Heritage Classic Announced
This afternoon, the NHL officially revealed the details of the 2011 Heritage Classic at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, including the new logos and jerseys.
The Calgary Flames will host the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 20, 2011 in the NHL's sixth-ever regular season outdoor game on the campus of the University of Calgary, home of McMahon Stadium.
The Heritage Classic logo features a prominent red maple leaf, the ultimate symbol of Canada, emblazoned with vintage style text and a stylized skyline of the city of Calgary. What more could you ask for in a logo?
The previous Heritage Classic, held in 2003, saw the Edmonton Oilers hosting the Canadiens at Commonwealth Stadium in sub-zero temperatures. It's expected to be between 22 and 30 degrees for the 2011 game in Calgary.
The Calgary Flames unveiled the specially designed uniform they will don at the Heritage Classic. It pays tribute to the Calgary Tigers, the first major professional team in the city. It existed from 1920 to 1927 and was the first team in Calgary to compete for the Stanley Cup.
A description was released on the Flames' website:
The uniform is a deeper red color with gold stripes and will include the 2011 Heritage Classic logo patch on the front. The Flames will also wear a beige hockey pant to complete this traditional look.
The Flames worked with the design team at Reebok to create the vintage look. The jersey features the same jersey striping pattern [as the Tigers'] with a beige Flames C logo in a vintage felt application.
The beige pants and canvas-colored gloves add to the vintage feel of the uniform.
The Montreal Canadiens, on the other hand, aren't looking quite so far into the past for their Heritage Classic threads. They "will sport the same jersey worn for home games between 1974-75 and 1995-96," according to the club's website. The only difference will be the patch on the front.
So what do you think of the 2011 Heritage Classic? Excited to see an all-Canadian outdoor game again? Thrilled/disappointed by the sweater designs? Sound off in the comments.