Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

The 5 Most Valuable NHL Jerseys of All Time

04/09/2015 at 12:15am EDT

Being an NHL fan can be expensive business. The average standard ticket for a game now costs more than $60, making the sport almost $10 more expensive to follow than the NBA. An official jersey can set you back more than $100.

Image via Wikimedia Commons by Orlandkurtenbach

However, some NHL merchandise can be an investment. Below you will find a list of the most valuable hockey jerseys of all time. If you have any of these lying about in your closet, you could be sitting on a small fortune.

Frank Nighbor’s Ottawa Senators Jersey

Frank Nighbor was a seriously valuable player for the Ottawa Senators back in the 1920s, helping them to an astonishing four Stanley Cup victories.

In 2010, the iconic player’s similarly iconic jersey was auctioned off for an incredible sum. After a great deal of interest, the red, brown, and off-white hooped jersey changed hands for $33,000.

Phil Esposito’s 1963-64 Chicago Blackhawks Jersey

Students of sports management online degrees may have studied the exploits of Tom Johnson and his excellent Boston Bruins side in the 1970s. Phil Esposito, another multiple Stanley Cup winner, was a key component of that side despite an inauspicious start to his NHL career with the Chicago Blackhawks.

His first season at the Blackhawks was a torrid one. The player notched up only three goals in 27 games, but even this didn’t stop his rookie season jersey fetching $35,850 at auction in 2010.

Russ Blinco’s 1934-35 Montreal Maroons Jersey

Once upon a time, the Canadiens were not the dominant force in Montreal. That title was disputed by the Montreal Maroons, who unfortunately began to decline in the late 1930s before the franchise was cancelled in 1947.

Local boy Russ Blinco was the Maroons star center in the early ‘30s, helping the side win their second Stanley Cup in 1935. His jersey from that incredible season sold for $35,850 in 2008.

Bobby Orr’s 1974-75 Boston Bruins Jersey

The name Bobby Orr continues to send tingles of admiration running up the spines of Bostonians to this day. The player’s legendary status is evidenced by his two entries on this list, the first being for his 1974-75 season jersey.

The signed jersey that Orr wore during his 10th and final season for the Bruins sold for an astronomical $115,000 in 2008. If you think that’s impressive, wait till you see what’s next.

Bobby Orr’s 1966-67 Boston Bruins Jersey

Bobby Orr’s rookie season at the Bruins saw him played outside his preferred position of defense. His impressive stature also led to him being challenged physically by more established opponents, often showing himself to be just as tough and strong as them.

The jersey he wore during that season was eventually auctioned for $168,000 in 2010 but is now estimated to be worth about $191,000.

Even this impressive total falls someway short of the price of the most valuable hockey jersey of all time. This accolade goes to Paul Henderson’s Canada jersey, which the player wore in the final four games of the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union. Henderson’s jersey was eventually auctioned in 2010, fetching $1.27 million.

Just to put this into perspective, if you sold Paul Henderson’s 1972 jersey, you would have enough spare cash to buy Bobby Orr’s 1964-65 jersey six times, with enough change left over to pick up a few of the other jerseys on this list!

What NHL jersey do you dream of owning? What are you most proud of in your collection? Let us know in the comments.

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About Kukla's Korner Hockey

Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

Email Paul anytime at [email protected]

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