Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction Fall 2018
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/6/2018
In 1972 founders of a company named Hockey Diversified Inc. envisioned that each puck shot into the net to produce an official goal scored in an NHL hockey game would develop a degree of intrinsic collector value for hockey fans everywhere. The founders took this idea to the NHL and procured the rights to all such NHL pucks during regular season and playoff games for a period of five years. Pucks shot into the net for a goal were collected by the referees, given to the time keepers to label and then shipped to Hockey Diversified to further label with scoring details. The pucks were then marketed to the public by Hockey Diversified Inc. Unfortunately this idea was ahead of its time and pucks sold poorly. The program lasted only two seasons, 1972-73 and 1973-74. Hockey Diversified Inc. dissolved shortly thereafter. Classic Auctions is honored to have been chosen by an original founder of Hockey Diversified to sell, at upcoming auctions, residual, unsold pucks from that “NHL Registered Goal Puck” collection.
Each puck originally distributed by Hockey Diversified could be obtained by mail with the buyer’s choice of team and possibly player. A label was affixed to each puck listing the scorer, team and date, along with a code that divulged which team-goal said puck accounted for. This particular puck was used by HOFer Phil Esposito to score the Boston Bruins 280th goal of the season vs the Blues, at St Louis Arena, on March 6th 1974. Assisted by Ken Hodge and Wayne Cashman, it was Espo’s 55th goal of the season, and 453rd of his especially impressive 717 career goals. The first goal of the contest scored at 5:09 of the first, Espo would also assist on a pair of Cashman goals, adding an additional marker late in the third for a four-point night. The Bruins would heavily outshoot and outscore the Blues, winning 8 to 0 on the road.
Regarding condition, the rubberized Blues logo shows light wear, while the Goal Puck Program label exhibits a few stains along with a pair of tears. There is also a minor slice along an edge, as well as a few small errant marks.
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