3rd Jersey Ranking Revealed
Friday · Nov 28 · 2008 | 9:18 AM PSTThe Icethetics Third Jersey Ranking has been released.
See the Icethetics Third Jersey Ranking!
The ranking includes my personal views on this year's crop of third jerseys but there will be an opportunity for you to make your voice heard soon. For now, you can check out my ranking and leave your comments about it on this blog post. I'm sure it won't be all that popular.
Since you're still here, I thought I'd take a moment to talk about what lies ahead for Icethetics. Many of you have asked what place Icethetics has in the world now that all the third jerseys are out. I assure you, this site was never about that. It simply got eaten by third jersey news for a while.
In December, I fully plan on bringing Icethetics back to what it was meant to be — a place to enjoy the artistic side of hockey. On the way is the site's first concept post and a brand new Concepts section which will include a number of Featured Artists and their talents.
Logo tournaments will get back in full swing. We'll finish up the Flashback '98 tournament which has continued to be delayed. Also, the IceHL will get back on track with logo rating for the Northeast Division and voting on the final 3 for the Pacific.
Those tabs at the top of the page are going to be your best friends starting next month. The blog will likely be updated less frequently while those pages above will flourish with content. At least that's the plan.
I'm also going to be introducing a new artist to you guys who will be creating most of the graphics for the new Logo & Uniform History section that will be launching probably after the new year. He's very talented and his work will make Icethetics a resource for information in its own right. I'm very excited about this project. More on that later.
If you have any other questions about the future of Icethetics, please email me if you want a response.
Reader Comments (99)
I did two lists for my rankings of the jerseys, one list with teams who had new designs, and the other one with teams who used retro jerseys, or ones they had before the lockout.
1. St. Louis - By the far the best 3rd in my opinion, great color and great design
2. Tampa Bay - The "Bolts" on the front bothers me, but i like the rest
3. Carolina - I like the secondary logo, but the rest is ok, but better than the other teams
4. Atlanta - I like the color, but that is it
5. Dallas - I have to put my own team at least in the middle, even though the jersey sucks
6. LA - The logo is really bad, and i never really like those colors back in the early 90's
7. Ottawa - Didn't like the jerseys when i saw pictures of it, and still don't like it
8. Boston - Nothing impressive about it
9. Phoenix - I thought it was ugly when i first saw it, and i saw it in their game today, and with the helmets it is really bad
1. Toronto - Compared to their current away jersey, this is a major upgrade
2. Pittsburgh - I liked it for the winter classic, but wasn't sure of it as a 3rd jersey, but i saw it in a game and i like it
3. Buffalo - Better than the last time they it as a third
4. Edmonton - I like it better than the ones they currently wear
5. Chicago - Nothing too special about this one
6. Vancouver - Never really a big fan of this jersey the first time it came out, and i'm still not
7. NY Isles - Haven't seen it during a game, but saw it on NHL Live and didn't like it, too many stripes
8. San Jose - The SJ on the shoulder is ugly, and making a full body shark dosen't really change the look too much
9. Philly - Saw it against the Hurricanes, and its kinda ugly, and the orange numbers on the arms are ugly and hard to see
AWFUL RANKINGS. YOU HAVE THE WORST ASTHETIC TASTE EVER. Please stick to sharing the art work and not you rankings on them because you have no clue what you are talking about.
my top 3 would be...
1. pittsburgh (as you said ... damn near perfect)
2. san jose (i have a shark fetish so...)
3. los angeles (i really like this one)
the middle where all else resides... i neither love those here or hate them
my bottom 3 would be...
3. dallas (the ice cream man must really love this one... "yeah, i really just want plain vanilla, nothing special. no, no sprinkles thank you")
2. phoenix (really not into the rust brown/red color they use)
1. atlanta (vanilla without sprinkles is still WAY BETTER than this)
Wow Florio those is the worse rankings I have seen yet. Good job.
