TL;DR: Most hockey jerseys fit about one size big. So for example, if you usually wear a size large, a size medium hockey jersey would likely be the best fit.Jerseys made before 1995-ish are typically smaller, and fit closer to size.
If you're not a complete jersey geek like I am, you probably have some questions about the different brands and models of jerseys (e.g. "What's the difference between 1st and 3rd generation CCM jerseys?"). Below are some helpful comparisons and general observations of some of the different replica jerseys sold on Grail Snipes. If you still have questions, feel free to direct message us on social media.
CCM and Koho
This section describes the characteristics and fit of each CCM jersey "generation". There are 4 generations of CCM hockey jersey, and you can differentiate each generation by looking at the size tag sewn to the inside of the back collar as shown below.
CCM Generations:
1st Gen
2nd Gen
3rd Gen
4th Gen
Koho
CCM Vintage, Team Classics, or Heroes of Hockey
The CCM logo on the back also differs between the generations. Below you can see that the CCM logo is located on the back hem of the gens 1-3 jerseys. The CCM 4th gen and Koho jerseys have an NHL puck logo on the back hem and the brand logo on the back upper part of the jersey near the collar.
1st Gen 2nd Gen 3rd Gen 4th Gen/Koho
4th Gen/Koho
Vintage, Team Classics, or Heroes of Hockey
CCM Sizing and Other Observations
1st Gen (Maska):Made in the 80s and early 90s in the USA and Canada.Fits about to size [i.e. a size large jersey would fit about the same (perhaps slightly baggier) than a large t-shirt]. This is the smallest fit of any CCM jersey. Sleeves are on the shorter side. Has a single white size tag that either reads "Maska" or "CCM by Maska". The print on the tag fades easily. Jersey material varies as some are made of anair-knit material (a standard hockey jersey material), some are made out of faux-ultrafil material that is smooth, silky and a bit stretchy. In my experience, the faux-ultrafil jerseys snag very easily and pilling is common, while the air-knit jerseys are a lot more durable, and rarely get pilling or snags. For several teams, a few of the older versions are a heavy mesh material, which is good quality and very durable compared to the ultrafil. The CCM logo on the back hem is usually a screen printed vinyl logo, but occasionally the newer air-knit jerseys will have patched hem tags that look like the 2nd generation hem tags. The screen printed hem logos wear and crack easily, sometimes to the point of being completely worn off. The crests and shoulder patches are usually glued on, but some older versions have crests that are sewn on. Crests are often smaller compared to newer hockey jerseys.
2nd Gen:Made from about 1995 to about 1998, these jerseys have the blue rink CCM tag with a white size tag beneath it, and are generally made of an air-knit jersey material.Fits slightly larger than the 1st gen. For context, I fit comfortably in a large t-shirt, and can fit into a Medium 2nd gen CCM jersey. Sleeves are on the shorter side. The back hem logo is a glues on CCM patch with a mini team logo patch as well (although a select few still have the screen printed CCM logo like the 1st gens). Crests and shoulder patches are generally glued on. Fraying is common around the crest, and peeling may be seen on the crest and shoulder patches after heavy use, but in general the jerseys are much more durable than the 1st gens.
3rd Gen:Made from about 1998-2000, these jerseys have a blue and black CCM tag with the size tag beneath it.Fits one size large (i.e. a size medium jersey would fit like a typical large t-shirt). The back hem logo is a separate piece of cloth with the NHL logo and is usually sewn on, but every once in a while it'll have an ironed on CCM and NHL puck logo. There is a CCM logo is either glued or sewn onto the left sleeve cuff. Crests and shoulder patches are usually glued on. Again, quality takes a step up from the previous generation.
4th Gen/Koho:Fourth generation CCM was made from about 2000-2007, while Koho was made from about 2001-2004. The 4th gen CCM and Koho jerseys were mostly made in Canada, but some were made in Indonesiaand Korea. Canadian and Indonesian versions usually have a glued on crest and shoulder patches, while Korean versions usually have a sewn crest and shoulder patches. Koho and 4th gen CCM are the exact same aside from the branding. The hem tag is an NHL puck, and a CCM or Koho logo is located on the back of the neck. White replica jerseys were made by CCM, and dark jerseys were made by both CCM or Koho, but almost all authentic dark and alternate NHL jerseys were made by Koho from 2000-2004, while almost all authentic white NHL jerseys were made by CCM during this timeframe. The only authentic white jersey manufactured by Koho during this timeframe was the Toronto Maple Leafs third jersey, and the only dark jerseys manufactured by CCM were the All-Star Game jerseys, as well as the New York Rangers' 9/11 memorial jersey. Reebok manufactured NHL jerseys from 2005-2017, but didn't begin making replica jerseys until 2007. Koho and 4th gen CCM replicas fit slightly larger than 3rd gen (fits a full size+ large). For context, I fit comfortably in a large t-shirt, and can squeeze into a small 4th gen CCM or Koho, but am most comfortable in a medium 4th gen CCM or Koho. Sleeves are about the same length as the 3rd gen and the collar to hem length is also about the same, but the overall fit is boxier in the 4th gen, so the pit to pit measurement may be a an inch or so larger on the 4th gen CCM and Koho compared to the 3rd gen CCM. These are thought of as the highest quality CCM replicas.
