Penguins star Sidney Crosby models the new
"Rbk Edge" outfit which he and other players
will wear during the NHL All-Star Game on Jan. 24.

FROM USA TODAY
The NHL is launching its biggest uniform makeover in decades.

The league Monday will unveil sleeker, lighter, more durable hockey uniforms from Reebok that will enable players to skate faster with greater range of motion, while staying drier and cooler on the ice, says Brian Jennings, the NHL's executive vice president of consumer products marketing.

Hockey fans will get their first look at the new "Rbk Edge" uniforms from official outfitter Reebok during Versus' live coverage of the 2007 All-Star Game on Jan. 24. All 30 NHL teams switch to the new uniforms for the 2007-08 season.

The NHL and Reebok have been designing and testing the new uniforms for 30 months. That quiet period has spawned several myths, Jennings told USA TODAY. No, NHL players won't wear form-fitting garb like Olympic speedskaters. No, the new uniforms won't eliminate horizontal stripes, although some clubs will experiment with vertical striping next season.

The uniform shift is bound to spark controversy among players and hockey traditionalists. To stave off the kind of player revolt that derailed the NBA's composite ball from Spalding, the NHL and Reebok incorporated feedback from the NHL Players Association, general managers, retired stars and even draft picks. Nearly all 750 NHL players, from superstars to enforcers, have been personally fitted by Reebok, Jennings says. More than half the teams have practiced in the uniforms, O'Toole says.