Winnipeg Jets x Teemu Selanne [1992-95]

One of my all time favourite moments from The Simpsons is when someone yells at his kids, "That's it! Back to Winnipeg!" It's just something I've always laughed at. It was also my immediate thought when the city of Winnipeg would inherit an NHL team in 2011, bringing back the Jets. Posted today is my latest jersey pickup; Teemu Selanne of the Winnipeg Jets. This jersey was mailed in from Sarnia and customized by Game Day in downtown Toronto.


This is the road jersey worn by "The Finnish Flash" in his early days with the Winnipeg Jets. The numbers and letters are embroidered in a simple single layer tackle twill.


Born on 3 July 1970 in Helsinki, Finland, Teemu Selanne made his professional debut in 1992 for the Winnipeg Jets. By the end of the season, he shattered the rookie goals record by hitting the back of the net 76 times. He collected the Calder Trophy in 1993 as the league's best rookie.


He was then traded to Anaheim within the 1995-96 season. He also played for the San Jose Sharks [2000-03] and Colorado Avalanche [2003-04] before returning to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim [later renamed Anaheim Ducks] in 2005 where he'd win the Stanley Cup in 2007. He would play his final season in the NHL at the end of the 2013-14 campaign. In 23 seasons, he would total 684 goals and 773 assists.


A true native for his country, Teemu Selanne has represented Finland in international competition since 1988. He has recieved three bronze medals and one silver in the Winter Olympics and one bronze and silver medal in the World Championships.


NHL Highlights and Awards
Calder Memorial Trophy [1993]
Stanley Cup Champion [2007]
10x NHL All-Star [1993, 1994, 1997-00, 2002, 2003, 2007]
Bill Masterton Trophy [2006]
Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy [1999]


"You keep shooting. You hope it goes in, and you smile." ~ Teemu Selanne

Heroin x Bath Salts

Heroin Skateboards is one of the few companies that really keep it core. Maybe the name alone is a way for the mall stores to keep them out. Bath Salts is the latest offering from the brand of Mark "Fos" Foster and features the talents of the amateur riders of this UK company. It really does not disappoint if you're looking for something different in a skate video. Check it out and support your local skate shop.

Primitive x Shane O'Neill Gold Spider

Adrift held a contest recently and the winner would receive a new Shane O'Neill deck from his new board sponsor; Primitive. As luck would have it, I won the prize and really stoked to add this to the collection. Or I just might skate it as long as it doesn't warp over time. Thanks again to Adrift and Mehrathon Trading for putting the contest together. Support your local skate shop.

Tony Fernandez Signing

Heritage Stick Co. held an autograph session with former Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Tony Fernandez.


So stoked to have met him and receive a signature and photo.

HUF x Wool Classic

Great pickups from Switch's big sale, a pair of HUF Wool Classic strapback caps. These will come in handy once winter arrives.

Hammers USA x This Deck Will Blow Your Mind

Created by Deathwish pro Jim Greco, Hammers USA is an independent company providing the highest quality skateboard decks. They avoid the conventional heat transfer graphic applications by silk screening colours by hand. They also avoid using shrink wrap possibly due to heat damaging the wood. Boards are produced in limited quantities putting me on the edge of skating this one or adding it to the wall collection.


Also keeping up with higher standards, Hammers USA is 100% American made. 'Murica!

Zero x Garrett Hill x Skeleton Hand

Since I grabbed this amazing collabo deck, I thought one more should be placed on the wall for good measure. The skate shop was having a great holiday sale and picked up this Zero Garrett Hill deck with an identical design. Wolverine and skateboarding definitely make a great mix.


This pic of Garrett Hill and I was taken a few years back when the Zero team made a trip to Toronto.

Montreal Canadiens x Maurice Richard [1944-46]

This entry is for the French side of Canada and for the pure fans of hockey. This player has always been on the radar and can finally cross it off the list. Posted here is a Montreal Canadiens Maurice "The Rocket" Richard jersey. This is the home style version worn between 1944 to 1946.


