THE price for an “authentic” team jersey as listed on Shop.NHL.com, is $249.99. We wonder if there will be a 50 percent discount once the players complete their change into replacement jerseys featuring the old-style material on the front and the new-era material on the back.
No replacement players in the NHL, but replacement jerseys supplied by and for Reebok, which is doing the right thing here in readily reacting to widespread dissatisfaction with the product the company supplied this season.
We’re told an immense amount of the credit is due Sidney Crosby, the out-front paid endorser and representative of the company who displayed great allegiance to the integrity of hockey and lobbied Reebok to adapt.
Remember all the league-prompted hoopla over the new aerodynamic improvements this new-era jersey – no, that’s right: uniform system – were going to bring the game?
Now, after a couple of months during which most players found moisture no longer absorbed by their jerseys’ material instead soaking their gloves, skates and equipment, they are quietly changing into their half-retro jerseys.
This could have been avoided, of course, if the uniforms had been tested for a season in the AHL, the way various rule adaptations and the shootout were studied in the AHL before being adopted by the NHL. But not this time.
This wasn’t about improving performance, even as those charged with developing the jersey did so with the best interests of the game at heart.
This wasn’t even so much about generating merchandise sales, for at least 55.5 percent of it will go to the players, anyway. This was about changing the look of hockey because that’s the ultimate goal of the administration.
Even as Hall of Famers Mark Messier and Scott Stevens on Monday separately advised the league about further changing the game, you can be sure the people running the NHL are going to lobby to increase the size of the net next year in order to create a surge of goals.
Scoring is appreciably down in this, the third year of the post-lockout offense-friendly rules that coaches (and unnecessarily inflated goal equipment) already have conquered.
A mass introduction of new-look jerseys was designed to re-brand the NHL, again, three seasons after the hard-salary-cap, new-rules re-branding that immediately followed the lockout.
The pity is, the old look of the NHL was classic and should have been sacrosanct. The NHL should have under- stood that. This wasn’t about modernizing the sweater as if they were leaving wool behind; this was about eliminating the sweater.
Now, however, the players whose concerns were given voice by Crosby, they have been heard. They apparently did not feel the urgent need to go 9 percent faster, as advertised.
Which begs the question: If Dave Kara had been wearing the new material on his back in his day, might he have been 4.5 percent quicker defending the odd-man rush?
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If there’s one thing the Devils have been better at than winning Stanley Cups, it’s been the core players’ ability to force out a coach regardless of identity and/or past performance. They won’t be able to do it this time; Brent Sutter is here for the long haul, but that only increases the likelihood of an explosive season ahead.
Sutter had not only the right but the obligation to establish a new order in New Jersey. The old way had run its course. But the freshman pro coach is treading a very thin line by repeatedly calling out his veteran players in his postgame and practice-day proclamations.
These are not simply NHL players, but recent (if not repeated) targets Patrik Elias, John Madden and Jay Pandolfo are multiple Devils’ Cup winners who have earned a significant amount of respect – more respect than that from Sutter – in the hockey world.
Is the head coach going to publicly take on Martin Brodeur for allowing a marginal goal? Or is the all-time mask of the franchise exempt?
This isn’t a fight Sutter or the organization need on any level, not with the full weight of recent losses Stevens, Scott Niedermayer, Scott Gomez and Brian Rafalski finally and inevitably crashing down upon the three-time champions.
As the Devils have an obligation to Sutter, a two time Cup-winning center with the dynastic Islanders and a championship coach on the junior level in both league and Memorial Cup play as well as in the World Juniors for Canada, so, too, does the coach have an obligation to his players.
Respect is mutual.
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Finally, between first putting him in uniform last Feb. 6 and pregame last night: Rangers, 24-8-6 with No. 16 in lineup; Rangers, 4-5-1 without No. 16 in lineup.
Thus, our dictionary lesson for today. Word: Detriment. Antonym: Sean Avery.