Red Wings change jerseys

[Shumway]

I was checking out the photos from the Detroit Red Wings' Red & White intersquad game, and it looks like the Wings have serifed letters on the back of their jerseys now. It immediately caught my eye...I don't think I like it that much.

Here's a link(the picture of the opening faceoff shows it best):

Red/White Game Photo Gallery

[BBTV]

They do that every preseason.

[FUNKAFIED]

I returned a jersey one time because they totally screwed up the Wings player name on the back. Hopefully it's just for the Red/White game. I like the current font they use.

[CC97]

They do it every preseason, and so do we

[CJR]

They do it every preseason, and so do we

And so does frikkin' everyone. They'll mention it during every single preseason broadcast because no one can remember from year to year.

[tater]

They do that every preseason.

Anybody know why?

[officeglenn]

I can't imagine the Wings would deviate from the arched nameplates. They're pretty famous for those. These serifed plates are probably just cheaper to make and easier to take off for guys who get cut.

As an aside ... that sure looks like some weird light in that rink. A photographer's nightmare.

[ColeJ]

yeah. they've done that every year for as long as i can remember.

imagine how long it would take to correctly arch the nameplates of a home jersey, and a road jersey, of every player invited to training camp.

it's much easier to just do it this way. when you make the team, you get a real nameplate.

[BBTV]

But still...

1. Why serifs?

2. Why everyone, even established vet's like #19?

Why? Why? Why?

Seriously, are the nameplates velcroed on? The Flyers used to do the velcro thing back in the day (but no serifs.)

[Shumway]

Ah, that's the first I've ever noticed. It doesn't at all make sense, but eh, oh well.

[CJR]

It makes sense in that it's faster and easier for Paul Boyer (equipment manager) to take care of since the Wings aren't a team that normally uses nameplates.

Another team like them, the Rangers, used screen-printed (or something along those lines) names instead of a nameplate or their normal lettering in the preseason a couple years ago. I don't know if they always do or not.

Here's a better view of the Wings' nameplates

I don't know why that font was chosen, I think it looks good though. Not good enough to switch to, just good enough for a temporary basis.

As for why everyone would have that nameplate, even the players who are established... I would say because it makes for a uniform uniform. It'd be messy-looking to have some people with one style and some with another.

[Stampman]

They do it every preseason, and so do we

I thought that as soon as I read the first post--well to be fair they and us did skip it last year...

[fashman23]

Correct me if I am wrong, but don't the Wings still go without name plates in the regular season? I thought their names were placed directly on the jersey similar to the Rangers.

[scooter13]

Correct me if I am wrong, but don't the Wings still go without name plates in the regular season? I thought their names were placed directly on the jersey similar to the Rangers.

That's correct. No nameplates.

[tmorss9]

And if anyone really pays attention, you'll also find that some players in the preseason will have the old NHL logo on the jersey hem, and the Reebok logo on the back of the neck, where they just used left-over jerseys from last year, and put a patch of the vector on them.

[totc]

I can't imagine the Wings would deviate from the arched nameplates. They're pretty famous for those. These serifed plates are probably just cheaper to make and easier to take off for guys who get cut.

Same with the New York Rangers.