This home white mesh gamer by Unique Athletic Supplies in Toronto, Ontario was worn by Steve Hazlett circa the 1976-78 OHA seasons. The Vancouver Canucks selected Hazlett in the 5th round of the 1977 NHL Amateur Draft. After playing his Major Junior hockey with the OHA’s Fincups, Hazlett began a professional career in 1977-78 that lasted half a dozen years. Hazlett made his NHL debut with the Vancouver Canucks in 1979-80 and spent the remainder of his career in the IHL and CHL representing the Tulsa Oilers, Fort Wayne Komets and Dallas Black Hawks.

The game wear on this sweater consists of stick and slash marks, board burns, board paint transfer, un-repaired burn holes, washed out bloodstains and fine inner pilling. Hazlett played a total of 98 games for the Fincups over the course of 3 seasons, scoring 64 goals and adding 87 assists for an impressive 151 points, which caught the scouts’ eyes and got him drafted by the Vancouver Canucks. The Fincups franchise lasted merely 4 seasons, playing their first two years in Hamilton and then in 1976-77 moving to St. Catharines. In 1977-78, the team returned to Hamilton for what turned out to be their final season. Although short-lived, the Fincups have the distinction of having won the 1976 Memorial Cup. This is just the second Fincups gamer, and the first home example that we’ve handled or have ever seen for that matter, the other coming directly from former NHL goaltender Rick Wamsley, whose personal collection we sold in our Fall 2017 Auction. An extremely rare jersey that has eluded Major Junior collectors for decades!