Monday, February 16, 2015

Jeremy Colliton Autographed Card

Jeremy Colliton was a New York Islanders second-round pick in 2003 who eventually became an almost-point-per-game player in the AHL but couldn't produce nearly as much with the Isles, combining for 3 goals, 3 assist and 6 points in 57 games, with a high of 2-1-3 in 15 games in 2011-12.

In the AHL, he usually played on the penalty kill, and I really thought he would turn into a potable third-line pivot for the Islanders. He reminded me of Radek Bonk: decent speed and size, hard to get off the puck, with enough abilities that you think he'll produce more but good enough defensively that you feel bad complaining if he doesn't.

Eventually, the prized Hockey Canada alumnus who won gold (2005) and silver (2004) medals with Team Canada at the World Juniors and gold (2003) at the U-18s decided Europe held better career prospects for him and he went for a second stint in the Swedish League last year, only to suffer what became a career-ending concussion; however, he did return to his team, Mora IK, post-injury, in a coaching capacity, first as interim coach, then taking on the job full-time.

During the 2012-13 lock-out, he won the Allan Cup (Canadian Senior-League's Stanley Cup) with the Bentley Generals, an Albertan team near his hometown of Blackie (a Calgary suburb).

I met him after a game, either in the 2007-08 or 2008-09 season against the Albany River Rats on a trip to watch AHL games. I got him to sign this 2006-07 Heroes And Prospects card (#67 in the set, part of the Prospect sub-set) by In The Game - showing him in the Bridgeport Sound Tigers' white (home) uniform - in blue sharpie with his jersey number (23) tagged at the end:
The sharpie meshes well with the blue on his uniform.

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