NHL’s new unis? Among Sharks, uniform disapproval
It has been awhile since the NHL did something really dumb. But don’t worry, the folks in the league office haven’t been laughing about the NBA’s fiasco with the new ball; no, they’ve been thinking about how they can erode another of their better traditions.
This won’t be a blunder along the lines of the glowing puck, but I don’t think it’s going to be good. Think of the most distinctive symbol of the NHL. The one thing that gives the league any cool points with the general public. The sweater.
It’s changing. Not for the better, either, according to at least three prominent Sharks I surveyed today after practice, where they wore new jerseys and socks under the watchful eye of the research and development team of manufacter CCM (a subsidiary of Reebok). The Sharks apparently are early in the rotation, so expect to hear a lot of similar talk in the coming weeks.
The league is scheduled to do a big dog-and-pony show next month at the All-Star Game regarding its new jerseys and socks. In advance, each team will work out once with the new gear; players are miked for their reactions during practice and asked about their impressions afterward. According to The Plan, these opinions will then be taken into account and the uniforms adjusted, with the full rollout for the 2007-08 season. But you have to wonder, if the big debut is a month away, how many alterations can be made.
I can tell you the league is very, VERY nervous about the reaction. The suits from CCM flipped out a little bit when they realized reporters were actually listening to them talk to players five feet away in an open locker room. And standing five feet away from me, the leader of the R&D team didn’t want to talk about the changes, instead relaying answers to specific questions through a Sharks spokesman (who was standing three feet away from me, so I guess he truly was the middleman).
The double-knit polyester is being replaced by a moisture-wicking fabric, hardly an uncommon switch in the athletic world. They’re also making everything tighter.
The reasons are twofold: performance and protection.
“These are to add protection?” Jonathan Cheechoo said.
Yeah. Apparently the tighter fit holds pads into place better.
“It does do that,” Cheechoo said. “I’ll give it that. But it also gives opponents a bird’s-eye view of where your equipment stops.”
His point: For players who are injured, opponents will essentially see an MRI of the body and know exactly which spot is most vulnerable. The sweaters hide a lot of that, particularly in the playoffs.
As for performance, players will feel lighter because the water washes away instead of being absorbed. Nice for a runner. For a hockey player?
“If it gets rid of water, great, but where does the water go?” Kyle McLaren asks. “If it’s going to go down to my gloves and skates, that’s too much water.”
Now, McLaren is a large man. One of the NHL’s biggest, but not the biggest. So it’s kind of interesting that he says the jersey fit OK but he wouldn’t want to go any smaller. And what if he wanted to go a size bigger? … Uh, problem. There isn’t a size bigger. Apparently, in the faster, sleeker NHL, the size limit is 6-foot-5, 230 pounds.
It’s gotta be the … socks?
McLaren had no opinion about the socks because he wouldn’t wear them. Smith said they’re tighter but not bothersome; the biggest problem is the extra sliding once you hit the ice. I’d love to hear his reaction after wearing the stuff for three or five or seven days in a row; betcha that tightness would become a bigger problem.
Performance. Protection. How about physiques?
What the company — through the Sharks over that insurmountable five-foot cone of silence – didn’t cite as a reason was the marketing aspect. But some observers think the move toward tighter fits is meant to show off players’ bodies. It isn’t a totally irrational thought, since probably not many people know how closely Patrick Marleau resembles your basic NFL middle linebacker.
So let’s leave it to free spirit Smith, who was wearing one of the microphones and whose feedback will probably leave CCM’s ears ringing.
“When I watch Modano skating down the ice and his jersey is flowing in the wind, that’s what I want to see,” Smith said.
At the end of the day, players were asked to leave their jerseys hanging in the stalls.
“I’ll hang it right in the garbage,” Smith said.
If you love the traditional sweater, buy one this season.
I find it hard to accept that the powers that decide this crap in the NHL are so…oblivious to the facts. Tighter sox?? NOT. Form-fitting jerseys?? Heck no..
