Ebay Jersey of the Week - 1996 Austria Nike Jersey

From time to time we find a jersey that really catches our attention because we know just how long it took us to get one like it for our collection and can't believe that someone hasn't jumped on the "Buy it Now" option or bid it up to a higher price yet.

This week's Third String Goalie Ebay Jersey of the Week is a 1996 Nike Austria National Team jersey. This style was worn during the 1996 IIHF World Ice Hockey Championships in a tournament hosted by the Austrians in Vienna.

This particular one looks to be in really good shape, especially for a jersey now 17 years old, and is blank on the back so you still have the option of adding a name and number on the back. It's also a listed as a size XL, which is a big plus, as auctions for older ones are seem to always be for a size small or medium, and also because older ones run smaller than current ones.

This particular style jersey does have a screened on crest, which is the way Nike made them back then. It's priced at $50 in a Buy it Now format, which is a good price for something this old.

Here is a link to the road version of this jersey in action at the 1996 World Championships, as worn by team captain Manfred Mühr as he wildly celebrates a goal for Austria. While you are watching as the video continues, be sure to take note of one Teemu Selanne wearing #88!

Since we like to add C's or A's to our jerseys, Mühr seems to be a great choice for customizing this jersey, as he wore the "C" and was a player of note for Austria, having played in the World Championships six times and the Olympics twice - 1988 and 1994.

Another options for customizing this jersey would be goaltender Reinhard Divis, who played 28 games for the St. Louis Blues between 2001 and 2006, Herbert Hohenberger or Dieter Kalt, both long-time veterans of the Austrian National Team.

In summary, if we didn't have a 1997 Austria jersey in our collection already, we'd be thrilled to acquire this rare 1996 one. We like the fact it's blank and an XL and know it's not and easily found style in this size, let alone this condition. Additionally, this seller has 383 positive feedbacks in the last year for a 100% rating and we have bought from this seller before and feel very comfortable pointing you in his direction.