CCM Vintage, Team Classics, and Heroes of Hockey:Very similar to the 4th gen and koho jerseys in terms of fit, material, and quality. These jerseys are made of an air-knit material (Team Classics and Heroes of hockey may be just a slightly thinner jersey material). Team Classics and Heroes of Hockey CCM jerseys are virtually identical except Team Classics are usually blank, whereas all Heroes of Hockey are customized. Some CCM Vintage jerseys have a V logo as a patch on the front of the jersey. There are authentic versions of the CCM Vintage series jerseys, but beware, because so many of the numbered sized CCM Vintage series jerseys are counterfeits. CCM Team Classics and Heroes of Hockey jerseys also have authentic counterparts, but these are much less likely to be counterfeited.
This section describes the characteristicsand fit of the Reebok Premier jerseys relative to a typical t-shirt and other replica jerseys.
Below you'll see the two styles of Reebok logo that are on the back collar of the Reebok Premier jerseys. The Reebok "vector" logo is on jerseys made from 2007-2011 and the "Reebok" wordmark logo is on jerseys made from 2011-2017.
Similarly, the Reebok "vector" or wordmark logo (whichever is on the back collar) is embroidered onto the bottom of the left sleeve. Rarely, the Reebok logos are heat pressed or sewn patches instead of embroidered.
The size tag is on the inside back collar, with slight variations between earlier and later versions of the Reebok Premier jersey. Again, the vector logo corresponds to the earlier version.
Finally, there is a "jock tag" on the front left hem. These also slightly vary based on when they were made.
Reebok Premier Sizing and Other Observations
Almost all Reebok Premier jerseys were made in Indonesia, with few being made in Korea. They fit a size+ larger than a typical t-shirt. For context, I wear a size large t-shirt and prefer either a size small or medium Reebok Premier jersey. Comparing a Large Reebok Premier to a Large CCM 4th gen, the jerseys are about the same length from collar to hem. However, the Reebok Premier sleeves are 1-2 inches longer than the CCM 4th gen. Additionally, the Reebok Premier jerseys are slightly less boxy than the CCM 4th gen, meaning the pit to pit measurement is shorter on the Reebok Premier than the CCM 4th gen. The crests on these jerseys are almost always glued on, and the shoulder patches are typically a single layer of screen printed vinyl that is sewn to the jersey, and are prone to fading. The jersey material is breathable, comfortable, and somewhat stretchy polyester/nylon diamond weave mesh, but is prone to snags, pulls, and pilling after heavy use. The customization varies wildly, so be sure to check the photos and description of each individual jersey.
This section describes the characteristicsand fit of the Starter replica jerseys relative to a typical t-shirt and other replica jerseys.
The Starter replica hockey jerseys vary drastically. They were made in Korea and Indonesia, and most are good quality, but many have inconsistencies such as incorrect customization, or other minor inaccuracies. I do my best to catch and point out any of these inaccuracies, so be sure to read each jersey's description. The size tag looks like one of the tags in the photos shown below.
On the back right hem there is an embroidered Starter logo and an Eastern or Western Conference logo
The left sleeve features another embroidered Starter logo.
Starter Replica Sizing and Other Observations
These jerseys fit mostly true to size, if not every so slightly baggy. The sleeves are on the shorter side. The material is a lighter softer material. I'd compare it to the Reebok Premier material except less stretchy and more durable. "Bubbling" is common on the crest and shoulder patches. I have seen sewn, embroidered, and glued on crests and shoulder patches on starter jerseys, so be sure to check the jersey's description and photos. One of the cool features of these jerseys is the reinforced two layered, stitched elbows and shoulders, which are commonplace in authentic NHL jerseys, but typically not replicas.
This section describes the characteristicsand fit of the Pro Player replica jerseys relative to a typical t-shirt and other replica jerseys.