And what about the bigger players??? Get a clue. LISTEN to those players, Smitty, Cheechoo, McLaren..They know what works…Wake up and smell the..sweat…
Gary Bettman is such the village idiot! He has never had a clue, even when given money to “buy a vowel”! It is amazing to me that this man continues to be the NHL’s commisioner, especially after the whole lockout fiasco! But to continue to find new ways to try and ruin a beautiful and tradition rich sport such as NHL hockey is just so baffeling to me! Why would you proceed with such a project as this without even taking into consideration player feedback. I love the “MRI” line because it’s so true. I guess gone will be the days come playoff time where bruised ribs will be called a head cold! No more ways to hide the injury!
This is a Seinfeld episode isn’t it? Didn’t Bettman watch the one when George suggested cotton uniforms for the Yankees? It worked for one game, but after the first wash the uniforms shrank and the players couldn’t move as well. That’s who is running the NHL?! George Costanza!
More discussion on the new jerseys: http://www.gameworn.net/cgi-bin/GW/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=015494
“Apparently, in the faster, sleeker NHL, the size limit [for the new jerseys] is 6-foot-5, 230 pounds.”
Santa got my letter!
Unfortunately, it was the one I wrote after polishing off a bottle of Jack Daniels, and I asked for a sweaty, topless Zdeno Chara.
I do not mind them trying new things, but it is totally and utterly illogical to just go ahead and do it. It sounds like the new jersey thing is a done deal. They MUST listen to the players and fans before they go too far with this, or they are going to have a marketing disaster on their hands. The NHL needs MORE marketing, not LESS. If everyone hates the product, they are not going to sell many of these things. So they better take the suggestions these players offer seriously, or I think they are going to be throwing a lot of money out the window.
It’s hard to believe that the league is willing to sacrifice so much tradition in order to sell a few extra jerseys to a small percentage of fans who will buy anything. Personally I’m at the point where I won’t come back to the NHL if they go forth with this. They’ve gone too far with this and I’m getting pissed off. I don’t take kindly to any corporation trying to put their stamp on MY team. I just want to scream and hurl rocks at Nike Reebok and Gary Bettman for this.
Way to sell out Bettman. Someone assasinate this man.
Glad to see the Sharks are free to criticize the legues. Add this to the list of things Bettman should be skewered for.
Saw some previous discussion on practicality of unis earlier on yardbarker.
lets whine some more for no reason
omgz da jerzys r titer its da endddz uh da weeeerld
yeah, the nhl should learn its history. look how much football is hurting since switching to tight fitting uniforms [/sarcasm]
lol @ the losing tradition crap
didnt you guys ever watch real hockey back in the day? jerseys were TIGHT FITTING and looked so much better
what the hell does the baggy crap they wear now have to do with tradition?
whinewhinewhine thats all hockey fans have been doing since the lockout. no wonder this league is going down the hole. nothing can make you guys happy. every little change is a “disgrace to the league” and is “killing hte game”
what jokes
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I have a feeling they’ll still be selling the sweater-styled jerseys in stores, despite the on-ice change. Why? These won’t sell well at retail. Why? Mr. Average Out Of Shape American won’t be able to fit in them without looking like Big Van Vader. Why? Take a look at your next hockey game at how many tubby people there are wearing hockey jerseys. The market will decrease or even disappear.
..at least I hope we don’t see these at stores, because I’m still waiting for the Sabres SWEATERS (thank ya very much) that won’t be in stores until the end of the freaking season…what a joke…
sderbq
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Hi! The new Ottawa Senators logo and uniform as unveiled last wednesday 22 august 2007 and for the logo I like alot but the uniforms missing something. If the new Reebok uniforms will cost some health dammage,like blocking some blood in the legs because the sock is to tite for the legs. If the uniforms is to small and cheap, as a fan I will buy the new Ottawa logo and put with a old jersey white and black in ‘92 where’s is sould be White jersey on visitor and Black jersey in home.
I will see that in september what happends on the ice but I supposed to see some complaint about the new uniforms. Until then, let’s Reebok a chance and see what’s happen in a few month if the jersey survived.
In my opinion cheap = Not reliability
and sometime expensive = better quality
I’ll let you on this thougth and good luck on the new season 2007-2008 for all NHL team.
Go sens go
Chris