I actually agree with the rankings- except that Toronto should be ranked a bit higher
I thought the Islanders and Oilers jerseys were poor choices. They should have just altered their home unis back to these older styles instead and it would've actually made sense. Vancouver feels the same way, but at least has significant differences. Dallas' third is indeed at the bottom of my list as well. The Sabres, Pens, 'Canes, Bolts, Blackhawks, Blues and Coyotes were my favorites. I actually don't like the Kings, Sharks and Sens new designs.
I gotta say I don't agree with a lot of these rankings. The Penguins one, as much as I hate to admit it, might be the ONLY jersey I agree with. It's a great jersey and is very sharp.
Though I gotta admit the best ORIGINAL 3rd jersey is probably St. Louis. I just love what they did with the arch in the back and how they did that round emblem.
But you put the Bolts and Sens in front of that? Really? A personal rule and I think it's a good one; NEVER PUT A NICKNAME ON THE JERSEY! The only one that gets away with it is Montreal and it's not even the full nickname. It's the first letter and it's hidden in that "C". That's like having "HAWKS" in front of the Chicago jersey, or even worse, "Broad Street Bullies" on the Flyers jersey...no wait..."Fly Boys."
And yes, I gotta reiterate, you have NO idea what you're talking about with that Flyers jersey. Flyers NEVER wore tie down Jerseys, and that white is how it was. Hell I'll go further back for you...they used to have BLACK numbers with NO nameplate. How's THAT for retro?
My only bitch with the Flyers jersey is it's too bright of orange. You want retro? Go back to the "blood orange." That very deep orange that you see on all the Mitchell and Ness jerseys. Plus, have you seen the lettering and numbers on them? They went all out with the old style "1" and "4".
Seriously, take a second glance at this list, and look at all the past jerseys for the teams that are going with their retro look, compare the jerseys from then to the new ones and I'll bet you, you'll understand why they are the way they are.
How the Islanders and Oilers jerseys can be ranked so high because they are traditional or retro while the Leafs, Blackhawks and Flyers jerseys are ranked near the bottom befuddles me. The fact the Hurricanes, Senators, and "Bolts" are ranked higher than the Blues, Kings and the aforementioned is a joke. The Phoenix jerseys would be better if the uniforms didn't have the red gloves and helmets, or if the red on the sleeves was not present or angled the way it is.
I recognize there can be a debate between Tradition and Innovation, but spelling out nicknames on jerseys is the most ludacris thing I've seen since the failed attempt at the Islanders logo in the 90's, and the Canucks "V" jerseys before.
The Sharks third is much better than their other jersyes (I've never been sold on orange and teal).
Dallas and Atlanta join the Senators, Hurricanes and Lightning as the worst of this bunch. But if there were no teams in Atlanta, Tampa and Carolina (like there shouldn't be), this wouldn't be a problem.
You could put a tie for 18 with the Thrashers and Stars, they both look college jerseys
I would put Vancouver a little lower beacuse they never changed anything with there jersey at all.
"...I was always a fan of the modified third jersey Flyers logo from back in the day."
Yikes. There's nothing that says Broad Street Bully in that ridiculous, silver-tinged 3D logo. Of course I should have realized you might not have a well-developed design aesthetic when "back in the day" refers to the early 2000s.
I won't argue your rankings though since the majority of those jerseys are a pile of suck, and you could pretty much put them in any order and they still wouldn't be worth the money...
I agree with most of these rankings, however move the kings and "bolts" down. The bruins up as well. I actually like how the Ottawa jersey came out, but it's just not good enough for where you put it.
It's your opinion though, and that's a good reason I come to the site, as I
love seeing an opinion. Love the site, keep it up.
Just to pipe in here.... I saw the 'Yotes debut their thirds tonight, and after all of the shitty pictures they've posted on their website with Olie looks-like-I-have-Down-Syndrome Jokinen, I didn't have my hopes up whatsoever.
