The Berger Collection (Vintage NHL Jerseys): Part 4

By HOWARD BERGER

TORONTO (Sep. 19) - The proliferation of "throw-back" jerseys in the National Hockey League began in 1991-92, when the six pre-expansion teams (Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Montreal, New York Rangers, Toronto) celebrated the NHL's 75th anniversary season. All six clubs manufactured vintage jerseys from the 1940s and '50s which they wore in games against one another. These items became very popular and sold exceptionally well. It sparked the idea for hockey merchandisers to re-create uniforms of existing and defunct NHL teams - several of which are displayed here in my collection of vintage jerseys.

This trend is currently highlighted on New Year's Day - at the NHL outdoor Winter Classic - where the competing teams design and introduce jerseys from the past; or with elements from the past. The most attractive of these items, in my opinion, appears below.

A shout-out in this blog to Paul Lukas and the folks at uni-watch.com - the most extensive website dedicated to jerseys and uniforms in all levels of sport. Check it out.

VINTAGE NHL JERSEYS

A VARIATION OF THIS JERSEY (ABOVE, LOGO CLOSE-UP BELOW) WAS WORN BY THE MAPLE LEAFS THROUGH MUCH OF THE 1950s AND '60s, ENDING WITH THE PLAYOFFS OF 1967 WHEN THE TEAM ALTERED ITS LOGO AND STRIPE PATTERN. THE LEAFS FEATURED THIS DESIGN WITH THEIR THROW-BACK JERSEY IN 1991-92; I HAVE THE ITEM AS A SWEATER.

LEAFS WORE THE ABOVE JERSEY DURING ROAD GAMES FROM 1963-64 TO THE END OF THE 1966-67 REGULAR SEASON. A REPLICA OF THIS DESIGN HAS SERVED AS THE CLUB'S ALTERNATE (OR THIRD) JERSEY SINCE THE 1998-99 SEASON, BUT WILL NOW BE REPLACED.

LEAFS TURNED TO THE ABOVE JERSEY FOR THE PLAYOFFS OF 1967: CANADA'S CENTENNIAL YEAR. THE 12-POINT LOGO WAS IDENTICAL IN DESIGN TO THE ONE ON OUR COUNTRY'S NATIONAL FLAG AND STRIPE-PATTERNS ON THE SLEEVE AND JERSEY-BOTTOM WERE ALTERED TO MATCH THAT WHICH THE CLUB WORE ON ITS STOCKING THROUGHOUT THE '60s. MAPLE LEAFS WERE ADORNED IN THIS JERSEY ON MAY 2, 1967 - THE NIGHT THEY LAST HOISTED THE STANLEY CUP. AS INDICATED HERE BACK IN JULY, THIS WILL SERVE AS THE LEAFS NEW ALTERNATE JERSEY.

BOSTON WORE THE ABOVE JERSEY IN THE 1940s, WHEN LED BY THE FAMED KRAUT LINE OF MILT SCHMIDT, BOBBY BAUER AND WOODY DUMART. IT SERVED AS THE BRUINS' THROW-BACK JERSEY IN THE NHL's 75th ANNIVERSARY SEASON OF 1991-92.

THE ABOVE ITEM COULD BE THE MOST-TREASURED IN MY COLLECTION: A REPLICA OF THE BRUINS' JERSEY WORN BY BOBBY ORR IN HIS ROOKIE NHL SEASON (1966-67). THE MANUFACTURER DID A SUPERB JOB WITH THE TRI-COLORED NUMBERS ON THE SLEEVES AND BACK OF THIS SWEATER.

IN 1967-68, THE BRUINS SWITCHED TO THESE JERSEYS (HOME ABOVE; ROAD BELOW) AND WORE THEM THROUGH THE 1973-74 SEASON. BRUINS WON THE STANLEY CUP IN 1970 AND 1972 WHILE DRESSED IN THE BLACK JERSEY: THE FORMER ON BOBBY ORR'S LEGENDARY OVERTIME GOAL AGAINST ST. LOUIS AT BOSTON GARDEN; THE LATTER AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN IN NEW YORK.

