As a younger player, Brodeur heard his friends, family, strangers, and people visiting the state refer to it as "Jersey" thus leading to the shorthand script on the front. Frechette said the crest and the red drop shadow was an important piece to the uniform, lending a nod to the club's popular primary color while still leaving a sleek, monochromatic, black and white look for the broadcast.
"The crest was really important to Marty to be reflective of Jersey and our deep roots of hockey in New Jersey. So, the crest, the font, the angle, the shape, the drop shadow, he thought all about that," said Frechette.
"What's special about Marty is he's a really thoughtful, strategic, and intentional guy. There are a lot of alumni out there who might lend their name to something, but they might not actually have their fingerprints on it. But what I'll say about Marty is he was a fantastic co-creator. And he sweat the details of every last detail that you'll find on this jersey, every last nuance, right down to the stitching. And I think it's just really special."
But Brodeur wanted to make sure he wasn't the only big-name alumni to approve of the design.
"Scott Niedermayer came through and Patrick Elias with a couple of other guys and they saw it," said Brodeur. "And they were really thrilled about it. It's an exciting time if it's something new. And I think our fans will love it"
"When you take it a few steps back, back in January of 2021, we launched a brand identity campaign called 'Made in Jersey,'" said Frechette. "We're committed to that campaign for the longer term. So this is just one step or one stop in the journey. And it's just really reflective of our roots in hockey and New Jersey, of our fan base that is very passionate about our team and our brand. And certainly, some of the other pieces are our esteemed alumni. Marty is really the best example, you know, 'born in Montreal but made in Jersey.' And now he's got his fingerprints on this beautiful garment."
The Devils will wear the third jersey 13 times, a nod to 22-year-old captain Nico Hischier. The team will hit the ice for the first time wearing them on December 8, versus the Philadelphia Flyers. The remaining games will be released on November 26, or "Black Friday" as it is called. In addition to the jersey, a wide-ranging clothing and collectible line will be released starting today on Fanatics and NHLshop.com, as well as Prudential Center stores.