NHL TEAMS
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
1995
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When you break down Tom Chorske's game it really only goes back to one thing: Speed. He has this tremendous ability to get up to full speed in a few quick, powerful strides. His ability to carry the puck never slowed him down and he would get in very close to goal where he could use his quick hands to take a shot.
Without the puck Chorske could hit, not punishing checks, but checks that eliminated the man from the play. He would actively check on the third line where he saw a tremendous amount of time during his 11 year NHL tenure. His overall role would end up being a defensive role on teams, but he was never someone you could ease up on and was a lethal threat to score when the team was shorthanded. When people learn I collect Tom Chorske, I can almost see the question marks popping up above their head as to why I collect him and why am I am such a big fan? I do not really have one specific reason or attribute I like. His style of play is a major reason though, and I have always been a fan of players who play the defensive role along with killing penalties. Chorske was a scorer in the collegiate ranks, the minors, and on the national team, but had to reinvent himself for the NHL level which is something I liked. After years of waiting I finally met Tom Chorske on the 20th of April, 2019. I was nervous and drove three hours one way to meet him. I was not disappointed. Mr. Chorske was gracious and I showed him a handful of his game worn jerseys. Most players toss them back to you, Tom folded each one after chatting a little on each one. I chatted with me about the 1995 cup team, his heroes, and coaches. He mentioned how he loved playing under both Jacques (Lemaire & Martin, and Burns, but disliked Mike Milbury. He mentioned he loved playing with Richer, Carpenter, Smolinski, Bertuzzi, and Chara during his days of playing. Somewhere in there he finished a beer and I offered to buy him one. He said I didn't have to, but I wanted to. How cool, I bought my idol a beer and talked hockey with him. Then before I left, I asked him an odd question: Would he be my voicemail message. He grinned and we walked into the vestibule of the establishment where he recorded my voicemail. I own eleven of his game worns and this might be my favourtie thing of his. Back in 1997, Chorske once offered Bruce Gardiner some strange advice. He told him to go dunk his stick in toilet when Gardiner fell into a scoring rut. Gardiner followed Chorske's advice and netted two goals that night and would score four more in the next three games. That article can be seen HERE. CAREEER NHL STATS (1989-2000)
GP G A PTS +/- PIM PP SH GW SHOT %
596 115 122 237 -2 225 6 11 14 921 12.5 |
1987-1988 TEAM USA OLYMPIC WHITE HOME JERSEY
GAME USE & ABUSE: Chorske's left arm has light wear with a couple of pulls/snags and two stick marks. Over on the right there are five light stick marks and a snag. On the front there is little to talk about asie from four pin-head-sized marks. The back of this jersey is very clean. Very light wear overall, but not clean. I see two small pin-head size marks and that is it.
LOA/COA: None
PHOTOMATCH: No
LOA/COA: None
PHOTOMATCH: No
1989-1990 MONTREAL CANADIANS WHITE HOME SET
GAME USE & ABUSE: I count five light stick marks on the left arm including a beauty of a dark mark on the red shoulder area. The right arm features three stick marks along with a red mark from Montreal's boards. The front of the jersey does not show much wear with only minor fraying to crest evident. The back of the jersey has light wear with the majority being the minor fraying to the name and numbers. Additionally more of the red paint transfer from the Montreal boards is located on the bottom hem by CCM Logo.
LOA/COA: MeiGray
PHOTMATCH: 1x Time
LOA/COA: MeiGray
PHOTMATCH: 1x Time
1992-1993 NEW JERSEY DEVILS RED ROAD SET 1
GAME USE & ABUSE: There are nine unrepaired holes on the left arm: three up on the black of the shoulder with a board burn or two; one by the number on the arm; three in the elbow region of the arm with six board burns and three stick marks; and one lone one in the lower forearm area. The right arm features six stick marks mostly in the elbow region along with three unrepaired holes in the same vicinity. The front of the jersey surprisingly isn't littered with wear like the arms and only has a few faint stick marks. The usual fraying to the patch and primary logo are there too. Not much to see on the back. A 3-inch long stick mark on the upper white stripe located above the CCM logo and another on literally above the "C" in CCM. Additionally, you will see minor fraying to the number and nameplate of this jersey.
LOA/COA: MeiGray
PHOTOMATCH: 2x Times
LOA/COA: MeiGray
PHOTOMATCH: 2x Times
1992-1993 UTICA DEVILS WHITE HOME SET
GAME USE & ABUSE: The left arm has a six marks on it including one that is a combination board burn stick mark. Additionally there are two unrepaired holes: one by the #9 and the other on the arm hem. A nice board burn repair is on the upper red stripe. Ten marks of varying degrees of darkness on the right arm including one right above the upper red stripe that is almost a cut. The front of the jersey has 13+ marks depending on how you count them along with some nice fraying to the primary logo and some general filth above and to right of the crest. The back has three nice marks including one to the right of the number. Their is a nameplate change from Jeff CHRISTIAN to Tom CHORSKE. Air knit was used as the plate instead of the Ultrafil that is on the rest of the jersey. The custom crafted logo is also on the outside back hem as well.
