MONTREAL - Canadian Tire is making a play for one of Canada's most valuable pieces of hockey memorabilia.
The company says it will submit an opening bid of $200,000 for Paul Henderson's 1972 Summit Series jersey.
The Team Canada sweater went up for auction last month. As of Wednesday afternoon, the highest bid was $158,678. Canadian Tire plans to submit its bid to Classic Auctions on Thursday.
Henderson wore the jersey when he scored the winning goal in the 1972 Summit Series against the former Soviet Union.
If its bid is successful, Canadian Tire says it will take the jersey on a cross-country tour through its 480-store network. The company will then loan the sweater to sports and hockey museums such as the Hockey Hall of Fame and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.
Henderson gave the jersey away as a gift to Team Canada trainer Joe Sgro, who later sold it. Years later, Henderson tried -- but failed -- to buy it back in hope of donating it to Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.
"Hockey is part of that fabric and Canada's game," Mike Arnett, president of Canadian Tire retail, said in a release. "We are Canada's hockey store. That is Canada's hockey jersey -- and we want to help bring it home for the enjoyment of all Canadians."
The sweater's owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, is a cancer survivor who plans to donate some of the proceeds of the eventual sale to charity.
Canadian Tire said it will not discuss its bidding strategy between now and the online auction's close on June 22.
