Huge controversy over players’ dress code after Wild revealed team attire

Players are getting ready to head over to either hub city in Toronto or Edmonton next weekend in order to take part in the NHL’s summer playoff tournament, and we now know that they won’t have to pack their suitcases with a bevy of stylish suits, after the announcement of the league relaxing its more traditional dress code.

However, it appears that A LOT of people have something to say about what players should wear before games now that they can ditch the suits. On Tuesday, the Minnesota Wild revealed, thanks to veteran forward Zach Parise, that players will be wearing three different team-issued, Wild logoed collared shirts that are white and gray, green and black with pants, adding that this way they look presentable and like a team on the way to games. 

Reporters and pundits were many to react to the Wild’s attire, begging teams to let their players show more personality during the walk to the arena, hoping to see them be more creative, fashionably speaking. 

They don’t seem to like the idea of the Wild putting together a uniform for their players, and have been very vocal about it on social media. 

On top of that, Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson admitted that he would love to wear something that would show off his personality, but revealed that the club will most likely wear team tracksuits, like the Wild. 

When the announcement was made official by the league, Avalanche centre Nazem Kadri and Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Auston Matthews were amongst the many players to react, getting excited about the possibility of showing their true colours on their way to games. 

“I love the idea,” Kadri said of the relaxed dress code. “I love it. The game has got to evolve with its players and this is a great way for players to show their personalities.”

“As much as I like the suit idea and the tradition and how sharp it looks, I think this is a way for guys to express themselves and I’m certainly interested to see what guys have in store,” Kadri added. 

“I’m really looking forward to it, honestly,” Matthews told reporters in Toronto. “It’ll be a pretty cool opportunity for guys to express themselves like other leagues are able to. At times, hockey can kind of fall behind as far as that stuff kind of goes.”

However, this has turned into yet another controversy from the NHL and we wonder if games will finally allow everyone to focus on what really matters : on-ice action and a Stanley Cup winner for 2020.