LOA/COA: MeiGray
PHOTOMATCH: No
LOA/COA: MeiGray
PHOTOMATCH: No
1993-1994 NEW JERSEY DEVILS WHITE HOME PRE-SEASON SET
GAME USE & ABUSE: I count 20 marks up and down the entire left arm that also has a board burn that lost the battle with wear & tear and is now a hole located in the black of the elbow region. The right arm has six stick marks located up and down the sleeve and a beauty of a board burn that runs from the upper red stripe to the upper third of the black stripe in the elbow. There are two other board burns in that same area as well, but they are much larger. The front has eleven marks on it with most of the wear coming on the lower white section of the jersey. A nice 1' by 1' mark exists up on the right shoulder near the black of the shoulder. The back is fairly clean with some very small and faint black marks totaling three. The nameplate has fraying to it and there is evidence of a plate change (previously was worn by Jason Miller). Then we have the nameplate itself, which is very interesting. The black of the name is a glossy iron-on letter while the red is tackle-twill that has been glued on top of it. It isn't pretty close up, but from a distance you'd never know it was like that. I showed this to Barry Meisel and Stu Oxenhorn at MeiGray in person who both thought it was very interesting as well having not really seen this done before by the Devils organization.
LOA/COA: New Jersey Devils Organization COA
PHOTOMATCH: No
LOA/COA: New Jersey Devils Organization COA
PHOTOMATCH: No
1996-1997 OTTAWA SENATORS WHITE HOME SET
GAME USE & ABUSE: I see ten stick marks on the left arm which is remarkable given that most of the arm is black. The wear centers on the red stripes, numbers and the upper arm where it is white. In addition there are eight board burns that show up as glossy sections on the
lower arm. One unrepaired hole and a nice snag close by also grace the upper arm. The right arm has three stick marks visible on the number and the red stripes as well as two nice glossy board burns. The front of the jersey has seven stick marks (with one on the crest) probably more wear in the black lower stripe that you cannot see. There is fraying to the crest and the "A". A rust colored dot is up by the neck area that is probably blood. The back has very light wear with two single marks I see, one in the red stripe and one on the 2nd "C" in CCM. A board burn is also above the "M" in CCM and what looks like blood up and to the right the "E" in CHORSKE.
LOA/COA: MeiGray
PHOTOMATCH: No
lower arm. One unrepaired hole and a nice snag close by also grace the upper arm. The right arm has three stick marks visible on the number and the red stripes as well as two nice glossy board burns. The front of the jersey has seven stick marks (with one on the crest) probably more wear in the black lower stripe that you cannot see. There is fraying to the crest and the "A". A rust colored dot is up by the neck area that is probably blood. The back has very light wear with two single marks I see, one in the red stripe and one on the 2nd "C" in CCM. A board burn is also above the "M" in CCM and what looks like blood up and to the right the "E" in CHORSKE.
LOA/COA: MeiGray
PHOTOMATCH: No
1996-1997 OTTAWA SENATORS BLACK ROAD SET JERSEY
GAME USE & ABUSE: I count twelve stick marks on the left arm that I can see. These marks are all in the white stripe, red stripes and on the numbers. In addition, I see ten board burns with all but four in the elbow region or lower. The other board burns on the shoulder area. The right arm has four stick marks and a faint blood mark on the white stripe. In the lower forearm section there is a monster board burn/hole/repair that is all tied together. I also see some glossy black board burns around this area too. On the front we have about six or seven stick marks all in the white stripe with a few drops to the left and below the crest in the white. Of note is the "A" is affixed with velcro which also has a drop of blood on it. It can be removed and put back on in a second. I see four very faint stick marks on the white stripe of the jersey on the front. For the back, minor fraying to the name is also evident.
LOA/COA: None
PHOTOMATCH: 1x Time
LOA/COA: None
PHOTOMATCH: 1x Time
1998-1999 NEW YORK ISLANDERS BLUE ROAD SET
GAME USE & ABUSE:
LOA/COA: None
PHOTOMATCH: 5x Times
LOA/COA: None
PHOTOMATCH: 5x Times
1998-1999 WASHINGTON CAPITALS BLUE ROAD SET
GAME USE & ABUSE: The left arm has two stick marks on the striping and numerous board burns in the black region of the elbow that total eight. One additional board burn is to the left of the #9. The right arm is clean save for a board burn and stick mark on the blue of the elbow. Looking at the front you can only see a single light mark under the "S" in Capitals in the blue section of the jersey. It isn't very big, but that is all I can see. On the back, if you didn't know it was game-worn you would swear it was a new jersey: not a mark.
LOA/COA: None
PHOTOMATCH: 3x Times
LOA/COA: None
PHOTOMATCH: 3x Times
1998-1999 CALGARY FLAMES WHITE HOME SET
GAME USE & ABUSE: The left arm has eight stick marks which are mainly centered in the elbow region and forearm along with an unrepaired hole at the elbow. Over on the right arm we have three beautiful marks on the upper arm near the arm pit as well six others in the lower arm. This white jersey looks to be a magnet for wear in it's limited use as several faint stick marks exist on the front (probably ten total) all of which are located below the crest at various spots except for one up on the right upper corner of the chest. On the back, if you go along the black stripe on the bottom you'll see four faint stick marks to an otherwise clean back. Given the wear on the front, I'm quite happy still.
LOA/COA: Calgary Flames LOA
PHOTOMATCH: Referenced
LOA/COA: Calgary Flames LOA
PHOTOMATCH: Referenced
1999-2000 PITTSBURGH PENGUINS WHITE HOME PRESEASON SET
GAME USE & ABUSE: Two stick marks exist on the elbow area of the left arm. The right arm doubles that with one additional solid mark up by the shoulder. This heavy weight mesh that Starter used shows great wear on the front with eight stick marks of varying degrees of thickness and length all located at the crest or below except for one up by the upper right shoulder area. I cannot find a single mark on the back of this jersey.
LOA/COA: None
PHOTOMATCH: 2x Times
LOA/COA: None
PHOTOMATCH: 2x Times