[Hockey] New Team Canada Jerseys

[bayrider]

Team Canada unveils new jersey for Turin

Canadian Press

8/17/2005 9:14:22 PM

KELOWNA, B.C. (CP) - The new hockey jerseys Canadian teams will wear at the Olympic Games and world junior championships have been designed to be cooler, lighter and make the players faster.

The jerseys were unveiled Wednesday at the Olympic team orientation camp.

The home white sweaters feature the Hockey Canada Maple Leaf logo on the front, black trim around the neck, and red and black stripes on the shoulders. There are also red and black stripes on the sides.

The red away sweaters have black and white stripes.

The public can purchase replica jerseys with a Maple Leaf on the front with Canada underneath. The sweaters also have red trim around the neck and stripes on the elbows.

 

Bob Nicholson, president of Hockey Canada, said the replica jerseys will probably sell for around $100.

He wasn't sure of the cost of the authentic jerseys.

The jerseys will be worn by Canada's team at the world junior hockey championships in Vancouver and both the men's and women's team at the 2006 Turin Olympics.

Although hockey and cycling having little in common, the Team Canada jerseys were designed with some of the same technology used to help Lance Armstrong win seven Tour de France titles.

"One of the key factors in his project for hockey was it was not purely about speed," said Jordan Wand, global director for the Nike advanced innovation team, which designed the jerseys.

"With Lance Armstrong it was purely about speed. With hockey we knew it was about speed but it was also about mobility, about endurance, about strength."

The new jersey and socks weigh about 496 grams - or the weight of three hockey pucks - less than traditional jerseys.

The jerseys are also better vented. This allows players to keep cool while reducing air resistance.

By cutting air resistance by 15 per cent, it gives a player about a 20-inch advantage in a 50-metre sprint with an opponent.

"You can call that one less stride to get to the puck," Wand said.

While lighter and cooler, the jerseys are also more streamlined in their fit. That makes them harder for an opponent to grab.

"We all know there is this trend to tie the guy up in the middle," said Wand.

"If you can streamline the jersey ... there's going to be an inability for the defensive player to grab onto that player."

Under their agreement with the International Ice Hockey Federation, Nike has to make the jerseys available to all teams competing at the Olympics.

Since Nike doesn't have an agreement with the NHL, no team will be wearing the new gear when the season opens Oct. 5.

While happy to show of the new line, Nike officials were silent on how much the technology cost to develop.

One spokesman said it was "in the middle six figures." 

http://www.tsn.ca/canadian_hockey/news_story.asp?id=133807

I dont mind it at all, the socks are pretty cool. Can't say I've seen anything like that in pro ice hockey

[Matrix XII]

I'm going to be really honest, I do not like them.... Maybe later, but right now they are fugly. (Especially the socks, WTF)

[killmaster84]

Older ones looked better I think like what Matrix XII said whats with the socks?

[Crimson Behelit]

Socks = :x

[AJerman]

Haha, you all said exactly what I was thinking when I read the original post. Interesting, and I like what they are saying about less air resistance, etc. They are also quite light, that should be nice. Sounds like a nice jersey, also sounds like it's going to cost a ton (for authentic jerseys of course). I may have to pick up at least one of these though (minus the Team Canada logo of course hehe) just to try it out and see how much nicer it is.

As for the look, the socks do look a bit... err... odd, yes, that's the word I'm looking for haha. Not sure what I think about it quite yet.

Edit: Also, is it just me, or do those pants just not quite look right? They look a bit small, or maybe he's just huge, I dunno. Everything just looks a bit tight :huh:

Edited August 18, 2005 by Betaz

[DreadBoat89]

trying to incorporate spandex like materials from nike's dri-fit line, and the speed suits used by Lance and the Canadian Track and field team into something used in hockey doesn't seem like a good combo...

they look to simple... i liked the original black one...

[recon]

Yah looks a bit tight. But I think the best reason for tighter fitting clothes is to reduce the amount of jersey for opponents to grab. That happens far too often, and definately slows down the game.

That whole air resistance thing sounds like a bunch of hoopla to justify the "middle-six figure" R&D. The red away jerseys will look better, they always do.

[illicit]

I'm going to be really honest, I do not like them.... Maybe later, but right now they are fugly. (Especially the socks, WTF)

586394829[/snapback]

I don't like them either. The socks look... umm... interesting. :x

[ahhell]

Jerseys = good

Socks = someone needs glasses cause those are fugly!!!

[AJerman]

Yah looks a bit tight.  But I think the best reason for tighter fitting clothes is to reduce the amount of jersey for opponents to grab.  That happens far too often, and definately slows down the game.

That whole air resistance thing sounds like a bunch of hoopla to justify the "middle-six figure" R&D.  The red away jerseys will look better, they always do.

586397908[/snapback]

Well, yes, to an extent you want to tighten it up as much as you can without restricting movement, however hockey is a VERY fast paced sport, and if your jersey slows you down at all, then it's a problem. I was just commenting that the pants look rather small to me, being a hockey player myself. Like I said, he may just be tall though *shrug*.

As for air resistance, you'd be surprised. I can see it being helpful, but only when you are skating as fast as you possibly can of course. But hey, the ventilation is as important as anything. People commonly think that being that hockey is played on ice, it's at least a little bit cooler than other sports. In reality, I'm usually sweating just putting all my damn equipment on. Once you get out there it's only a matter of about 5 minutes of hard skating and you'll be soaked in sweat. If you can get some airflow through the jersey, it will cause your sweat soaked shirt beneath to feel even cooler. I'll definitely be interested in at least trying one of these jerseys out if it makes as much a difference as they are saying.

[Mystical112]

the socks are just odd... the jersey's are okay...

[DreadBoat89]

As for air resistance, you'd be surprised. I can see it being helpful, but only when you are skating as fast as you possibly can of course. But hey, the ventilation is as important as anything. People commonly think that being that hockey is played on ice, it's at least a little bit cooler than other sports. In reality, I'm usually sweating just putting all my damn equipment on. Once you get out there it's only a matter of about 5 minutes of hard skating and you'll be soaked in sweat. If you can get some airflow through the jersey, it will cause your sweat soaked shirt beneath to feel even cooler. I'll definitely be interested in at least trying one of these jerseys out if it makes as much a difference as they are saying.

586398000[/snapback]

we call that Nike's Dri-Fit line up... my track equipment consists of nike dri-fit clothes.

Also, it was just mentioned... the name... i forgot it...

anyways, the formal announcement of the equipment will be tomorrow in North America. Players already said that they wouldn't mind wearing them in Turin.

One word description... "Spandex"

[Ayepecks]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp...817_214237_5596

http://www.prdirect.ca/pix/2005/8/632598996075312500.jpg

If anyone remembers a while back when I said Reebok was making new jerseys for the NHL that would be more tighter-fitting, expect something similar to this. Looks rather bad, IMO.

[golazo]

i disagree i think it looks better

[Ayepecks]

Expect the new Reebok NHL uniforms I mentioned a while back to be similar to this.

[neowin_hipster]

Ugly. That's all i can say.

[ShaneSparky_YYZ]

It looks alright, but they cud've made it look better.

[xp1ode]

i think they look ok, the jerseys and the socks, but then again rite now im drunk out my ass...

[Gfunk4life]

:sick: thats all im out