NHL, Adidas Unveil New Uniforms

The National Hockey League and Adidas celebrated their partnership on Tuesday by unveiling new uniforms for all 31 of its teams.

NHL and Adidas Reached a Seven-Year Partnership Deal in 2015

The NHL and the sports apparel giant also revealed a jersey for the league’s recently-established franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights.

The ceremony was held at a resort in Las Vegas, where temperatures reached a scalding 114 degrees earlier that day. The occasion marked the transition of the NHL’s uniform deal with Reebok, which had provided the league with apparel since 2005.

Now, Adidas will reserve the rights to the NHL’s uniforms for the next seven years, per an agreement the two organizations reached in 2015.

The new ADIZERO Authentic NHL jerseys are 19 percent lighter than current league jerseys, 133 percent cooler and more permeable, and much more durable. The new jerseys are 27 percent stronger in burst testing and up to 72 percent more resistant to abrasions compared to their current versions.

“Specifically created for elite performance, we’ve designed the ADIZERO Authentic NHL jerseys to deliver advanced innovation and technical design for the world’s best hockey players,” said Dan Near, Head of adidas Hockey. “We build products for the creator athlete. Our mission is to help athletes perform better and we look forward to making our on-ice debut this season with the new Lighter, Cooler, and Stronger adidas Hockey ADIZERO Authentic NHL jerseys.”

“We’re excited for the fans and players to see the innovation and performance features that adidas put into creating the new jerseys,” said Brian Jennings, NHL Chief Brand Officer & Executive Vice President. “To play at their highest levels, the game’s greatest players require the best technology and design available, and these adidas jerseys set a new benchmark for performance gear.”

“Adidas is a brand recognized worldwide for innovation and technology investment, creating constant innovation in high performance apparel,” said NHLPA Chief of Global Business Strategies, Sandra Monteiro. “The Players are excited to partner with adidas, creating a new milestone in hockey apparel, bringing edge, innovation and premium design to the game, specifically focused on their performance.”

Here is a preview of the Vegas Golden Knights’ new uniform:

Adidas has also removed Reebok’s scoop hemline from the new jerseys, given that so many fans seemed to dislike the feature. A less exaggerated shirttail has been added instead.

All jerseys now also include a dimpled fabric across the shoulders.

The NHL shield logo at the base of each team’s jersey neckline will now appear as a Chromaflex chip, not as an embroidered patch as it did before.

During the 2017-2018 season, Adidas will interact with fans through large-scale brand activation events like the NHL Combine™, the NHL Draft™, the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®, the Coors Light NHL Stadium Series™, the Stanley Cup® Playoffs and the NHL® All-Star Game.

LAS VEGAS, NV – NOVEMBER 22: Vegas Golden Knights apparel is displayed after being announced as the name for the Las Vegas NHL franchise at T-Mobile Arena on November 22, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team will begin play in the 2017-18 season. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena