Hockey Canada and Nike unveil Canadian national team hockey jersey for 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

Innovation and design creates lightweight jersey that enhances speed

TORONTO, Oct. 8, 2013 /CNW/ - Today Hockey Canada, in partnership with Nike, the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee, unveiled the new hockey jerseys for the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. These Canadian hockey jerseys will be worn exclusively in competition by the men's, women's and sledge hockey teams representing Canada.

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 Sochi 2014 Paralympic 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.

RED JERSEY
The iconic red jersey celebrates the rich history of hockey in Canada. From the vintage-inspired logo on the new lightweight front crest to the Canadian flag on the sleeve and the maple leaf graphics on the shoulders, the new jersey represents Canada from top to bottom.

WHITE JERSEY
Unmistakably Canadian, the white jersey is the perfect complement to the red. With 'Canada' standing out proudly in red on the white background of the front logo and the country's colours flowing through the asymmetrical stripe on the left arm, this jersey is a perfect representation of the pride Canadians feel when it comes to hockey.

BLACK JERSEY
To round out the exciting collection of jerseys for the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Hockey Canada chose to add a black third jersey. Inspired by memorable vintage Team Canada jerseys, this jersey will inspire our Olympians to win again. The bold 'Canada' word mark on the chest reminds the world of Canada's hockey heritage, while the gold piping on the badges and gold maple leaf on the shoulders remind the world of Canada's goal to win gold medals in Sochi.

RECYCLED POLYESTER

• The jersey and socks are made from 73 per cent recycled polyester as part of Nike's commitment to produce performance apparel with reduced environmental impact.
• Each jersey is made from up to 17 recycled plastic water bottles, and the sock uses an average of five plastic bottles.
• The plastic bottles are chopped into flakes, then melted down to form yarn that is spun into fabric, reducing energy consumption by up to 30 per cent compared to manufacturing virgin polyester.
• Since 2010, Nike has diverted more than 1.1 billion plastic bottles from landfill through the use of recycled polyester.

FABRIC

• The jersey weighs just 448 grams and is 15 per cent lighter than the 2010 Nike hockey jersey.
• Ventilation zones under the arms on both sides provide additional comfort and cooling.
• Lighter graphic executions create a modern uniform and sport feel.

FIT AND CONSTRUCTION

• The jersey has a redesigned modern neckline for a refined fit, with a flywire-covered neck area to provide a closer fit that prevents slipping and increases comfort.
• Reduced seaming eliminates weight, to streamline and modernize design.
• The bottom back of the jersey has a new simplified construction, which eliminates the drop tail to allow for more precise tailoring for the individual athlete.

Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada is the governing body for hockey in Canada and a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), with a membership through its 13 provincial branch associations of over 700,000 players, coaches and officials. Hockey Canada is a not-for-profit organization that creates leading-edge hockey development programs for its members to deliver in communities across Canada, provides consistent rules and regulations and various other membership services from coast to coast, manages numerous regional, national and international hockey championships and events, and leads the operation of all teams that represent Canada in international hockey competition. Hockey Canada's mission is to "lead, develop and promote positive hockey experiences."

Canadian Olympic Committee
The Canadian Olympic Committee leads the achievement of the Canadian Olympic Team's podium success and advances Olympic values in Canada. Independent and predominantly privately funded, the Canadian Olympic Committee delivers resources that Canada's elite athletes need to perform at their best and Give Their Everything every day. The backbone of Canada's Olympic movement, the Canadian Olympic Committee works with national sport federations to prepare the team for the Olympic, Youth Olympic and Pan American Games. By sharing our athletes' stories, we inspire all Canadians through the power of sport: 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Canadian Paralympic Committee
The Canadian Paralympic Committee is a non-profit, private organization with 25 member sports organizations dedicated to strengthening the Paralympic Movement. The Canadian Paralympic Committee's vision is to be the world's leading Paralympic nation. Its mission is to lead the development of a sustainable Paralympic sport system in Canada to enable athletes to reach the podium at the Paralympic Games. By supporting Canadian high performance athletes with a disability and promoting their success, the Canadian Paralympic Committee inspires all Canadians with a disability to get involved in sport through programs delivered by its member organizations. For more information, visit www.paralympic.ca

Nike Inc.
NIKE, Inc., based near Beaverton, Ore., is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly-owned NIKE, Inc. subsidiaries include Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories; and Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes surf and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, visit www.nikeinc.com and follow @Nike.

SOURCE: Nike Canada Ltd.