NHL x lululemon

In a twist in the world of sports merchandise, the National Hockey League has partnered with the athletic wear brand lululemon to bring fans a fresh line of hockey-inspired apparel.

This exciting collaboration is set to enhance the game-day apparel and experience and elevate team spirit, all while keeping fans stylish and comfortable.

As of Tuesday, Oct. 29, players have already been spotted modeling the new gear, and the collection is now available for fans representing 11 of the 32 NHL teams. From casual tees to professional polos and cozy hoodies for the cold rink, lululemon is offering a variety of options for both men and women.

This way fans can proudly showcase their team pride as the 2024-25 NHL season kicks off.

The teams included in this initial launch are a mix of classic franchises and newer contenders: Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, Seattle Kraken, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, and Vegas Golden Knights.

A handful of the teams even had a few of their star players take a break from the ice to model some of the merch alongside their teammates or families for the reveal. This included athletes such as Kraken center Matty Beniers, Red Wings center Dylan Larkin, Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones, Bruins forward Morgan Geekie, Golden Knights winger Mark Stone, and Maple Leafs center John Tavares.

There are plans to expand the collection to all 32 NHL teams over the next year, there’s something for every fan to look forward to.

Best Merch:

Coming out on top for the starting 11 on the merch roster is the Seattle Kraken.

Between their wide variety of items, they are eye-catching with the use of their team's cool colors.

In a close second, the silver medal goes to Edmonton Oilers. Lululemon has taken on bright and blaring colors in recent years, but the Oilers tie them back to a nice classic gray that can go with just about everything. On top of this, this crewneck perfectly places the logo in between the blue letters with an orange rim making it pop.

Teams Who Should be Next:

The Dallas Stars and the Washington Capitals. Both teams have large fan bases as well as critical and successful runs on the ice.

This past season the Stars made it to the semifinals before falling to the Oilers in six.

The Capitals were the fourth expansion team to join the league and have made noise with a relatively recent Stanley Cup victory in 2018 to keep their fan base loud and rowdy.

Who Does NOT Need to be included (No Offense):

No one, every fan base should be given an equal opportunity to represent their team to the fullest extent and show good sportsmanship and relationships with brands.

The San Jose Sharks.

Now you’re probably wondering, why the Sharks? It’s not like they will get a win on the ice so might as well give them a win off the ice by getting some nice clothing. Wrong.

The players should each be figuring it out on the ice before stepping into their modeling era for this clothing line. Beyond that, the team has a lacking fan base due to their competitive in-state rivals, Florida Panthers, who also just so happen to be last season's Stanley Cup champions.

Bronwyn Liber is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email brl5354@psu.edu.