1999-2000 Pro Player
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Jerseys |
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Manufacturer: Pro Player
Material: Airknit Away (Red): Bob Probert Size 52 Home (White): Doug Gilmour Size 52 Alternate (Black): Alexei Zhamnov Blank Size 54 |
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Jersey History |
Nike's contract was up at the end of the 1998-99 season and Pro Player took over the contract for about half the teams for a single season, including the Hawks. The rest would get scooped up by CCM. The jerseys still included reinforced elbows and a tie down fight strap. These jersey were also made of Airknit material but were much heavier and sturdier than previous models. As the world welcomed in a new millennia, the NHL would update is logo from orange to silver. The shield remained embroidered on the back bottom hem, but the Nike logo was replaced by the Pro Player logo.
Home and Away
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Third
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The tagging on each jersey had a numerical size tag, retail tag, and a material tag on the inside hip. No Center Ice Authentic tag would be used but this would be the last year it was used on the CCM jerseys.
Neck Tags
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Hip Tags
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Authentics and replicas were sold at retail while game worn jerseys were sold at HawkQuarters. There was another change this year, as the main crest was altered slightly in design with the tan border disappearing and a the head would face forward. The third jerseys would stick around this season and the shoulder patches would remain the same on all jerseys. The Hawks would wear their alternate jerseys only 13 times this season.
Logo Differences
With the start of the year 2000, every NHL team wore a special patch to commemorate the new millennia.
Home and Away
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Alternate
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Team History |
1999-2000: A new millennia, a new team. Atlanta would welcome the return of an NHL franchise with the Atlanta Thrashers. Trying to change overtime hockey to something more competitive, the NHL including an overtime loss (OTL) to the standings. Also, it would be 4v4 in overtime. Wayne Gretzky's number would also be retired league wide on February 6th, 2000. More drama as the Hawks continue to sink as a franchise, captain and future Hall of Famer Chris Chelios asks to be traded. The front office complies and hes traded to the Red Wings for Anders Eriksson and two first round picks. Gilmour would step up and take over captaincy for the season. Lorne Molleken, having a tough time, is demoted to assistant coach with general manager Bob Pulford taking over the head coach position. Pulford would mainly act as a senior consultant as Molleken would be behind the bench still. The Hawks finished the season 3rd in the Central Division, 11th in the Western Conference, and ended the season with a record of 33-37-10-2 (W-L-T-OTL). Amonte would lead scoring, for a while, this year with 84pts followed by Steve Sullivan (64pts), Zhamnov (60pts), and Gilmour (56pts). The Hawks would miss the post season for a third season in a row. The Devils and Stars would face off in the Stanley Cup Final this year as the Devils go on to defeat the defending champs in 6 games.
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Player History |
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Robert "Bob" Probert: Bob Probert is one of the greatest enforcers to play the game. Though, unlike some other enforcers, he could also put up points. Born in Windsor, ON, Probert would be drafted 46th overall in 1983 by the Detroit Red Wings. He would spend some time in the OHL and AHL before fully joining the Wings. Stats wise he had his best years with the Wings with the 1987-88 season being the pinnacle where he scored 29 goals, 62 points, and racked up 398 PIMs! Probert unfortunately had some addiction issues. In 1989 he was arrested at the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel for cocaine possession. After a three month federal prison stay and house arrest, he would appeal to stay in the US after getting orders to be deported to Canada. The appeal stuck so that he could continue to play with the Wings but could not travel with the team to Canada, as he would not be allowed to return to the US if he did, until 1992. Two years later, Probert would again be in trouble with the law after crashing his motorcycle with police stating his blood alcohol was three times over the limit and traces of cocaine were found. Not wanting to deal with him anymore, the Wings would not re-sign him and he would sign with the Blackhawks in 1995 as he was suspended from the league, for the crash, during the 1994-95 season. He would spend the rest of his career with the Hawks. While not performing points wise, he would maintain his physical play being a force not to be reckoned with. He would officially retire in 2003.
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With his scoring and fighting ability, Probert would have a long career in the NHL. He would play over 15 season and 935 games scoring 163 goals, 384 points, and racking up 3300 PIMs. He currently sits 5th in all time PIMs in the NHL. Being an enforcer, Probert was expected to fight other enforcers and protect his team. He would develop rivalries with players such as Wendel Clark, Tie Domi, and Stu Grimson. Probert and Red Wings teammate Joey Kocur would be nicknamed the Bruise Brothers as both enforcers would handle the brunt of the physical altercations. Probert would only have two season where he did not break the 100+ PIMs mark and would record over 300 PIMs in three seasons. During his career best year, Probert would actually be named to the 1988 All Star Game. He still holds the Red Wings franchise record for career penalty minutes (2090) and penalty minutes in a single season (398).
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Unfortunately, Probert continued to struggle with drugs and alcohol. Post "unofficial" retirement he would try to join the Blackhawks radio team which only lasted a short while as he would check himself into rehab and officially announce his retirement. He was arrested again in 2004 for an altercation with bystander over drugs, again in July 2005 for resisting arrest and assaulting an officer, and again in August of 2005 for breaking his bail conditions by consuming alcohol. Eventually his habits would catch up with him and he would end up dying of a heart attack in 2010. Before he passed, Probert had been working on a memoir which wasn't fully finished before he passed. His widow would finish his story and "Tough Guy: My Life on the Edge" would be published in October of 2010.
