The National Hockey League and Fanatics officially unveiled the new Fanatics Authentic Pro NHL on-ice uniforms today. The uniforms will be worn on the ice for the first time during the 2024-25 season as Fanatics takes over from Adidas, the on-ice uniform provider since 2017.
Fanatics has been designing and manufacturing performance and training apparel for NHL players, coaches, and team staff since 2018. The new on-ice uniform deal, announced last year, will be in effect for the next ten years, running through the 2033-34 season. Despite the new agreement, the on-ice NHL uniforms will still be physically manufactured at SP Apparel in Quebec, as they have been for quite some time.
“I couldn’t be prouder to unveil the first-ever Fanatics branded NHL uniforms,” said Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin in the press release. “These jerseys were meticulously crafted with input from NHL players, the NHLPA, equipment managers, teams, and the NHL. Their feedback completely drove our design, which was validated when we showed the jerseys to all 32 teams last season. The reaction was overwhelmingly positive. We’re excited to debut the jersey that will not only be worn by the best hockey players in the world but also available for fans to purchase.”
The design and development process involved collaboration with NHL players, the NHLPA, and team executives.
“NHL uniforms are considered by many to be the best in sports, and the history, tradition, and respect that go with our NHL sweaters are paramount,” said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. “Fanatics listened to our players and clubs and preserved the quality, performance, and design of our uniforms. We have a shared commitment with Fanatics to serve our players and fans, and we are proud of what Fanatics has delivered.”
The new uniforms maintain the base construction of the current jersey but do have a few subtle changes:
- An additional layer of fabric is now inside the lower sleeve to reduce wear from friction against the boards.
The most significant visible difference is the new shoulder fabric, which replaces Adidas’s debossed or dimpled pattern. - The NHL Shield on the front collar has a new special hologram finish.
- And, of course, the Adidas logo has been replaced with the Fanatics logo on the back
A new, redesigned practice jersey with new embroidered lightweight crests will also be available at retail.
Sticking to the retail side, fans will once again be able to purchase the authentic on-ice jersey for the first time in over a decade. These will be the identical versions worn by players in each game. Fans will have four options: the on-ice authentic, the high-end replica (which is equivalent to the retail authentic now), your standard lower-end replica, and the on-ice practice jersey. These will all be available for purchase starting in September 2024.
The press release explains that Fanatics and the NHLPA visited all 32 clubs, allowing players to see and try the new uniforms. The feedback was positive, with players basically happy there weren’t too many changes.
“Fanatics did a great job designing these jerseys. They feel comfortable and look breathable, which is important during games,” said Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“The Fanatics jersey looks good. I like that there is not a lot of change from the older version, and I also like the design of the new practice jersey,” added Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks.
“I think the fabric is fantastic. It feels nice and will fit really well with our gear on. It’s that type of attention to detail and quality that will hold true through the jerseys, too,” commented John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Aside from all that, we got our first real photo of the new Utah Hockey Club jersey and learned that the Boston Bruins are indeed returning to their pre-centennial season logo and uniforms. Sorry. Here are photos of 30 of the 32 NHL team Fanatics jerseys; nothing for the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks yet, who will be having new, still unreleased uniforms for next season.
After what happened earlier this year with Nike and Major League Baseball, it seems Fanatics was much more careful to keep things relatively similar to what fans were familiar with. Of course, the company has yet to radically redesign the uniform, as most manufacturers do a few years into their in-game deals, so we’ll all wait and see what changes await us over the next several years of this ten-year partnership.
