This striking white dureen tie-down gamer by Wilson was worn by All Star defenseman Terry Harper circa 1970-72. Harper was a consumate leader who enjoyed a 19-year NHL career. Beginning with the Canadiens in 1962-63, Terry spends the first 10 seasons of his career with the Habs, which includes 5 Stanley Cups Championships and 2 All Star appearances. After 10 seasons in Montreal, the Habs brass decide that their future on the blueline is bright with the likes of Savard, Lapointe, and a youngster waiting in the wings by the name of Larry Robinson, who would assume Terry’s player number 19 and make it his own for the better part of 2 decades.

Following the 1971-72 season, Montreal makes a tough decision and deals Harper to the LA Kings for a huge package of draft choices. Terry is immediately named Team Captain of the Kings, whom he will play with for 3 seasons. In those 3 years, Harper makes 2 more NHL All Star teams, providing stellar play and solid leadership. It was the next deal that Terry was involved in that would forever change the face of LA hockey history. Following the 1974-75 season, the Kings use Harper as bait to acquire Marcel Dionne from the Detroit Red Wings. Harper spends the next 4 years in the Motor City, followed by 1 in St. Louis and 1 in Colorado before announcing his retirement. His career saw him play in over 1000 regular season games and in excess of 100 playoff games. His feistiness earned him 1362 regular season PIMS and another 140 in the playoffs. He was a tough defenseman who was among the very best in the game in his own end of the ice, as evidenced by his 4 All Star game appearances.

Sewn to the left breast of this fabulous dureen tie-down is the alternate Captain’s “A”. What an honor it must have been for Terry to wear this letter on a team stacked with legendary Hall of Famers. It makes quite a statement about what his leadership meant to those early 1970’s Habs teams. The game wear is solid consisting of stick marks, board burns, board paint transfer, fine inner pilling and a couple of team-sewn repairs. This beautiful jersey was worn during either the 1970-71 or 1971-72 season, while playing alongside the likes of legendary players such as Dryden, Richard, Mahovlich, Cournoyer, Lemaire, Savard, Lapointe, Vachon and either Jean Beliveau in his last season or Guy Lafleur in his first, depending on which season it was worn. The Canadiens won the 1971 Stanley Cup during Beliveau’s final season and Dryden’s first. We have viewed footage of Harper wearing the alternate’s “A” during the 1971 Stanley Cup playoffs, so it is quite possible that this jersey was worn during that monumental time in Montreal Canadiens history.