This jersey was in pieces, so to speak. I bought the jersey and the front logo separately and when I took it in for the custom job, it was embroidered onto the front. The back number consists of two layer tackle twill. It's definitely a different jersey than what most people are used to seeing, and that's the best part about it.


Born on 4 August 1921 in Montreal, QC, Joseph Henri Maurice Richard signed with the Montreal Canadiens in 1942. During his rookie campaign, injuries limited him to 16 games but scored 5 goals with 6 assists. In his second year, he played 46 games and tallied 54 points [32 G, 22 A]. Playing alongside Elmer Lach and Toe Blake, the three formed one of the most well known offensive threats known as "The Punch Line" and lead the Canadiens to a Stanley Cup Championship - the first many for that city.


In the 1944-45 season, he became the first player to score 50 goals in 50 games and finished the season with 73 points. His goals record stood for 36 seasons. The following year, he would capture his second Stanley Cup title with an 11 point [7 G, 4 A] effort in the playoffs. He wouldn't win another until 1953.


In the 1955-56 season, Maurice Richard was named Captain of the Montreal Canadiens and guide them to a dynasty until the end of the decade. They would win an unmatched record of 5 straight Stanley Cup Championships with "The Rocket" as their leader. Upon winning his final championship, he retired at the age of 39.


In 18 seasons, he played a total of 978 games scoring 544 goals and 421 assists. In the playoffs, he played 133 games with 82 goals and 44 assists while winning the Stanley Cup Championship nine times. Upon his retirement, the 3-year waiting period for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame was waived and he became a member in 1961.


On 27 May 2000, Maurice Richard passed away at the age of 78. The entire country was in mourning and he was given a state funeral in Quebec. The Montreal Expos dawned the #9 on their baseball uniforms in his honour.


Career Highlights & Achievements:
7x First Team All-Star [1944-46, 1947-50, 1954-56]
1946 Hart Trophy
Lou Marsh Trophy
13x NHL All-Star [1947-59]
No. 9 retired by the Montreal Canadiens in his honour
The Maurice Richard Trophy is awarded to the player with the most goals in the regular season.

"When we did not win, it was a tragedy for many fans. All they knew was win, win, win." - Maurice "The Rocket" Richard

HUF x Spitfire x Dirtbag

I grabbed this HUF x Spitfire jersey several weeks ago and I'm really excited to finally have it completed with numbers on the back. There were a few options I was considering before deciding on this and I'm very content with it and very pleased with how it turned out.


The back consists of embroidered double-layer tackle twill letters and numbers. Most HUF jerseys have the no. 86 on them. Not completely sure why that is, but I picked that number to blend in with the rest of their products. As for "Dirtbag" embroidered above; a lot of their shirts contain the initials "DBC" for "Dirtbag Crew," so I thought it would go well on it. This is one jersey that'll definitely stand out in the crowd. Thanks again to Game Day Sports for putting this together.

Santa Cruz Skateboards x Marvel x Wolverine

Collecting decks is now becoming a weird & expensive hobby, so I think I'll stop at this for the next long while. Nevertheless, I'm very stoked to finally find this particular deck. To celebrate the 30th ann'y of the iconic Screaming Hand logo, Santa Cruz Skateboards teamed up with Marvel Comics for a series of collab graphics. The one I really wanted to get my hands on is Wolverine just because he's my favourite X-Men character. I loved reading his origin comics, I've seen all of the movies, and the character alone is pretty bad-ass too. Definitely a must-have to hang on the wall.


The package also consisted of a COA and a sticker. There's also a graphic printed on top for the added flare.

McFarlane Toys x Bernie Parent

This Bernie Parent figure has been on my radar for a while, but not the price. After seeing marked down a third time, I immediately grabbed it. Very happy to add this to my collection.

