NHL’s Winter Classic Uniforms for the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues

[Editor’s Note: Portions of this article originally ran when the Winter Classic uniforms were first unveiled. With the game being played later this afternoon, let’s take another look at the uniforms for the game. Enjoy! — PH]

The Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues are playing in this afternoon’s NHL Winter Classic — to be held outdoors at Chicago’s historic Wrigley Field. Faceoff is scheduled for around 5:00 pm (ET). The game can be seen on MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS.

We’ll start with the videos:

Proudly representing our city and its hockey heritage. St. Louis, our #WinterClassic sweater is for you. pic.twitter.com/5AJebFi4rI

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) November 20, 2024

History is woven into the design of this year’s Winter Classic uniforms for the @NHLBlackhawks and @StLouisBlues #NHL #Blackhawks #Blues #WinterClassic pic.twitter.com/55RApOdBq9

— Fanatics (@Fanatics) November 20, 2024

With the Blackhawks as the home team, they’ll wear dark sweaters. Both the Blues and Blackhawks uniforms are “throwback inspired,” which we usually refer to as “fauxbacks.” Let’s take a look now.

St. Louis Blues

According to the NHL,

The Blues’ NHL Winter Classic uniform pays homage to the city’s hockey heritage. The jersey’s primary wordmark represents the first time in team history that a Blue Note is not the principal design element appearing on the chest. The font styling and numbers are inspired by an unworn prototype Blues uniform from 1966, and the jersey also includes a newly designed vintage-style “Blue Note” on the shoulder. Lastly, fleur-de-lis designs are featured on the inside back neck and hem loop labels to honor the city of St. Louis.

The front of the sweater is relatively simple. There are three horizontal stripes of gold, with a wordmark that reads “St. Louis” in gold lettering outlined in white, atop a thick solid blue stripe. That gold/white/blue/white/gold striping pattern is repeated on the jersey sleeves. The jersey hem is blue.

The back of the collar is blue, but as it moves toward the front of the jersey, it breaks down into cream with a blue stripe above the NHL shield.

The right shoulder features the 2025 Winter Classic logo patch, while the left shoulder has the Blues’ classic “Note” logo.

Some additional details can be seen here:

The rear of the uniform is similarly plain. Because this is an outdoor game, the NOB and rear number are both oversized.

Shorts are blue, with a cream and gold stripe, and sleeves also have oversized TV numbers. Socks are white, with a gold/white/blue/white/gold striping pattern like that on the sleeves.

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Chicago Blackhawks

According to the NHL,

The Blackhawks’ NHL Winter Classic uniform pays homage to the franchise’s rich heritage while introducing distinctive new design elements. The jersey features a classic lace-neck collar, reminiscent of hockey’s early days, complemented by a vintage cream color that captures the nostalgic spirit of the Original Six era. In unique design flourishes, the front crest includes stars from the Chicago flag and the back numbers incorporate subtle pinstripes, a thoughtful tribute to Chicago’s deep baseball tradition. The elements come together to create a uniform that honors both the team’s storied past and the city’s broader sporting legacy.

Chicago will wear black helmets, red jerseys and black breezers.

Jerseys have a thick black collar, with a thin white stripe. The red jersey is bisected with white/black/white/black/white stripes running horizonatally across the chest. This pattern is repeated on the sleeves.

TV numbers are oversized and located above the stripes. The team’s secondary logo, with updated colors, is located atop the stripes, which a modernized crest is located in the center of the jersey.

The Winter Classic logo patch sits atop the right shoulder.

Breezers are black and will have a new “Chicago” script logo on the right leg. Socks are red, with a white/black/white/black/white striping pattern that is also on the sleeves.

Although the team didn’t provide a view of the rear of the jersey, I was able to go to the Fanatics page which contains the following graphic, in which you can see the “subtle” stripes running vertically down the numbers.

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Both jerseys feature special details including city-specific elements in the necklines, and helmets, and the “NHL Winter Classic” designation on the bottom hem.

While I’ll need to see both of these on the ice and in action, I like what I see so far. The NHL and the teams who play in the Winter Classic generally do an excellent job with the uniforms they create for the game. It’s always one of the nicest looking games of the season, especially since the game is outdoors. Depending on the weather (and we’ve had everything from heavy snow to warm weather forcing delays due to ice conditions), players and coaches often will wear gear (like toques and scarves) that we’d never see indoors.

The Winter Classic continues the tradition the League established in 2008 of hosting a regular-season outdoor game at the onset of the new year. The game will be the 16th NHL Winter Classic and the 42nd NHL regular-season outdoor game. With so many games over the years, the NHL has tried to keep the Winter Classic uniforms traditional, while the other outdoor games — dubbed the “Stadium Series” — tend to have uniforms with a “modern” look and feel.

It’s actually a bit surprising this is only the second time Wrigley Field will be hosting the WC. The Hawks lost to the Detroit Red Wings in 2009. The Blues head into the matchup with a 2-0-0 record in outdoor games, while the Blackhawks are 1-5-0. The Hawks last won outdoors in 2014, when the team defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins at Soldier Field.

Readers? What do you think of this year’s Winter Classic uniforms?