Is the NHL planning black and neon green All-Star jerseys?
/Reebok's NHL Spring 2015 apparel catalog has leaked online and it provides some fascinating insights into the aesthetics of the upcoming 2015 NHL All-Star Game.
The catalog shows black and neon green heavily featured on the T-shirt designs from a line styled after jerseys. All of the following images are pulled from that catalog.
We begin on page 94 where the Premier replica All-Star jerseys are noted. Unfortunately, the designs were not included when this catalog was last updated on May 29 — the date seen on the cover. So what can we glean from this page?
- Delivery date is listed as Jan. 1, 2015 — the date of of the Winter Classic in Washington, D.C. Could the jerseys be unveiled at the NHL's signature New Year's Day event?
- The codes "HA1-WHITE" and "HA2-BLACK" appear below the graphic. Might they suggest the colors of the two jerseys? The last time the NHL had a black versus white All-Star Game was 1993 — back when they used the old NHL shield and orange trim.
- Speaking of trim, check out the bar at the top that reads "Men's Jerseys." Will neon green return to NHL ice for the first time since the Blue Jackets dropped it in 2007? Don't forget, this All-Star Game will be played in Columbus. Coincidence?
All I know is the appearance of neon green — or electric green as the Jackets referred to it — made several more appearances in the catalog.
If we skip down a few pages, we find that electric green used in several T-shirt designs.
Not only is there a green shirt in the batch, but the player numbers — which would be printed on the back — are black outlined in green.
It's hard not to see this as being pulled straight from the jerseys.
Also noteworthy is the new treatment for the All-Star version of the NHL shield. If it seems familiar, you're probably thinking about the chrome logos introduced last year for the teams that participated in the 2014 NHL Stadium Series.
But, wait there's more. More neon green, of course.
Several other T-shirts include various alternate treatments for the logo — particularly in black, grey and green.
If you're still not sold on the idea that neon green is likely to be part of the NHL All-Star Game jerseys — you're probably part of a dwindling group.
Unless there's another reason for it that I'm failing to see.
Beyond the shirts are some headwear selections, including these hats.
If you're not interested in downloading the catalog yourself — or it's no longer available when you're reading this, I've grabbed some more T-shirt designs that use a ton of variations on the All-Star Game logo. You'll definitely have your pick if you end up buying one.
If you're looking at some of these treatments and thinking they look rather girly, it's probably because they're women's designs.
Anyway, there are definitely a lot of options here — male or female.
Have a favorite design? Let us know in the comments.
Lastly, I can't end this post without at least mentioning the IceHL — Icethetics' own fantasy hockey league. We have a team whose colors may seem quite familiar.
To those who have wanted to see a North Carolina Nighthawks jersey produced, stay tuned. The new NHL All-Star uniforms may be right up your alley.