BRUINS DEBUTED THE ABOVE JERSEY - REPLICA OF A MID-'60s DESIGN - DURING THE OUTDOOR WINTER CLASSIC OF JAN. 1, 2010 AGAINST PHILADELPHIA AT FENWAY PARK (EVENT-PATCH CLOSE-UP, BELOW). I RANK IT TOPS AMONG ANY OF THE THROW-BACK HOCKEY JERSEYS TO DATE.

CHICAGO WORE THIS UNIFORM FROM 1937 TO 1955 BEFORE SWITCHING TO ITS CURRENT DESIGN: PREDOMINANTLY RED WITH AN INDIAN-HEAD LOGO ON THE FRONT. THE ENCIRCLED INDIAN-HEAD ON THIS JERSEY (CLOSE-UP BELOW) APPEARS TO BE WEARING LIPSTICK.

THE BLACKHAWKS CLASSIC RED JERSEY (ABOVE) HAS UNDERGONE ONLY SLIGHT MODIFICATION SINCE THE EARLY-'60s. IT'S BEEN WORN BY SUCH LEGENDS AS BOBBY HULL, STAN MIKITA, PHIL ESPOSITO, PIERRE PILOTE, TONY ESPOSITO, BOBBY ORR AND DENIS SAVARD.

DETROIT HAS WORN THE WINGED-WHEEL ON ITS JERSEY FRONT (ABOVE) SINCE 1932-33, WHEN THE TEAM NICKNAME CHANGED FROM FALCONS TO RED WINGS. GORDIE HOWE AND STEVE YZERMAN IMMEDIATELY COME TO MIND WHEN LOOKING AT THIS JERSEY, AS DOES NICKLAS LIDSTROM: THE BEST OF MANY GREAT EUROPEAN-BORN PLAYERS TO SKATE IN THE NHL.

THE RANGERS HAVE WORN THE ABOVE JERSEY ESSENTIALLY FROM THEIR FIRST NHL SEASON OF 1926-27 - WITH ONE NOTABLE EXCEPTION. DURING THE 1976-77 AND 1977-78 SEASONS, THE CLUB SWITCHED TO A JERSEY WITH ITS PRIMARY LOGO ON THE FRONT, AND SHOULDER-PIPING THAT EXTENDED THE LENGTH OF THE SLEEVE (AS BELOW, COURTESY OF NHLUNIFORMS.COM). IT PROVED TO BE TERRIBLY UNPOPULAR AND RANGERS RETURNED TO THEIR CLASSIC DESIGN IN 1978-79.

EXPANSION OF THE NHL FROM SIX TO 12 TEAMS IN 1967-68 ALLOWED MANY NEW JERSEY COLORS TO BE INTRODUCED. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS HAVE RARELY MAINTAINED A UNIFORM DESIGN FOR MORE THAN TWO OR THREE SEASONS AND WERE, PREDICTABLY, THE LONE 1967 EXPANSION CLUB TO WEAR ITS INAUGURAL JERSEY FOR ONLY ONE SEASON. THE LIGHT-BLUE/DARK-BLUE HOME DESIGN IS ABOVE; THE ROAD UNIFORM BELOW. NHL LEGEND ANDY BATHGATE WORE THIS JERSEY AND PLAYED ALL 74 GAMES WITH PITTSBURGH IN 1967-68.

IN 1999, I ORDERED THIS SWEATER VERSION (ABOVE) OF THE PENGUINS INITIAL UNIFORM ON-LINE AT EBBETS FIELD FLANNELS. IT REMAINS AMONG MY FAVORITES FOR ITS INTRICATE DESIGN (BELOW).

