Bruins unveil 2016 Winter Classic sweater

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During a special event for season ticket holders on Saturday afternoon, the Boston Bruins officially unveiled the sweater they'll wear to the 2016 NHL Winter Classic at Gillette Stadium.

Zdeno Chara, David Krejci and Tuukka Rask were on hand to model the uniform, which is black with a few thick yellow stripes.

For insights on the new look, we turn to the team's press release:

Reebok designers looked to the early days of the Bruins franchise. The inspiration for the design of the full uniform and the crest generally came from the first uniform ever worn by the Bruins during their inaugural season in 1924, under legendary coach Art Ross.

That's a great sentiment, but if it's true, why isn't the jersey brown like that 1924 sweater? That's addressed in the next paragraph of the release.

The striping pattern recalls this original uniform, but has been updated in the Bruins current identity colors of Black & Gold, connecting the past and current Bruins color identity.

Got it. A bridge between past and present. But what about that collar design?

A unique crewneck collar was developed for this uniform reflecting a more literal interpretation of the “sweaters” worn from that era.

Fair enough. On one hand, it's a cool aesthetic. But it makes the whole thing feel less like a real NHL uniform and more like a department store sweatshirt.

The number system was developed to mimic numbers worn in these early days of the franchise, and are executed in a retro off-white coloration, with traditional stitching techniques.

We saw a similar number design on the Buffalo Sabres' third jersey in 2010. It's definitely good for a retro vibe. As is the felt crest.

The Bruins host the Montreal Canadiens at the home of the NFL's New England Patriots on Jan. 1, 2016. The jersey will see action two more times during regular season home games on Jan. 16 (Maple Leafs) and March 3 (Blackhawks).

For more photos, check out their website. You can also buy one there if you'd like.

Montreal has not yet revealed their Winter Classic sweater, but it's apparently coming "soon."

What do you think of the design?

From the Icethetics Jersey Gallery