Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Archive Collection Scope & Criteria
What specific goaltenders does Heroes of the Crease collect?
Our archive focuses strictly on goaltenders who have played 200+ combined NHL/WHA regular season and/or playoff games, have their name on the Stanley Cup as a player or coach (scouts are not included), have a cult-following or tell an amazing story, or who hold some sort of NHL record. At this time, we do not collect memorabilia from goaltenders whose careers were limited exclusively to the pre-season, backup duties (without game action), or minor leagues. Our autograph collection aims to add an autograph of every goalie in NHL history as long as they played a single regular season or playoff minute.
What types of game-used relics do you look for?
Our most sought-after items include game-used jerseys, gloves, pads, blockers, and masks. We strongly prioritize memorabilia worn or used in historically significant games (e.g., debut games, milestone achievements, shutouts, playoff appearances, or final career games). We maintain flexibility for exceptionally rare or tough-to-find players.
Note regarding sticks: We strictly limit our goalie stick acquisitions to pieces originating from the pre-1980s era. Sticks from later eras fall outside our current collection criteria.
Acquisitions, Purchases, & Donations
Will Heroes of the Crease purchase memorabilia from private collectors?
Potentially. Our ultimate objective is to acquire at least one authentic, game-used piece from every goaltender on our want list. Because we operate on a structured corporate budget, acquisitions are carefully evaluated. Authenticity must be indisputably established before any transaction is considered. Please consult our active Want List to see our current player priorities.
What information do you require when evaluating an item for purchase?
We require exhaustive provenance and background information. Prospective sellers should provide details regarding who used the item, when it was worn, the specific team/season, and any known history, including how they originally acquired it. High-resolution photographs are very helpful. While a formal Letter of Authenticity (LOA) is not mandatory, we will have to verify authenticity prior to purchase.
Do you accept donations?
Yes. While our primary model involves purchasing archive additions, we gratefully accept donations. Please note that all donated items become the permanent corporate property of Heroes of the Crease Ltd. and cannot be transferred or returned to the donor at a later date.
Authentication Policies
Do you offer authentication services for game-worn items?
No, we do not offer public authentication as a commercial service. To maintain the highest standard of integrity, Heroes of the Crease will never definitively authenticate a game-worn item unless we can physically examine it in person to analyze material construction, wear patterns, and direct reference comparisons. Our digital observations or social media commentary of third-party items that are not a part of our museum constitute circumstantial evaluation only and are not official statements of authenticity. If we verify an item with absolute certainty in person, we issue a signed, written opinion detailing the evidence. More frequently, we refer collectors to specialized, third-party subject-matter experts.
Can you authenticate an item via Facebook message or email?
Absolutely not. Under no circumstances will we definitively authenticate an item over digital messaging or email. While we can offer casual observations or share historical trends regarding an era's equipment, these observations are purely circumstantial. Note on Photo-Matching: Digital photo-matching services are distinct from standard authentication; photo-matching applies strictly to items already deemed authentic by a trusted source to determine the exact moments the asset was used in game action. Heroes of the Crease Ltd. accepts no liability for third-party claims of authentication unless a formal, signed document has been officially notarized and issued by our executive team.
Corporate Event Bookings
Will your company provide an exhibition for free or for "exposure"?
No. Heroes of the Crease Ltd. is a registered corporation that delivers high-end, professionally curated mobile museum installations. Transporting, securing, and displaying rare historical archives requires significant time, logistical labor, and operational capital. Consequently, we do not work pro bono, nor do we accept compensation structured around "exposure."
How can we hire your company and what are the associated costs?
Our standardized corporate rates, package tiers, and regional availability are transparently detailed on our Memorabilia Exhibitions / Showcases page. Please review these options before contacting us to initiate a formal booking inquiry.
Museum Philosophy & Appraisals
How does the value of your archive compare to elite private collections?
The primary mandate of Heroes of the Crease is educational preservation, not financial speculation. Our mission is to chronicle the complete history of NHL goaltending, honoring everyone from the "one-game" netminders to the 1,000-game superstars, and to share that history with the public. Our success is measured by historical completeness and educational impact, rather than the raw market valuation of the archive.
