Mail day! I picked this beauty up at Point Roberts today after a couple day’s delay due to the snow. After placing the order on Fan HQ’s eBay page, the jersey shipped the next day from Minnesota and arrived a mere two days later. The jersey was superbly packed, being double bagged and sealed well.
This predominantly black jersey was used as Team Canada’s alternate for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. It featured a red stripe lined with gold (which we won in that tournament) across the chest and left sleeve. Inside the stripe was “CANADA” and a golden maple leaf, while the Canadian Olympic Committee logo was placed on the right sleeve. This jersey was worn for one round-robin game against Austria, as we beat them 6-0.
Materials
The jersey is made in Indonesia and of 100% polyester. Most details (such as the CANADA text, sleeve patches, golden maple leafs, and hem patches) are sewn directly on the jersey, while the golden stripes, shiny shoulders, and fake laces are silkscreened using thick rubber. Overall, I am not thrilled with the materials used in this jersey, as the fabric seems prone to snags and the directly-sewn elements seem cheap. Also, I hate silkscreened elements because I’ve seen them turn brittle and crack, so I’m hoping that doesn’t happen to this jersey.
Player Spotlight: Roberto Luongo
Luongo backstopped the Vancouver Canucks for 8 seasons, during which he won an Olympic Gold, multiple All-star appearances, and the Jennings Trophy. However, he found himself in the midst of a goalie controversy with Eddie Lack during the 2013-14 season, after dealing with another the season prior that saw his protege (and co-Jennings winner) Cory Schneider get traded. He was named to the Sochi 2014 roster in January, playing one game where he earned a shutout against Austria while wearing this jersey. Shortly after returning from the tournament, Luongo demanded a trade after being benched for the 2014 Heritage Classic, ending up with his former team, the Florida Panthers.
Fun fact: During his first couple games after returning to the Panthers, Luongo wore his mask from his earlier Panther days while he waited for his new one to be painted.
Take a look: Before he left | After his return
Next Steps
Oh boy, am I excited for this one. In addition customizing this with Luongo, there are a couple other things I plan to do. First off, the replica jerseys have the twelve golden maple leafs sewn on the front hem, which made the jersey extremely long. I will be looking to get it altered to a more appropriate length. Also, I purchased a replica of the Sochi.ru 2014 patch seen on the back hem of the on-ice version, which I will get sewn on.
In the meantime, I will be proudly adding this to the rest of my collection. Check it out here!
Update (14/3/2017)
Just got the finished product back from Pacific Coast Cresting! Take a look:
I think both PCC and the tailor did a great job. The namebar is twill which feels a little heavy and stiff, but it’s the closest they had for a materials match.