The Authentic Story of the Nagano pucks
The “Nagano“ is probably the greatest moment in Czech hockey history for Czech fans, and every authentic item from the Japanese Olympics enjoys huge interest. For example, official programs and occasionally some tickets for Czech games can be found on various auction servers, but those interested in buying original game pucks are unlucky: those opportunities basically don’t exist.
In addition, information on what such an official game puck looks like varies. The Czech company Gufex, which has been supplying pucks for various events from domestic competitions to the World Championships in the last decades, has also partially contributed to this confusion. In a number of articles in the Czech media, you will find that "pucks from Kateřinice near Vsetín were also used at the famous tournament in Nagano," but the reality is different.
Gufex actually delivered several variants of pucks to Nagano. Two of them with the "Mizuno" logo on the back. It was a classic golden puck and the puck with a colored logo on a large white background. The golden puck had "Mizuno" in gold on the back side, and the colored one had “Mizuno“ in white there. These pucks could be bought, for example, directly in the Big Hat hall, they were not available in the smaller Aqua Wing hall. But what you could buy there were not game pucks - even though the design was exactly the same. The colored puck on a white background also had other variants of the back side, such as the logo of the Japanese Federation, but we are already getting into another category. According to the Czech national team coach Slavomír Lener, pucks with a gold print from the Gufex company were used as pucks for practice.
The games played under the five circles were actually held with pucks made by the Slovak manufacturer Vegum. The difference compared to Gufex pucks is clear in two details: the game pucks had "Vegum" and "Made in Slovakia" on their sides. And the golden color of the print is also duller than that of the pucks from Gufex. According to the experience from the games, the gold print was also relatively easy to rub off the game pucks.
Vegum also supplied several variants of pucks to Nagano - in addition to official game pucks, there were also pucks with a matte silver print and sponsor "Mizuno" on the back side. These pucks could be bought in limited quantities in shops and they were also used as gifts to members of various delegations. The "Mizuno" logo is larger on this design than on the official game puck.
There are several demonstrably used pucks from Nagano in the Czech Republic. Slavomír Lener, the then coach of the national team, has two of them. One from the semifinals against Canada, one from the finals against Russia. Both of them are additionally marked with a gold marker identifying which game it was from (see video). But where the last game puck from the finals is not clear. "I do not know. There was no time at all to see who picked up the puck - whether any of the players, the referee or if it remained lying somewhere in the corner, I really do not know, "said Slavomír Lener. "I didn't even go to the Olympics with the idea that I would like to keep any pucks. Keeping the two pucks from the semifinals and the finals was a bit of a coincidence, for which I am very happy. They are beautiful souvenirs reminding me of a beautiful experience", says the former national team coach.
Another puck from the final game was bought from the former staff member of the Russian team. This puck is significantly better preserved and bears the signature of Domink Hašek on the back. The size of the "Mizuno" logo, as with Slavomír Lener's puck, is clearly visible, although even this logo is not 100% preserved.
Game pucks from the final tournament in Nagano are therefore a very scarce commodity and their price is in the hundreds of USD - even in the case of an unused puck. Other pucks with the "Mizuno" logo on the back are also of interesting collector's value, ie those that were demonstrably delivered by Vegum and Gufex directly to Nagano. There are also a number of more or less less successful replicas and reprints on the market, their collector's value is usually not dizzying.
Photo gallery:
Pucks brought from Nagano by the Czech national team coach Slavomír Lener. Above are two original game pucks from the semifinals and finals, below are the practice puck (gold) and the souvenir edition.
Game used pucks by Slavomír Lener from Nagano. Left semifinals (Czechia vs. Canada), right finals (Czechia vs. Russia).
Game used pucks by Slavomír Lener from Nagano. Left semifinals (Czechia vs. Canada), right finals (Czechia vs. Russia).
Game used pucks by Slavomír Lener from Nagano with a clear designation of the manufacturer.
Czech team coach Slavomír Lener with original game pucks from the Olympic tournament in Nagano (source: blesk.cz)
The original game used puck from the 1998 Nagano Olympic Games.
The original game used puck from the 1998 Nagano Olympic Games.
Dominik Hašek with the original puck used at the Nagano 1998 Olympics.
Authentic VIP Edition puck from Vegum with a silver print and a larger Mizuno logo, a gift for members of delegations.
Authentic VIP Edition puck from Vegum with a silver print and a larger Mizuno logo, a gift for members of delegations.
Authentic VIP Edition puck from Vegum with a silver print and a larger Mizuno logo, a gift for members of delegations.
Authentic VIP Edition puck from Vegum with a silver print and a larger Mizuno logo, a gift for members of delegations, in a gift box.
