2008-09 Reebok Edge 1.0 Road Authentic
#44 Brooks Orpik with 2009 Stanley Cup Finals Patch
Manufacturer: Reebok
Size: 54
Purchased From: House o' Hockey
Lettered by: House o' Hockey
The Story: Continuing my theme of having a jersey from each championship year, and considering the fact that I bought a black home jersey when the Pens made the Finals last year, I had to go with a white road jersey this year. If that wasn't enough, they won The Cup in these jerseys! Picking which player was a tough decision, and it wasn't based on which name would make the jersey more valuable. Instead, as I celebrated with the rest of the city Pittsburgh's first Stanley Cup in 17 years, I had to go with a "heart and soul" guy. And I couldn't think of anyone who summed that up better than Brooks Orpik, especially after he delivered bone-crunching hit after bone-crunching hit during one defensive shift in Game 3 simply known as "The Shift."
At the Penguins Training Camp the following year, I decided to get some members of that Stanley Cup team to sign it. Nine players from the 2009 Stanley Cup Championship team plus James Neal and Brent Johnson, two new off-season acquisitions, were kind enough to do so. I was hoping that Orpik would sign it as well, but it wasn't to be.
This jersey is one of the original Edge jerseys, known as Edge 1.0, that had been used since the initial Edge concept was released by Reebok. I believe, though I'm not sure, that the team had already switched to Edge 2.0 jerseys, which were made of the old CCM AirKnit material, by the time the Cup Finals came around this season. The early season jerseys, however, like those used in the pre-season and Rookie Camp, were Edge 1.0 jerseys.
Size: 54
Purchased From: House o' Hockey
Lettered by: House o' Hockey
The Story: Continuing my theme of having a jersey from each championship year, and considering the fact that I bought a black home jersey when the Pens made the Finals last year, I had to go with a white road jersey this year. If that wasn't enough, they won The Cup in these jerseys! Picking which player was a tough decision, and it wasn't based on which name would make the jersey more valuable. Instead, as I celebrated with the rest of the city Pittsburgh's first Stanley Cup in 17 years, I had to go with a "heart and soul" guy. And I couldn't think of anyone who summed that up better than Brooks Orpik, especially after he delivered bone-crunching hit after bone-crunching hit during one defensive shift in Game 3 simply known as "The Shift."
At the Penguins Training Camp the following year, I decided to get some members of that Stanley Cup team to sign it. Nine players from the 2009 Stanley Cup Championship team plus James Neal and Brent Johnson, two new off-season acquisitions, were kind enough to do so. I was hoping that Orpik would sign it as well, but it wasn't to be.
This jersey is one of the original Edge jerseys, known as Edge 1.0, that had been used since the initial Edge concept was released by Reebok. I believe, though I'm not sure, that the team had already switched to Edge 2.0 jerseys, which were made of the old CCM AirKnit material, by the time the Cup Finals came around this season. The early season jerseys, however, like those used in the pre-season and Rookie Camp, were Edge 1.0 jerseys.