In the jersey world the SP jerseys and Bauer jerseys came out of the same plant like you said, after 99 there were still teams that used Bauer jerseys that were technically made by SP so that just kind of stuck through the years regardless of the year of the jersey.

Team Issued means the jersey was given to the team to use for their players. Sometimes these jerseys were blank, sometimes they were done up with a player but never used. Teams generally sold these off at the end of the year, where authentic's were jerseys supplied to retailers to sell to the general public. There's sometimes variations in terms of tagging between team issued and retail jerseys (retail jerseys have all the company tagging) however until Reebok came out with the Edge jeresy, other than tagging there was no difference in the jersey.

My knowledge of the Aces are minimal, however if that logo indeed did start getting used in 2008 then what you have is probably some kind of homemade job that somebody did or the team possibly had those made up for retail sale. ECHL teams as far as I know exclusively started using Reebok (like the NHL and AHL) in 2007. Checking meigray will confirm that the Aces used Reebok in those years. At this point, if you're really that curious to know what you have you may just want to contact the team to see if they ever sold OT retail jerseys. I could be way off here but based on the followiing: jersey is not Reebok, logo was used after 2008, jersey looks nothing like anything they've used from 2007 until present..what we have here is probably somebody who bought an OT jersey and slapped a crest on it. That's the best my jersey nerdism can tell ya at this point.

[MountainKing 10]

Incorrect. Reebok didn't have an exclusive with the ECHL on home, away and third jerseys until this season. The jerseys are actually tagged with the CCM logo. Special event jerseys are offered to CCM/Reebok first and if turned down, can be shopped to and made by AK, SP, or OT only.

A few teams had exclusive deals with SP up until last season on their home, away, and alternate jerseys.

Cool, this clears it up a little bit, although the Aces were using Reebok from 07 and on. I suppose it could be a special event jersey, however the special event jerseys I've seen at the ECHL level are generally a little more obnoxious then what was posted. This to me looks like something somebody just did to have an authentic jersey without paying gameworn prices. Again, I could be wrong, but I've been collecting long enough and have seen this pretty regularly.

[adalbort 1]

Cool, this clears it up a little bit, although the Aces were using Reebok from 07 and on. I suppose it could be a special event jersey, however the special event jerseys I've seen at the ECHL level are generally a little more obnoxious then what was posted. This to me looks like something somebody just did to have an authentic jersey without paying gameworn prices. Again, I could be wrong, but I've been collecting long enough and have seen this pretty regularly.

Wouldn't it be easier/ cheaper to buy an authentic jersey than buying an OT jersey with those particular colours and attaching the logo?

Also, why would a random OT jersey say Authentic Jerseys on the tag?

If the Aces did not have an exclusive contract with Reebok, isn't it possible this was just a retail jersey made for them by OT for sale at their shop?

In the jersey world the SP jerseys and Bauer jerseys came out of the same plant like you said, after 99 there were still teams that used Bauer jerseys that were technically made by SP so that just kind of stuck through the years regardless of the year of the jersey.

Team Issued means the jersey was given to the team to use for their players. Sometimes these jerseys were blank, sometimes they were done up with a player but never used. Teams generally sold these off at the end of the year, where authentic's were jerseys supplied to retailers to sell to the general public. There's sometimes variations in terms of tagging between team issued and retail jerseys (retail jerseys have all the company tagging) however until Reebok came out with the Edge jeresy, other than tagging there was no difference in the jersey.

My knowledge of the Aces are minimal, however if that logo indeed did start getting used in 2008 then what you have is probably some kind of homemade job that somebody did or the team possibly had those made up for retail sale. ECHL teams as far as I know exclusively started using Reebok (like the NHL and AHL) in 2007. Checking meigray will confirm that the Aces used Reebok in those years. At this point, if you're really that curious to know what you have you may just want to contact the team to see if they ever sold OT retail jerseys. I could be way off here but based on the followiing: jersey is not Reebok, logo was used after 2008, jersey looks nothing like anything they've used from 2007 until present..what we have here is probably somebody who bought an OT jersey and slapped a crest on it. That's the best my jersey nerdism can tell ya at this point.

When you say that "(...) after 99 there were still teams that used Bauer jerseys that were technically made by SP so that just kind of stuck through the years regardless of the year of the jersey. ", do you mean that SP manufactured jerseys labelled Bauer? JR said the switch from Bauer to SP was in 2000/2001. And there were no jerseys labelled SP before 1999 simply because the company did not exist.

[adalbort 1]

Both actually, then SP started applying the logos of other brandss on the outside of the jerseys and putting their tags in them. A lot of the practice jerseys were used through a couples season. We would either apply a velcro nameplate and vinyl numbers to the jerseys for the turnover that the AHL teams have or sometimes just apply a velcro namplate and no number and when the teams got new players we would make a nameplate up and send it out or sometimes if the team was playing locally against the Providence, Manchester, Hartford I would hand deliver myself if they needed asap.

If the Bauer is pre 2k (mid 90s) it could not have been manufactured by SP, because SP started existing in 1999...

[MountainKing 10]

Cheaper to buy an authentic, not really.. I'm not sure what an uncreated OT jersey costs but I could get an AK jersey for $40-50, track down a crest for $15 get it sewn on for $5 and pay another $50 for name and number. Still half the price of an authentic. Only a real jersey need would go and do this, but it does get done.

You're thinking too much into it bud, jersey collectors refer to all those jerseys as SP regardless if they say SP or Bauer because they did come out of this same place. It doesn't really matter to be honest, they're identical jerseys except the label.

I'm only giving you info based on what I know as a collector. If you want to know for sure you'll need to get in touch with the Aces.

[JR Boucicaut 3805]

If the Bauer is pre 2k (mid 90s) it could not have been manufactured by SP, because SP started existing in 1999...

The factory made all of those jerseys for Bauer et al and then made a brand out of it in 1999, and by 2001 were branding them SP. Make sense?

If I'm not mistaken, they were referred to as S&P before until they made their SP brand.