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Personal Collection Display Day |
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I believe I've already told you the story of how I started collecting hockey cards as a kid but much like everyone, I eventually grew up and stopped collection when I got to high school. Fast forward 10 years later and I'm living in London,England, feeling a bit homesick and trying to find ways to make it more bearable. That's when I started collecting again, with cards at first and then autographed jerseys and numerous other items once I moved back to Québec in December 2010.
The first jersey I ever got autographed was an Hamilton Bulldogs jersey signed by PK Subban during the Gardiner Cup in Edinburgh in 2009. The Canadiens' farm team was over my side of the Atlantic Ocean for a tournament in Scotland and I made the trip. Even though there wasn't much hockey coverage in England, I knew that Subban was something special and my aim by making the trip to Scotland's capital was to get PK to sign my jersey. Needless to say, I was overjoyed when I saw the Bulldogs' bus and I was able to fulfill my mission. What was brilliant was that no one in Scotland knew the players so there was no autographs chasers, made my life much more easier. Today, that jersey is framed and displayed in my bedroom alongside two others signed and framed jersey a Carey Price (recently signed at the Habs blood drive) and a Marie-Philip Poulin (you know, the golden girl who keeps winning medals for the Canada at the olympics?) one. I met her at my cousin's wedding and since I knew she'd be there, I had brought my jersey. I had the opportunity to chat to her for quite a while and I was stunned by her humility and overall niceness. I asked her how it felt to score 2 gold medal winning goals in 2 olympics and she replied that she felt lucky... I couldn't help myself and I said: Lucky?!?!?! There's no luck, it's about finding the right spot on the ice and not missing your opportunity when you need it, it's all about talent! She blushed and we carried on talking about her career, to this day, it's one of my best hockey memories.
My favorite player however has always been and remains Patrick Roy, that's why he has such an important place in my collection. I've showed you my Tim Carroll original "The Wink" once but I've got plenty of other Roy pieces. For instance, a frame immortalizing the retiring of his number 33 by the Montreal Canadiens and a painting by Nathy Painting (on Facebook) which commemorates the same moment. The rest of the space on my kitchen wall shows some poplins acquired through Club 1909, as well as some signed pictures:
My favourite room however has to be the living room. You know how some guys have what they call their "man cave" well, this is my equivalent. The way I see it, the most beautiful piece should be displayed in all their glory and not hidden in a cave. Of course, I already hear you going "my girlfriend (or wife) would never go along with that!" but hey, there's no problem when the woman of the house loves hockey just as much as you. Here are pictures of the main living room wall, there's quite a few piece on there; I especially like the frame which included the cards produced by Upper Deck to commemorate the 2016 Winter Classic between the Bruins and Habs which I attended. You can also see The Wink, signed and framed jerseys of Gallagher, Boom Boom Geoffrion and a Stanley Cup 93 signed by Patrick Roy and John Leclair. There's also another painting by Nathy Painting signed by Brendan Gallagher and a very special gift, a small Guy Lafleur painting sent to me as a surprise gift by my friend Ryan Churchward which I eventually got autographed:
What most do notice when they enter my living room however is: "The Shrine". Five shelves full to the brim of hockey goodness: McFarlane's and Import Dragon's figures, autographed pucks, game used gloves of Plekanec, Domi and Lehkonen as well as autographed mini-helmets of Jonathan Drouin and Brendan Gallagher and two goal pucks: Drouin and Gallagher (autographed). Yes, it takes ages to do the dusting but on the flip side, whenever I need cheering up or to relax, I rearrange the shrine and have a lot of fun doing it. Hard to pick favourite items on there but I am loving the pair of Max Domi game used gloves....One day, I'll get them signed! On another pic, there's also non framed autographed jerseys of Shea Weber, Nikita Scherbak (autographed and game used), Carey Price (one of the centennial jerseys) and Jeff Petry (Used Winter Classic practice jersey autographed, thank you Club 1909).
A couple of weeks ago, as the main shrine was overflowing, I added a mini shrine of 3 shelves which mainly features hockey cards, most of which are Upper Deck's creations as they really know how to design cards I love! You can also see on there a big Roy McFarlane, a Roy autographed mini mask and a couple of signed mini Stanley Cup. This is one of my most enjoyable projects, I got the 86 and 93 Cups (the ones I was actually alive to watch those being won) and I'm getting them signed by the players who were on the team. It's no small endeavour but one day, I'll get there! Although unfortunately the 86 one will forever be incomplete since John Kordic died in 1992. Right by it, there's a framed and autographed Patrick Roy jersey, one of the definite centre piece of my collection:
Needless to say that my walls and shelves are somewhat full but playing Tetris on the walls and shelves is also something I quite enjoy... bottom line, there's always room!
I hope everyone has had awesome new year's celebration and that you were all energized by the Christmas holidays and ready to see this NHL season through...and why not, the Habs' run in the playoffs! They may not be favourites but if Price comes back soon, they should be making the spring dance and as we know, anything can happen when you make it there!
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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