Sales, Scams, & Athlete Requests
Can I purchase items from your main archive collection?
No. Items designated within our permanent archive vault are not for sale under any circumstances. Available inventory is restricted entirely to our dedicated Items for Sale pages. If an item is not explicitly listed there, it is unavailable.
Someone on social media is offering to sell me an item from your collection. Is it legitimate?
No. This is a common online scam. Fraudulent accounts frequently scrape images from our website to deceptively "sell" items they do not own. If you are approached by anyone offering to sell an asset belonging to our archive, please contact us directly through our official website to report it. Heroes of the Crease Ltd. is not liable for financial losses resulting from third-party digital scams.
I am a close personal associate of a former player. Can I purchase their gear back?
Our structural policy remains absolute: archive items are strictly preserved for public exhibition and are not for sale to friends, acquaintances, or representatives of athletes. If we liquidated historical pieces upon request, the archive would cease to exist.
Will you sell or return a piece of gear back to the original athlete?
While we do not sell our permanent vault items to anyone, we are uniquely open to direct, athlete-to-museum trades exclusively with the goaltenders themselves. We have successfully executed mutually beneficial trades with former NHL goaltenders in the past and welcome direct outreach from verified alumni looking to trade gear.
The Sports Card Hobby
Why does a memorabilia museum deal in sports cards?
Sports cards and game-used memorabilia are complementary components of the sports heritage ecosystem. Both hobbies foster a deep connection to hockey history and unite collectors globally. Our objective is to provide a comprehensive historical experience that appeals to all facets of the collecting community. We celebrate all forms of hockey heritage, bound together by a shared love for the game.
Why do you sell sports cards for a profit?
Heroes of the Crease Ltd. is a properly structured corporate entity. To successfully fund the acquisition, preservation, transport, and insurance of museum-grade artifacts without public funding, our secondary commercial ventures must operate sustainably. Generating net positive revenue through card sales is what directly allows us to preserve hockey history for the public.
What specific goaltenders does Heroes of the Crease collect?
Our archive focuses strictly on goaltenders who have played 200+ combined NHL/WHA regular season and/or playoff games, have their name on the Stanley Cup as a player or coach (scouts are not included), have a cult-following or tell an amazing story, or who hold some sort of NHL record. At this time, we do not collect memorabilia from goaltenders whose careers were limited exclusively to the pre-season, backup duties (without game action), or minor leagues. Our autograph collection aims to add an autograph of every goalie in NHL history as long as they played a single regular season or playoff minute.
What types of game-used relics do you look for?
Our most sought-after items include game-used jerseys, gloves, pads, blockers, and masks. We strongly prioritize memorabilia worn or used in historically significant games (e.g., debut games, milestone achievements, shutouts, playoff appearances, or final career games). We maintain flexibility for exceptionally rare or tough-to-find players.
Note regarding sticks: We strictly limit our goalie stick acquisitions to pieces originating from the pre-1980s era. Sticks from later eras fall outside our current collection criteria.
Acquisitions, Purchases, & Donations
Will Heroes of the Crease purchase memorabilia from private collectors?
Potentially. Our ultimate objective is to acquire at least one authentic, game-used piece from every goaltender on our want list. Because we operate on a structured corporate budget, acquisitions are carefully evaluated. Authenticity must be indisputably established before any transaction is considered. Please consult our active Want List to see our current player priorities.
What information do you require when evaluating an item for purchase?
We require exhaustive provenance and background information. Prospective sellers should provide details regarding who used the item, when it was worn, the specific team/season, and any known history, including how they originally acquired it. High-resolution photographs are very helpful. While a formal Letter of Authenticity (LOA) is not mandatory, we will have to verify authenticity prior to purchase.
Do you accept donations?
Yes. While our primary model involves purchasing archive additions, we gratefully accept donations. Please note that all donated items become the permanent corporate property of Heroes of the Crease Ltd. and cannot be transferred or returned to the donor at a later date.
