The Prince George Cougars are honouring those who have helped pave the way for hockey players with their Indigenous Weekend jerseys for 2026.
The Western Hockey League team unveiled the jerseys on their social media channels earlier this month, and they’ll wear them for a pair of games against the Kelowna Rockets at the CN Centre in Prince George on Friday, February 6, and Saturday, February 7.
The jerseys are designed by Michael Antoine, a Carrier First Nations artist from the Saik’uz Territory. His artwork is displayed in numerous venues in and around Prince George, including the Northern Health Virtual Clinic downtown, and he hosts workshops and educational sessions around the area.
The jersey Antoine designed is predominantly black, with the embroidered crest on the front depicting an Indigenous-style cougar and four paws inside a red circle. The cougar represents the team and the players, according to the team’s social media, while the paws “honour those whom guided the players to their hockey goals”: parents and families; managers; coaches; and fans.
The waist and the sleeve cuffs have a red stripe above a gold panel, and inside that panel is a pattern of eagle feathers that represent “bravery, power and resilience.” Each shoulder features a dreamcatcher with a cougar paw inside that “symbolizes oneness as a team and offers protection over the players.” Another larger cougar paw sits on each forearm, inside of which is “the watchful eye of the Creator, offering further protection.”
Graphics released by the Cougars in conjunction with the announcement didn’t show names or numbers on the back or sleeves. They also didn’t show socks or any other equipment the jerseys would be paired with.
Replica jerseys and hoodies with the crest on the front and the paw with the eye in the middle are already available to purchase through the Cougars’ team store at the CN Centre and through their online shop.
