The Michigan Stags came into franchise existence to begin the 1974-75 WHA season. Formerly the LA Sharks, the team was purchased by a pair of Detroit businessmen late in the 1973-74 campaign. The new owners moved the struggling franchise to Detroit in the summer of 1974. The teams’ financial problems were not solved by the move. Poor attendance, day to day expenses and mounting payroll debt proved too much for the team to overcome. In January of 1975 the Stags became wards of the league as their owners left amidst a sea of debt. The WHA immediately folded the Stags and relocated them to Baltimore to finish out the 1974-75 season.

This road red dureen gamer by Wilson was worn by Dan Gruen during the 1974-75 WHA season. Gruen began his career in Detroit with the Red Wings in 1972. After playing for 2 seasons in the NHL, Dan jumped to the WHA. He didn’t have far to go as he joined the new Detroit franchise of the WHA, the Michigan Stags where he would partake in 34 games before moving to the Jets. Winnipeg acquired Gruen and dressed him for another 32 games before the 1974-75 season came to a close. Danny would later go on to play for the Crusaders, Cowboys and Fighting Saints of the WHA before a last NHL fling with the Colorado Rockies.  

The game use on this stunning all original red dureen consists of stick marks, board burns and fine inner pilling. The game wear perfectly matches Gruen’s time spent with the doomed club. The Michigan Stags existed as a franchise for a total of only 3 months, thus making their game worn jerseys one of the rarest and most desirable of all WHA gamers.