Ranking The 2016 World Cup Of Hockey Jerseys

For those unaware, the World Cup of Hockey will make its return this September, pitting some of the world’s best talent against each other for the third installment of the NHL-sanctioned international tournament. It’s been 12 years since the last World Cup of Hockey, and there are some big changes coming.

While the tournament will stick with the eight-team format they used in the first two, the biggest difference is that this year’s field will include a 23-and-under team from North America, as well as Team Europe, comprised of European players from countries not represented in the field.

All of the games from this year’s tournament will also be played in a single venue (Air Canada Centre in Toronto) as opposed to multiple venues, as was the case in the past.

Another big change will come in the form of the jerseys worn on the ice, as the World Cup will give hockey fans a first glimpse at adidas’ new partnership with the NHL. Adidas signed a deal to become the league’s official outfitter back in September, taking over for Reebok, a brand which falls under the adidas Group umbrella.

Though the new partnership doesn’t officially hit the NHL until the 2017-2018 season, adidas will be handling the World Cup jerseys and merchandise. Those jerseys were revealed on Wednesday and, as Uproxx Sports’ designated “cares too much about uniforms” guy, here is how they rank.

8. Team Europe

From adidas:

Signifying a united Europe, the players’ countries are all represented by a modern E shield, featuring a single crest that connects all of their home nations. Players wear their flag on their shoulder and the names of each European nation in the unity stripe across their sleeve. A continental blue color scheme highlights harmony on a unified team.

Though the tri-blue color scheme isn’t bad, this is just an incredibly boring jersey. Also, the logo (an E with a hockey stick cut into it) looks like the old Enron logo. Doesn’t bode well for them.

7. United States

From adidas:

Building upon a tradition befitting the land of the free and home of the brave, the USA uniform features bold striping inspired by service uniforms that creates a distinct yet cohesive visual across the uniforms. National emblems and banners inspire an unapologetic shield and word mark.

Though not awful (and certainly better than Nike’s effort for the 2014 Winter Olympics) these USA jerseys are pretty disappointing. I’m a fan of the new crest, but the navy jersey is especially boring and underwhelming. The white jersey has a little more pop to it and I do like the diagonal lettering, but the font is weird and the jersey still leaves a bit to be desired.

6. North America

From adidas:

The North America team is a group of young talented phenoms who will play in black and white under an inclusive badge of brotherhood. The crest and uniform feature highlights of beacon red, signaling the high energy these stars bring to the ice. This uniform admits the wearer to the exclusive club of the next generation.

Though these jerseys drew the strongest reaction (and most hate) from fans, they’re menacing and I kind of dig them. A friend of mine said that they “look like the Urban Outfitters sale rack had sex with the death squads from The Purge: Anarchy,” which I can’t necessarily disagree with, but I do think they have the potential to look awesome out on the ice. That’s about as much as you can ask for from a jersey designed with no real foundation or history. Since it’s a new team comprised of young stars, it makes a whole lot more sense for them to try for a unique modern look rather than a faux-classic style.

5. Finland

From adidas:

Paying homage to heritage, the Finland uniform design honors the bold Nordic cross of the Finnish flag. Reflecting the spirit of Suomi, the crests feature the national coat of arms with its crowned lion.

Finland’s unis also fall into the “not bad, but disappointing” category. They elected to go with bold striping across the chest that clashes with the adidas triple-stripe on the side. The “Suomi” lettering on the blue jersey is a bit too bold and overwhelming, and while I like that they included the crest on both jerseys, it looks kind of weird considering they stuck with the red and gold colorway and it doesn’t fit with the blue. As much as I like to rip Nike for their hockey jerseys, I think they did a much better job with Finland’s jerseys recently.

4. Sweden

From adidas:

Focusing on Scandinavian sensibility, Sweden’s uniform uses bold assertive color blocking drenched in the national blue and gold. The emblematic tre kronor crest is appointed with kurbits detailing, an honored Swedish traditional motif.

These are pretty predictable. Adidas probably knew if they messed with the tre kronor crest that the Swedish people would have rioted and burned their headquarters to the ground. It’s really hard to mess up Sweden’s jerseys considering how great the crest and color scheme is, but these leave just a little bit to be desired. The single bold stripe at the end of the sleeve resembles elastic cuffing, which is weird. That being said, I know Sweden will look nice out on the ice…they always do.

3. Czech Republic

From adidas:

The Czech Republic’s uniform seizes upon the boldness of national emblems and banners. The statement color blocking highlights the coat of arms, a silver double-tailed Lion crest representing all of the Republic.

I wasn’t totally sold on the red jersey when it was first unveiled, but have since come very much around on it. They did a great job with the paneling and contrasting colors, creating a jersey that really pops. The crest is great and I also really like the unique collar on the white jersey.

2. Canada

From adidas:

Celebrating the designation as the host team for the World Cup of Hockey 2016, Canada’s uniforms recall a modern interpretation of the national icon-the maple leaf. The motif wraps each sleeve, creating a visual with a direct connection to a crowning era in Canada’s hockey heritage. The three veins contained in the Dominion Leaf crest represent Canada’s three coasts and make this a mark to represent all of the Great North.

Though simple, I think this look is extremely crisp and clean. I love the new interpretation of the maple-leaf crest, which is basically a slick version of the classic logo. There has been a mixed reaction to the sleeve design but I’m a fan and think they fit nicely with the modernized crest, moreso than classic stripes would.

1. Russia

From adidas:

Centered around the powerful double-headed eagle national shield, Russia’s uniform features the traditional crest surrounded by impact color blocking that carries the colors of Russia’s national flag. The uniform reflects a modern interpretation of the steadfast Russian identity.

As a proud American, it pains me to have Canada and Russia as the one-two punch at the top of the rankings — especially considering where USA is positioned — but this jersey is easily the strongest of the bunch. The crest is great, the color-blocked striping works super well, and the shoulder paneling is a nice touch on both jerseys. Damn you, Russia.

Overall, I think this is a strong batch of initial jerseys from adidas. As a person who appreciates hockey and nice jerseys almost equally, I was a little worried that they’d try to get too ambitious (as they’ve done with a lot of basketball uniforms recently) and produce some atrocious looks, but I think this is a good sign for the future of NHL aesthetics. As long as they don’t insist on including the triple-stripe on every uniform they touch.

(Via NHL and adidas)