To my surprise, when in action ( I can't believe I'm about to say this), THE COYOTES JERSEYS LOOK FUCKING SWEET.
Seriously though. Like everyone else, I saw the pictures and wanted to cry at how ugly they seemed with the maroon pants and all. But in person, they Coyotes do something I never thought possible for a black jersey: They stand out, and not in a sore thumb type of way. I shall eat my crow, Phoenix.
Don't look for pictures, watch the video highlights on nhl.com, and you'll see what I mean.
"the fact that any jerseys were ranked below the "sens" and "bolts" jerseys, were reason enough to disregard this post." -theshawn
I must agree. That's like Vancouver putting "Nucks" on a jersey. Colorado putting "Avs". Carolina putting "Canes". Buffalo putting "Slugs" (ok maybe that one doesn't quite fit) It's just plain ridiculous. Although, I wouldn't disregard this post entirely. Everyone has their own opinion. Chris has obviously looked past the idiotic name on the front and given credit to the actual design of the jersey. Which personally, I am unable to do, and will admit that. =)
However I would rank Tampa Bay's jersey higher than a lot of the others, simply because it isn't black. In fact I would put all the black jerseys at the bottom of my list. Black = boring. IMO
Since I've already reviewed, now I'm going to express my thoughts on your list.
18: Dallas Stars. Strongly Agree. That's where it belongs.
17: Boston Bruins. Disagree. It should be a bit higher.
16: Atlanta Thrashers. Agree. Right where it should be.
15: Chicago Blackhawks. Agree.
14: Toronto Maple Leafs. Slightly Disagree.
13: Phoenix Coyotes. Disagree. Should be lower than Toronto.
12: Philadelphia Flyers. Agree and Disagree. I think it's a little bit low on the list.
11: San Jose Sharks. Agree. It's Placed Appropriately.
10: St. Louis Blues. Strongly Disagree. This should be in the top 5.
9: LA Kings. Agree and Disagree. Sometimes it looks good sometimes it looks bad.
8: Tampa Bay Lightning. Agree. Though it should be higher than the Sens
7: Ottawa Senators. Disagree. This should be a couple ranks down.
6: Edmonton Oilers. Agree. Appropriately placed.
5: Carolina Hurricanes. Agree and Disagree. It's a good jersey but maybe not Top 5 good.
4: Vancouver Canucks. Agree. Placed in the right spot.
3: New York islanders. Agree. Who can complain? Maybe a few...
2: Buffalo Sabres. Agree. While it's appropriately placed I think it should be a bit lower.
1: Pittsburgh Penguins. Agree. Can't go wrong with the powder blue.
Overall you did a good job ranking the jerseys. Though there are a few I would change.
you know, after watching highlights of the pens and sabres, i have a lot of beef with the sabres 3rd jersey.
the piping has the most random, most distracting stop i've ever seen. seriously, it needs to go, or it needs to continue onto the shoulders and back. is there a seam there? is that why it stops? i don't get it. it is the dumbest single item on any jersey ever.
the silver behind the laces sucks. period. you can't really see the laces, you just see a silver V-like smudge at the bottom of the collar. if that was blue, the white laces would stand out. how about gold laces? that'd be so crazy it might work (see: islanders)
front numbers. they clutter a jersey front, they ruin balance. they're completely unnecessary and i hate them.
The number's gold doesn't match the gold on the jerseys. the sabres cheated here, the gold is darker than the stripes. wtf? LAME
this jersey looks great when it's just sitting there (like the icejerseys.com ad on the side of this site), or even on a hangar. but on a person WITH A NUMBER, a three dimensional object, they have so many flaws that i can't think of it so highly. so close sabres, but push that sucker farther down the list.
