Wings release new jersey design

The Detroit Red Wings released their new Reebok jersey designs to the public. Fortunately for Wings fans, the Wings tried to keep the new jersey design as close to the old one as possible. Unlike the NY Islanders who went out and completely altered their jerseys with the new design, the Wings kept it simple.

MADALYN RUGGIERO/Detroit Free Press

After going back and forth with Reebok on the design seven times, owner Mike Ilitch and GM Ken Holland were content with the results. Some minor changes were made mostly due to the new paneling of these jerseys. For example, you can now find the NHL logo just under the collar. The old jerseys had a straight square cut all around the bottom of the jersey. The new design has a rounder look with the back flap longer than the front. The new Reebok jerseys for all of the NHL teams will feature a much tighter look that we saw in the 2007 All-Star Game.

The biggest change is that the "C" and "A" on the jerseys had to be moved from the left to the right side of the jersey. Unfortunately with the new jersey paneling, they could not fit the "C" or "A" on the left side without hitting a seam.

Other teams have made more radical makeovers — using the multi-paneled construction as sort of a guide for splotches of color here and there — and unveiled their jerseys at news conferences.

Because the Wings were more concerned with limiting change, [team spokesman] Hahn said they opted to just start wearing the new jerseys without hoopla when the prospects camp opens in Traverse City next month, followed by training camp.

[Equipment manager] Boyer said Wings players already have taken prototypes of the jerseys for test drives in practice — and some in last season’s NHL All-Star Game — and seemed OK with them.

We have yet to see the jerseys on players or fans so I will be withholding judgment on the new design until after I've seen it on the players. I must say that I like it better than some of the other teams who made bigger changes to their jersey look and logo.