Shortly after the London Knights captured the Memorial Cup, the Hockey Hall of Fame started securing artifacts from that thrilling overtime victory in Red Deer.

The hall took Christian Dvorak’s gloves, Matthew Tkachuk’s stick, Olli Juolevi’s helmet and Mitch Marner’s black No. 93 sweater.

That final item has put the Knights into a sticky situation, possibly on the verge of a messy court battle.

Back in March, at the end of the OHL’s 2015-16 regular season, the Canadian Hockey League’s auction site offered up a number of authentic London game-worn jerseys for sale, including Marner’s black threads.

The blacks are considered London’s third set of jerseys — their road and home jerseys are green and white — but the Knights wore them more than usual this past season.

By the time bidding closed May 19, Marner, the Knights star forward and Maple Leafs prize prospect, had led the OHL post-season in scoring and was named both regular-season and playoff most valuable player. He would go on to be named the Memorial Cup MVP, tournament top scorer and CHL player of the year.

Scott Galbraith, a Londoner and die-hard Knights fan, provided the winning bid and shelled out $3,510, plus tax and delivery, for an authentic black, game-worn Marner jersey.

The highway construction foreman is an avid collector of game-worn sweaters, specifically Knights attire. He received a black Marner jersey from the team, but believes the sweater he paid for is now in possession of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The Knights, aware of a CHLPA (Canadian Hockey League Players Association) Twitter campaign accusing them of memorabilia fraud in this matter, argue Galbraith was provided with exactly what he was promised in the original auction process.

“We’ve done nothing wrong,” Knights governor Trevor Whiffen, a lawyer, said. “What we were offering for sale on the CHL site were sweaters worn during the regular season. At no time did we say we were going to give him a playoff sweater, an OHL championship sweater or a Memorial Cup sweater.

“We gave him a game-worn Marner sweater. That’s what he accepted knowing the Memorial Cup sweater was in the hall of fame. We said if you’re not happy with that, we’ll refund your money.”

Whiffen claims Galbraith wants more than that and has threatened to sue the team.

The Knights offered to try to reclaim the jersey from the hall, but wanted the collector to sign a final release in a confidentiality agreement before handing it over.

“We tried to get you the sweater (from the hall),” Whiffen said. “We don’t think you’re entitled to it but let’s resolve this amicably, but you’ve got to give us a final release. We’ve tried to pacify him, but there is nothing that will make him happy unless we write a cheque and we’re not going to do that.

“They just wanted to have a fight and get their names in the paper, I guess.”

Galbraith has not yet made his next move public.

The kicker in this dispute?

Galbraith’s lawyer is Cohen Highley’s Gene Chiarello, second on the Knights all-time list of goaltending victories and a director of the hockey team’s alumni association.

“I’m not discussing this case in advance of any litigation,” he said.

The defending Memorial Cup champs don’t sound like they’re about to back down.

“I think it would be completely ill-conceived for Gene Chiarello or any other lawyer to issue a claim,” Whiffen said, “but if they do, I can defend it vigorously — and I will.”

rypyette@postmedia.com