FOR THE 1968-69 SEASON, PITTSBURGH CHANGED TO A JERSEY WITH ITS PRIMARY LOGO ON THE FRONT; MODIFIED ITS STRIPE-PATTERN, AND ADDED A SHOULDER YOKE (ABOVE). THIS DESIGN REMAINED IN PLACE FOR THREE SEASONS, THROUGH 1970-71. FOR THE INITIAL OUTDOOR WINTER CLASSIC (JAN. 1, 2008, PITTSBURGH AT BUFFALO - RALPH WILSON STADIUM), THE PENGUINS RE-INTRODUCED THE DESIGN (BELOW), THOUGH THE PREDOMINANT COLOR WASN'T AS TRUE AS THE LIGHT-BLUE WORN BY THE CLUB IN ITS EARLY YEARS. STILL, IT SOLD TREMENDOUSLY WELL AND BECAME THE PENGUINS ALTERNATE JERSEY THROUGH LAST SEASON.

PITTSBURGH'S "ANGRY-PENGUIN-ON-SKATES" LOGO HAS BEEN SLIGHTLY MODIFIED THROUGH THE YEARS BUT REMAINS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME. THE INITIAL LOGO IN 1967-68 HAD A TRAILING SCARF, AS BELOW (COURTESY WIKIPEDIA.COM).

MINNESOTA NORTH STARS WORE THE ABOVE JERSEY ON THE ROAD IN THEIR FIRST THREE SEASONS (1967-70); THEN AT HOME THROUGH THE 1974-75 CAMPAIGN. THOUGH THE AWAY JERSEY HAD A GREEN SHOULDER YOKE FROM THE OUTSET IN 1967-68, THE PREDOMINANTLY GREEN HOME VERSION DID NOT (AS BELOW). THE NORTH STARS WORE A SOLID-GREEN JERSEY AT HOME IN YEAR ONE.






ANOTHER CREATION OF EBBET'S FIELD FLANNELS (ABOVE) IS THE JERSEY THE NORTH STARS BEGAN WEARING AT HOME IN THEIR SECOND SEASON, 1968-69 (WITH WHITE SHOULDER YOKE ADDED). NO. 21 ON MINNESOTA WAS FORWARD DANNY GRANT, WHO EDGED NORM FERGUSON OF THE OAKLAND SEALS FOR THE CALDER TROPHY AS NHL ROOKIE-OF-THE-YEAR IN '68-69.

THE ABOVE ITEM WAS MINNESOTA'S ROAD JERSEY FOR THREE SEASONS, BEGINNING IN 1975-76.

MINNESOTA'S CURRENT TEAM IN THE NHL - AN EXPANSION OUTFIT IN 2000 - INTRODUCED THE ABOVE JERSEY AS ITS ALTERNATE DESIGN FOR THE 2003-04 SEASON AND KEPT IT FOR FOUR YEARS. IT RANKS AMONG THE SHARPEST THIRD JERSEYS MANUFACTURED TO DATE, AND WAS ADORNED WITH AN EQUALLY-IMPRESSIVE LOGO (BELOW).

LOS ANGELES WAS THE LONE EXPANSION TEAM OF 1967 NOT TO INCORPORATE WHITE AS A PRIMARY COLOR. INSTEAD, THE KINGS WORE A GOLD JERSEY ON THE ROAD (ABOVE) AND A PURPLE OUTFIT TRIMMED IN GOLD AT HOME (BELOW). ANY EMPLOYEE OF THE CLUB REFERRING TO THE COLOR AS "PURPLE" MIGHT HAVE BEEN FIRED ON THE SPOT. KINGS' OWNER JACK KENT COOKE - THE TORONTO COMMUNICATIONS MAGNATE - FELT PURPLE WAS TOO FEMININE; HE INSISTED THE COLOR BE NAMED "FORUM BLUE", IN HONOR OF THE NEW ARENA HE BUILT FOR THE TEAM (AND THE NBA's LOS ANGELES LAKERS) IN SUBURBAN INGLEWOOD.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A BIG FAN OF THE KINGS' RATHER BUSY ORIGINAL LOGO (ABOVE).

