The Maple Leafs will wear a reversible alternate uniform made in collaboration with pop star Justin Bieber and his design company Drew House in Toronto's March 23 game against the New Jersey Devils, the NHL and Maple Leafs announced Tuesday. According to the NHL, the jersey, which was designed also in collaboration with Adidas and the league, is "the first reversible sweater ever in North American professional sport."
It is the 15th alternate jersey in Maple Leafs history and was created to celebrate the Maple Leafs’ Next Gen games, which were introduced in 2017, “to mark a celebration of youth in the community and to unite fans of all ages through the team and the game of hockey.”
"My love for the Maple Leafs has always been a big part of who I am, and my passion for the team, and the passion of millions of fans, is stitched into this Next Gen sweater," Bieber in a release. "I’m grateful to the Leafs for the chance to team up again to create something so authentic for the team and its fans."
Bieber is arguably one of the NHL’s highest-profile celebrity fans and was raised in Stratford, Ontario.
There’s a belief by some Maple Leafs fans that his appearances at games curses the team. Bieber was part of one of the most memorable moments of the 2017 All-Star weekend in Los Angeles when he was hit against the boards by Chris Pronger. The Hall of Fame defenseman appeared to be laughing as Bieber’s face was smashed against the glass.
Last summer, Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews went to UFC 263 and then UFC 264 a month later with Bieber. Matthews' ex-teammates Joe Thornton (at UFC 264) and Frederik Andersen (at UFC 263) also joined the star center and Bieber for the events.
(Photo: Courtesy of the NHL)
What are we supposed to think of these jerseys and the Bieber collaboration?
Sean Gentille, NHL senior writer: The execution, for me, is kind of "meh." The Celtics look weird wearing black to me, so the Leafs do too. The shibori look on the leaf itself works. Overall, I think more jerseys is generally good, even as I rapidly age out of the demographic that's targeted for stuff like this. Whatever. I'd like the reversed side a little more if it weren't a billboard for Bieber's design company. The Raptors' OVO jerseys — the obvious model for these — are cooler and less flagrant.
Sean McIndoe, NHL senior writer: Are these good for the Leafs? I have no idea. I don’t like them, but I’m old and crusty and I think it’s fair to say that I am very much not the demographic they’re targeting here. Trying something new for the kids is fine.
Should that involve Justin Bieber? Again, no idea. Literally nobody I know, including my teenager and their friends, seems to actually like Bieber, and yet he’s everywhere so clearly somebody is interested in the guy. I can’t imagine spending money on a yellow smiley face jersey of a team that does not actually wear yellow (and does not actually make its fans smile), but again, I’m clearly not the audience here.
Julian McKenzie, NHL associate editor and Canadiens writer: It makes sense that the Toronto Maple Leafs would collaborate with one of the biggest pop stars in the world, who just so happens to be a Leafs fan. I don't hate the designs here. I actually kind of like them.
The black jersey with the standard Leafs logo seems to be the prevailing favorite among fans between both, and it does look pretty cool. But, I prefer the yellow version that apparently can only be worn in warmup. The eyes that make it resemble the power star from the Super Mario video game franchise, the subtle 'Leafs' below them, the reversed numbers. I can see myself going to a party wearing a hoodie underneath the jersey as a style choice.
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Could we see a reversible NHL jersey trend?
Gentille: I wouldn't be against it. One of the fundamental problems with hockey jerseys is the cost; dropping $200 or so on a garment with minimal utility isn't an option for a lot of people. If you get two looks for the cost of one? That's not bad. It's easy to imagine kids in Toronto — or 25-year-olds, or whoever likes Justin Bieber these days — wearing the more traditional side to games, then the Bieber advertisement elsewhere.
McIndoe: Between these jerseys and the Evgenii Dadonov trade, apparently “reversible” is the NHL’s hot new trend.
McKenzie: I think it will depend on how well these jerseys sell, and I anticipate that they will be at least somewhat popular. I'd love to see teams like the Canadiens, Wild, Kings, Coyotes, Penguins and Avalanche (who all happened to be among the teams with the best Reverse Retro jerseys last year) try their hands at it.
What's been the immediate social media reaction and do you agree with it?
Gentille: Seems split between age groups, yeah? The older you are, the bigger an issue you're likely to have with the Leafs wearing something other than blue and white, and the bigger an issue you're likely to have with the concept of a fashion jersey overall. This doesn't apply to me, though. I'm very young.
McKenzie: Opinions seem split so far, and a lot of them are focused on the yellow jersey. While I do like them, I will concede that I completely understand that the color scheme makes fans think of the Boston Bruins. They've haunted Leafs fans enough over the years, so I get why they'd avoid a jersey that has anything to do with them. You may say that the color scheme may also bring about Pittsburgh Penguins vibes, and to that, I say: Sure, them too.
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