Meet the artist 'trying to unite the country with fabric' in the 'Great Canadian Jersey' project

“We are trying to unite the country with fabric using different jerseys from all over Canada,” said Lizotte, who has been busy nailing down the design details as he awaits the donated jerseys.

He won’t share full details about which parts of the jerseys will be ripped off and sewn together for the new patchwork jersey, but teams’ logos or crests will be important, partly to showcase where they originated.

The plan is to create at least five patchwork jerseys through this project, and they’ll be worn by a select group of the country’s top players in Milan.

Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid and Canadian Olympic hero Marie-Philip Poulin helped launch the campaign Monday.

McDavid will donate the jersey from his Ontario Minor Hockey Association years at the York Simcoe Express.

“There’s a lot of different jerseys I could’ve picked, but I think this one just kind of represents what hockey is all about and what it means to our country, playing locally at home with the kids from your area,” McDavid said. “It wasn’t an easy choice, but definitely the right one.”

Poulin is donating her jersey from the first season with PWHL Montreal, where she’s captain. 

“I’ve been pretty fortunate in my career to have many different jerseys, but the one that really stood out for me was our first Montreal jersey in the PWHL,” she said. “It was the summary of years of hard work to make sure we’re able to have a league together.”

McDavid’s jersey represents a bit of a full-circle moment for Lizotte, who is the same age as McDavid and played against him growing up in minor-league hockey.

“As a defenceman he was a big challenge,” said Lizotte, who later won the OHL Cup with the Erie Otters, a team McDavid also played for. “But it was always an honour being on the same ice surface with him, and for me to be creating this jersey for Rogers and for the country, it’s pretty special.”

Fans who want to contribute to this project are encouraged to drop their donations at select Rogers stores or send them by mail. Anything goes — from beer league jerseys to favourite NHL teams and everything in-between.

As part of its advertising campaign ahead of the Winter Olympics, Rogers will reveal the final jersey later this month.

Once he gets all the donated materials, Lizotte believes it will take him approximately 60 hours to finish each patchwork jersey — from pattern making to cutting the fabric and the sewing process.

“I’m here for the challenge and I’m beyond excited to be a part of this project,” he said. “I’ve had people send me their wedding dresses for me to cut up. I take this work very seriously and I know I’ll do a great thing with these jerseys.”

Lizotte said he understands the attachment people have for their memorabilia, and he appreciates those willing to part ways with their cherished jerseys for this project.

“Each one of those jerseys carries special memories, either from their childhood or their playing time,” he said. “For people to put their trust in me and give away their jerseys, that means a lot. This is for something bigger and I hope people feel how important it is and see the value in what we’re trying to do.”

With files from The Canadian Press