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Doug Gilmour: Doug Gilmour had a very interesting career. 20 seasons and 7 NHL teams and he had a significant impact on each team. Born in Kingston, ON, Gilmour would play in the QMJHL and OHL before being drafted 134th overall by the St. Louis Blues in 1982. Because of his small size, the Blues wouldn't officially sign him until 1983 but he would solidify his spot on the roster and remain with the team for 5 seasons. Here he would gain the nickname "Killer" as his teammates said he had a resemblance to serial killer Charles Manson and had a mean playing style. Gilmour would be traded to the Calgary Flames after a sexual assault lawsuit came about which the jury would not indict him. Gilmour would have great success here winning the Stanley Cup in 1989 and even scoring the game winning goal! His stay with Calgary was short as he could not agree on a contract price with the team and the largest trade in the NHL, a 10 player deal, would include Gilmour going to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Gilmour would spend the most time with the Leafs and help revitalize the franchise. He would later become the 15th Leafs captain after the departure of Wendel Clark. Well as the Leafs started to decline again he would be traded to the New Jersey Devils where he spent a couple seasons before signing with the Blackhawks to help revitalize their franchise. He would even be named captain after Chris Chelios would leave. With a failing Hawks franchise he would again be traded this time to the Buffalo Sabres where he spent another season until signing with the Montreal Canadiens in free agency. During his second season with the team he would be traded back to the Leafs where he would tear his ACL in the first game back and officially retire in 2003. He would play in Switzerland for the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers during the 1994-95 lockout.
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20 seasons and 1474 games in the NHL is crazy! Not to mention that he also had 450 goals and 1414 points during this time. He would exceed the 100 point mark three times, once with the Blues and twice with the Leafs. The fact that he was captain of two original six franchises for a seventh round draft pick should be award in itself, but despite winning the Stanley Cup he would only win one Selke trophy and play in only two All Star Games in 1993 and 1994. With his mean play style he would record 100+ PIMs in three seasons and gather 1301 PIMs during his career. He still holds Leafs franchise records of most assists in a season (95), most points in a season (127), and most assists in a single game (6). Besides scoring the Stanley Cup clinching goal, Gilmour would have great success in the post season playing in 182 games, scoring 60 goals and 188 points, and racking up 235 PIMs. In 2009, the Leafs would retire his number "93" and in 2011 he would be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He currently sits at #19 for all time NHL point leaders.
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Gilmour did represent Canada in international play. He would play in the 1981 IIHF World Junior Championship, he would win gold in the 1987 Canada Cup, and would play in the 1990 IIHF World Championship. After his career, Gilmour would try his hand at coaching being an assistant coach for the AHL Toronto Marlies. He would leave this position shortly to become head coach of the OHL Kingston Frontenacs. After three seasons he would eventually take over as general manager where he would stay before stepping down in 2017. He's currently a community representative for the Maple Leafs.
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Alexei Zhamnov: Alexei Zhamnov always got the short end of the stick with Chicago. Besides the decline in his later years, Zhamnov was nothing but consistent. Born in Moscow during the Soviet Union, Zhamnov would play for Dynamo Moscow until the USSR dissolved and he could go overseas to play with the Winnipeg Jets who drafted him 77th overall in 1990. He joined the Jets for the 1992-93 season where he would have a great rookie season scoring 72 points in 68 games. He would play for the Jets until they were relocated to Phoenix where he was traded with Craig Mills and a first round pick for Jeremy Roenick. Zhamnov would keep up with his consistent point streak, but the fact he was Russian and was traded for fan favorite Roenick, an American, would leave a bad taste in Chicago fans' mouths. Still he would make an impact in Chicago and eventually take over captaincy once Tony Amonte departed. Before his contract expired, Zhamnov would be traded to the Philadelphia Flyers for Jim Vandermeer, Colin Fraser, and a 2nd round pick. He would only play a half season with the Flyers before heading back to Russia to play for Vityaz Chekhov during the 2004-05 lockout. He would return and sign a large deal with the Bruins but his time would be cut short as he suffered a fractured ankle which would end his career. He would retire in 2006.
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Like I said consistency was his middle name. Zhamnov would score 20+ goals in the first 8 seasons of his career. He would play 13 total years in the NHL with 807 games played. During this time he would also score 249 goals and 719 points. Unfortunately he would not see the post season often only playing in 35 games. Zhamnov would be selected to the 2nd All Star Team in 1994-95 and would participate in the 2001-02 All Star Game. Zhamnov would play for the Soviet Union and eventually Russia internationally and be very successful here. He would take silver during the 1990 IIHF World Junior Championship. He would win bronze in the 1991 IIHF World Championship and participate in the 1992 and 2000 IIHF World Championship. He would play in the 1991 Canada Cup and 1996 World Cup of Hockey. He would win gold at the 1992 Olympics with the Unified Team, silver during the 1998 Olympics, and bronze during the 2002 Olympics.
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After his NHL career, Zhamnov would head back to Russia to become the general manager for Vityaz Chekhov. He would later become the general manager for Atlant Moscow Oblast and is currently the head coach for HC Spartak Moscow. He would also assist with coaching the Russian national teams and would be named the head coach in 2021.