COLLECTING SHORESY
Yeah so, the hit streaming series is shining a spotlight on the cards and collectibles of its real life hockey stars.
IT’S HILARIOUS. IT’S PROFANE. AND – WITH APOLOGIES TO “SLAP SHOT” – IT MAY BE THE BEST REPRESENTATION OF HOCKEY CULTURE EVER CAPTURED ON FILM.
“Shoresy,” the six-episode spin-off of the equally brilliant “Letterkenny,” is the story of a hockey lifer struggling to revive the flagging fortunes of his senior AAA hockey team. When the club’s general manager threatens to fold the franchise aer the 20th loss of the campaign, Shoresy vows that they’ll never lose again. With the addition of four “Grade-A Canadian studs” and three tough Natives (“tough Native is redundant”), the Sudbury Blueberry Bulldogs set out to win back their fans with “run ‘em up, fill ‘em in” hockey.
e series, which airs on Crave in Canada and Hulu in the United States, has earned critical raves and has showcased the sport in a way that appeals to hockey die-hards as well as newbies to the game. For that, credit the cast of beauties, led by series star and creator Jared Keeso, who realistically bring the Bulldogs to life. Keeso, a former Junior B player who previously portrayed Don Cherry in a pair of bio-pics, surrounded himself with legit hockey talent for the show including three former NHLers and two legendary minor-league tough guys.
e best known of the group is Terry Ryan, who plays Newfoundlander Ted Hitchcock. Ryan was selected eighth overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 1995 aer an outstanding junior career that saw him score 50 goals and 110 points with 207 penalty minutes in his dra year. ough he never lived up to his potential with the Habs, his years in the game – including 12 seasons of senior AAA hockey – inspired his 2014 autobiography,“Tales of a First Round Nothing,” as well as a popular hockey podcast, “Tales With TR.” at media presence already had given his cards some legs beyond expectations.
“I’d had customers ask about (Ryan) now and then in the past couple of years, probably because of his book,” said dealer Rick Farrell. “He’s built that connection (aer his playing days). He seems like a real regular guy … a guy you’d want to hang out with. Some people respond to personality the way others do to an All-Star season, like with (former player-turned-broadcaster Paul Bissonnette). It’s as good a reason to collect as any.”
But the interest has built noticeably over the past few weeks. “People ask for his cards now and they start talking about the show,” he added. “It’s making an impression.”
One of the most compelling aspects of the series is the way it portrays First Nations characters. When Shoresy announces the team needs some toughness, the GM brings in three Ojibwe corrections officers named Jim.
Brothers Jordan and Brandon Nolan both spent time in the NHL. Jordan, a 2009 dra pick of the Kings, was part of two Stanley Cup runs in Los Angeles and another with St. Louis. He racked up 24 goals and 375 games in the Show before retiring at the end of the 2020-21 season. Brandon, New Jersey’s fourth-rounder in 2003, spent time in the minors and Sweden before finally making his NHL debut with Carolina in 2007-08. Meanwhile, the third Jim, Jon Mirasty, became a legend battling his way through nine leagues, including the KHL. He tallied more than 2,600 penalty minutes over 463 pro games, and might best be known as a member of the 2004-05 Danbury Trashers, the United Hockey League club made famous by a 2020 Netflix documentary. In just 25 games with the Trashers, Mirasty rang up a whopping 202 penalty minutes. £eir portrayals have resonated loudly with the Indigenous community. “It’s awesome to see because the Nolans and Mirasty don’t have the biggest names in the NHL circles but, in First Nations communities, they are all very revered and looked up to by many people,” says Naim Cardinal, the curator of the hobby’s largest collection of Indigenous players.“Not many people outside of the AHL and KHL scene know who Jon ‘Nasty’ Mirasty