2013 Reebok Road Team Issued
#5 Deryk Engelland
Manufacturer: Reebok
Size: 58
Purchased From: Joe Tomon/J & J Distributing
Lettered by: Pro Knitwear
The Story: I learned the difference the Edge 1.0 and Edge 2.0 jerseys, and decided that the collection needed to feature a couple of the newer jerseys that are actually used on the ice. However, Reebok hasn't made these available at retail and the House o' Hockey hasn't been able to get them, though I'm told they will at some point. So I had to look at some other avenues if I wanted to get the kind of jerseys that are worn by the team. Specifically, I began investigating options for game-worn jerseys.
You can't get very far searching Penguins game-worn jerseys without coming across the name J & J Distributing. Based in Ellwood City, J & J buys complete sets of Penguins jerseys and sells them individually. I went out to their website and began looking at what was available and soon found out that, though actual gamers are a bit out of my price range, some team-issued jerseys that never made it into game action could actually be a lot more affordable than buying a lesser-quality, retail authentic jersey. This is an example.
I always liked Deryk Engelland and the level of grit he brought to the Penguins, so getting this on-ice quality Engelland jersey at a fantastic price, to me, was a no-brainer. I went through a seamless transaction with Joe Tomon, J & J's owner, and soon received this jersey. I started looking at all the fine details of the jersey and noticed that the Penguins do some pretty neat things to jerseys. For one, their equipment manager, Dana Heinze, signs the fight strap of every jersey. Second, it seems some players - I'm guessing "the enforcers" - have backup jerseys that are kept on the shelf in the event that their game jersey becomes damaged - like blood-stained or shredded in a fight. Those jerseys are marked with a note on the fight strap as well. Third, all of the game-worn jerseys have a tag inside the rear hem that has a trackable serial number to prove authentcity. Lastly, I noticed that each of these jerseys are altered for the player and for other reasons.
This jersey seems to have two alterations that I've been able to discern. The first is the length of the sleeves. My Matt Niskanen Black & Gold Game jersey is an Edge 2.0 in a size 56. The sleeves are about as long as I can wear them. This jersey, however, has sleeves that are almost too short, even though it's a size 58. I'm thinking these sleeves were shortened. Maybe Deryk Engelland has short arms, or maybe a shorter sleeve was his preference so that the cuffs of his gloves didn't overlap as much with the jersey, making it easier for him to quickly drop the mitts. The other alteration I found is more of a marketing thing. The outside of the jersey, just above the nameplate, has the "Reebok" name logo. However, you can clearly see that the Reebok logo is sewn onto a small swatch of material, which is then sewn over the Reebok "Vector" logo that was originally on the jersey. if you look at the jersey from the inside, you'll see the outline of the older "Vector" logo. I'm sure this was dictated by the NHL at the request of Reebok's marketing department.
Since this jersey never made it onto the ice, it's in perfect shape. It looks like a jersey that was brand new out of the package, but it has all the little details of a gamer. Best of all, the price was great. I just found a new way to add to my collection!
Size: 58
Purchased From: Joe Tomon/J & J Distributing
Lettered by: Pro Knitwear
The Story: I learned the difference the Edge 1.0 and Edge 2.0 jerseys, and decided that the collection needed to feature a couple of the newer jerseys that are actually used on the ice. However, Reebok hasn't made these available at retail and the House o' Hockey hasn't been able to get them, though I'm told they will at some point. So I had to look at some other avenues if I wanted to get the kind of jerseys that are worn by the team. Specifically, I began investigating options for game-worn jerseys.
You can't get very far searching Penguins game-worn jerseys without coming across the name J & J Distributing. Based in Ellwood City, J & J buys complete sets of Penguins jerseys and sells them individually. I went out to their website and began looking at what was available and soon found out that, though actual gamers are a bit out of my price range, some team-issued jerseys that never made it into game action could actually be a lot more affordable than buying a lesser-quality, retail authentic jersey. This is an example.
I always liked Deryk Engelland and the level of grit he brought to the Penguins, so getting this on-ice quality Engelland jersey at a fantastic price, to me, was a no-brainer. I went through a seamless transaction with Joe Tomon, J & J's owner, and soon received this jersey. I started looking at all the fine details of the jersey and noticed that the Penguins do some pretty neat things to jerseys. For one, their equipment manager, Dana Heinze, signs the fight strap of every jersey. Second, it seems some players - I'm guessing "the enforcers" - have backup jerseys that are kept on the shelf in the event that their game jersey becomes damaged - like blood-stained or shredded in a fight. Those jerseys are marked with a note on the fight strap as well. Third, all of the game-worn jerseys have a tag inside the rear hem that has a trackable serial number to prove authentcity. Lastly, I noticed that each of these jerseys are altered for the player and for other reasons.
This jersey seems to have two alterations that I've been able to discern. The first is the length of the sleeves. My Matt Niskanen Black & Gold Game jersey is an Edge 2.0 in a size 56. The sleeves are about as long as I can wear them. This jersey, however, has sleeves that are almost too short, even though it's a size 58. I'm thinking these sleeves were shortened. Maybe Deryk Engelland has short arms, or maybe a shorter sleeve was his preference so that the cuffs of his gloves didn't overlap as much with the jersey, making it easier for him to quickly drop the mitts. The other alteration I found is more of a marketing thing. The outside of the jersey, just above the nameplate, has the "Reebok" name logo. However, you can clearly see that the Reebok logo is sewn onto a small swatch of material, which is then sewn over the Reebok "Vector" logo that was originally on the jersey. if you look at the jersey from the inside, you'll see the outline of the older "Vector" logo. I'm sure this was dictated by the NHL at the request of Reebok's marketing department.
Since this jersey never made it onto the ice, it's in perfect shape. It looks like a jersey that was brand new out of the package, but it has all the little details of a gamer. Best of all, the price was great. I just found a new way to add to my collection!