In this article we will discuss NHL hockey jersey sizes compared to shirts, using photos of the jerseys I own. If you are looking to buy an NHL jersey, you have 3 options:
- 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 NHLShop.com (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.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).
I own all three types of NHL jerseys. In this article we will compare NHL jerseys vs t-shirt sizes, and discuss how you can expect these jerseys to fit.
NHL Hockey Jersey Sizes Compared to Shirts
NHL jerseys run big in comparison to t-shirts. This is true for all types of NHL fan jerseys.
As we discussed at the top, there are 3 types of NHL jerseys. Two of those types are made by Adidas (Adidas Authentic and Adidas Practice) and one is made by Fanatics (Fanatics Breakaway). To read in depth about how NHL jerseys fit, visit our NHL Jersey Sizing Guide.
Adidas has the contract to make the authentic NHL jerseys, and Fanatics makes the replicas. Let’s start by discussing Adidas NHL jerseys.
Adidas Authentic NHL Jerseys Compared to Shirts
Adidas is the official outfitter of the NHL. The Adidas Authentic jerseys are as close as you can get as a fan to wearing what the players wear on the ice.
The Adidas Authentic jerseys are for serious fans who are looking for a premium piece of fan apparel. These jerseys use numerical sizing. Here are the sizings per the official size chart:
- 42 = XXS
- 44 = XS
- 46 = S
- 50 = M
- 52 = L
- 54 = XL
- 56 = XXL
- 60 = 3XL
I ordered a size 50, which is listed as a medium equivalent per the official size chart. Here I am wearing a size 50 Adidas Authentic jersey (6’3 200):
As you can see, it fits loose and has plenty of length, even for me at 6’3″ tall. Here is a look at a size 50 (medium equivalent) Adidas Authentic jersey compared to a size medium Hanes t-shirt straight out of the package:
Although the size 50 is listed as a medium equivalent, expect the size 50 to fit much larger than a medium t-shirt. As we discussed earlier, NHL jerseys run bigger than normal clothes. If you don’t want a loose fit, you will likely need to size down.
The Adidas Authentic jerseys are very popular because they are as close as you can get to wearing what the players wear on the ice. But because they have an authentic design, they aren’t cheap.
This is the current price of the Adidas Authentic jerseys available at NHLShop.com (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com). Again, if you prefer a tighter fit, my recommendation is to size these down. To read more, visit our Adidas Authentic Jerseys Review.
Adidas Practice NHL Jerseys Compared to Shirts
As we just discussed, Adidas makes the authentic NHL fan jerseys. Because those authentic jerseys may be out of the price range that some people are looking to spend on a jersey, they also make a second type of fan jersey, called the Adidas Practice Jersey, that is more affordable.
The Adidas Practice jerseys also use a numerical sizing system just like the authentic jerseys do. Here are the sizings per the official size chart:
- 42 = XXS
- 44 = XS
- 46 = S
- 50 = M
- 52 = L
- 54 = XL
- 56 = XXL
- 60 = 3XL
I ordered a size 50, which is listed as a medium equivalent per the official size chart. Here I am wearing a size 50 Adidas Practice jersey (6’3 200):
As you can see, it fits loose and has plenty of length, even for me at 6’3″ tall. Here is a look at a size 50 (medium equivalent) Adidas Practice jersey compared to a size medium Hanes t-shirt straight out of the package:
Although the size 50 is listed as a medium equivalent, expect the size 50 to fit much larger than a medium t-shirt. Just like the authentic jerseys we covered first, these will fit much larger than normal clothing. If you don’t want a loose fit, you will likely need to size down.
Again, these practice jerseys are the second type of fan jersey offered by Adidas. They provide fans a second price tier from which to choose a jersey.
This is the current price of the Adidas Practice jerseys at NHLShop.com (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com). NHLShop.com is the official NHL online store and has the largest selection of NHL licensed merchandise. To read more, visit our Adidas Practice Jersey Review.
Fanatics Breakaway NHL Jerseys Compared to Shirts
Although Adidas is the official outfitter of the NHL, it is Fanatics who makes the NHL replica jerseys. A replica jersey is a jersey which is designed to look very similar to the authentic jerseys, but with a few less premium design features, which help keep production costs down. This allows replica jerseys to be sold at a more affordable price point than authentic jerseys.
This is actually my favorite type of NHL fan jersey, and the jersey type that I recommend for most fans. Yes, if you are looking for the best piece of fan apparel, it is the Adidas Authentic jerseys. But these Fanatics Breakaway replica jerseys let you rep your team’s jersey without having to spend all the way up for the authentic.
The Fanatics Breakaway jerseys use a standard small-medium-large sizing system (remember, the Adidas jerseys use numerical sizing). I ordered a size medium. Here I am wearing that size medium Fanatics Breakaway jersey (6’3″ 200):
These Fanatics jerseys also run bigger than normal clothing. Here is a look at my size medium Fanatics Breakaway jersey compared to a size medium Hanes t-shirt straight out of the package:
Although these Fanatics Breakaway jerseys do run bigger than normal clothing, they are a slight bit smaller than the Adidas Authentic jerseys. Here is my size 50 (medium equivalent) Adidas Authentic jersey compared to my size medium Fanatics Breakaway jersey (Fanatics on top):
As you can see, the Fanatics jersey is a little bit smaller than the Adidas authentic jersey. But still expect both jerseys to fit bigger than normal clothing. If you prefer a tighter fit, size down.
Again, these Fanatics Breakaway jerseys are an excellent option because even though they aren’t authentic, they still have nice quality, and are sold at a more affordable price point than the authentic jerseys.
This is the current price of the Fanatics Breakaway replica jerseys at NHLShop.com (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com). To read more about this jersey, visit our Fanatics Breakaway Review.
Where to Buy NHL Jerseys?
Adidas Authentic
Click here to buy the Adidas Authentic jerseys at NHLShop.com (NHLShop.com is the official online shop of the NHL).
Adidas Practice
Click here to buy the Adidas Practice jerseys at NHLShop.com (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com).
Fanatics Breakaway
Click here to buy the Fanatics Breakaway replica jerseys at NHLShop.com (affiliate link takes you to NHLShop.com).