Authentic NHL Jersey Customization

Like many of you, I love my hockey jerseys and the more authentic the jersey, the better! So, when I got my Team Canada Olympic Jersey I was excited to get it customized.

Having purchased several jerseys that had already been customized, as well as being duped into buying a fake NHL jersey, I have become increasingly attentive to detail and the importance of quality and authenticity.

Being fairly active on Twitter and Facebook, many NHL Digest readers were able to chime in with some things to watch out for as well. Several readers had mentioned that the NHL Shop was now pressing numbers and letters on instead of using stitched tackle twill. While it seemed odd that the official NHL store would lack authentic customization, I decided to dig into it a little more.

What I found out from reading several hockey message boards is that what people were telling me on twitter appeared to be true.  But, according to the NHL Shop, there are different levels of customization depending on what jersey is purchased. If you don’t feel like clicking the above link, it basically indicates if you don’t purchase the most expensive jersey, you get screen printed numbers when you order customization.

After speaking with a couple of jersey retailers , I also learned that there are  about half a dozen NHLPA certified outlets to get NHL jerseys authentically customized. If you have a jersey already, or are wanting to buy a new one and get it customized, this what you should be looking for.

What Exactly Should We Be Looking For?

• Authentic hand-sewn customization with official ‘Z-stitch” – no screen printing or glue.
• Official pro twill materials used on actual the NHL jerseys.
• Officially licensed, authentic NHL fonts for all numbers and lettering.
• NHLPA licensed customization. Required for all truly authentic jerseys that bear names of NHL players.
• Precision cutting & accuracy to ensure all names and numbers are specifically cut and placed in the correct location on the jersey.
• Authentic customization as worn on-ice by the player, which is especially important with third and vintage jerseys that do not feature the numbering or font of the current jersey.

After discussing my request with the folks at Cool Hockey.com , a division of Silver Crystal Sports, I decided to send my jersey to their Toronto factory for customization.  And, I also asked them if they would be so kind as to take some video of the customization process so that I could share it with you on NHL Digest.

I sincerely hope that this makes you feel more confident and comfortable with the jersey customization process. I know that authentic NHL jerseys are expensive and the last thing any hockey fan wants is to have their jersey ruined with poor customization.

If you have any jersey tips, bad experiences with customization, or being duped with fake NHL jerseys please tell your story in the comments. Hopefully, we can all help each other to avoid getting ripped off!

If you’re in the market for a new jersey or jersey customization and you found this article useful, please consider using the NHL Digest Store powered by Cool Hockey.com. Thanks in advance.

NHL Hats

Ever since Reebok started supporting the NHL, the style of hockey hats has become increasingly better.  As far as apparel goes, NHL hats and t-shirts are the most popular affordable items for hockey fans. Even though hats are not as easily customized as t-shirts are, they are often more consistent with respect to sizing. Although fitted hats are more popular, buying an adjustable hat solves all size related problems.

Other than Reebok, several other hat manufacturers, such as New Era and their 59Fifty line, Zephyr Graphics and 47 Brand have licensed NHL hats in production.  Most local sporting goods stores carry some of the Reebok hats, but they often don’t have the largest selection.  Stores specializing in sports apparel tend to have a larger selection and, of course, there are online outlets like lids.com and shop.NHL.com that have great selection as well. Some of the most popular hats are featured below.

Most Popular NHL Hats

The following is a list of the most popular NHL team hats by search volume:

1.)    Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins Official Flex Fit Slouch Hat
Price: $17.99

2.)    Pittsburgh Penguins

Reebok Pittsburgh Penguins Stretch Fit Hat
Price: $17.97

3.)   Buffalo Sabres

Reebok Buffalo Sabres Official Stretch Fit Hat
Price: $17.97

Although I was somewhat surprised at the popularity of the Sabres hats, I was not surprised at the other two teams. Especially given the fact that the Bruins and Flyers had a special winter classic knit hats this year.

In addition, just like the vintage jerseys, there has been an increase in the popularity of vintage NHL hats.  Not only has there been an increase in retro hats for the existing NHL teams, but some non-existent teams from the past, like the Hartford Whalers, are still popular with hat wearing NHL fans.

As an NHL fan, do you wear a hat to top off your t-shirt or jersey when you attend games, or is a hat something you wear when you can’t wear your jersey?  Or, both?

Customized NHL T-Shirts

A hockey T-shirt is one of the easiest and affordable ways that hockey fans can show his or her support to their favorite team.

Just recently, I asked the NHL Digest Twitter followers what piece of apparel they were most likely to buy to support their favorite NHL team.  Very overwhelmingly, the response what a T-shirt featuring their favorite team’s logo.

The T-shirt is a classic way to support your favorite team, and obviously much cheaper than a jersey.  In fact, over the last couple of seasons, I’ve noticed more and more T-shirts with player names and numbers on the back – just like a jersey.

Buying A Hockey T-Shirt

Not surprisingly, the NHL shop has a huge selection of pre-printed  featuring current and vintage teams and players, like the Sidney Crosby Pittsburgh Penguins T-shirt and the Maurice Richard Montreal Canadiens T-shirt.  However, what is really cool is that they also have a tool allowing you to design your own customized hockey T-shirt!

