All-Star Update
The 2009 NHL All-Star Weekend in Montreal is just days away. In preparation for that, the NHL has announced a new wardrobe for the zebras for the special game. You can read more at NHL.com. Apparently, the new referee/linesman jerseys will feature technologically advanced fabric. Because that went over so well the last time.
Unfortunately, I've yet to come across any photos, but should any turn up, you have my email address.
While we're on the subject of all-star jerseys, a photo gallery has been assembled at NHL.com giving us an historic look back. Check it out. What I find odd about it is that it features uncredited graphics direct from NHLUniforms.com — one of my favorite sites.
Still, it's nice to see all those past sweaters. My favorite is still 2004. What's yours?
Chris
Thanks to the dozen or so of you who sent emails in today. I finally just had a chance to update this post. The NHL released mock-ups of the officials' new jerseys. Check them out.
Very interesting. Sort of looks like orange hockey sticks running upside down along the refs' sleeves. But strictly from a design standpoint, I'm a fan. What do you guys think of them?
Reader Comments (32)
are the pants this year really that powder blue?
I would guess that they don't know what color the pants and socks are going to be. Also, I secretly hope that the official show up dressed like characters from Tron.
I have to agree with you Chris; 04 had the sharpest jerseys by far. Loved the green western jerseys and the cream eastern ones, and I even own one of the west ones. The NHL should've gone the old-time route again this year being the centenial celebration in Montreal and all, but hey, what do I know?
i quite like the 04 games jersey, but for some reason there's something about the 97-98 jersey that i like more. that's outside the fact that it was the failed idea of "america vs the world"
and it's truly not cause i'm biased and a montreal fan, but this years jerseys are definitly growing on me. i like the non-symmetrical look of them
nice little compilation though.
The light blue is NHLUniform's generic placeholder color. The background color for the jerseys on that site is a slightly darker shade of blue, so the powder is meant to be transparent, I believe: http://nhluniforms.com/2000s/0809.html
04's still are very much the best. That's pretty bad that they don't credit NHL Uniforms. It's an awesome site.
I'm probably alone in this, but I thought the teal and purple ones from the late 90's were pretty sweet. Blue vs. Red like every single league does gets a little tiring after a while. The 2001 ones were pretty sweet, though, too (Navy vs. Red with the goalies in white).
the 04 jerseys were really sharp. my favs are the 75-76 and 92-93. the classic shield and colors looked really sweet.
I agree with Alex, I loved the Teal and Purple, especially the ones from '97. Those were tight, and yeah, red vs. blue does get boring after awhile. Either The '97 Teal/Purple set, the early '90s White vs. Black set, or the '04 Green and Cream. The Green Wests that year were sharp
Alex Gerwitz, the goalies really wore white!!!!!! That's crazy, cool but stupid at the same time. I like the Mid 50's jerseys, with the NHL logo and stars over it. It would be cool to go Stanley Cup Champion verse NHL all-stars one year, except for the point that it would be held in June! I also like the all-stars verse soviet game, but the only problems are 1) best international team is canada and 2) the stars in every country play in the NHL. Those montreal jerseys are OK except for the years that the all-star game was in montreal on the arm. most idiotic thing ever. Also, the all star game should be a best of three series, each in different cities.
Easily the 1999-2000 jerseys are the best. I always liked the North America vs. World concept and I think that they should go back to that. East vs. West is so overdone. It's used in almost every single league ever. North America vs. World was unique and the 1999-2000 were the best jerseys from those games and in All Star Game history.
The 1992-1993 and 1998-1999 weren't bad either.
I like the 1999-2000 ones best.
My favorite are the 2001 jerseys. It is a very basic design but i think it works great.
So now they're cutting down the weight of the names and numbers? What are they doing, screen-printing them? How long until jersey crests are done that way too? This NHL/RBK marriage really seems to be trying to suck every bit of tradition out of the uniforms.
04 and 01 were my faves.
They were different but not weird like this years.
I like when they use colors that aren't the norm like the marron ones that showed up in 97 and 02.
I wouldn't mind the NHL going the MLB route for jerseys (even if the MLB doest actually wear the jerseys during the game). The host teams colors and fonts create the base for the all star jerseys. Obviously that would keep the red white and blue design for this year but it would change for future games...
