2006-07 Reebok Home Authentic
#71 Evgeni Malkin
Manufacturer: Reebok
Size: 54
Purchased From: eBay
Lettered by: Unknown
The Story: This jersey was listed on eBay as a team-issued jersey, but i have no documentation proving this, so I decided to classify this one as an authentic jersey instead. However, the claim that this is a team-issued jersey can certainly be made. I was able to pick this one up in the first year that the NHL's jersey contract had moved over to Reebok, and it's definitely an authentic jersey, made from the same AirKnit meterial that CCM made famous back in the late-1980's/early-1990's. However, explaining the reason why "authentic" could be an argument for "team-issued" requires a little bit of backstory.
One fact that needs to be recognized, above all else, is that Reebok is an apparel company. They make shoes, t-shirts, sweats, etc. One thing they are not, however, is an equipment company. They don't make equipment. You might see some equipment that has the Reebok name, however, that just means that Reebok bought an equipment company and is branding that company's equipment as their own. As it pertains to the Penguins and their jerseys, Reebok bought CCM. CCM is an equipment manufacturer. They make pads, skates, and game-worthy jerseys. Reebok also makes jerseys, as an apparel manufacturer, but the game-worthiness of those jerseys is questionable, at best. However, the cost of making a Reebok jersey is much lower than the cost of making a CCM jersey. Selling each jersey at the same price, the Reebok jersey, typically made in a low-cost factory overseas, is much more profitable for Reebok. I explained the upheaval that Reebok has caused in the jersey market in much greater detail on the LetsGoPens.com Message Board, where I outlined the differences between the different versions of Reebok Edge jerseys, but this didn't happen until years later. This jersey, however, was a Reebok-branded authentic that was never released by Reebok at retail, hence where the "team-issued" argument could easily be made.
That was a lot of words to tell a story that had nothing to do with why I bought this jersey. For me, it was this simple: I'm a stickler for detail on my jerseys, and while there were a lot of CCM-branded Malkin jerseys out there in 2006-07, Geno's rookie year, he never wore a CCM-branded jersey on the ice. The jerseys he wore were made by CCM after Reebok purchased CCM and all of his game jerseys carried the Reebok "Vector" logo just above the nameplate, as pictured in the top-left above. I wanted a Malkin jersey with that logo. I had to pay a premium for it, because of the very limited of supply of these jerseys available to the public, but I was able to land it and I'm now the proud owner of an Evgeni Malkin rookie jersey. Not too many people can say that, and I'm the person who seeks out the jersey that not everyone has. In this case, it may only be a subtle difference, but it means a lot to me. And hey, it's my collection!
Size: 54
Purchased From: eBay
Lettered by: Unknown
The Story: This jersey was listed on eBay as a team-issued jersey, but i have no documentation proving this, so I decided to classify this one as an authentic jersey instead. However, the claim that this is a team-issued jersey can certainly be made. I was able to pick this one up in the first year that the NHL's jersey contract had moved over to Reebok, and it's definitely an authentic jersey, made from the same AirKnit meterial that CCM made famous back in the late-1980's/early-1990's. However, explaining the reason why "authentic" could be an argument for "team-issued" requires a little bit of backstory.
One fact that needs to be recognized, above all else, is that Reebok is an apparel company. They make shoes, t-shirts, sweats, etc. One thing they are not, however, is an equipment company. They don't make equipment. You might see some equipment that has the Reebok name, however, that just means that Reebok bought an equipment company and is branding that company's equipment as their own. As it pertains to the Penguins and their jerseys, Reebok bought CCM. CCM is an equipment manufacturer. They make pads, skates, and game-worthy jerseys. Reebok also makes jerseys, as an apparel manufacturer, but the game-worthiness of those jerseys is questionable, at best. However, the cost of making a Reebok jersey is much lower than the cost of making a CCM jersey. Selling each jersey at the same price, the Reebok jersey, typically made in a low-cost factory overseas, is much more profitable for Reebok. I explained the upheaval that Reebok has caused in the jersey market in much greater detail on the LetsGoPens.com Message Board, where I outlined the differences between the different versions of Reebok Edge jerseys, but this didn't happen until years later. This jersey, however, was a Reebok-branded authentic that was never released by Reebok at retail, hence where the "team-issued" argument could easily be made.
That was a lot of words to tell a story that had nothing to do with why I bought this jersey. For me, it was this simple: I'm a stickler for detail on my jerseys, and while there were a lot of CCM-branded Malkin jerseys out there in 2006-07, Geno's rookie year, he never wore a CCM-branded jersey on the ice. The jerseys he wore were made by CCM after Reebok purchased CCM and all of his game jerseys carried the Reebok "Vector" logo just above the nameplate, as pictured in the top-left above. I wanted a Malkin jersey with that logo. I had to pay a premium for it, because of the very limited of supply of these jerseys available to the public, but I was able to land it and I'm now the proud owner of an Evgeni Malkin rookie jersey. Not too many people can say that, and I'm the person who seeks out the jersey that not everyone has. In this case, it may only be a subtle difference, but it means a lot to me. And hey, it's my collection!