OTTAWA - The Ottawa Senators today confirmed that their new heritage jersey was prematurely revealed at a retail outlet in Buffalo, N.Y. The jersey was mistakenly sent by Reebok to the retailer prior to its official release to other retail stores.

“While we are very disappointed to have our new jersey revealed in this manner, we are pleased to see the early comments from fans are extremely positive,” said Jeff Kyle, Senators vice-president of marketing. “We believe that this jersey will be a top seller in the National Hockey League this season, especially as fans learn the story behind how it was designed.

The heritage jersey pays tribute to the early Senators teams that won 11 Stanley Cups and was one the franchises that founded the NHL in 1917. The early Senators were considered the NHL’s first dynasty, with accomplishments so great that in 1950, sportswriters voted the Ottawa club as the team of the first half century in Canada.

“We have spent over two years developing this uniform and one of the most interesting aspects is that we did it in conjunction with a Senators fan,” added Kyle. “We look forward to telling the story of how a fan helped us develop a uniform that incorporates elements of the early Senators teams into what we feel will become a truly iconic symbol of Senators hockey.”

The complete uniform will be formally unveiled on Saturday, Oct. 1, at Puck Drop presented by Scotiabank, where fans will see Senators players wear it for the first time. The free open practice for fans will include interactive games for kids and a used equipment sale. The heritage jersey will available for purchase exclusively at all Sens Store locations beginning Oct. 1 at 11 a.m.

Fans can pre-order the new jersey on www.ottawasenators.com as part of the Heritage Hockey Package. Those fans who order the new adult heritage jersey from any Sens Store will receive a vintage scarf and toque, plus a voucher for a pair of tickets to the regular-season game between Ottawa and the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, Oct. 13, the first game the team will wear the heritage jersey. The Heritage Hockey Package (a $214.98 value) is available for $129.99 plus tax. The heritage jersey will be available for purchase exclusively at Sens Store locations from Oct. 1 until Oct. 5.