Hockey Jersey Sizing Guide (w/ real photos)


In this article we discuss NHL Hockey Jersey Sizing. In general, expect NHL jerseys to fit bigger than normal clothing. There are three different type of NHL jerseys to choose from.

Quickly, here’s what you need to know about those three jersey types:

  • Adidas Authentic Jersey – Official Authentic Jersey. This is the closest you can get as a fan to wearing what the players wear on the ice. Stitched graphics. Loose fit, but I ordered my regular sizing. Click here to view the Adidas Authentic Jerseys at Adidas.com (affiliate link takes you to Adidas.com).
  • Fanatics Breakaway Jersey – This is the official replica jersey of the NHL. Still has nice quality even though it isn’t authentic. Stitched graphics. Loose fit also, but sleeves are a bit slimmer than the Adidas jerseys. More affordable than the authentic jerseys. Click here to view the Fanatics Breakaway jerseys at NHLShop.com (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com).
  • Adidas Practice Jersey – Alternate Adidas option. More affordable than Adidas Authentics. Practice themed jersey so it has a bit of a different look than the standard jerseys. This jersey also has a loose fit, but I ordered my regular sizing. Click here to view the Adidas Practice jerseys at NHLShop.com (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com).

There are several things to consider when buying a hockey jersey, sizing is definitely one of them. Let’s take a closer look at these three jerseys (with real photos) so you have a better idea of what jersey and what sizing might work best for you.

Fanatics Breakaway Jersey Sizing

Fanatics is an online retailer of sportswear and merchandise and currently runs the e-commerce platform for the NHL, which is NHLShop.com. Although Adidas is the NHL’s official outfitter for on-ice uniforms and other licensed apparel, Fanatics has the contract to manufacture the replica jerseys.

That means if you want an authentic NHL jersey, you will need to stick with Adidas. If you are looking for a replica jersey, you will need to stick with Fanatics. A replica jersey is a jersey that has less premium finishes compared to the authentic jerseys, but because of that, is offered at a more affordable price point.

I personally really like the Fanatics Breakaway jersey because it actually has very nice design features even though it isn’t an authentic jersey. In other sports, most replica jerseys have screen-printed graphics which can wear off over time.

These Fanatics Breakaway jerseys have some stitched graphics, which is great value for a replica. Here is a look at the graphics on my Fanatics Breakaway jersey:

nhl-fanatics-breakaway-jersey-front-logo
nhl-fanatics-breakaway-jersey-name

As I mentioned earlier, hockey jersey sizing is looser and baggier than normal clothes. And although that is true for the Fanatics Breakaway jersey, it is important to note that the sizing of this Fanatics jersey runs smaller than the sizing of the two Adidas jerseys (again, though, it will still be bigger than your normal clothes).

The Fanatics Breakaway NHL jerseys use a standard small-medium-large sizing system, which is different than the numerical sizing system that the Adidas NHL jerseys use. This is my size medium Fanatics Breakaway jersey compared to a size medium Hanes undershirt straight out of the package:

nhl-fanatics-breakaway-jersey-vs-t-shirt

As you can see, the sizing of this Fanatics Breakaway jersey will be much larger than normal clothing. Here I am wearing a size medium (6’3″ 200):

nhl-fanatics-breakaway-jersey-front

Again, although the Fanatics Breakaway jersey runs bigger than normal clothing, I still found it to fit a little smaller than the Adidas jerseys we will cover next. This jersey, although a replica, has stitched graphics and has great overall value in comparison to price. Click here to view the Fanatics Breakaway jerseys at NHLShop.com to see current price and styles (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com).


Adidas Hockey Jersey Sizing

Adidas offers two types of NHL jerseys: Authentic and Practice. Adidas hockey jersey sizing will be larger than your normal clothes. Let’s take a closer look.

Adidas Authentic Jersey Sizing

If you want to dress like the pros, you will need to buy an Adidas Authentic jersey. The Adidas Authentic jerseys are the closest you can get as a fan to wearing what the players wear on the ice. But because these jerseys have the authentic finishes, you will pay more compared to other jerseys.

As we discussed at the top, NHL hockey jersey sizing can vary depending on what type of jersey you choose. All hockey jerseys fit loose compared to normal clothing, but these Adidas Authentic jerseys are the loosest fitting jersey available.

