When Cameron Lizotte put scissors to his own hockey jersey, he knew he was cutting into more than fabric.
The 28-year-old former OHL defenceman turned fashion designer is the mind and hands behind The Great Canadian Hockey Jersey, unveiled this week by Rogers as part of its national This Is Our Game campaign.
Handcrafted from hundreds of donated jerseys spanning every province and territory, the piece celebrates hockey’s ability to connect Canadians coast to coast, including a chapter that runs straight through Victoria.
Lizotte lived in Victoria from 2021 to 2023, a formative stretch he credits with helping launch the fashion career that has now taken his work to national television and the shoulders of hockey’s biggest stars.
“It was definitely a great accomplishment,” Lizotte said of finishing the jersey. “It was quite a challenge from a designer standpoint to bring in so many different types of colours and fabrics and try to make them come together and look good. I’m very happy with how it turned out and how I was able to represent all of Canada in a beautiful way.”
The project began with a jersey donation drive that brought in more than 500 sweaters from across the country, ranging from minor hockey and beer league teams to vintage Team Canada pieces and NHL jerseys.
Lizotte said seeing them all laid out for the first time was overwhelming.
“I saw some vintage Team Canada Gretzky jerseys, stuff that just seems so prized and very rare,” he said. “Even old Montreal jerseys you could tell were made in the 70s, and a 1976 Canada Cup Team Canada jersey. It was incredible to see that history come in.”
From there, the process became part instinct, part trial and error.
Lizotte spent roughly a week and a half on design alone, followed by 50 to 60 hours of cutting, arranging and stitching, working alongside Toronto-based Cactus Sewing Studios to meet a tight deadline.
“It’s like a puzzle,” he said. “You put one jersey down, see what looks good next to it, then build from there. It definitely didn’t make my job easy when you have hundreds of choices.”
There was hesitation when it came time to cut up certain jerseys, including his own.
“When I put the scissors to my jersey, there was a hesitation,” Lizotte said. “I really got the feel firsthand of how we all feel donating our special jerseys. But at the end of the day, I was proud to cut it up and be a part of this.”
Five versions of The Great Canadian Jersey were created, featuring patches from every province and territory, all seven Canadian NHL teams, women’s and girls’ hockey, minor hockey, and jerseys worn by stars like Connor McDavid, Marie-Philip Poulin and Sarah Nurse.
McDavid was the first to wear the finished product.
“Really cool to see logos from all over Canada represented on the same jersey,” McDavid said in a social media video. “Definitely represents all of Canadian hockey. That’s pretty special.”
Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers models one of the five handcrafted jerseys. (Photo courtesy of Rogers/The Great Canadian Jersey)
For Lizotte, whose playing career included 209 OHL games and a reputation as a big, physical presence on the blueline, the project felt like a full-circle moment.
“I didn’t think hockey would still be following me to this day,” he said. “I was doing this for the love of the craft. Sewing was a great outlet for me. To still have these full-circle moments just shows how strong the hockey community is.”
That journey took a significant turn when he moved west.
While living in Victoria, Lizotte immersed himself in the local arts scene, taught sewing classes at the Makehouse, and found support from local businesses willing to back his one-of-one, slow-fashion approach.
“Victoria was really great for me,” he said. “It was kind of the beginning of a new chapter. The people, the art scene, the support for local. I’m forever grateful for that time.”
His work was later showcased during Hockey Day in Canada events held in Victoria in 2023, a moment that tied his two worlds together.
While the jersey carries a lot of weight, and history, Lizotte hopes viewers take their time with it.
“I hope it takes them on a journey,” he said. “I hope they can go coast to coast with it and see all of us come together on one jersey. We’re all not so different. We all share a love for the game.”
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