Fanatics Debuts New NHL Jerseys - Promises It Won't Be Same Mess as MLB Ones

Fanatics and the NHL have released the first images of the brand-new jerseys that players will be wearing beginning next season. 

The Fanatics Authentic Pro NHL jersey will be the first player-worn sports apparel that will feature the Fanatics logo on it. Throughout the years, the NHL has worn jerseys designed and manufactured by CCM, Reebok and, most recently, Adidas before Fanatics acquired the exclusive hockey apparel rights in a ten-year deal. 

Fanatics will be keeping the same apparel company that Adidas and others previously used in SP Apparel. However, they will now have the newly acquired licensing rights.

FANATICS UNVEILS NEW NHL JERSEYS

Upon first glance, fans may not notice too many changes with the new jerseys.  The shoulders will be a bit broader and different and Fanatics will now include an NHL hologram shield on the front of the neck in the ‘V Line’ area. The material is also going to be woven differently after some players complained the Adidas jerseys were getting frayed. 

"These jerseys were meticulously crafted in lockstep with NHL players, the NHLPA, equipment managers, teams and the NHL. Their feedback on what they were looking for in their next uniform completely drove our design, which was validated when we went back to all 32 teams during the past season to the show players and the reaction was overwhelmingly positive," Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin said in a statement.

The news will come as welcome news to both sports fans and memorabilia collectors after what had been a less-than-stellar rollout of Major League Baseball's jerseys via Fanatics. Both fans and some players were not pleased with Nike's decision to make both the logos and player's names on the back smaller, as well as pants that were awkwardly seen though, and a new type of shirt material that some players weren't happy about. The result was a PR mess, needless to say. Fortunately, it appears Fanatics went up and beyond - including going back to all 32 NHL teams to make sure that they got the jersey release right this time.  
 

KINGS, DUCKS TO GET NEW LOGO

So far, 30 of the 32 new jerseys have been unveiled as both the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Mighty Ducks will come out at a later time due to the team's changing their logo.

Fans will be able to see first hand what the new Fanatifcs NHL jerseys look like this coming Friday when the NHL Draft takes place at The Sphere in Las Vegas. We'll also get a first-hand account from the newly drafted players as well on how it feels.