The adidas Authentic jerseys have a loose, baggy fit. If you prefer a tighter fit, you will need to size down at least one size. This is how NHLShop.com describes the fit of the Adidas Authentic jerseys:

“Fit: Men’s adidas Authentic Jerseys are made to layer underneath. For a tighter fit, we recommend ordering one size smaller than your normally wear.”

The Adidas Authentic jersey sizing is done numerically, instead of the standard small, medium, large, sizing system. I normally wear a medium, and according to the official size chart, a size 50 is a medium equivalent. Here is the size 50 on me (6’3″ 200):

adidas-authentic-nhl-jersey-front

The size 50 has plenty of length even for me at 6’3″ tall. It runs loose and has plenty of room to layer underneath. Here is my size 50 compared to a size medium Hanes undershirt straight out of the package:

adidas-authentic-nhl-jersey-vs-t-shirt

As you can see, the size 50 is much larger and longer than a medium Hanes t-shirt. This, of course, is not shocking since NHL jerseys are made large so that they can be layered underneath. If you prefer a tighter fit, size down.

Again, the Adidas Authentic jerseys are as close as you can get as a fan to wearing what the players wear on the ice. Click here to view the Adidas Authentic jerseys at NHLShop.com to see current price and available styles (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com).

Adidas Practice Jersey Sizing

As we discussed earlier, Fanatics has the contract to produce the replica jerseys for the NHL, while Adidas has the contract to produce the authentic jerseys. While this is a great opportunity for Adidas, they still want to be able to produce a more affordable second option for fans to buy. And that is what the Adidas Practice jerseys are for.

The Adidas Practice jerseys are not true replicas – they have an alternate design. In some ways, this is kinda cool because it gives you a way to stand out from the crowd of people wearing the normal jersey.

These jerseys do not have the premium finishes like the authentic jerseys do, but because of that, they are more affordable. This is the current price of the Adidas Practice jerseys at NHLShop.com (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com).

The Adidas Practice jerseys also use the numerical sizing system. I ordered a size 50, which is listed on the official size chart as a medium equivalent. Here I am wearing my size 50 (6’3″ 200):

practice-adidas-nhl-jersey-adidas-front

Again, NHL hockey jersey sizing is intended to give you room to layer underneath. If you prefer a tighter fit, size down. Here is a look at my size 50 Adidas Practice jersey compared to a size medium Hanes undershirt straight out of the package:

practice-adidas-nhl-jersey-vs-t-shirt

The Adidas Practice jerseys give you an alternate style and look and can help you stand out from the crowd that is wearing the standard team jersey. This is where you can browse the entire collection of the Adidas Practice jerseys at NHLShop.com to see what players and styles are available (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com).

NHL Hockey Jersey Sizing Chart

As we have discussed throughout, expect hockey jersey sizing to be larger than the sizing of your normal clothes. If you prefer a tighter fit, you will need to size down.

If you are looking for the exact measurements of these three jerseys styles that we covered in this article, my advice is to visit the official size chart listed on NHLShop.com. This is where you can access that size chart.

NHL Hockey Jerseys Sizing Resources

If you want to read through some of our other NHL jersey resources that discuss both the sizing and design of these jerseys, you can find those links below. To read more about hockey jersey sizing, visit our article How Do NHL Jerseys Fit?

  • Fanatics Breakaway – Remember, this is the replica jersey for the NHL. It has some stitched graphics, which is awesome value for a replica. To read more about this jersey, visit our Fanatics Breakaway Jersey Review.
  • Adidas Authentic – These are the authentic jerseys for the NHL, and the closest you can get as a fan to wearing what the players wear on the ice. To read more about this jersey, visit our Adidas Authentic Jersey Review.
  • Adidas Practice – This is what Adidas offers as a more affordable alternative to their Authentic jerseys. This jersey is not authentic, but is a unique design that might help you stand out. To read more about this jersey, visit our Adidas Practice Jersey Review.

Where to Buy NHL Jerseys?

Because there potentially are fakes on the re-sale marketplace, I always advise people to buy their jerseys from a reputable source like NHLShop.com. NHLShop.com is the official online shop of the NHL. This is where you can browse the entire selection of jerseys available at NHLShop.com (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com).

Paul Johnson

Paul has been with us from our beginnings. He focuses on a wide range of sports, including NFL, NBA, MLB and golf.

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