Nike unveils new Canada Olympic hockey jerseys

The Team Canada hockey jersey will be at the forefront in Sochi, showcasing Canadians’ passion for the sport and speed of the game. Essential to the fabric of Canadian culture, the jersey represents national pride. Taking inspiration from the iconic designs of vintage Canadian jerseys, the 2014 jersey is also 15 per cent lighter than the 2010 Nike hockey jersey, with a modern neckline incorporating Nike flywire and lightweight graphic badges.

“When designing the new uniforms, we were very purposeful in our approach of blending Canada’s rich hockey history and tradition with the performance needs of today’s athletes,” said Ken Black, senior creative director, Nike.

“We constantly strive to provide athletes with leading Nike technology to give them a competitive edge on the ice. Decades of design and adaptations from our leading products in other sports allowed us to create a lightweight jersey that maximizes range of motion and speed while bringing to life the pride of competing for Team Canada.”

“The new Olympic and Paralympic jersey is an emblem of Canada’s passion for hockey. Not only are we proud of the athletes who wear the jersey, but I encourage all Canadians to wear it to show support for our players,” said Bob Nicholson, Hockey Canada’s president and CEO. “These jerseys are distinctly Canadian and will ignite our nation’s pride each time Canada’s athletes take to the ice to represent their country and the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic teams.”

“Canadians have been undeniably captivated by the Canadian hockey jersey for generations,” said Marcel Aubut, Canadian Olympic Committee president. “For many, the red and white are not mere colours and the maple leaf is not just another symbol; rather, it has become a part of our very own identity. It stands as a reminder that despite our perceived differences, we as a nation share a passion and a tradition with the capacity to unite regions, languages and cultures.”

“I know that Canada’s National Sledge Team will take great pride in wearing this jersey at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games next March,” said Karen O’Neill, chief executive officer of the Canadian Paralympic Committee. “Our sledge hockey team is a world power and will be a formidable presence in Sochi. Hockey Canada’s jersey has the exciting potential to unite all Canadian hockey fans as well as the Paralympic community.”

Canada owns a unique place in hockey’s history. Canada’s achievements on the international stage are celebrated in three distinct versions of the Olympic jersey including a red jersey, white jersey and black jersey. Inside each jersey’s collar, players will find 12 gold maple leaves to represent Hockey Canada’s total number of Olympic and Paralympic gold medals – eight in men’s hockey, three in women’s and one in sledge.