BEGINNING IN 1980-81 - AND FOR EIGHT CONSECUTIVE SEASONS - THE ABOVE JERSEY WAS THE KINGS' ROAD VERSION... WORN, MOST MEMORABLY, BY THE FAMED TRIPLE CROWN LINE OF MARCEL DIONNE, DAVE TAYLOR AND CHARLIE SIMMER. LOS ANGELES COMPLETELY RE-DESIGNED ITS UNIFORM AFTER ACQUIRING WAYNE GRETZKY FROM EDMONTON IN AUGUST 1988, ADOPTING BLACK, SILVER AND WHITE AS ITS OFFICIAL COLOR SCHEME.

MY CHOICE FOR BEST HOCKEY DESIGN BY EBBET'S FIELD FLANNELS IS THE REPLICA (ABOVE) OF THE HOME JERSEY WORN BY THE OAKLAND SEALS IN THEIR FIRST TWO NHL SEASONS (1967-69). I HAD NO. 21 ADDED TO THIS JERSEY IN HONOR OF DEFENSEMAN BOB BAUN - A STALWART DURING THE MAPLE LEAFS STANLEY CUP DYNASTY OF THE 1960s WHO WENT TO OAKLAND IN THE 1967 EXPANSION DRAFT.

WHEN THE DOWNTRODDEN SEALS WERE PURCHASED BY CHARLES O. FINLEY IN THE SUMMER OF 1970, THE CLUB RE-DESIGNED ITS UNIFORM TO REFLECT THE COLORS OF FINLEY'S BASEBALL TEAM, THE OAKLAND A's. THE PREDOMINANTLY GOLD JERSEY (ABOVE) WAS WORN ON HOME-ICE FOR FOUR SEASONS, BEGINNING IN 1970-71; THE DARK-GREEN VERSION (BELOW) ON THE ROAD. THE CLUB'S NAME WAS CHANGED TO CALIFORNIA GOLDEN SEALS.

IN THEIR FINAL TWO NHL SEASONS - AFTER BEING PURCHASED BY MUNSON CAMPBELL - THE GOLDEN SEALS SWITCHED TO AQUA AND "CALIFORNIA GOLD" AS THEIR PRIMARY COLORS, WEARING THE AQUA VERSION (ABOVE) ON THE ROAD AND A WHITE JERSEY AT HOME. STRUGGLING FROM THE OUTSET TO DRAW CROWDS IN OAKLAND, THE FRANCHISE MOVED TO SUBURBAN RICHFIELD, OHIO FOR THE 1976-77 SEASON AND BECAME KNOWN AS THE CLEVELAND BARONS.

PHILADELPHIA INTRODUCED ORANGE AS A PRIMARY COLOR AMONG NHL TEAMS IN THE GREAT EXPANSION OF 1967 - THE ORIGINAL HUE (AS IN THE CURRENT DESIGN, BELOW) BEING LIGHTER THAN THE SHARP-ORANGE (ABOVE) WORN BY THE TEAMS OF THE MID-'70s, INCLUDING THE BACK-TO-BACK STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS OF '74 AND '75. PHILADELPHIA'S LOGO HAS NEVER BEEN TINKERED WITH.

FROM 1967 TO 1995, THE ST. LOUIS BLUES MAINTAINED A THREE-COLOR SCHEME: BLUE, GOLD AND WHITE. FOR THE 1995-96 SEASON, THE BLUES INCORPORATED RED INTO THEIR DESIGN RATHER EMPHATICALLY, AS INDICATED BY THE CLUB'S ROAD JERSEY (ABOVE). THE WIDE, DIAGONAL STRIPE AT THE BOTTOM WAS INTRODUCED WHEN SAN JOSE JOINED THE NHL IN 1991 AND REPLICATED BY ANAHEIM IN ITS INAUGURAL SEASON OF 1993-94. ST. LOUIS WORE A RED VERSION OF THIS STRIPE ON THE ABOVE UNIFORM AND A BLUE ONE ON THE WHITE HOME VERSION. WHEN I LOOK AT THIS JERSEY, I THINK OF BRETT HULL, WHO HAD SOME BIG SCORING SEASONS WITH ST. LOUIS IN THE MIDDLE-'90s.

