Leafs introduce new sweaters; Matthews the first to don fresh take on old design

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Air Canada Centre was getting ready to shut down for the night in mid-January when two Toronto Maple Leafs players took the ice sporting an unfamiliar sweater with a logo from the past.

It was the work of team president Brendan Shanahan, who asked that Peter Holland and Frankie Corrado test out what would become the new look of the franchise. Shanahan watched from the stands to see how the new classic-looking sweaters appeared at different angles, later seeking the players’ perspective on the re-invention of the Maple Leaf.

That look, which received the seal of approvement from the players, was revealed publically for the first time on Friday evening.

Auston Matthews became not only became the first No. 1 overall pick of the Leafs in 31 years, but the first to don the new uniform, unveiled on the draft floor in Buffalo.

Like the new logo, the simple, understated sweater appeals to the more glorious days of the franchise’s history. The design places extra emphasis on the crest, larger in this version than those of the past.

“Much like the new Toronto Maple Leaf logo that pays tribute to the club’s championship legacy but also represents the start of an exciting new chapter in team history, our new uniforms are meant to be classic and timeless,” team president Brendan Shanahan said in a statement.

“There is a simplicity in the design so that the focus is always solely on the crest.”

Such sentiment was echoed by Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello on the eve of the draft. No player, Lamoriello said, would be the face of the franchise, including Matthews.

“The logo will be the face of this franchise,” said Lamoriello.

More classically appealing than the corporate-looking version of recent decades, the new sweater features four stripes on the sleeves and a single band across the bottom. The slogan “Honour. Pride. Courage.” is stitched inside the collar, a tribute to Conn Smythe, who speerheaded the rebranding of the Maple Leafs team name in 1927.

Unveiled in February, the new logo was inspired by a crest last worn in the 1960s, a period which saw the Leafs win four Stanley Cups, the last one coming in 1967. The crest has subtle features, including 13 veins at the top to commemorate 13 Stanley Cups and 17 total veins to represent the year of the club’s founding (1917).

The new sweaters will be worn beginning in the fall for the centennial season of the Leafs franchise. Players will also wear a centennial patch on their helmets to celebrate the anniversary.