NHL players haven't been known for putting their private lives out there for public consumption, but that's finally changing.
Take the new collaboration between the NHL, Fanatics and lululemon. Rather than having the hockey stars model the new branded fan apparel alone, the campaign features "our players and their partners," said Brian Jennings, NHL chief brand officer and senior executive VP.
The new apparel line will feature 11 NHL teams for the 2024-25 season, before expanding to a full 32 team assortment in 2025-26. The initial offering features the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, Seattle Kraken, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks and Vegas Golden Knights.
"This new collection is a pivotal moment in how we connect both men and women to the teams they love, bringing them together in style and comfort through a truly premium assortment," said Andrew Low Ah Kee, Fanatics commerce CEO.
The apparel includes shirts, hoodies, pants, crews and belt bags adorned with NHL logos and marks.
The players and significant others participating in the campaign include:
Kraken center Matty Beniers and Anna Hedengren
Red Wings center Dylan Larkin and Kenzy Larkin
Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones and Coral Silverberg
Bruins forward Morgan Geekie and Emma Geekie
Golden Knights winger Mark Stone and Hayley Stone
Maple Leafs center John Tavares and Aryne Tavares
This isn't the first time Tavares has modeled for lululemon, having worn Team Canada gear created for the 2022 Winter Olympics in a photo shoot that didn't go unnoticed by his teammates.
"It's not my forte, I would say," he said at the time. "I'll keep my day job, that's for sure."
Also taking part in the campaign is NHL rookie of the year Connor Bedard, who became the first lululemon brand ambassador in the NHL last season.
The NHL, Fanatics and lululemon collab will be available on Oct. 29 on Shop NHL and select Lids stores in the participating markets.