THE CLASSIC HOME JERSEY (ABOVE) WORN BY THE BUFFALO SABRES FROM THEIR INCEPTION IN 1970-71 THROUGH THE 1995-96 NHL SEASON... NO. 11 BELONGING TO GILBERT PERREAULT, THE GREATEST SABRE OF THEM ALL. BUFFALO COMPLETELY REVAMPED ITS UNIFORM AND LOGO - SWITCHING TO A RED, BLACK AND WHITE COLOR SCHEME IN 1996 TO COINCIDE WITH THE OPENING OF THEIR NEW ARENA (NOW CALLED FIRST NIAGARA CENTER).

VANCOUVER WORE THE ABOVE JERSEY ON THE ROAD BEGINNING IN ITS SECOND NHL SEASON (1971-72) AND THEN SWITCHED TO THE MOST UNORTHODOX UNIFORM DESIGN IN LEAGUE HISTORY (BELOW) FOR 1978-79. A SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST SUGGESTED THIS ABERRATION WOULD HAVE SOME SORT OF DEBILITATING EFFECT ON RIVAL TEAMS, NEGLECTING HOW IT WOULD DO THE SAME TO PAYING CUSTOMERS. THE CANUCKS DID ADVANCE TWICE TO THE STANLEY CUP FINAL (1982, 1994) WHILE WEARING BLACK, ORANGE AND YELLOW BUT HAS SINCE RETURNED TO ITS ORIGINAL COLORS.

SWEATER VERSION (ABOVE) OF THE JERSEY VANCOUVER WORE ON HOME ICE IN ITS EARLY YEARS.

ATLANTA FLAMES JOINED THE NHL IN THE THIRD WAVE OF EXPANSION - ALONG WITH THE NEW YORK ISLANDERS - IN 1972-73 AND WORE THE ABOVE JERSEY ON THE ROAD BEGINNING IN THEIR SECOND SEASON. ONLY CHANGE BETWEEN YEARS ONE AND TWO WAS THE STRIPE PATTERN ON THE JERSEY BOTTOM AND SLEEVES (THE ORIGINAL UNIFORM BELOW). WHEN THE FRANCHISE RE-LOCATED IN CALGARY FOR THE 1980-81 SEASON, IT MAINTAINED ITS RED, GOLD AND WHITE COLOR SCHEME.

HOME JERSEY (ABOVE) WORN BY THE FLAMES AT THE OMNI IN ATLANTA FROM 1973 TO 1980.

IF NOT FOR THE SILLY-LOOKING BEARDED FIGURE IN THE LOGO (ABOVE AND BELOW), THE NEW YORK ISLANDERS MAY HAVE SCORED HIGHER MARKS FOR THIS UNUSUAL JERSEY - WORN ONLY IN THE 1996-97 SEASON. SO UNPOPULAR WAS THE LOGO THAT THE CLUB REVERTED TO ITS ORIGINAL EMBLEM (TWO IMAGES BELOW) FOR 1997-98 BEFORE SCRAPPING THE JERSEY ALTOGETHER.

KANSAS CITY HAD A SHORT-LIVED NHL EXISTENCE - ONLY TWO SEASONS (1974-75 AND 1975-76) - BUT THE SCOUTS WORE A FAIRLY SHARP JERSEY (HOME ABOVE; ROAD BELOW), WITH A LOGO THAT FEATURED THE FAMOUS KANSAS CITY SCOUT STATUE IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE OF THE MISSOURI CITY. THE CLUB WON ONLY 27 OF 160 REGULAR-SEASON GAMES BEFORE RELOCATING IN DENVER.

THE COLORADO ROCKIES (1976-82) MAINTAINED KANSAS CITY'S COLOR SCHEME AND DESIGNED AN ALPINE LOGO THAT FEATURED THE STATE-FLAG INSIGNIA (HOME JERSEY ABOVE; ROAD BELOW). THE ROCKIES ARE BEST-REMEMBERED FOR ACQUIRING LANNY McDONALD FROM THE MAPLE LEAFS IN DECEMBER 1979, DURING THE CLUB'S LONE SEASON WITH DONALD S. CHERRY BEHIND THE BENCH. THE FRANCHISE MOVED EAST AND BECAME THE NEW JERSEY DEVILS IN 1982-83.

