This incredible offering originates directly from Team Canada. A Team Canada LOA, signed by Bob Nicholson, President of Hockey Canada, will accompany your purchase. The country of Canada was in for a thrill as Team Canada wore these historic 1972 style gamers for the first time in the 35 years since the historic 8-game Summit Series. Worn for only a single game before switching back to their traditional National Team uniforms, Hockey Canada dressed their players in these throwback uniforms as they returned from playing the first 4-games in Russia, for Canada’s first home game which took place in Winnipeg.  

This heavy red and white knit 1972 Team Canada Throwback gamer by AK was worn by John Tavares during the 2007 Canada/Russia Super Series. This 8-game Super Series was held on the 35th anniversary of the historic 1972 Summit Series, which pitted Team Canada vs Russia in a clash for world hockey supremecy. The first 4 games of the 2007 Super Series were held in Russia. Team Canada returned to home ice for the next four games and played Game 5 in Winnipeg while wearing these throwback jerseys. This was the first time in the 35 years, since 1972, that Team Canada had ever worn the 1972 Summit Series style jerseys. Team Canada put forth a great effort for the hometown fans defeating the Russians by a final score of 8-1. While wearing this jersey, John Tavares assisted on 2 goals and also served 2 minutes in the penalty box for a slashing call in the 1st period.

It took an “exceptional” designation for Tavares, who is hockey’s reigning phenom, to be granted draft eligible status at the age of 14. This was the first time that such an exception was ever granted. The Oshawa Generals benefited from the ruling and selected John with the first overall pick in 2005 at the tender age of 14. John would follow in the footsteps of the great Bobby Orr and represent Oshawa as a young teenager. As did Orr, Tavares would dominate his older foes, scoring a remarkable 45 goals and 77 points as a 15-year old rookie in 2005-06. He was named OHL and CHL rookie of the year.
 
What Tavares accomplished during his 2nd season made news across the entire hockey world. That season, as a 16-year old, Tavares broke Wayne Gretzky’s record for goals in a season. In 1977-78, The Great Gretzky, at 17 years of age, scored an incredible 70 goals, a mark which stood without challenge for 30 years. Tavares made the record his own, lighting the lamp a resounding 72 times at the age of 16! He would also chip in 62 assists for a remarkable total of 134 points in 67 games played. The league recognized Tavares’ outstanding accomplishments by awarding the 16-year old with the Red Tilson Trophy as the most outstanding player in the league. He also was awarded the CHL’s Player of the Year award. Last year in 59 games, Tavares netted 40 goals and assisted on 78 others for a 118 point season. He was also selected to help Team Canada’s National Junior Team win their 4th consecutive Gold Medal. As the auction goes live, Tavares’ 08-09 campaign is well underway and he continues to tear up the scoresheets.

Sewn to the right breast of this size XXXL 1972 Summit Series throwback sweater is the 1972 Team Canada Team of the Century patch. This jersey replicates the 1972 quite magnificently including the enormous weight of the knit material. Worn during game 5 of the historic 2007 Canada/Russia Super Series, the game use on this sweater consists of a number of stick marks on the body and sleeves along with some board burns. Tavares put forth a strong effort while wearing this gamer, assisting on a couple of goals and spending a couple of minutes in the sin bin for a 1st period slashing call. Here is an incredible opportunity to own perhaps the most unique and historic one of a kind gamer John Tavares will have worn prior to joining the NHL.