Hey should use the home and away jerseys of players teams. but maybe thats a little too much. but maybe make the jersey. but on the front put the Logo of the players team on it. or a Jersey Coloured version of it. like waht they did with the Girls pink jerseys.
Ugh, they have pics of the ref jerseys up now. They look HORRIBLE.
Maybe I was just expecting them to be awful, or maybe Kyle15 hyped them up too much, but, the ref's new uniforms aren't dreadful...
I guess I have low expectations...
Wow, I like the referee and linesman jerseys, they match better with the rbk edge jerseys and are more modern looking. They're fine with me, after all we watch games to see the players not the refs.
Jason, some teams did in fact used to screen print numbers. However, if they do anything different it'll be sublimation, which is what Euro teams use. Basically you take a plain white jersey and a process dyes everything instantly- logo, numbers, stripes, ads, whatnot. I don't see them going to it anytime soon though, but it could happen.
those referee jerseys are...certainly different! i wouldnt like them full time in regular season games but its cool for the all-star game. good time and place to show off something different and unique. imagine if those jerseys were for a team instead of officials! that number and collar style would be crazy! and socks to match that yet....woah!
Interesting tidbit on this ModSquad Hockey thread- some teams are already sublimating their names and numbers.
http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=44588&st=15
Specifically, Nashville. They even sublimate stitching and twill effects, but if you look at game photos the numbers and logo don't stiffen the jersey at all, like normal numbers would.
I guess it's not as bad as I thought it would be, and it's much less noticeable then I thought it would be.
The linesman's jersey looks exactly like an NFL ref's jersey.
lets be honest, there's only so much you can do with a ref's jersey... with that said, i think they're quite nice for a change. not sure if it's really worth messing much time or money on them, but all in all nicely done.
to those who were wondering at nhluniforms.com, Those powder blue pants are supposed to mean transparent. I remember when the teams were revealing 3rd jerseys, those who weren't out yet had those powder blue colors.
Btw, I really like those referees uniforms. Amazing. I hope this will last and take over the actual ones.
The new refs jerseys look like the NFLs I guess another way the NHL can become more american.
Hi Chris! Funny you should mention the 2004 set... I'm wearing my Rick Nash authentic Western Conference as I type this. It's probably my # 2 choice, behind only the Purple/Black and Teal/White of the mid-90's, especially when they started adding the team's logo on the shoulders. The colours for those, as far as I can tell, came from the colour scheme of the Madison Square Gardens seats (as that's where they were first worn in the 1994 AS Game). First time (and probably last) that will happen! Great font, too. I'm also partial to the black and orange style used just before that, too. New ones... I liked the West one last year. Not sure what to make of this years till I see it in action, but I do like the font, and the idea of using the host team's colours!
Kind of ticked at the Leafs for doing this: I'm just working on finishing a heritage style sweater of the Ace Bailey Leafs jersey (even found a felt Leaf for the upper right corner just the right size), and thinking that no one will have done this, and now here they are wearing them (in pre-game, and in modern style, mind you).
http://www.nhl.com/ice/gallerylanding.htm?id=7059 and check picture # 1.
I just wish I could make a version of the opposing team's sweaters... they look the same, except white with orange and black stripes, with NHL across the chest instead of ACE. It's making the sweater that's the hard part; the cresting is easy. I need to find someone who can work a knitting machine...
P.S. - I like the design of the official's jerseys, but again, let's see them in action.
P.P.S. - I really hate the idea of sublimating the cresting. Looks cheap and tacky. See the front crest of the 2007 AS jerseys for how it looks... which is, well, cheap and tacky.
I think it'd be awesome to see them all have their own team's home jerseys, and away jerseys for the opposing sides. Or if they don't wanna go that far, let the players have their normal gear.
last nights jerseys just became my new favorites.
i quite liked the way it was a non-symmetrical design, the colors went nicely together, the design worked very well for the purpose. the only thing i'd change is the stars on the sleeves that had the years of the all-star games from the past.
all in all, those wound up being great jersey's in my opinion.
Watching the all-star game las night, i must say that those refs jerseys are good. I personally did not like the bizarre look of the player jeseys, but i could at least admire the idea. The one thing about the uniforms that i really detested with a passion were those bright white gloves that they gave the west. Those were BAD!
the thing i like about the new refs jerseys is the collar