Shipping Note: This item ships from the USA and may incur import duties. Customer is responsible for paying duties & related fees to the carrier.
The Grand Rapids Owls played in the International Hockey League at Grand Rapids Stadium Arena — now the DeltaPlex Arena & Conference Center — in Grand Rapids, Michigan, arriving partway through the 1977-78 season and lasting until 1980. In their first full season, 1978-79, the Owls reached the IHL finals, where they were beaten by the Kalamazoo Wings in seven games.
The franchise reached Michigan by a winding route. It began as the Columbus Golden Seals, then became the Columbus Owls for the 1973-74 season when its professional affiliation shifted from the Golden Seals to the Blues and its ownership changed as well. The Owls were one of the toughest teams in the IHL, leading the league in penalty minutes that first season. They made the playoffs in three of their four years in Columbus, but were mostly forced to play those games on the road or in Troy, Ohio, because the Fairgrounds was booked for other events.
For 1977-78 the club moved to Dayton's Hara Arena, taking over from the Dayton Gems, who had folded over the summer. Attendance in Dayton was no better, and after only 20 games the Owls packed up for Grand Rapids. After a poor showing in 1979-80, the Owls went out of business in 1980. Years later, the Owls would be re-born as a junior team.
This is a faithfully re-created replica of the Owls' home white jerseys from that first season in 1978-79. It matches every detail as best we can using modern jersey production methods, including the inverted colors of the logo that the Owls used on their white jerseys. All stripes and seams are stitched and the jersey dons a fully embroidered logo to capture all of that true old school hockey feel.
Note: This jersey will NOT come with a name or number across the back. We offer customization only via pre-orders that are open for limited periods of time. The link to the pre-order listing for this jersey is here, please use the red "notify" button on that page to receive a notification the next time pre-orders open.
Please review our jersey return and exchange policy prior to purchase.
SIZING INFORMATION:
Please see the jersey size chart for sizing details. Generally speaking, the jersey sizing for adults is consistent with official NHL replicas from recent years. We strongly encourage consulting the size chart provided specific to this team and comparing the measurements to jerseys you currently own. Jerseys will NOT include a fight strap.
