Golden Knights, Kraken use imagined approach to Winter Classic jerseys

Designing Winter Classic jerseys for the Vegas Golden Knights and the Seattle Kraken posed a distinctive challenge for the NHL and Adidas. The annual outdoor game is set to be held at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Jan. 1, 2024, with a historical twist that made the creation of the jerseys unique.

Typically, the jerseys for the event are nostalgic, drawing inspiration from the history of the teams involved. However, both Vegas and Seattle are the NHL’s most recent expansion franchises, lacking the traditional NHL history.

The solution? The NHL and Adidas imagined what these teams might have worn if they had existed in the 1910s or 1920s, shaping the designs based on this concept.

“It’s a challenge to design products around these events that really come across as being authentic because it’s not just for the players but we’re really talking about the fans,” said Nic Corbett, director of sports marketing and hockey at Adidas, emphasizing the importance of the fans’s recognition of the teams through the jerseys.

The Kraken had an advantage, as a team, the Metropolitans, played in Seattle from 1915 to 1924. Drawing inspiration from these historical jerseys, the Kraken’s Winter Classic sweaters are in homage to the jerseys worn by the Metropolitans in 1917 when they became the first U.S.-based team to win the Stanley Cup.

On the other hand, the Vegas jersey, although not based on any pre-existing design, features design elements inspired by the early days of Las Vegas showmanship and pays homage to the team’s owner, Bill Foley’s connection to West Point.

Both jerseys’ logos are created with felt, like an old varsity jacket, adding to the vintage feel of the Winter Classic attire.

Adidas, alongside the NHL, took a unique approach to create buzz around the Winter Classic jerseys by collaborating with “influencers” and having them wear the jerseys in unexpected places, sparking debate and conversation surrounding the unique designs.

The NHL and Adidas are also offering the Winter Classic jerseys for purchase on their e-commerce sites, marking the final season in which Adidas will be the NHL’s outfitter of on-ice uniforms and authentic jerseys before Fanatics takes over that role in the 2024-25 season.