Drafted in 1994, when players from Eastern Europe were still a relatively new phenomenon in the NHL, Patrik Elias proved to be worth a roll of the dice. He would end his career where it began—with the New Jersey Devils– some 23 years later as the team leader in points (1025), goals (408), assists (617), points in a single season (96) and game-winning goals (80).
On Saturday night, the popular left wing came full circle when his number 26 was retired in a ceremony before New Jersey’s 2-1 win over the New York Islanders.
“For someone growing up in Eastern Europe, in a communist country, there’s no way I could have ever dreamed of this day,” an emotional Elias told the crowd at Prudential Center. Elias joined Ken Daneyko (3), Scott Stevens (4), Scott Niedermayer (27) and Martin Brodeur (30) as the only Devils players to have their jersey numbers retired.
Now one of his late career game jerseys and all of those worn by current Devils players on Saturday are on the block through MeiGray Auctions.
The Elias gamer is a Size 56, worn during the 2015-16 season. The Devils jerseys from Saturday’s Retirement Night game were adorned with a number 26 patch affixed to the right breast. Jerseys worn by Taylor Hall, Nico Hischier and Kyle Palmieri are among 28 gamers being offered by MeiGray.
Each was authenticated by a Devils-MeiGray Group Game-Worn Jersey Authentication Program Director immediately after it was used. Each jersey has been security-tagged, serial-numbered, and registered into the NHL-MGG Population Report.
The auction continues through March 22 and MeiGrayAuctions.com.
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