Authentication Policies
Do you offer authentication services for game-worn items?
No, we do not offer public authentication as a commercial service. To maintain the highest standard of integrity, Heroes of the Crease will never definitively authenticate a game-worn item unless we can physically examine it in person to analyze material construction, wear patterns, and direct reference comparisons. Our digital observations or social media commentary of third-party items that are not a part of our museum constitute circumstantial evaluation only and are not official statements of authenticity. If we verify an item with absolute certainty in person, we issue a signed, written opinion detailing the evidence. More frequently, we refer collectors to specialized, third-party subject-matter experts.
Can you authenticate an item via Facebook message or email?
Absolutely not. Under no circumstances will we definitively authenticate an item over digital messaging or email. While we can offer casual observations or share historical trends regarding an era's equipment, these observations are purely circumstantial. Note on Photo-Matching: Digital photo-matching services are distinct from standard authentication; photo-matching applies strictly to items already deemed authentic by a trusted source to determine the exact moments the asset was used in game action. Heroes of the Crease Ltd. accepts no liability for third-party claims of authentication unless a formal, signed document has been officially notarized and issued by our executive team.
Corporate Event Bookings
Will your company provide an exhibition for free or for "exposure"?
No. Heroes of the Crease Ltd. is a registered corporation that delivers high-end, professionally curated mobile museum installations. Transporting, securing, and displaying rare historical archives requires significant time, logistical labor, and operational capital. Consequently, we do not work pro bono, nor do we accept compensation structured around "exposure."
How can we hire your company and what are the associated costs?
Our standardized corporate rates, package tiers, and regional availability are transparently detailed on our Memorabilia Exhibitions / Showcases page. Please review these options before contacting us to initiate a formal booking inquiry.
Museum Philosophy & Appraisals
How does the value of your archive compare to elite private collections?
The primary mandate of Heroes of the Crease is educational preservation, not financial speculation. Our mission is to chronicle the complete history of NHL goaltending, honoring everyone from the "one-game" netminders to the 1,000-game superstars, and to share that history with the public. Our success is measured by historical completeness and educational impact, rather than the raw market valuation of the archive.
Sales, Scams, & Athlete Requests
Can I purchase items from your main archive collection?
No. Items designated within our permanent archive vault are not for sale under any circumstances. Available inventory is restricted entirely to our dedicated Items for Sale pages. If an item is not explicitly listed there, it is unavailable.
Someone on social media is offering to sell me an item from your collection. Is it legitimate?
No. This is a common online scam. Fraudulent accounts frequently scrape images from our website to deceptively "sell" items they do not own. If you are approached by anyone offering to sell an asset belonging to our archive, please contact us directly through our official website to report it. Heroes of the Crease Ltd. is not liable for financial losses resulting from third-party digital scams.
I am a close personal associate of a former player. Can I purchase their gear back?
Our structural policy remains absolute: archive items are strictly preserved for public exhibition and are not for sale to friends, acquaintances, or representatives of athletes. If we liquidated historical pieces upon request, the archive would cease to exist.
Will you sell or return a piece of gear back to the original athlete?
While we do not sell our permanent vault items to anyone, we are uniquely open to direct, athlete-to-museum trades exclusively with the goaltenders themselves. We have successfully executed mutually beneficial trades with former NHL goaltenders in the past and welcome direct outreach from verified alumni looking to trade gear.
The Sports Card Hobby
Why does a memorabilia museum deal in sports cards?
Sports cards and game-used memorabilia are complementary components of the sports heritage ecosystem. Both hobbies foster a deep connection to hockey history and unite collectors globally. Our objective is to provide a comprehensive historical experience that appeals to all facets of the collecting community. We celebrate all forms of hockey heritage, bound together by a shared love for the game.
Why do you sell sports cards for a profit?
Heroes of the Crease Ltd. is a properly structured corporate entity. To successfully fund the acquisition, preservation, transport, and insurance of museum-grade artifacts without public funding, our secondary commercial ventures must operate sustainably. Generating net positive revenue through card sales is what directly allows us to preserve hockey history for the public.