HARTFORD WHALERS WERE ONE OF FOUR SURVIVING TEAMS FROM THE OLD WORLD HOCKEY ASSOCIATION (1972-79) TO BE ABSORBED INTO THE NHL FOR THE 1979-80 SEASON. ABOVE, IS A SWEATER VERSION OF THE WHALERS' GREEN ROAD JERSEY, WORN BY HOCKEY LEGENDS GORDIE HOWE, DAVE KEON AND BOBBY HULL IN THAT INAUGURAL NHL CAMPAIGN.

ANAHEIM BECAME THE FIRST NHL TEAM TO WEAR CONCORD-GRAPE AS ITS PRIMARY COLOR UPON JOINING THE LEAGUE AS AN EXPANSION OUTFIT IN 1993-94 (ROAD JERSEY ABOVE). ITS LOGO AND NICKNAME (MIGHTY DUCKS) CROSS-PROMOTED THE HIT MOVIE PRODUCED BY CLUB OWNERSHIP - THE DISNEY CORPORATION. RON WILSON COACHED ANAHEIM IN ITS FIRST THREE NHL CAMPAIGNS.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THE ORIGINAL JERSEY OF THE PHOENIX COYOTES (ROAD VERSION ABOVE) BUT HAVE OFTEN WONDERED ABOUT THE HALLUCINOGENIC AGENT COURSING THROUGH THE VEINS OF THE PERSON THAT DESIGNED THE CLUB'S RATHER UNIQUE LOGO (BELOW).

CURRENT HOME JERSEY (ABOVE) WORN BY THE COYOTES IN GLENDALE, ARIZ. WAS INTRODUCED FOR THE 2003-04 NHL SEASON. IT IS EQUALLY SHARP.

ONE OF MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE HOCKEY LOGOS IS THE BOTTLE-CAP DESIGN (ABOVE AND BELOW) WORN BY THE BUFFALO BISONS OF THE AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE IN THE 1960s. I BOUGHT THIS JERSEY SEVERAL YEARS AGO AT THE SABRES TEAM STORE IN FIRST NIAGARA CENTER.

MORE NHL MEDIA GUIDES

A number of the media guides featured below were generously given to me by Stan Obodiac: publicity director of Maple Leaf Gardens from 1957 to 1984, whereupon he was diagnosed with cancer. Stan called me one day while cleaning out his Gardens' office and said I could have his large collection of guides, which included many from the 1960s. I will always appreciate Stan for this gesture; he died in 1984 and his signature appears on the cover of the guides he owned.

NUCLEUS OF THE GOOD LEAF TEAMS IN THE MIDDLE-'70s (DARRYL SITTLER, LANNY McDONALD, BORJE SALMING, IAN TURNBULL) WAS FEATURED ON COVER OF THE 1977-78 MEDIA GUIDE (ABOVE). SOMEHOW, HAROLD BALLARD'S MUG MADE THE COVER, TOO.

NEW YORK RANGERS BLUE BOOK IN THE FINAL SEASON OF THE SIX-TEAM LEAGUE (ABOVE: BOB NEVIN COLLIDING WITH TORONTO'S RON ELLIS AT THE OLD MADISON SQUARE GARDEN) AND FIRST SEASON OF THE EXPANDED 12-TEAM NHL (BELOW: GOALIE ED GIACOMIN).

LEGENDARY GOALIE GLENN HALL ADORNED THE COVER OF THE ST. LOUIS BLUES MEDIA GUIDE (ABOVE) IN THEIR SECOND NHL SEASON, HAVING BEEN NAMED PLAYOFF MVP THE PREVIOUS SPRING, WHEN THE BLUES LOST TO MONTREAL IN THE STANLEY CUP FINAL.

MINNESOTA'S SECOND-YEAR MEDIA GUIDE (ABOVE) FEATURED A POORLY-FOCUSED IMAGE OF THE CLUB'S LANKY GOALTENDER, CESARE MANIAGO.

