Plymouth Whalers take ugly Christmas sweater team photos up a notch

It takes all 20 players working together to win a hockey game, but it takes 21 to raise the bar for an ugly Christmas sweater photo.

Two years ago, the Ontario Hockey League club started a minor trend when 10 players, rocking side parts, Christmas sweaters and ironic hipster mustaches went to a mall for a picture with Santa. It has since become a thing for junior players to indulge their inner child.

Usually it's in small groups. But the Whalers have set a new standard by having 21 players go do en masse to pose with Kris Kringle. To be that young and able to get that large of a group together behind a common cause, which probably included scouring every discount store in southern Michigan to find those spiffy duds.

Fittingly, since he shares a name with Santa, veteran Whalers defenceman Nick Malysa is wearing the funniest hat. I also don't want to know where rookie centre Francesco Villardi came by a leopard-print Santa hat. What's Christmas without a little mystery?

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet. Please address any questions, comments or concerns to btnblog@yahoo.ca.