The Avs Hockey Podcast

Two Fan's Perspectives on Colorado Avalanche Hockey...and jerseys too.

AHP Goal Pucks: Mikko Rantanen’s 8th Career Goal (2017)

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My passion for game worn jerseys and telling their stories has been well documented here for many years. I have quietly collected Avalanche game used and goal scored pucks throughout the years as well. These pucks, just like jerseys, have stories to tell. As expected, I really enjoy doing the research and exploring the details and figured it was time to share some puck history here too. Hoping you appreciate these small pieces of Colorado Avalanche history as much as I do.

Back in late January of 2017 us Avs fans were pretty excited about a new young talent that had recently joined the club after spending some very productive time in San Antonio with the Rampage. He had size, unreal hands, and could most definitely score goals. By this time in his career, Mikko Rantanen had a well deserved, permanent spot on the Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club roster. It was pretty cool to add Rantanen’s eighth career goal puck to the collection when it showed up on eBay later that season. First, the pics.

THE DATE: January 31, 2017

THE VENUE: Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

THE DETAILS: Mikko Rantanen at 5:13 of the second period. This goal got the Avs within one goal of the Ducks at the time. That was as close as the Avs would be the remainder of the game and was the only goal the Avs scored that game as well. This was Mikko Rantanen’s eighth goal of the season as well as the eighth goal of his career.

If you look closely at the picture of the back of the puck, there is a notch out of the top of the first zero on the NHL’s 100th anniversary logo. I tried really, really hard to photo match the puck to this photo on Getty Images, but I couldn’t quite get that done so I ended up, as I customarily do, trusting the team who taped, documented, and made the goal puck available to the public. Collectors have no choice but to trust our primary sources in the puck collecting hobby.

About a year after the puck beat Ducks goaltender John Gibson a local autograph collectibles business announced they were going to have a semi-private signing with Rantanen. I most definitely had to take advantage of that opportunity.

As usual with pro athlete signings, the 8th career goal and date inscription involved just a little extra money, but on a documented goal puck it’s always worth it and looks really cool too. It’s a nice touch for sure.

THE ASSIST: Mikhail Grigorenko

THE HIGHLIGHT:

Mikko Rantanen, as I publish this, is currently sitting on 143 career goals. It’s most definitely safe to say that virtually no Avalanche (or hockey fan, for that matter) is surprised by how many goals Rantanen has scored since he scored the puck above almost four years ago. It’s always a pleasure watching a young prospect grow into a top tier NHL winger, especially when that player plays for your favorite National Hockey League team.

Here’s to many, many more Rantanen (and Avalanche) goals, see you next goal puck post, and, as always, #GoAvsGo.

AHP Goal Pucks: Sammy G in the Nick of Time in Toronto (2021)

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My passion for game worn jerseys and telling their stories has been well documented here for many years. I have quietly collected Avalanche game used and goal scored pucks throughout the years as well. These pucks, just like jerseys, have stories to tell. As expected, I really enjoy doing the research and exploring the details and figured it was time to share some puck history here too. Hoping you appreciate these small pieces of Colorado Avalanche history as much as I do.

There have been many changes in the goal collecting world the last few seasons. In turn, trying to keep up with what each hockey club is doing with the goal pucks from their home games takes some time and homework. Now that teams are playing every other team in the league again it was time for me to jump back into the goal puck game. Luckily, just before the last Toronto Maple Leafs game used auction ended, I came across a link that led me to all the goal pucks from the Avalanche/Maple Leafs game from earlier this month. The Avs scored three goals that night, two of which were scored by former Leaf Nazem Kadri. Here is the other Avalanche goal from that game.

THE DATE: December 1, 2021

THE VENUE: Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

THE DETAILS: Samuel Girard at 19:58 of the first period. This was Girard’s second goal of the season and the 19th goal of his career. This goal gave the Avalanche some hope at the time, leaving them down 3-1 going into the first intermission. Discussion regarding the rest of the game is not needed. Let’s just say the Maple Leafs played well that night.

The new tracking pucks the NHL is using this season, along with the trackers the players wear behind their right shoulders in their jerseys, provide some pretty cool details/analytics for us collectors. (You can tell this is a new tracking puck because of the little circles around the Maple Leaf logo on the front of the puck and the NHL logo on the back of the puck.) As seen on the certificate the Maple Leafs provide with each goal puck, Girard was ten seconds into his shift at the time he scored. As for the other details, I believe the speed of the shot is accurate. The other two details, however, are incorrect on the card. He scored on a one-time snap shot (rather than the wrist shot listed on the card) and beat Maple Leaf goaltender Jack Campbell low glove side (rather than the “low middle” detail that is listed on the card.) Even with the incorrect details, it’s a really good looking certification that comes with the goal pucks. Well done, Toronto.

THE ASSISTS: Nathan MacKinnon and Logan O’Connor

THE HIGHLIGHT: Please fast forward to Sam Girard’s jersey number 49 seconds of the video to check out the highlight.

The hockey world, as well as the world in general, has been through a lot the last two years. It’s good to see the schedule, as well as goal puck collecting, starting to get back to somewhere near normal. While the recent shutdown is discouraging there’s nothing like a new goal puck for the collection to help things feel like they did a while back.

Thanks for checking out the post, friends. I will post another one soon.

Until the next goal puck, please take care and #GoAvsGo.

The Avs Hockey Podcast, Episode #133

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In this podcast James “Tapeleg” Gralian and Jay talk about all the players who stepped up big when Nathan MacKinnon went out, Nazem Kadri’s best stretch of play as a member of the team, a heathy (and spectacular) Cale Makar, and the current list of injuries that’s WAY too long. Those topics and much more Avs and hockey stuff coming at you in episode #133 of The Avs Hockey Podcast. Thanks for listening, friends!

Cale Makar’s out here making more history and being mentioned with the greats of the game. He’s just getting started too.
Congrats to The Captain for joining some exclusive Avalanche company.

The Avs Hockey Podcast, Episode #132

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In this podcast James “Tapeleg” Gralian and Jay discuss a depleted Colorado Avalanche lineup, players testing the limits of player safety, and Avalanche jersey style details. Those topics and a whole bunch more Avs and hockey stuff coming at you in episode #132 of The Avs Hockey Podcast. Hang in there, friends. Things will get better. Thanks for listening to our show!

October 13: Bo Byram scores his first of what should be many career goals on opening night against the Blackhawks. What a beauty.
October 13: Captain Gabriel Landeskog (initially incorrectly identified as Nathan MacKinnon in the highlight) hits a vulnerable Kirby Dach during the third period on opening night and received a two-game suspension as a result.
https://youtu.be/mPD9rjXrc3k
October 30: Nathan MacKinnon fights Minnesota’s Brandon Duhaime after a nasty hit on Bowen Byram near the boards early in the third period. Duhaime was not fined or suspended for this hit.