THE LATTER-DAY PRODUCTION LINE OF ALEX DELVECCHIO, GORDIE HOWE AND EX-LEAF FRANK MAHOVLICH GRACED THE COVER OF DETROIT'S MEDIA GUIDE (ABOVE) IN 1969-70.

COVER OF 1969-70 LOS ANGELES KINGS MEDIA GUIDE (ABOVE) SHOWED GOALIE GERRY DESJARDINS RACING TOWARD A LOOSE PUCK AT THE L.A. FORUM AGAINST MONTREAL'S HENRI RICHARD.

BOSTON WON THE STANLEY CUP IN THE SEASON OF THIS MEDIA GUIDE (ABOVE) ON BOBBY ORR'S LEGENDARY OVERTIME GOAL AGAINST ST. LOUIS AT THE GARDEN. THAT'S BRUINS' BIG SCORER, PHIL ESPOSITO, ON THE COVER, TRYING TO OUT-MANEUVER CHICAGO DEFENSEMAN PAT STAPLETON.

A NEAT OVERHEAD SHOT ON THE COVER OF THE NORTH STARS 1970-71 MEDIA GUIDE (ABOVE) SHOWS DANNY O'SHEA (7) FACING OFF AGAINST ALEX DELVECCHIO OF DETROIT AT THE OLD METROPOLITAN SPORTS CENTER IN BLOOMINGTON, MINN. THE FACE-OFF-CIRCLE LINES WERE DIFFERENT IN THAT ERA.

FOR THOSE WONDERING IF THE CALIFORNIA GOLDEN SEALS ACTUALLY DID WEAR WHITE SKATES IN THE EARLY-70s, PROOF IS ON THE ANIMATED COVER OF THE CLUB'S 1972-73 MEDIA GUIDE (ABOVE).

GOALIE DAN BOUCHARD (WEARING AN EARLY, FIBERGLASS-STYLE MASK) IS FEATURED ON THE COVER OF ATLANTA'S SECOND-YEAR MEDIA GUIDE (ABOVE).

THE LATE BILL GOLDSWORTHY (NO. 8 ABOVE) WAS MINNESOTA'S TOP SCORER IN ITS EARLY YEARS... HERE, BEING WATCHED BY BILL CLEMENT OF PHILADELPHIA.

BOSTON BRUINS 1976-77 MEDIA GUIDE (ABOVE). WHO'S THAT SMILIN' FELLOW ON THE LEFT?

THERE WASN'T MUCH TO WRITE HOME ABOUT ON THE ICE WHEN THE COLORADO ROCKIES WERE IN THE NHL, SO THE CLUB FEATURED A MOUNTAIN SCENE ON ITS 1977-78 MEDIA GUIDE (ABOVE).

FOR A CRAPPY TEAM, THE 1977-78 CLEVELAND BARONS HAD SOME DECENT PLAYERS, INCLUDING THE FORWARD LINE OF DENNIS MARUK, BOB MURDOCH AND AL MacADAM (LEFT TO RIGHT ON COVER OF MEDIA GUIDE, ABOVE). BARONS GOALTENDERS GARY EDWARDS (LEFT) AND GILLES MELOCHE ARE IN TOP ROW OF THE PHOTO.

A COUPLE OF 1980 NHL ALL-STARS ADORN THE COVER OF EDMONTON'S SECOND-YEAR MEDIA GUIDE (ABOVE) IN A PHOTO TAKEN AT JOE LOUIS ARENA IN DETROIT. OILERS WINGER BLAIR MacDONALD IS ON THE LEFT. NEED I IDENTIFY THE PLAYER NEXT TO HIM?

THE GREATEST MOMENT (OF SEVERAL) IN NEW YORK ISLANDERS HISTORY IS DEPICTED ON COVER OF THE CLUB'S 1980-81 MEDIA GUIDE (ABOVE): FORWARD BOB NYSTROM BEING MOBBED BY LORNE HENNING AND JOHN TONELLI AFTER SCORING THE OVERTIME WINNING GOAL AGAINST PHILADELPHIA THAT WON THE 1980 STANLEY CUP... FIRST OF FOUR IN SUCCESSION FOR THE ISLANDERS.

