Hockey great Phil Esposito is putting his personal collection of memorabilia on the auction block.
The Hall of Famer has consigned dozens of pieces including game used equipment, awards, rings, autographs, artwork and even a 39-year-old leg cast from a much talked about injury he suffered during the playoffs.
Legendary Auctions will feature the Esposito collection in its November sale lineup that will include a major offering of significant hockey memorabilia.
Personally assembled with meticulous care and attention to detail and history, Esposito’s collection is expansive spanning from the hockey icon’s childhood year through his franchise ownership. While diverse, the collection is fittingly deep with items form Esposito’s 1969-74 glory years with the Boston Bruins, the 1972 Summit Series World Championship, and his 1975-81 record setting years with the New York Rangers.
Never one to mince words, Esposito is straightforward about why he is selling his collection. “I had a great time in life, a fabulous career,” said Esposito. “Through the years, I collected items that meant something to me personally. They represent pieces of me and I want to leave that legacy in good hands. I wanted to be the person who decided what happened to my collection.”
Highlights include:
— 1969/70 Boston Bruins Stanley Cup Award – Esposito’s First Stanley Cup
— 1972 Team Canada “Team of the Century” Award and Ring
— 1973 Signed Leg Cast from Playoff Injury
— 1973/74 Lester B. Pearson Trophy won with the Boston Bruins
— 1977 LeRoy Neiman Original Sketch Portrait
— Historic 1979/80 Signed and Inscribed 700th Goal Game Used Stick
— 1980/81 Signed and Inscribed Final Game Used Stick With the New York Rangers
— 1980/81 Final Game Used Gloves and Skates with the New York Rangers
— 1984 Hall of Fame Induction Plaque and Ring
— 1992/93 Tampa Bay Lightning Inaugural Season Ring – 1 of 3 Made
— Original 6-Foot Boston Garden Retired Number Banner
Esposito is well-known as tough-as-nails scoring machine who played with passion for 18 NHL seasons (1964-1981). At the peak of his career, Esposito helped the Boston Bruins to two Stanley Cup championships.
He shattered existing single-season records with an unprecedented 76 goals, 152 points and 550 shots on goal. He also captured five Art Ross Trophies, two Hart Memorial Trophies and tallied a series-high 13 points for Team Canada in their epic 1972 Summit Series victory over the Soviet Union.
Esposito’s collection will play out at auction in the company of other storied hockey legends. The November sale will also showcase elite collectibles relating to Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky, including:
— Historic 1970 Bobby Orr Stanley Cup-Winning Puck – “The Goal”
— Bobby Orr 1975/76 Boston Bruins Signed Game Used Home Jersey – Final Boston Season
— Wayne Gretzky Early-to-Mid-1980s Edmonton Oilers Game Used Helmet
— Wayne Gretzky 1990s L.A. Kings Signed Game Used Jersey
“We are thrilled with the privilege of bringing Phil Esposito’s items to the public,” said Jeffrey Marren, VP Operations at Legendary Auctions. “The collection contains the type of memorabilia that our collectors crave – fresh, significant and unquestionably authentic. Really what this sale amounts to is yet another historic event in Phil’s amazing career and an incredible opportunity for collectors to be part of it.”
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