Maple Leafs leak new sweaters a day early
The Toronto Maple Leafs are slated to unveil their new sweaters tomorrow ahead of the 2016 NHL Draft, where they have the first overall pick. But when they do, the surprise will be absent from the proceedings.
The new designs were leaked today, apparently via a video on the team's own mobile app. Skyler Senkowski was one of a handful of fans who grabbed screenshots and took to Twitter.
The images show little has changed from the team's previous uniforms. Obviously they feature the new Leaf logo which was unveiled in February. Two stripes around the waist have been merged into one. And there are no shoulder patches.
Another interesting change is the addition of a "hanger effect" design. It looks like the words "honour, pride and courage" on the inside of the collar.
Pre-leak reports suggested the sleeve stripes would be thicker, but to my eye, they don't look any different. Maybe a side-by-side comparison would help once the jerseys are officially released.
To be honest, I'm a bit disappointed. It's not that I was expecting or even hoping for any significant changes. This is Toronto, after all. But there is another NHL team that wears blue and white with a single stripe around the waist.
The logo is excellent. The hanger effect is nice. The only thing that could've been better is the striping choice. But that's just my opinion. What's yours?