Pro Player Replica Sizing and Other Observations
These jerseys fit about one size large. For context, I wear a size large t-shirt, and prefer a size medium Pro Player jersey.The Pro Player replicas were made only from 1999-2000, and are very similar to some of the high quality Starter replicas. It seems that the quality control on the Pro Player replicas was much more thorough than for Starter, because I have yet to see a poorly made Pro Player jersey. All of the Pro Player jerseys I have seen have stitched crests and shoulder patches. After starter lost their license to produce NHL hockey jerseys in 1999, Pro Player (which was a subsidiary of Fruit of the Loom) basically stepped into andtook over all of the factories that Starter had contracted to make the jerseys, and just like the Starter jerseys, Pro Player replicas hadtwo layered, stitched elbows and shoulders, which are commonplace in authentic NHL jerseys, but not replicas. Below is a photo of the Pro Player size tag and cuff logo.
This section describes the characteristicsand fit of the Nike replica jerseys relative to a typical t-shirt and other replica jerseys.
Below you'll see the size tag found on the inside back collar of the Nike replica jerseys. Some also list a numbered size like you'd see on an authentic jersey, but you can tell whether it is an authentic or a replica by the cuff logo. If there is a Nike swoosh on the cuff it is a replica, and if there is no swoosh on the cuff, it is likely an authentic jersey with sewn logos and a fight strap. This rule of thumb is not true for Olympic jerseys. Authentic Olympic jerseys have a fight strap while replicas do not.
There are also Nike swooshes on both the bottom of the left sleeve and the back hem.
Nike Replica Sizing and Other Observations
Made in Canada from about 1996-1999, the Nike NHL replica jerseys fit a size+ large. For context, I wear a size large t-shirt, and I can squeeze into a size small Nike jersey, but still prefer a size Medium. Nike NHL jerseys were made of an air-knit jersey material with a glued on crest and should patches. These jerseys are generally loose and boxy. The sleeve length and collar to hem length is about the same as the CCM 4th gen or Koho jerseys, but the pit to pit length is an inch or two larger which gives the Nike jerseys their looser fit. These jerseys are made very well and in my experience have been very durable.. Nike also manufactures replica jerseys for international teams and minor league teams. These observations generally hold true for minor league Nike jerseys, but there are several minor differences for some of the more recent minor league jerseys as well as Nike international hockey jerseys.
This section describes the characteristicsand fit of the Fanatics Breakaway and Fanatics Vintage series jerseys relative to a typical t-shirt and other replica jerseys.
Below you'll see the size tag found on the inside back collar of the Fanatics Breakaway jerseys.
There is also a jock tag, which is located on the front left hem on the Fanatics Breakaway jerseys and just above the back hem of the Fanatics Vintage jerseys as shown below.
Fanatics Breakaway/Vintage Sizing and Other Observations
The Fanatics Breakaway jerseys are replica style jerseys of jerseys from 2017-present. The Fanatics Vintage style jerseys are, of course, replicas of vintage jerseys. Both fit about one size large. For context, I wear a size large t-shirt, and a size medium Fanatics jersey. These are very comfortable and I actually prefer these to the Reebok Premiers (based on my personal observations of the overall quality and comfort), although based on conversations I've had, this may be a controversial opinion. Logos, numbers and letters are usually sewn on, and nameplates are usually heat pressed. The logos are a more pliable material than typical crests and shoulder patches, but are much better quality and the screen printed shoulder patches on Reebok Premier jerseys.
This section describes the characteristicsand fit of the Bauer replica jerseys relative to a typical t-shirt and other replica jerseys.
Below are 2 photos of the inside size tag of typical Bauer replica NHL jerseys. The one's that say "Authentic" on the Bauer tag are still replica jerseys, so don't let that fool you. Bauer manufactured just one authentic NHL jersey for the 1998-99 Nashville Predators. The second picture is a Bauer patch located on the back hem of the jersey. While the one in the photo is a patch, many hem logos were a thin screen printed material, that wears very easily.
Bauer very briefly made replica NHL jerseys from about 1997-1998. They were made in Canada and are typically an air-knit jersey material. The customization is usually stitched multi-layered twill, while the logos are glued on. Nike is the parent company of Bauer, so they fit just like the Nike replica jerseys (about one size big and slightly loose/boxy). For reference, I wear a size large t-shirt and a size medium Bauer jersey, but I can also squeeze into a size small. These observations generally hold true for minor league Bauer replicas, but some minor league Bauer jerseys are a thin and stretchy faux-ultrafil material.
