2008-09 Reebok Edge 1.0 Alternate Authentic
#11 Jordan Staal
Manufacturer: Reebok
Size: 54
Purchased From: House o' Hockey
Lettered by: House o' Hockey
The Story: The Penguins unveiled a new alternate jersey for the first Winter Classic, played on January 1, 2008 at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo. Though spoken of as a replica of their "original" jerseys, this one actually resembled the jerseys they began wearing in 1968, their second year in existence. The featured the Penguins' original Columbia Blue color scheme, trimmed in navy blue and white, with a circular crest and lace-up neckline. The jerseys were very polarizing, as some people loved them while others detested the blues and would've preferred replicas of their black and gold jerseys from the Mario Lemieux-led Cup years. Those people would get their wish in a few years, but for now, the Pens looked pretty sharp in their blues. These would serve as their alternates until 2011, when they unveiled a new set of alternates for the 2011 Winter Classic.
Jordan Staal was emerging as a young leader for the Penguins. A strong two-way center who led the NHL in shorthanded goals as a rookie, Staal was a fan favorite in Pittsburgh and would play an instrumental role in the Penguins winning their third Stanley Cup in 2009. Staal was a no-nonsense, no-shortcut kind of player when he was a Penguin, making his jersey a good fit for my collection. This Edge 1.0 jersey looked good on the ice and looks even better up close. Kudos to the design team for bringing back an old look while subtly updating it at the same time. The House o' Hockey did their usual tremendous job of customizing the jersey using an authentic lettering kit.
Size: 54
Purchased From: House o' Hockey
Lettered by: House o' Hockey
The Story: The Penguins unveiled a new alternate jersey for the first Winter Classic, played on January 1, 2008 at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo. Though spoken of as a replica of their "original" jerseys, this one actually resembled the jerseys they began wearing in 1968, their second year in existence. The featured the Penguins' original Columbia Blue color scheme, trimmed in navy blue and white, with a circular crest and lace-up neckline. The jerseys were very polarizing, as some people loved them while others detested the blues and would've preferred replicas of their black and gold jerseys from the Mario Lemieux-led Cup years. Those people would get their wish in a few years, but for now, the Pens looked pretty sharp in their blues. These would serve as their alternates until 2011, when they unveiled a new set of alternates for the 2011 Winter Classic.
Jordan Staal was emerging as a young leader for the Penguins. A strong two-way center who led the NHL in shorthanded goals as a rookie, Staal was a fan favorite in Pittsburgh and would play an instrumental role in the Penguins winning their third Stanley Cup in 2009. Staal was a no-nonsense, no-shortcut kind of player when he was a Penguin, making his jersey a good fit for my collection. This Edge 1.0 jersey looked good on the ice and looks even better up close. Kudos to the design team for bringing back an old look while subtly updating it at the same time. The House o' Hockey did their usual tremendous job of customizing the jersey using an authentic lettering kit.