17-18 Adidas, 100 yr, Broncos
Nick Scmaltz and Richard Panik set 1 17-18 game worn jerseys with the 100 Year patch. Tommy Wingels set 2 game worn jersey without the patch.
Brand: Adidas
Material: ADIZERO
Hem: Adidas logo rear-neck
Set Tagging: Yes, Serial Numbered tags
Patches: NHL 100th Anniversary patch on set 1
Sets: Two regular season sets per color, one white set for the Broncos tribute game
Notes:
Material: ADIZERO
Hem: Adidas logo rear-neck
Set Tagging: Yes, Serial Numbered tags
Patches: NHL 100th Anniversary patch on set 1
Sets: Two regular season sets per color, one white set for the Broncos tribute game
Notes:
- The team again sold jerseys at the Convention and sold via various gameworn groups and email lists.
- This is the first season of the Adidas ADIZERO jersey. These jerseys were advertised as being lighter, cooler and stronger than the previous Reebok jerseys. For the Hawks, the shoulder area has a dotted type of material (said to make the jerseys harder to counterfeit), and the body of the jersey is a wickening type of material, rather than airknit. These jerseys have a different cut/fit than the Reebok Edge, they are somewhat tighter fitting.
- Included in the new Adidas design was a league-wide change to the collars. The Hawks design was not well received, with many calling them a preacher collar, pilgrim collar, toilet seat collar… they had many nicknames. The unpopularity (and mocking) led to a redesign of the collar, which will be introduced in 19-20. The new design seems to feature the NHL logo in the neck, which for Adidas jerseys is a shiny silver, unlike the Reebok shield which was silver embroidered.
- The league had all teams wear a patch to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the NHL. Oddly, they had most teams wear it on their sleeve under the numbers, rather than traditional positioning of the chest or shoulder. The Hawks wore them on their right sleeve. Also, the league wanted them worn only in 2017. So the patches were worn though the last game of 2017, when the team switched to their 2nd set in 2018, this set did not feature the NHL 100 patch.
- Tagging was different with the Adidas jerseys. In the hip, there are two tags including one with the jersey’s manufacture date.
- The regular season jerseys typically have 1 17-18 or 2 17-18 written in the neck to denote the set. Some jerseys may not have the writing in the neck, particularly if they were not on the roster to begin the set. They also have serial numbered set tags with the Indian Head in the rear hem.
- These jerseys featured a set tag, but the tags were now larger and screened. They were still serial numbered but are now located near the fight strap, rather than the bottom hem.
- On April 6, 2018, the hockey world was stunned when the bus carrying the Junior team the Humbolt Broncos was involved in an accident which killed 16 people and injured and additional 13, most of which were players on the team. The following evening, April 7, 2018, the Blackhawks were to play the Winnipeg Jets in Winnipeg, the last game of the regular season. Both the Blackhawks and the Jets removed their nameplates and replaced them with plates that read Broncos for this game, the only time such a tribute has occurred in the NHL.
- The jerseys the Hawks wore were their backup set mostly, a mix of some set 2 jerseys and jerseys that were to be playoff jerseys (they missed the playoffs). The jerseys have evidence of the original nameplate attached. The Jets after the game had special set tagging produced and sewn into the rear hem of the jerseys. The jerseys from both teams were donated to the Broncos. The initial intention was to auction the shirts with the profits going to the families. Due to the huge outpouring of financial support, the jerseys were instead given to the families effected in the crash. All but a handful of shirts went to the families. 4 Blackhawks and 1 Jet jersey are known to have been auctioned off locally in the Humbolt area.
- Hawks goalies had 3 jerseys issued to them and they change between periods. They wear the same 3 all season. A few other players also wore multiple jerseys – including Jonathan Toews. Duncan Keith started having a "Set 3" made for the regular season in 2017-18 to wear for third periods.
The infamous Adidas collar compared to the previous season’s Reebok collar. Note the shiny NHL shield on Adidas.
Comparison of the Adidas fabrics to the Airknit of the previous season.
Set marking examples
NHL 100th Anniversary patch worn for set 1
Adidas tagging, including the return of a born on date
Set tagging example
Vinnie Hinostroza Game Worn jersey worn in the Humbolt Broncos tribute game
Humbolt game set tagging