The NHL Player Name & Number Reebok  T-shirts feature:

• 100% Cotton team colored t-shirt
• Team logo screened to front chest
• Player name and number screen printed in puff print on back
• Screen printed stitching effect on numbers to give it an authentic sewn look, just like a jersey.

Another cool fact about the Vintage NHL T-shirts is that a portion of all T-shirts is donated to the NHL Alumni Fund.  If you’re anything like me, you think the old time hockey guys deserve every penny. Especially since the average player didn’t make anywhere near what players make today – even adjusted for inflation.

I think I’ll head over and get myself a customized Mats Naslund #26 Montreal Canadiens T-shirt!

Get Your Customized NHL T-shirt!

Click Here: NHL Shop Custom T-Shirt

Hockey T-Shirt Design Contest

There is really nothing better than a great T-shirt for a hockey fan to show your love for the team or the sport in general.

NHL Digest is looking for great slogans and designs for T-shirts and we have teamed up with www.hockeytshirt.net to launch a contest for the best hockey T-shirt design.

Details:

The contest is easy.  Submit your slogan or a link to your T-shirt design in the comments before Midnight (EST) Friday May 22, 2009 for your chance to win one of two T-shirts featuring your design from hockeytshirt.net.

The winners will be judged by the NHL Digest and Hockey T-Shirt panel in thier sole discretion.

Rules:

1. Nudity of any kind is prohibited
2. Profanity is forbidden
3. Creativity is required
4. Humor is always appreciated

There you have it folks…let the creative juices flow!

The Hockey Autograph Story

A few days ago I wrote the story of my favorite hockey card. I thought it only fitting to follow that up with the story of how I received my first and favorite autograph.

It was about 4:30 PM and I remember it like yesterday; the wind was chilling me to the bone. I was standing outside the players entrance to the Winnipeg Arena waiting for the Montreal Canadiens’ bus to arrive.

I had waited for this day for months This was the day I would finally get my favorite player’s autograph. I can remember how excited I was, a seven year old boy, with his dad standing behind him as the bus pulled up.

There were a bunch of other autograph hounds around me, but I couldn’t hear them or see them. In my mind, I could only see one thing…my first autograph!

As the bus pulled closer I could smell the familiar Diesel fuel exhaust as it floated through the frigid Manitoba air. I was starting to get nervous; I had never asked for an autograph before. What should I say? I know they have probably heard it a thousand times before, but today was my first.

As the bus pulled to a stop I could feel my heart starting to race and a lump growing in my throat as I tried to swallow.

It was time.

The players filed off the bus one by one and I watched, looking for my chance as they passed by. There they were, Larry Robinson, Patrick Roy, Bob Gainey, Stephane Richer, Chris Chelios, Guy Carbonneau, Bobby Smith, Claude Lemieux and I waited quietly as they made their way past the autograph seekers and into the arena.

I finally saw my target and, with a small shove from Dad, moved forward to greet him. I said “excuse me sir…Mr. Naslund, may I please have your autograph?”

I don’t remember him saying anything, he just reached out and grabbed my notepad and pen. As he signed, I stood there like a statue as if I had been literally frozen in that moment. I couldn’t muster any more than a “thank-you” as he passed the pen and paper back to me, but there it was…the autograph.

I still have the autograph in my box of Montreal collectibles today and it is still my favorite one.

Do you have a favorite autograph?

Image courtesy: Canadiens.com

My Favorite Hockey Card

Every so often I like to dig out my old collection of hockey cards and take a look at what I spent so much time doing as a youngster.

I haven’t seriously collected hockey cards since 1991, but I will occasionally pick up a few when something catches my eye.

It is during these “dog days of summer” when I long for that elusive “hockey fix” that I find myself rummaging through the boxes under my stairs looking for a long-forgotten collectible.

I dug out my favorite hockey card today and, while admiring it for a while, I thought that I would share it with NHL Digest readers before I pack it away for another year or two.

I distinctly remember that August day when I received a box of old hockey cards from my cousin who was cleaning out his room at my aunt’s house before leaving for his first year of University.

Scott dropped off a big cardboard box full of old hockey cards from the early 1980′s and said “I thought you might like these, I’ve got no more use for them”. I couldn’t believe my luck. All of these old cards that he had haphazardly thrown in a box without any regard for their value…all for me. Indeed, I did like them and I still have every last one of them to this day.

I spent the remainder of my summer vacation sorting and logging each card in that box. There were days when I would spend hours in the basement with that box of cards, putting each one in particular order by year and card number.

I must have read that Beckett magazine a thousand times over to make sure that the most valuable cards received a protective plastic cover. I needed to defend my new found treasures from the evils of creases and moisture!

There were more than one thousand hockey cards in that box, but one in particular always stood out as my favorite.

It was O-Pee-Chee card #289 from the 1980-1981 season.

Mark Messier’s Rookie Card!

Man how I loved that card. The picture that graced the front of that card was forever etched in my mind…the now familiar stance of “The Moose” hunched over to take a face-off with his stick resting across his thighs.

If you would like your own Mark Messier Rookie Card, I found a couple for sale on ebay that really are not that expensive.

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