“It was a no-brainer”: IceCaps Will Mimic Habs Uniforms

When your parent club looks as good as the Habs do, why go any other direction?

That’s precisely the route the St. John’s IceCaps took as they unveiled their new uniforms during an event at the Jack Byrne Arena in Torbay, NL this morning. The 2015-16 season marks the IceCaps first as the top-level affiliate of the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens following four with the Winnipeg Jets.

“There was never really a doubt in our minds that we would incorporate our revised logo into the elegant and world-renowned jerseys the Canadiens have proudly worn for almost a hundred years. It was a no-brainer. We’re excited about our bright, new look and I’m sure our fans will be as well.” – IceCaps President Danny Williams

The uniform is “virtually identical” to those worn *last season* by the Canadiens… this means the brand new collar laces and all-white collar striping is not a part of this set. The only differences between this set and the 2015 Habs’ uniforms are the IceCaps logo replacing Montreal’s on the chest, and the Canadiens logos on each shoulder.

Fans who pre-order the new jersey through IceCaps Alley Online will receive a special patch marking the St. John’s IceCaps’ inaugural season as an affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens, this patch will *not* be worn by the team.

Now, I’m going to get a little nitpicky here, and while I love the Habs jersey template (and if any team other than Montreal is allowed to use it, it’s their AHL club), I’m not a fan of how CCM/Reebok has physically attached the “St. John’s” wordmark to the jersey… observe:

It should really be individually stitched on, each letter on its own. On the road red it’s on a single patch separate from the logo itself, it’s noticeable. The home whites connect it to the main logo resulting in a blank gap of patch between the two. Like I said, it’s a nitpick, and really it has nothing to do with the actual design of the jersey.

St John's IceCaps "Winnipeg Jets" style uniforms 2011-15 — St John’s IceCaps “Winnipeg Jets” style uniforms (2011-15)

Should the IceCaps have gone with their own, unique look? Is it okay for a team to copy their parent club design when, frankly, it’s too good not to? Share your thoughts in the comments below.