Colby Armstrong was drafted 21st overall by the Penguins in the first round of the 2001 entry draft. He’d worn the C for the Red Deer Rebels, and after three years of climbing point totals in the AHL, he finally got the call to play for the Pens during the 2005-06 season.

Armstrong had a great rookie season, tallying 16 goals and 24 assists, as the lowly Penguins began building the foundation of what would become the longest post season streak in modern professional sports history. Armstrong was an elite glue guy, keeping team morale up while factoring in offensively when it mattered most. He became a fan favorite, appearing in local automotive and jewelry commercials that are sure to withstand the test of time. He notably scored the first goal in the first ever NHL Winter Classic!

In February of the 2007-08 season, Armstrong was traded in the first blockbuster deal for the new look Penguins, heading to Atlanta along with Erik Christensen and Angelo Esposito for Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis. Hossa would help the Penguins push to their first finals appearance since 1992 and Dupuis would stick with the team as a top six wing for the next 10 seasons. Armstrong went on to have an excellent tenure with the Thrashers, scoring a career high 22 goals in 2008-09. After spending one season in Europe, Armstrong retired in 2014 and is now an analyst for the Penguins, as well as a regular contributer to the popular Spittin’ Chiclets podcast.

This jersey was worn for his NHL debut and throughout his rookie season, during which he scored a career high 40 points. The Penguins were strapped for cash, so they recycled jerseys from the previous season, adding a Reebok patch over the KOHO patch, and a new look NHL shield over the old shield. This jersey was initially worn by Mike Eastwood during the 2003-04 season, and is matched to an iceTIME program cover on which he appeared. In 2005, the “Eastwood” nameplate was removed, and replaced with “Armstrong,” though you can still see some of the old threads along with snags where the old plate was. The jersey is shredded, having endured two seasons of play. Most notably, a large repair on the right arm is held together with twill from the inside. The jersey is matched to several photos and cards from the 2005-06 season.