The first Canucks jersey I ever owned. I saved my money to buy it at the age of 13 (in 2004) to buy it. The first time I wore it was to a charity game which Brad May set up during the NHL lockout. This game included players from both the Canucks and Vancouver Giants (WHL).
I took a long hiatus from collecting hockey jerseys. This was mainly because I didn't like the new jerseys which the Canucks introduced at the beginning of the EDGE era. When the Canucks unveiled this jersey for their 40th anniversary I had to have it.
When this Canucks alternate was introduced, I didn't initially like it. Needless to say, it grew on me. After buying the 40th anniversary jersey, I really wanted to get a blue Canucks jersey as well. I began to really like the Johnny Canuck V logo, and decided this was the blue Canucks jersey for me. I ordered it for the 2011 Stanley Cup run. The first time I wore it was the night Burrows "slayed the dragon" and defeated Chicago in overtime of game 7. I wore this for the entire Nashville series (2nd round) where Kesler was an absolute beast as well. I also wore this in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final when we lost.. So much for a lucky jersey.
I bought this jersey in preparation for a 2012 Cup run. this didn't pan out. In fact, I didn't even get the chance to wear it. I chose Bieksa because he has always been one of my favourite Canucks. I even got to meet him at an event in Vancouver. When he scored the flukey goal (where he buried the puck that bounced off the stanchion) in overtime which sent the Canucks to the 2011 SCF, I knew I wanted to get a jersey with his name on the back.
By the time I bought this jersey, I had realized that I was truly a jersey collector. I have always liked this jersey, and it really is a little piece of history. The Canucks were one of the first teams to introduce a third jersey when the NHL started to allow them in 1995 (other teams which did this include the LA kings with their Burger King jersey, and the Mighty Ducks with their Wild Wing jersey).
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