This road blue dureen tie-down gamer by Rawlings was worn by Roger Crozier during circa 1973-75. Crozier entered the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings in 1963-64, where he played 15 games, following what was a stellar and highly decorated minor league career. The Red Wings management was so impressed with Roger that they exposed Terry Sawchuk in the waiver draft and lost him to Toronto. Handed the full time job between the pipes in 1964-65, his first complete NHL season, Roger led the NHL in games played with 70, Wins with 40 and shutouts with 6. He was the well deserved winner of the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s top rookie.

The following season saw Roger again lead the league in games played and shutouts. His incredible play led his team all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals where they eventually fell at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens in a hard fought 6 game series. Crozier’s play was so outstanding that, despite being on the losing team, he was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs.

Injuries and ill-health prevented Crozier from building upon his legendary early career successes. In June of 1970, Crozier was traded by the Red Wings to the expansion Buffalo Sabres where he would serve to stabilize the young franchise. The city of Buffalo loved Crozier and in 1974-75 he regained the form of his youth, posting 17 Wins vs. only 2 losses and a tie and helped lead the Sabres to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in franchise history. Crozier’s untimely death in January of 1996 saddened the entire hockey community. The Buffalo Sabres paid homage to the man by wearing his player number “1” on their game jerseys for the remainder of that season.

Sewn to the collar of this jersey is the Rawlings manufacturer’s tag. This jersey style can be dated to the post 1972-73 and pre 1975-76 era. That leaves the two seasons in between of 1973-74 and 1974-75 as the time that Roger could have worn this sweater. It was in 1974-75 when Crozier and the Sabres electrified the city of Buffalo as they marched to the Stanley Cup Finals. Roger’s 17-2 record that season will never be forgotten by Buffalo fans.

Game use exists in the form of stick and puck marks, pilling and un-repaired holes. The crest and numbers show extensive wear and washings. The delicate crest has been reinforced and resewn by the team numerous times. It was common for the Sabres to recycle jerseys from one season to another, so it is quite possible, especially when viewing the crest and numbers, that Crozier played for more than one season in this sweater. Adding further to the likelihood that Crozier wore this gamer during the 1974-75 Stanley Cup year, is the faint but existing evidence of a TV nameplate having been removed from the reverse. Roger Crozier Buffalo Sabres gamers have been next to impossible to obtain, and it remains a hole in many serious Sabres and goalie collections to this date. It is with great pleasure that we bring this rare gem to market for the very first time. Best of luck to everybody!