Adrift x Commerce

Adrift is one of the top local skate shops in Toronto and their Commerce shop deck has been something I've wanted on my wall for a long time. Although I don't live in Toronto anymore, I can have this piece to look up at to remind of the greatest city in the world.

New York Islanders x Mike Bossy [1980-81]

A few years ago, I sold this. But I realized it was a mistake and needed to have it back in the collection. So here is my reacquired New York Islanders Mike Bossy jersey modeled from his 1980-81 season, the year he scored 50 goals in 50 games.


The jersey is a vintage piece made by Starter with a fully embroidered front logo. The letters and numbers are double layered tackle twill with a mesh name plate.

CLSC x Champ T

Adrift is having an awesome back-to-school sale and I had to yank this CLSC tee. It's one of the most iconic boxing photographs of Muhammad Ali knocking out Cleveland Williams in 1966. It was a must for me to pick it up.

HUF x Spitfire Jersey

Here is another grab on my trip to Buffalo. I forgot the name of the store, but it was located in the Walden Galleria mall. They were having a 30% off sale and was quick to grab this HUF x Spitfire collabo jersey. I'm thinking of customizing the back, but not sure what to get. I'm really stoked on this pickup since I love both skateboarding and jerseys and this is a great combination.

Hockey x Eyes Without A Face

I just got back on my trip from Buffalo and I was very stoked to have passed by Sunday, it's an independent skate shop just beyond the Canadian/American border. It's run by great people and a lot of great products on the wall. I highly suggest heading there when you're in the area. Unfortunately, they didn't have any shop tees or stickers at that time, which means I'll definitely head back there soon. One of the two decks I grabbed was this Hockey Eyes Without A Face graphic. This is my wall hanger because I'm a major Flyers fan and only God saves more than Bernie Parent. The graphic is also also embossed, so you can feel the helmet, letters, holes, and everything raised on the veneer. Hockey is Fucking Awesome's co-brand and we're all expecting major things from them in the future.

Politic Brand x Team Owl x Bronson Speed Co.

Another pickup from Sunday, this is the deck I'll be setting up for the tail end of summer. It's a Politic Team Owl deck. Great small company on the rise and only available at independently own skate shops.

Ace Trucks 33

Just picked up a pair of Ace Trucks from So Hip It Hurts. I've been hearing a lot of great things about these and even though I didn't need a new pair of trucks, I'll be hanging onto them for my next year's complete.



Ace Trucks were founded by Joey Tershay and part of the Diamond Supply Co. umbrella.

Gold Wheels x Gold Goons

Really excited to have been given a free copy of Gold Goons, the latest video from The Kayo Corp's Gold Wheels. Support your local skate shop and they support you in return.

Jesse Barfield & Lloyd Moseby

Today was a great day to be a Toronto Blue Jays fan. I won a draw at work to meet Jesse Barfield and Lloyd Moseby, members of the 1985 AL East division champions. Great end to a hellish week of work.

Adio x One Step Beyond

I was really stoked to have found a copy of Adio Footwear's first video One Step Beyond at a used store. A while ago, someone borrowed it and never gave it back. Although the soundtrack on the DVD version is nowhere near as great as the VHS copy, it's pretty rad to have this back in the collection and remind me of a time when skateboarding wasn't so upriver.

Independent GP Bearings

Just thought I'd share my latest pickup from Switch. Here is a pack of Independent GP ABEC-7 bearings. I ruined my previous set and so far, I've seen nothing but great reviews on these.


Better then Bones Swiss, eh?

OJ Wheels x The Nuge Roll Jays

Picked up a set of Don Nguyen "The Nuge" Roll Jays wheels by OJ Wheels from So Hip It Hurts. I am very happy with these and can't wait to set them up. They came with a bonus gift, a nice plastic rolling tray for all of my rolling needs. It's pretty rad to see OJ Wheels go that extra mile to push some inventory.

