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The Devils’ Third Jersey Has Arrived : New Jersey Devils Unveil Uniforms Celebrating Hockey History. How Martin Brodeur helped ?

New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils

The Devils’ Third Jersey Has Arrived

For the first time in the franchise’s history, New Jersey will have a different crest on the front. And a Devils icon played a big role.

For the first time in nearly 40 years of existence, the New Jersey Devils have a third jersey – and if you’ve got a problem with it, take it up with the man who led the design team: Hall of Fame icon Marty Brodeur.

The super-secretive initiative began three years ago and according to Devils senior VP of marketing Jillian Frechette (who was also part of the design team with Brodeur), only a handful of people knew about the project in the early months. But they did have some clues as to where fans wanted the team to go.

“We knew right from the get-go that we would lean into black, so that was easy,” Frechette said. “If you looked on social media, there was an intensity and a want among Devils fans, so this was very fan-focused.”

The focal point of the sweater of course is the word ‘Jersey’ and there was meaning behind that: According to Frechette, locals don’t say they’re from New Jersey, they say they’re from Jersey – and it was something Brodeur heard time and again during his long career in the state The new design is also a call to arms for the franchise, as the one major pro sports team that plays in the state but also represents the state, unlike a number of other sports franchises the Devils playfully call “squatters” who play and practise in the Garden State but wear ‘New York’ on their uniforms.

“It’s pride of place,” Frechette said. “We live and play in Jersey.”

And alongside the bold wordmark, there is history in the design. The striping is inspired by early pro hockey teams from the state including the Newark Bulldogs, River Vale Skeeters and Jersey Larks. And specifically, the 21 stripes represent the state’s 21 counties.

New Jersey Devils Unveil Uniforms Celebrating Hockey History

The pro hockey franchise is celebrating its 40 years with new uniforms nodding to its home state’s previous three pro hockey teams.

Is hockey getting the fashion treatment?

Just days after the opening of the New York Islanders’ new home UBS Arena in Belmont Park, the New Jersey Devils will debut a third jersey paying homage to their home state’s hockey history.

Codesigned by Devils Hall of Fame player Martin Brodeur, the new look debuting on Nov. 23 bears the word “Jersey” in script on the front, as well as 21 stripes in reference to the state’s 21 counties, five of which are on the shoulders and arms referencing the five Devils players with retired jerseys: Brodeur, Ken Daneyko, Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer and Patrik Elias.

The new look also nods to New Jersey’s first three pro hockey teams:

the Newark Bulldogs from 1928 to 1929 for the Canadian American Hockey League; River Vale Skeeters from 1939 to 1942 for Eastern Hockey League, and Jersey Larks from 1960 to 1961 also for Eastern Hockey League. The teams each had their own number of stripes.

Devils announce historic black jersey: Release date, how to buy your own

The sweater, which was made in collaboration with the New Jersey Devils, NHL and adidas, is “reflective of 90 years of New Jersey hockey history, created by the Devils nearly 40-year legacy and has been guided by the Hall of Fame goaltender, Martin Brodeur,” according to the Devils’ announcement.

Here is how the design of the jersey is distinct to New Jersey, per the announcement:

The jersey exudes pride as the Devils are the only professional team that plays in this state while wearing it across our chest. Having done so for our entire existence with the horned and tailed “NJ”, now we proudly spell it out with “Jersey”.
Its black and striping pattern pays homage to a history of hockey in the Garden State, stretching from “North Jersey” to “South Jersey”– drawing inspiration from professional teams across the entire state that also called New Jersey home.

Brodeur also put some personal touches on it, including:

Lacing at Neck: The lacing is reflective of a Goalie Net – – a nod to the jersey’s co-designer and the on-ice home of the Devils Hall of Fame netminder.

Made in Jersey: The shorthand of “Jersey” (vs. the full/proper “New Jersey”) was inspired by a story the Hall of Famer tells of coming to New Jersey as a youngster and living the majority of his life, and his children’s lives in the Garden State. He noticed that friends, strangers, fans, people in visiting cities frequently referenced his new home as “Jersey.”

Teased on the Tee: During Brodeur’s signature, annual golf tournament for charity on September 28 — black/white tees, flags/pins, gifting, chairs and decor and more — hinted the team’s new jersey color scheme and stripped look.

 

How Martin Brodeur helped create the New Jersey Devils’ new third jersey

Martin Brodeur made history for 21 years as a goaltender for the New Jersey Devils, leading the franchise to three Stanley Cup championships. Now, he has made something else for the Devils: a new jersey, for New Jersey.

“I wish we could have played in this,” said Brodeur, while holding a black Devils sweater with his name and No. 30 on the back. “It’s just a cool thing.”

On Tuesday, the Devils unveil the first third jersey in the franchise’s history, leaving the Detroit Red Wings and the expansion Seattle Kraken as the only NHL teams without an official alternate sweater in their history.

It’s solid black with a total of 21 white stripes around the shoulders, arms and waist. The white numbers have a red shading underneath, as does the centerpiece of the design: the word “JERSEY” in a script font as the crest.

(Yes, a jersey with the word “JERSEY” on the front of it. For the record, the pants do not say “PANTS.”)

Adding to his résumé as a Hall of Fame goalie and the team’s executive vice president/advisor of hockey operations, Brodeur is now a fashion designer. He played an active role in co-creating the team’s third jersey, from the concept phases through the final design.

“The alumni have a little bit of envy going on,” Jillian Frechette, the senior vice president of marketing for the Devils, told ESPN. “Our players have never had an official third jersey, so this was really special to Marty. The most important piece of this was the authenticity to the sport. Marty’s fingerprints on this jersey are critically important.”

Frechette and Brodeur were the driving forces behind the jersey’s design and concept, although many inside the organization, along with executives from Adidas and the NHL, contributed to the process.

 

Who is Martin Brodeur ?

(born May 6, 1972)

Martin Pierre Brodeur is a Canadian-American former professional ice hockey goaltender and current team executive.

He played 22 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), 21 of them for the New Jersey Devils, with whom he won three Stanley Cup championships and five Eastern Conference championships in 17 postseason campaigns.

He also won two Olympic gold medals with Team Canada in the 2002 and 2010 Winter Olympic Games, as well as several other medals with Team Canada in other international competitions.

Brodeur is widely regarded as one of the greatest goaltenders of all time. In 2017, he was named by the league as one of the “100 Greatest NHL Players”, and the following year, he was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame. 

 

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