AND i even forgot something! there's a great battle raging within the sabres jersey itself: which is the worse (and more pointless) design element: the random vertical piping or the pit stain patch?
seriously, whose idea was this? it's terrible! the lightning's goal stripes are something cool. very subtle, almost unnoticeable. these? it looks like the players are all very sweaty. it shows up randomly in photos. i'm waiting for the deodorant ads on them "if you can see these, you can smell them, unless you have ___ deodorant!" what the hell is the purpose?!
this jersey looks so good in that generic photo everyone uses, including on this site. on the ice, they're an absolute mess. my opinion on these has gone from love to near-hate. very disappointing, buffalo.
and seriously, everyone loves those penguins jerseys? i mean they're great, and being from pittsburgh i'll enjoy the compliments of them...but i never thought they were that loved. for the record, i think the white version of those jerseys looks very awkward, so i hope they never replace the home and away.
1. St. Louis - Best third out there.
2. Buffalo - Hopefully this becomes their main jersey. Why they ever got rid of that logo in the first place is beyond me.
3. Philadelphia - The white name plates are awesome. Great idea to bring those back. Now if they could just get permission to wear Cooperalls again!
4. Boston - Great design. Much better than that giant bear mugshot on the yellow jerseys.
5. Vancouver - Could have been so much better, but still looks great. Like some others have said, if this had been a green jersey with that shoulder patch on the front, this would be the best new jersey of the year.
6. Pittsburgh - This jersey looked perfect when it was used in the outdoor game last year. Inside an arena it loses some of its luster I feel, but it's still really nice.
7. San Jose - It was hard to not put this last. Reason being is the the goofy partnership with Seagate they had with this jersey. Based on the jersey itself without the corporate whoring, it's a nice new design. I've never liked the orange on the Sharks jersey, so this is a step in the right direction for me.
8, 9, 10, 11. Edmonton, New York, Toronto, Chicago (in any order) - I guess you could consider these tied. Meh, they don't offend me visually. That's good I guess.
12. Tampa Bay - When I first saw these I thought they were awful, but they've grown on me a bit. The blue is really sharp. However the fact they are using nickname on an official jersey does bug me.
13. Carolina - I've always hated that weird box pattern around the bottom of their jerseys and wish they would get rid of it once and for all. The black shoulder logos is just dumb. Decent otherwise.
14. Phoenix - The coyote looks like it is in zero gravity and just floating around. There is no sense of movement or action from it. The secondary paw print would be a much better choice as the main logo.
15. LA - This looks like the designers brain-stormed for about 5 minutes and decided on this. It is something new at least. Dropping purple was a step in the right direction.
16. Ottawa - I don't think I've heard one person say they dislike the "O" secondary logo. Huge missed opportunity. Franchises need to start listening to their fan base. Quite ugly.
17. Atlanta - Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.......
18. Dallas - An absolute abomination. It looks like some 25 cent shirt you'd find in Wal-Mart. Dallas needs a complete jersey overhaul. Not just on the third but all three.
Sabres are sweet...they should lose the number on the front, lloks like roller derby..and Pens are best by far. Sabres need to bring back their Winter Classic Jersey from 1/1/2008 and make those two their primary jersey
Dallas had one of the best jerseys ever pre-RBK. The star around the jersey was magnifiscent, unique, and it truly was beautiful while representing the team
Hockey Week, I said that earlier aswell. I think Buffalo's third is one of the worst in the league. The picture he has here is actually different then the one they wear. It has some of the most ugliest features ever and it seems like the person who designed it said "I am going to fit as much stuff onto this jersey as possible" It sickens me that everyone praises it, because it is worse then the Sens and the Bolts jerseys.
i think the ranking should be about the real jerseys, and NOT THEIR POTENTIAL.
for example:
_the canucks' jersey is NOT green. yes, it would be great in green, but is blue. sorry. it is a boring jersey that should not be at the top of the list.
_the sens' 3rd HAS the wordmark 'sens' in front. yes, it would be a great jersey with a real logo, but there is no logo. sorry. it should be at the bottom of the list.
_the thrasers HAVE huge numbers in front of their jerseys. this is much worse than dallas, worse than anything in the world. it should be the last on the list.
