Alex Ovechkin's first NHL jersey fetches handsome price at auction

One of two jerseys Alex Ovechkin wore in his first NHL game continued a strong summer for hockey collectibles.

The jersey worn by Washington Capitals superstar Alexander Ovechkin in his first NHL game sold for $14,340 at auction on Thursday.

Ovechkin wore the sweater during pre-game warmups and in the first period of his NHL debut against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct 5, 2006. This jersey is differentiated from the one he wore later in the contest by a Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund patch on the shirt’s front.

Ovie scored a pair of goals in the game, but not in this jersey. He tallied his first career marker in the second period, beating Pascal LeClaire with a one-timer from the high slot.

The jersey had previously sold for $7,929 when it first was offered by the NHL in 2005.

The record for a game-worn hockey jersey was set in 2012 when Paul Henderson's Team Canada sweater from the 1972 Summit Series was auctioned for $1.2 million.

It's been a strong summer for hockey collectibles. Earlier this month, a Wayne Gretzky rookie card was auctioned for a record-setting $465,000.