The NHL’s newest tradition is getting ready to take over Queens as the 10th NHL Winter Classic will feature the New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres from Citi Field, home of Major League Baseball’s New York Mets.
Played on New Year’s Day, the Winter Classic brings hockey’s professional game back to its roots in an outdoor setting where most of today’s stars got their starts.
It also offers players and fans a chance to debut some new digs as exclusive jerseys, helmets and gear are put on display during hockey’s biggest event outside of the Stanley Cup Final.
The Rangers based this year’s jerseys on what they wore during their expansion season in 1926, a navy blue jersey with the team name spelled out in white:
The NY Rangers introduced their Winter Classic jersey this week. Snazzy. pic.twitter.com/6ddRjxjR2w
— Domenic Fazioli (@DomenicFazioli) November 25, 2017
Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist gave Rangers fans a sneak peek at the pads he’ll wear on New Year’s Day, giving a nod to the Mets in the process:
The Sabres went with a throwback look of their own, bringing back the royal blue once worn by the franchise from their founding in 1970 to the mid-1990s. They added an “NY” under the crossing sabers on their crest in an attempt to add a little more fuel to this New York rivalry:
Buffalo #Sabres Winter Classic jersey analysis…
9.5/10
More to come after both team’s jerseys are revealed. pic.twitter.com/Bk32UZyQrt— HockeyJerseyConcepts (@HockeyJC) November 22, 2017
We also got a preview of Sabres goalie Robin Lehner’s mask for the big game as he features one of the greatest Sabres goalies of all-time:
Lehner’s #WinterClassic mask. Stick tap to @ByMHarrington for the pic. Love the inclusion of Hasek images. #Sabres pic.twitter.com/NEeeNSnV0L
— Eric Bodamer (@ericbodamer) December 21, 2017
