FORT LAUDERDALE – Some things are worth keeping.
Whether it’s a first game puck, a special jersey or a Stanley Cup ring, anything can bring back a memory or be a good decoration.
This week, FloridaPanthers.com polled a group of Panthers to hear about some of their favorite pieces of hockey memorabilia that they have collected over the years.
Here’s what they had to say.
SERGEI BOBROVSKY: It’s tough to name one. I keep my helmets, especially after the Stanley Cup wins. The World Championship helmet, sticks, those little things. I got a (Vladislav) Tretiak jersey. It’s a big privilege to have. As a kid, I had a Dominik Hašek signed stick. I don’t have a museum at the moment, so I just collect little by little.
MIKE BENNING: Growing up I just wanted to win, so I’d pick everything from winning the National Championship at Denver. I always wanted to play against my brother, and we haven’t played each other yet, but I have a picture on the ice with him. My family was in the building, too, so that was pretty special.
JESPER BOQVIST: Growing up my favorite player was Nicklas Bäckström. Idolized him and I got his stick this summer, so that’s pretty cool.
NOAH GREGOR: When Patrick Marleau got the (most NHL) games played record in San Jose, he gave everyone a stick and an engraved wine bottle. That was pretty cool.
VINNIE HINOSTROZA: My first pair of skates.
DMITRY KULIKOV: I own an (Alexander) Ovechkin stick. That’s pretty nice. The two miniature Stanley Cups are a pretty nice memory. The Cup rings aren’t bad [laughs].
LUKE KUNIN: Minnesota (Wild) made me a plaque for my first game with the puck, game sheet, a picture, and just framed it out pretty nice. It’s at my house back home. That’s a pretty cool one.
EVAN RODRIGUES: The two mini Stanley Cups they give us. I have some cool trophies from when I was younger. I’ve also got a Patrick Kane stick at home that’s pretty cool.
MACKIE SAMOSKEVICH : The Cup ring is always pretty cool. That’s got to be number one. I still have my stick that I scored my first goal with. That brings back some pretty good memories. I got a couple of Michigan rings, too, so those are pretty cool. Anything [from] Michigan I think is pretty cool.
DONOVAN SEBRANGO: Probably my World Junior gold medal. That feeling was pretty thrilling.
DANIIL TARASOV: An old Koho goalie stick signed by Dominik Hašek that I got when I was five years old. I have a hockey bag that was passed down from my grandfather to my father to me.
MATTHEW TKACHUK: Either Game 6 Stanley Cup Final game-winning goal stick or all my Olympic gold medal gear: skates, gloves, helmet, mouth guard, stick, socks, jersey, everything. That’s really cool.
CARTER VERHAEGHE: My Stanley Cup Finals jerseys are probably the best.
