NIKE HOCKEY–NHL.
San Jose Sharks. After the successful test of our new uniform innovations at the Olympics, we wanted to bring those features to the NHL. San Jose was a very willing partner, they wanted to innovate with us. This is the uniform I designed for them.
They wanted to look fast and flashy so I used the shiny fabric for parts of the uniform. Unfortunately the goalies found that the fabric slid all over the ice, no grip. So we ultimately abandoned the shine, that is why we test and adapt!
They ended up using these uniforms for 10 years.
Here is a very early proto-type of the Nike Hockey helmet. We were playing with having the helmet match the uniforms, this is my first whack at a design.
Toronto Maple Leafs. For the last game ever in Maple Leaf Gardens the team wanted a commemorative jersey of the last time they had won the Stanley Cup in 1967.
Both Nike and the Leafs wanted to bring our new tech into the jersey, but we wanted it to still look like the 1967 Jersey.
I went to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto and was able to get access to the original uniforms–I took photos and made many measurements. I even tracked down an embroiderer in Ohio who had the original crest design specs. I really wanted "to the millimeter" accuracy for the jersey.
It came off great–we married innovation and tradition. The team loved it and instead of a one game commemorative uniform it found itself in regular rotation for the next several years.