paul harrison
1981-82 Game Worn buffalo sabres Road Jersey
*Possible FINAL NHL GAME WORN JERSEy/ possible pre-season val james or Randy IrelanD
Paul Douglas Harrison was born on February 11, 1955 in Timmins, Ontario. As a kid, he started out as a defenseman, but he became a goaltender when he was needed in an emergency and he never looked back. After a solid junior goaltending career with the Oshawa Generals, Harrison was drafted 40th overall by the Minnesota North Stars in 1975. There was no time wasted when he made his NHL debut in that following season, suiting up in six games and conceding 28 goals in those games. He appeared in two games for the team as well in 1976-77, and he was also an AHL all-star that year. He was a full time backup in Minnesota the following season and then he was traded to Toronto for a 4th round draft pick. There, he remained for two seasons as a dependent #2 goalie for Mike Palmateer. He missed playing in the NHL in 1980-81, so he was an all-star in the CHL instead. Harrison was then traded to Pittsburgh in 1981-82. He remained there for 13 games before being placed on waivers and picked up by Buffalo. There, he appeared in the final six regular games, and last playoff game of his career. After that season, he appeared in one more season with the Rochester Americans before retiring from hockey.
In his 109 game NHL career, Harrison recorded a 28-59-9 record with two shutouts, a 4.22GAA, and a 0.864% save average. In four playoff games, he recorded an 0-1 record with a 3.44GAA and a 0.889% save average.
This 1981-82 Buffalo Sabres road jersey that you are looking at was possibly donned by Harrison in that last year of his career, seeing time in up to four games, including the final one of his NHL career. It has an unrepaired hole on the left sleeve, and features minor piling and visible evidence of a nameplate switch. This Maska Superfil jersey style was used by the Sabres in late 1979-80 and into 1980-81. Possible explanations for a jersey style that was replaced with Sandow SK kit seeing use in 1981-82 include:
1) With Harrison being a waiver-wire pickup of the Sabres on February 8, 1982 and his first game played with them on the road only three days later, it is possible that an older style jersey with #30 that the team already had could have been re-used for Harrison.
2) As sometimes occurred with jerseys leaving teams in the 1980s, a Harrison nameplate could have been affixed to a team worn #30 jersey used by another goalie or player in that 1979-80 timespan (those could be Randy Ireland or Val James).
Photos would definitively prove the jersey, however, none have been found with enough detail yet.
Acquired from: Fellow collector, Joric McLean
Dates of Game Use: Exact dates unknown, but these are the only possible dates Harrison wore this.
February 11, 1982 v Philadelphia (6-4L, 12-13)
February 27, 1982 v Minnesota (5-5T, 11-11)
March 30, 1982 v Quebec (6-4W, 26-30)
April 8, 1982 v Boston (7-3, 8-9)
Photomatched: No
In his 109 game NHL career, Harrison recorded a 28-59-9 record with two shutouts, a 4.22GAA, and a 0.864% save average. In four playoff games, he recorded an 0-1 record with a 3.44GAA and a 0.889% save average.
This 1981-82 Buffalo Sabres road jersey that you are looking at was possibly donned by Harrison in that last year of his career, seeing time in up to four games, including the final one of his NHL career. It has an unrepaired hole on the left sleeve, and features minor piling and visible evidence of a nameplate switch. This Maska Superfil jersey style was used by the Sabres in late 1979-80 and into 1980-81. Possible explanations for a jersey style that was replaced with Sandow SK kit seeing use in 1981-82 include:
1) With Harrison being a waiver-wire pickup of the Sabres on February 8, 1982 and his first game played with them on the road only three days later, it is possible that an older style jersey with #30 that the team already had could have been re-used for Harrison.
2) As sometimes occurred with jerseys leaving teams in the 1980s, a Harrison nameplate could have been affixed to a team worn #30 jersey used by another goalie or player in that 1979-80 timespan (those could be Randy Ireland or Val James).
Photos would definitively prove the jersey, however, none have been found with enough detail yet.
Acquired from: Fellow collector, Joric McLean
Dates of Game Use: Exact dates unknown, but these are the only possible dates Harrison wore this.
February 11, 1982 v Philadelphia (6-4L, 12-13)
February 27, 1982 v Minnesota (5-5T, 11-11)
March 30, 1982 v Quebec (6-4W, 26-30)
April 8, 1982 v Boston (7-3, 8-9)
Photomatched: No
