Winter Classic uniforms to feature retro look

DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs will be playing in the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, but parts of their uniforms will suggest they went back in time some 80 or so years.

Both the Red Wings and Maple Leafs will be wearing uniforms representing their storied pasts when they meet at Michigan Stadium on New Year's Day (1 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, RDS).

"Each year, our NHL Winter Classic uniform designs set out to honor and pay respect to the rich history of the game and the teams taking part in the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic," said Brian Jennings, NHL Executive Vice President of Marketing. "Each NHL Winter Classic uniform is an embodiment of that team's core brand values and represents memorable milestones in that team's history. To our fans, the NHL Winter Classic jersey is the ultimate keepsake from this extraordinary event, and with two Original Six franchises participating this year, we have created something quite special."

Detroit will be wearing iconic red and antique white uniforms featuring a striping pattern and arch Detroit wordmark inspired by the late-1920s Detroit Cougars. The front crest on the jersey will feature an early iteration of the winged wheel from the late 1930s Red Wings.

There's even a touch of the early 1980s Red Wings with the custom Detroit wordmark and the number system. Both are exclusive to the typeface worn by the Red Wings from 30 years ago.

The captain's patch that will presumably be worn by Henrik Zetterberg will also pay homage to the team's heritage and former captains.

Toronto's uniforms will be royal blue and white and feature the distinct striping configuration inspired by the 1930s Maple Leafs. The front crest of the jersey will feature a distinct wordmark from the inaugural Maple Leafs' logo, revealed in 1927. The neckline design is taken from the sweaters worn by the Leafs throughout the 1960s and the running stitch detail on the numbers is a tribute to the Leafs' sweater from the mid-1950s.

"Reebok’s NHL Winter Classic jersey is one of the key elements to help make the NHL Winter Classic so unique, bringing back tradition and calling out memorable moments of the past for both teams," said Keith Leach, NHL Go To Market Director for Reebok. "We are very proud to once again be a part of this historic occasion in sports. The 2014 matchup will be especially exciting taking place at Michigan Stadium as the Detroit Red Wings take on their Canadian rival the Toronto Maple Leafs. In addition to the uniforms, we will continue to bring fans additional apparel offerings, including the highly sought after Reebok NHL Winter Classic knit hats and other unique merchandise styles which capture the teams' identities."

In addition, the uniforms that will be worn in the Maple Leafs vs. Red Wings Alumni Showdown at Comerica Park on New Year's Eve will be familiar to today's fans.

The Red Wings will wear the home version of the retro uniforms they wore in the 2009 Winter Classic. The Leafs' alumni will wear modern versions of the uniforms worn by the Leafs in the late 1980s and early 1990s.