OOOOOH, WAS THIS A BAD TEAM. THE PRE-MARIO LEMIEUX PENGUINS OF 1982-83 (MEDIA GUIDE ABOVE) WERE 18-53-9 FOR 45 POINTS. THE CLUB HAD ONLY 38 POINTS (16-58-6) THE FOLLOWING YEAR, BUT EARNED THE NO. 1 PICK IN THE 1984 DRAFT. LEMIEUX WOULD LEAD THE TEAM TO CONSECUTIVE STANLEY CUP TITLES IN 1991 AND 1992. OH YEAH, THAT'S GOALIE ROBERTO ROMANO ON THE MEDIA GUIDE COVER (IF YOU'RE ASKING "WHO??", YOU'RE NOT ALONE).

AFTER YEARS OF FUTILITY, THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS DEVELOPED INTO AN EXCELLENT TEAM IN THE MID-'80s THANKS, IN LARGE PART, TO THE PLAYERS FEATURED ON THE 1985-86 MEDIA GUIDE (ABOVE). MIKE GARTNER, WHO WOULD LATER SKATE FOR THE LEAFS, IS ONE OF ONLY SIX PLAYERS IN NHL HISTORY TO SCORE MORE THAN 700 CAREER GOALS. HIS TOTAL OF 708 PLACES HIM SIXTH, ALL-TIME, BEHIND WAYNE GRETZKY, GORDIE HOWE, BRETT HULL, MARCEL DIONNE AND PHIL ESPOSITO.

HINDSIGHT CLEARLY INDICATES THE EXPANSION OTTAWA SENATORS OF 1992-93 HAD NO RIGHT TO PRINT THE WORDS "STANLEY CUP" ON THEIR MEDIA GUIDE (ABOVE). THE FIRST-YEAR SENS WERE A DISASTROUS 10-70-4... BUFFETED ONLY BY SAN JOSE'S TOTAL OF 71 LOSSES THAT SAME SEASON!

BY COMPARISON, THE EXPANSION TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING OF '92-93 (INAUGURAL MEDIA GUIDE ABOVE) WERE CHAMPIONSHIP CALIBER WITH A RECORD OF 23-54-7.

AFTER A QUARTER-CENTURY IN BLOOMINGTON, MINN., THE NORTH STARS RELOCATED IN DALLAS FOR THE 1993-94 NHL SEASON (MEDIA GUIDE ABOVE) AND DROPPED "NORTH" FROM THE CLUB NAME.

ARDENT FANS OF THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS WILL INSTANTLY RECOGNIZE THE PLAYER FEATURED ON THE COVER OF WINNIPEG'S 1993-94 MEDIA GUIDE (ABOVE). TIE DOMI WOULD BE TRADED TO THE LEAFS IN APRIL 1995 AND REMAIN WITH THE CLUB THROUGH THE 2005-06 SEASON.

THE ALWAYS-CLASSY BUFFALO SABRES DESIGNED A MEMORABLE COVER FOR THEIR 25th ANNIVERSARY MEDIA GUIDE (ABOVE) IN 1994-95 - THE SEASON SHORTENED TO 48 GAMES BY AN OWNERS' LOCKOUT THAT EXTENDED INTO EARLY-JANUARY.

PHOTOS OF BRENDAN SHANAHAN (94) AND GOALIE SEAN BURKE GRACED THE COVER OF THE WHALERS 1995-96 MEDIA GUIDE (ABOVE) - THE CLUB'S SECOND-TO-LAST SEASON IN HARTFORD.

CAPTAIN SCOTT STEVENS IS SHOWN RAISING THE 1995 STANLEY CUP ON COVER OF NEW JERSEY DEVILS '95-96 MEDIA GUIDE (ABOVE) - THE FIRST OF THREE-SUCH OCCASIONS FOR THE HALL-OF-FAME DEFENSEMAN DURING HIS YEARS AT THE MEADOWLANDS.