Washington Capitals Unveil 2015 Winter Classic Uniform

The Washington Capitals unveiled their uniform to be worn at the upcoming 2015 NHL Winter Classic during a press event at Nationals Park earlier today.

The uniform is red and “fauxback” in style, much like the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers have done during their turns hosting the annual outdoor New Year’s Day event. A “fauxback” is a new uniform design made to look like it was originally created in a historical era, making use of those traditional techniques.

On the chest is a new logo for the club, a blue serifed “W” with the peak of the letter representing the Washington Memorial Monument and “CAPITALS” written across in red. Above the logo are three white stars, much like those worn on the current home and road Capitals uniforms.

Down the sleeves and the side of the pants are three additional stars. The collar and pants are blue and across the shoulders of the jersey are horizontal red and white stripes (just like the American flag?), this look continues around the waist of the jersey and again on the socks… a true “stars-and-stripes” hockey uniform.

“We wanted to create a uniform that not only celebrates the history of the Capitals but also gives the team a unique, new look,” Capitals president Dick Patrick said in a press release, “We feel our fans will really embrace this uniform.”

The Capitals announced the inspiration for the design of the uniform:

The 2015 Capitals NHL Winter Classic jersey includes many elements from Capitals jerseys worn during the past five decades. The “Capitals” wordmark on the front of the jersey has been a hallmark of Caps jerseys throughout the past four decades, even through several redesigns. The stars on the front are also an element seen on many Capitals jerseys through the years, including the Capitals current jersey.

The primary color for the Capitals’ NHL Winter Classic uniform is vintage deep red to symbolize hockey’s deep roots in Washington. The stripes on the shoulders, waist and legs bring in elements of Washington professional hockey jerseys from the 1930’s, predating the Capitals’ formation in the 1970s. A large “W” on the front of the jersey, offset in blue to contrast the white Capitals wordmark, offers a unique look never seen before on Capitals jerseys. A large “W” on the front of the jersey is offset in blue to contrast the white Capitals wordmark and features a silhouette of the Washington Monument, offering a unique look never seen before on Capitals jersey in franchise history.

During the Capitals previous appearance in the Winter Classic in 2011 they simply wore their 1980s style home white uniforms for the game in Pittsburgh. Those uniforms have since been promoted to full-time alternate uniform status.

Washington will play host to the Chicago Blackhawks at this seasons NHL Winter Classic on Thursday, January 1, 2015. Chicago’s uniforms will be unveiled at a yet-to-be-announced later date.