[irbefan4life]

Like usual, I have to also promote my own thing, so if you like hockey, goaltending, or other cool memorabilia of the sort, give Bruce C. Goaltending Museum a like on Facebook and show your support. Now, down to business:

So here it is, the latest addition to my museum. Only took nearly two months from my last addition to find a piece I really wanted and that I could comfortably purchase without worrying about spending too much from my savings for my house I plan to purchase in Spring.

Anyways, let's begin. This goalie was born on February 11, 1955 in Timmins, Ontario. His name, Paul Douglas Harrison. As a kid, he started out as a defenseman, but he became a goaltender when he was needed in an emergency and he never looked back. After a solid junior goaltending career with the Oshawa Generals, Harrison was drafted 40th overall by the Minnesota North Stars in 1975. There was no time wasted when he made his NHL debut in that following season, suiting up in six games and conceding 28 goals in those games. He appeared in two games for the team as well in 1976-77, and he was also an AHL all-star that year. He was a full time backup in Minnesota the following season and then he was traded to Toronto for a 4th round draft pick. There, he remained for two seasons as a dependent #2 goalie for Mike Palmateer. He missed playing in the NHL in 1980-81, so he was an all-star in the CHL instead. Harrison was then traded to Pittsburgh in 1981-82. He remained there for 13 games before being placed on waivers and picked up by Buffalo. There, he appeared in the final six regular games, and last playoff game of his career. After that season, he appeared in one more season with the Rochester Americans before retiring from hockey.

In his 109 game NHL career, Harrison recorded a 28-59-9 record with two shutouts, a 4.22GAA, and a 0.864% save average. In four playoff games, he recorded an 0-1 record with a 3.44GAA and a 0.889% save average.

This 1981-82 Buffalo Sabres road jersey that you are looking at was donned by Harrison in that last year of his career, seeing time in up to four games, including the final one of his NHL career. It has an unrepaired hole on the left sleeve, and features minor piling and visible evidence of a nameplate switch.

Now here is when the fun begins. The only other player in this season to wear #30 was left-winger and enforcer Val James. Harrison was not acquired by the Sabres until February and James only played in six regular season games with the team. So the plate switch makes sense, but that's not all of the fun there. Val James became #26 after Harrison's acquisition and I recently found some video footage of him donning the #26 jersey, complete with an extra long nameplate, very wavy, and a complete mismatch to the jersey style he is wearing (which likely would have been the much more common Sandow SK style, as opposed to this Maska one). I did some scale measurements and am quite confident in saying that this sweater was worn by both Val James and Paul Harrison and that the plate on his #26 jersey was the one that once adorned the #30 sweater. I love the vintage stuff for these fun stories.

Acquired from: Fellow collector, Joric McLean

Dates of Game Use: Exact dates unknown, but these are the only possible dates he wore this

February 11, 1982 v Philadelphia (6-4L, 12-13)
February 27, 1982 v Minnesota (5-5T, 11-11)
March 30, 1982 v Quebec (6-4W, 26-30)
April 8, 1982 v Boston (7-3, 8-9)

Photomatched: No

















The inside of the jersey with a rough outline of the previous nameplate's shape in yellow, rough ebcause the picture does not show it easy, though it is easy to spot with your own eyes.

[dan_dou_lea]

That is interesting. Ive never heard of two players wearing the same jersey. Great buy and an even better story!

[bluefrozencanuck]

The story behind each of your pieces is always a great read, I wish I was still in the Edmonton area so I could get a look at the collection. Congrats on another great pickup and thanks for the history on the piece.

[irbefan4life]

That is interesting. Ive never heard of two players wearing the same jersey. Great buy and an even better story!

It happened a lot in the 1990s and earlier, but it still happens in this day and age as well. Just a lot less common nowadays.

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The story behind each of your pieces is always a great read, I wish I was still in the Edmonton area so I could get a look at the collection. Congrats on another great pickup and thanks for the history on the piece.

Thanks! The collection is getting quite big now so that's another one of the reasons I have to get a house in the next few months.