Thanks Bob, I did my best...those were really just my opinion on them, and espically with the new designs, i really only like St. Louis, the rest all have some major flaw. If i were to do a combined ranking, it would probably start with Blues, then have most of the 2nd list after that, cause i just don't really like that many of the new ones.
1 Penguins
2 Sharks
3 Hurricanes
4 Sabres
5 Leafs
6 Oilers
7 Canucks
8 Flyers
9 Bruins
10 Blues
11 Bolts
12 Islanders
13 Blackhawks
14 Kings
15 Coyotes
16 Stars
17 Senators
18 Thrashers
You guys are all idiots. I agree that the blues to have an AWESOME third jersey, but show some respect for Ottawa and TB. Thy used something that has never been used before, and it looks freaking awesome! Changing my penguins idea, I think they should have had some really cool word across the front, like and old fashioned arching Pittsburgh or Penguins. or at least put a shoulder number like the sabres and make the jersey white. Changing the color would make it look AWESOME. The pens are showing a real lack of creativity in there jerseys. Here are my top 10.
1) Senators (Black and sens make this jersey look AWESOME)
2) Lighting (Blue and bolts make an awsome sweater)
3) Blues (At last the Blues realize that royal looks ugly, and replace with a wicked navy! Nice logo. Mix of retro and new, makes jersey look awesome)
4) Hurricanes (At last we see the storm flags on the front! Also, all the black makes it look awesome)
5) Flyers (retro=awesome. Also, nice player name box)
6) Islanders (retro=awesome)
7) Oilers (retro=awesome)
8) Sharks (black=awesome, but sadly no orange)
9) Bruins (secondary logo is SO COOL, and a gold jersey would look UGLY)
10) Canucks (I'm a fan, and still don't really like this jersey. Should have done green, and changed number and name style form home jersey. Johnny Canucks logo with V should have been on the front, and orca should have been shoulder patch)
Your rankings in a word. Wow.
Description of ranking, swing and a miss.
From someone who owns close to 100 different NHL jerseys, here's my rankings.
1. N.Y. Islanders - Back in 1997 the ownership of the Islanders made a public promise to the fans when the intorduced the jerseys that survived to the RBK Edge retrofit. "No more ugly jerseys". With their orange third they broke their promise. With this, they went back to the tried and true. I hope to see a white version for 2009-10.
2. Edmonton - Simply put they should have released this last season. Instead we get it for their 30th anniversary season, and like the Islanders, I hope to see a white one for 2009-10.
3. Toronto - Sometimes simple is best. Now to make a blue one to replace their practice jerseys.
4. Philadelphia - As noted in an earlier post, Philly has never wore a tie-up in their existence, and since they modelled this after their jerseys from the '70s, no reason to add one. The white nameplate adds to a marvellous jersey. Again, hope a white one is in the works.
5. Los Angeles - I'm surprised so many of you have ranked this so low, as it's downright phenmoenal. While I agree that the logo ain't much, everything else is sharp. A white one would be awesome.
6. Dallas - Before anyone says anything. Their current jersey is actually a nod to the city's hockey past, as when the sport first took root there in the 40's in the old Central Hockey League, that's something what they looked like, and it's something different for the National Hockey League. I fully expect this to replace their current white jersey for next season. If they had done anything other than this, I'd have been shocked.
7. Ottawa - Simply lose the "Sens" on the front, and replace it with the primary logo, and you have a winner.
8. Chicago - Again, simple is best. Don't mess with what works, and that's what Chicago has done for the last close to 50 years.
9. Pittsburgh - Middle of the road only because of last year's Winter Classic. Still a phenomenal jersey, and I actually own a CCM one.
10. St. Louis - To be honest, I didn't expect much from this, until I saw it in a game. I really liked it. It's only problem is that there are 9 better jerseys, as listed above.
