For the final birthday jersey, may I present Dan Hinote, formerly of the Colorado Avalanche:
You can click the picture to make it bigger, and really, you should.Why? Besides the fact that it’s Dan (Frickin’) Hinote? If you haven’t noticed, I have a few game-worn jerseys, from many different leagues. AHL, ECHL, Russian Super League, Slovak Extraliga, and even a CHL (Central Hockey League) which I lost (yes, it still hurts). But I have never had an NHL game-worn jersey. This beauty comes from the 2002-2003 season, later third, plus some playoff action (Not much that year). Hinote scored a goal and two assists in those playoffs, plus one minor penalty. Was it in this jersey? I don’t know. I don’t have those stats. I do have this jersey, and that’s good enough.
“But, wait,” I hear you say, “Danny left the Avs for the Blues. Why would you want his jersey?” First, don’t call me a Butt-weight (yeah, it never gets the kind of laugh I want). Danny was a UFA, and the Avs weren’t going to give him the money the Blues did. Danny never had big numbers. That wasn’t his game. Danny is tough, hard, works every shift, and has a mouth on him, which is great for his team. ESPN produces a show called “The Season.” In the year they followed the Avs, they caught Hinote yelling at Bertuzzi something to the effect of not giving a f%$# who he thought he was. The first half of the 2 parter was shown halfway through the season. That was before the Bertuzzi-Moore incident. ESPN edited that verbal barb out. I think I still have it on video somewhere. That was great stuff.
Danny was always more surprised and more excited than anybody when he scored. In this past seasons playoffs, he broke the shutout of Ilya…..Ilya…….Bryzgalov. He saluted his teammates, and spurred them on. The Avs lost the game, and were swept in the series, but Hinote was at his best. His sharp angle goal against Chicago on April 3rd was just amazing. They don’t get any sharper than that. It was the game winner with only 12 seconds to go. Dan was a star of the game. When was the last time that happened? Freakin amazing.
This is from ESPN.com:
“I only get the lucky ones,” Hinote said. “I knew there was about 15 seconds left so I just wanted to throw it to the net and maybe get a faceoff down there. I wasn’t trying to score from there.”
“He’s right,” Khabibulin said of Hinote’s goal. “That puck shouldn’t go in. I’ll take the blame for that one.”
Sure, Khabby, do what you want, but that was Hinote’s goal. That night was really Blake’s night, scoring his 199th and 200th goals. Blake tied it up at 19:03 of the 3rd. But for my money, that was Hinote’s night. Who else could you be happier for? Clutch scoring, not really Hinote’s game, but it sure was then.
I sure hope the fans in St. Louis know what they are getting. One hell of a hockey player.
Special thanks to the Significant Lighting Person (IE girlfriend) for getting this for me. She was trying for another at first (huge sale at Meigray), but it had flown to someone else. They would be jealous now, mark my words. A three jersey birthday, with this being the creme’-de-la-creme’. What more could a person ask for?
10 responses to “Jersey: Game Worn Hinote”
Very nice jersey – and very nice birthday present.
You mentioned “The Season” in your post. Is ESPN still doing that show? Did they produce one last year? I’m guessing they didn’t, since they were out of the NHL broadcasting business… but I thought I’d ask just in case I missed something.
I always liked the concept of the show and it would’ve been interesting to see more teams covered.
Alanah – The Season is not exclusively a hockey show, it just happened to be about the Avs that year. They have had a football one and a college basketball. It is aired as a 2 part special. I don’t know if they still do it or not.
Which really, now that there is an NHL Network, should be done by the NHL themselves. Something like an NFL Films of hockey.
Okay. Geez, if I watched other sports, it would help, huh?!
I remember watching it through TSN in Canada a couple years ago. I do vaguely remember a college basketball one back then, now that you mention it.
Anyway, you’re quite right — the NHL Network should produce something like this themselves or partner with some other sports network. That would be very cool.
And I think Vancouver should be their first subject. 🙂
Sure, Van-who?-ver can be next. The Avs already did it first, so why not.
I don’t really watch other sports myself. I had to google some of that “the Season” info for you. I’ll take in a LAX game if it’s convienent, but that’s about it.
My brother-in-law is a football fanatic. He talks about it all the time. I’m sure I’m the same way about hockey.
One might have been done on Detroit. I saw something a while back that I wasn’t paying much attention to. I just recall that Darren McCarty was all over it.
Curious about the sweater…there is a streak at the bottom left side. Could it be blood? Hey you might have some good DNA there!
You are dead on about Hinote! Why couldn’t the Abs match that St.Lou offer. He’ll be missed. He was a valuable depth player. A rare breed and very underated defensively. he was one of the reason I picked the Avs to slip lots next year.
The McCarty thing was some kind of homecoming thing, about his first game back as a Red Wing. That was on OLN, and I think kind of NHL produced.
As far as matching St. Louis, I think he was UFA, so they didn’t have the right to match, which means they may not have known the St. Louis offer. Besides, I doubt the Q knows what he’s losing
Dan Hinote is one of my favorites. I tend to prefer the blue collar guys who get out there and work their butts off game after game. Plus, you can tell he loves to play with that big s**t eating grin on his face. Not to mention that he’s funny as can be.
Yeah, the Avs will miss Hinote. But I just don’t see them missing the playoffs yet.
Hmm…I have to comment on this just because.
Danny’s always been my favorite hockey player anywhere and he is sorely missed. At one of the Blues games in December (the home on the 29th) I had rinkside tickets on the Blues warm-up end by the penalty box so I took a sign saying “We still love you Danny!” The look on his face when he saw it was priceless. Later on during warm-ups he tossed me a puck (my greatest Christmas present ever, hehe). So, can you imagine how jealous I am?
And by the way, I just have to say: Greatest Clutch Goal Ever
Hahah that is one of many ways to observe it 😉