Vans x AV Classic x Propeller

Vans is having a promo where you recieve a free gift when you buy a pair of Pro Skate shoes and I quickly jumped on that. First is a look at the shoe. I grabbed a pair of AV Classics; Anthony Van Engelen's pro shoe in navy/gum. The shoe is mostly suede with canvas fox taping and metal eyelets.



The midsole/outsole is made of vulcanized rubber with the classic waffle tread pattern.


Finally, the gift that came along with the shoe is Vans first skateboard video; Propeller. This video is off the wall and I recommend you to check it out. The disc comes in a book full of photographs.




Now, the AV Classic wasn't my first choice. I originally grabbed the Gilbert Crockett Pro Mids, but the fit was a bit off when I was trying to break them in.

The Simpsons x Tony Hawk Collectible Action Figure

The Simpsons and Tony Hawk, the best of both worlds, in the form of an action figure.

Silver Trucks x Josh Kalis L Class

Just picked up a pair of the Silver Trucks Josh Kalis L Class pro model. Found these at the S&J Sales warehouse sale for a lot less than what the shops price them at.

New York Yankees x Mariano Rivera [1995-2013]

This isn't a brand new item in the collection, just a repaired one since the previous numbers were all wrong. I have to hand to Game Day Sports for their clutch work. Here is a revamped New York Yankees Mariano Rivera jersey.


I normally don't cheer for the Yankees, but I do respect some of their players and a Mariano Rivera jersey is something I did not mind owning at all. Made by Majestic Cooperstown Collection, the front logo is made of wool felt with tackle twill numbers embroidered on the back.


One of my two Yankees fitteds. It goes very well with my other classic Yankees jerseys too.


Born in Panama City, Panama, the New York Yankees signed Mariano Rivera in 1990 and began his career in the minor leagues before being called up for the 1995 season. To honour the great legend Jackie Robinson, he chose to wear the number 42. At the start of his professional playing days, he went from starting pitcher to setup before the team settled on him as the closer. Although he had a sketchy rookie year, his second season in the Bronx would be the tip of the iceberg of his stellar career.


In 1996, he would help the Yankees to an appearance to the World Series against the defending title holders; Atlanta Braves. In 14 innings, he only allowed one earned run. The next season, he would make his first All-Star Game appearance and earn his first save in Cleveland, OH. Between 1998-00, the Yankees won 3 straight World Series titles with Mariano Rivera earning World Series MVP in 1999. Ten years after that accomplishment, he would win his fifth and final ring with the club in a 6 game series against Philadelphia.


Before the 2013 season, Mariano Rivera announced he will retire at the end of the year. He was honoured by many clubs around the league and made his last All-Star Game appearance as a closer for the American League. They would defeat the National League 9-3 at Citi Field in New York City. He was awarded the All-Star Game MVP Award for his efforts. On 22 September 2013, the New York Yankees retired the no. 42 in his honour while still active and he played in his final game just four days later in the borough he started his career with. Amongst many records he owns, he is the all time leader in saves and the last player to wear that iconic number.


In 1115 games played, he has a win-loss record of 82-60, a 2.21 ERA, 1173 SO, and 1.00 WHIP. His career saves of 652 is an all-time MLB record.


Career Achievements and Awards:
13× All-Star [1997, 1999–02, 2004–06, 2008–11, 2013]
All-Star Game MVP Award [2013]
5× World Series champion [1996, 1998–00, 2009]
World Series MVP Award [1999]
ALCS MVP Award [2003]
5× AL Rolaids Relief Man Award [1999, 2001, 2004–05, 2009]
3× Delivery Man of the Year Award [2005–06, 2009]
AL Comeback Player of the Year Award [2013]
3× MLB saves leader [1999, 2001, 2004]
Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award [2013]

"If you don't control your emotions, your emotions will control your acts, and that's not good." - Mariano Rivera