New NHL jerseys from Fanatics living up to expectations already

Training camps have yet to officially get underway for the 2024-25 season, but players are already taking part in practices and scrimmages to get themselves ready. With the players coming back to their home arenas and practice facilities comes a brand new jersey manufacturer. Many had reservations about the change from Adidas to Fanatics, and it seems those reservations are getting some vaildation.

Matty Berniers of the Seattle Kraken was on the ice Friday sporting his team's brand new practice jerseys made by Fanatics. The NHL and Fanatics unveiled new jersey designs for the 2024-25 season back in June. Berniers wasn't on the ice for long before his jersey ripped at what looks like one of the seams.

The new Fanatics jerseys have new pricing structures allowing fans to pick up one at a discounted price, as long as they don't mind a lower quality. But, the announcement of the switch to Fanatics as the NHL's jersey provider brought many concerns from fans who had dealt with the company in the past but didn't get what they expected. The complaints stem from Fanatics taking over as the producer of uniforms for Major League Baseball.

Many X users are pointing out that what happened with Berniers' practice jersey is exactly what they expected to happen when Fanatics took over. It should be pointed out that the company is using the exact same facility in Quebec to make the jerseys that Adidas used during its time as the NHL's official provider. Whether anything like materials and/or quality control has changed remains to be seen.