On August 31st, 1995 the Penguins traded Luc Robitaille and Ulf Samuelsson for Petr Nedved and Sergei Zubov. Zubov was perhaps the most prolific offensive defenseman Pens fans had seen since the departure of Paul Coffey in 1992. Zubov’s smooth skating and passing as well as his accurate shot were an excellent fit on the high-powered 95-96 Pens, who finished first in the league in nearly every offensive category. Zubov became a fan favorite with his catchy last name and penchant for racking up points on the power play.

However, there was trouble in paradise as the Pens power play had too many cooks in the kitchen; Lemieux, Francis, and Jagr all finished the year with over 100 points, with Nedved and Sandstrom close behind. The motivation remains unclear, but soon after the season ended Zubov was dealt to Dallas for hulking defenseman Kevin Hatcher. Hatcher had an average tenure with the Pens, while Zubov went on to win a cup with the Stars in ‘99 and establish himself as a hall of famer over twelve years with the Stars. It’s commonly referred to as one of the most lopsided trades in Penguins history, and one that I remember bitterly. The Penguins would sorely lack a defenseman of Zubov’s stature until acquiring Sergei Gonchar a decade later, who ironically, surpassed Zubov as the highest scoring Russian defenseman of all time.

This jersey was the first Zubov ever wore for the Penguins, sporting #3 instead of #21 as that number had been retired following the untimely death of Michel Briere in 1971. In his first game, the Penguins trounced the Maple Leafs 8-3, and Zubov picked up his first of many goals as a Penguin off a nice assist from Jaromir Jagr. In the following game, on the road, Zubov would break a finger, sidelining him for weeks. Upon returning to play, he would immediately break a finger on his other hand, and ultimately decided that #3 wasn’t for him. When he finally returned to the lineup, he would sport #56, which he’d wear for the rest of his illustrious career.

This jersey is matched to his one and only game wearing #3 at home, and is one of the most prized jerseys in my collection.