Photo by Rena Laverty
PLYMOUTH, Mich. - USA Hockey's National Team Development Program today unveiled the 2024-25 third jersey, which honors the late Jim Johannson and will be worn in select games before being auctioned off at the end of the season.
Johannson, fondly known as "JJ," amongst friends and family, helped the U.S. to a combined 64 medals in IIHF play over his tenure before he passed unexpectedly in January 2018.
The jerseys will debut on Friday, Jan. 10, as the Under-18 Team hosts the Tri-City Storm at USA Hockey Arena at 7:00 p.m. ET.
“JJ will always remain very special to USA Hockey, our program and the arena,” said Scott Monaghan (Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J.), who has been with the program since day one and currently serves as USA Hockey's assistant executive director of the NTDP and USA Hockey Arena. "He loved international competition and was instrumental in the growth of the program and the purchase and development of USA Hockey Arena. We are proud to continue to honor his legacy."
The sweaters are based off those worn at the 2018 Stars & Stripes Showdown at USA Hockey Arena, in honor of Johannson, which benefited the Jim Johannson Legacy Fund of The USA Hockey Foundation and the Ellie Johannson College Fund.
The NTDP crest, which was originally designed by Johannson, sits front and center on the white threads.
The sleeves read "Land of the Free, Home of the Brave" from the poem The Defense of Fort McHenry, written by Francis Scott Key in 1814. Johansson would include the same phrase on all the jerseys he helped design throughout his work with U.S. national teams.
The 'JJ Shield', which can be found on the NHL rink at USA Hockey Arena, adorns the left shoulder, while the right shoulder displays an American flag, with the stars facing front and the stripes facing back, in line with the U.S. Flag Code.
The exclusive game-worn threads will be auctioned off at the end of the season, with all proceeds going towards naming the NHL sheet at USA Hockey Arena in honor of Johansson.
Fans interested in attending Friday's game to see the jerseys debut can purchase tickets at USAHockeyNTDP.com/tix or by calling the box office at 734-453-8400.
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