The game-worn jersey juggernaut MeiGray is having its sixth annual Game-Worn Jersey Expo on July 11, 2009 at the Raritan Valley Community College Conference Center in North Branch, NJ.
This afternoon, I received an update that the expo will feature “some of the greatest game-worn jerseys in hockey history,” including Paul Henderson‘s 1972 Summit Series-winning “Goal-Scored” jersey vs. the USSR and . . .
Washington Capitals‘ Emergency Goalie Brett Leonhardt‘s red 2008-09 Bench-Worn Jersey.
Stretch himself will be a featured guest at the show. From the release:
Brett Leonhardt will be on hand to tell us what it was like to be thrust into emergency duty, and what it was like to actually wear a National Hockey League gamer on the bench with Alex Ovechkin, Mike Green, Sergei Fedorov and the rest of the Washington Capitals as a backup to Jose Theodore.
The feel-good story continues!
The Expo is about a three and a half hour drive north from DC. This hotel is offering a special “MEIGRAY EXPO” room rate. For more details and to register for the event, call 908-541-0114.
Update [June 22, 2009, 4:07 PM EDT]: Some of you expressed great concern that, perhaps, Stretch was parting with his historic bench-worn sweater from last December’s home contest vs. Ottawa. Fear not. I spoke to Stretch this afternoon, who confirmed that the jersey is absolutely not for sale. In keeping with the (New) Jersey theme, it’s going to be properly “kept in the family.” (By the way, the Capitals, in addition to ensuring that Brett keeps those synthetic red threads for all time, presented him earlier with a plaque including the official game sheet, his ATO contract, and game puck.) He’ll be at the July 11th expo to answer questions about his experience on that historic December day, with the jersey simply on display.