11. Buffalo - See St. Louis. A very good blend between old and new.
12. Boston - Simple is their current jerseys. This comes off bland, and uninspired. I do like the use of the secondary logo on the front, but they could have made it look more like a jersey from their early days in the 20's.
13. Tampa Bay - Really "Bolts" on the front. Everyone claims that Dallas has minor league jerseys, and Chris, the Tampa Bay fan, (although he does get a pass as a homer,) should realize that this is relatively ameturish (sp?). I do like the "Tampa Bay" on the back hem, as it shows a touch of originality.
14. Phoenix - I'll at least give credit for trying something different. It had some potential, but really came off as a miss for me. Adding the paw logo to the primary jerseys on the blank shoulder yoke would be an interesting design move.
15. San Jose - When their primary jerseys came out, I joked that they had brought sexy back. These are reminiscent of their last alternates, which were bland, and really boring to look at.
16. Carolina - Are all of you blind? This is one of the most horrendous thirds EVER! While I'll admit that the storm flag on the front is nice, and the use of black is solid this really has two design flaws that stand out.
1. The use of a monochromatic logo on the shoulders. tsk, tsk.
2. The storm flags on the hem. Either these are storm flags, with proper coloring, or leave them off. PERIOD.
17. Vancouver - This is not a third jersey. The Johnny Canuck logo is cute and all, but this is their home jersey with a couple of logo modifications. Since it is technically a third, it must be ranked as such, but come on!
18. Atlanta - WTF? When Atlanta introduced their powder blues, which became their full time home jersey (still waiting for a white one...), I hated it, until I saw it on TV, and then I became a fan, and purchased one about a year later. This has zero redeeming qualities. The oversized beak logo on the shoulders just enhances its presence as an eyesore. What next to complete the package, Cooperalls.
So that's what I think of the current crop of third jerseys. I'm looking forward to seeing what Minnesota and Calgary give us next season.
Chris,as evidenced by the large # of responses to your ranking list...we can all argue about liking retros over modern day,over-the-top looks till the end of time.Everyone has their own likes and dislikes.I happen to be a 45 yr. old who absolutely loves the retro look of ANY sport,not just hockey! I think we can all agree that back in the hey day,it was a simpler time,when players and fans had much more of an attachment.Greed was not a factor in the players minds like today.Ok,having said that....I agree with your first few picks,and some at the bottom.Others in the mix should be swapped,but many have already said that.
I believe the Pens jersey is probably one of the sharpest jerseys a club has ever worn! I remember back in the early 70's thinking the same thing.Ice blue,cold weather bird,a venue nicknamed the igloo! Doesn't get much 'cooler' than that.I really dispise the use of word fonts across the front.This is not basketball,or college hockey.Love the leafs old 35-point maple leaf...always reminded me of a true 'hockey' feel for Canada.The Thrashers,Sens,Stars,and
Coyotes should all go back to the drawing board on those.It looks like they were disigned in an hour! Chris.....I would love for you to start a team-by-team uniform discussion,starting from each division.We can pick our favorite year's jersey from each team and discuss what we liked and didn't like.Just a thought.It could get us through the entire winter!
Let me begin by both thanking you and giving you tons of respect for your absolutely top notch coverage of all 18 new sweaters, from the 1st rumors to the moment our favorite NHL stars took to the ice sporting these awesome new looks. It's been well know that if you have an NHL sweater inquiry you go to Icethetics.info for the answer....PERIOD. I'm still waiting for either a weekly show on ESPN for you, or hell even a column on NHL.com, you deserve it.
I'll do a seperate post to share my take on your rankings.....
In my opinion, you missed the rankings by a mile. Anyone who doesn't put that Thrashers jersey dead last obviously isn't looking at the same pictures.
One of the comments I saw in your post (as others have pointed out) is that the Flyers jersey is absolutely grogeous. They never had tie-ups and probably won't for a long time. This is actually spot on when it comes to "retro" jerseys. The only thing I notice that is different about this Flyers jersey and the vintage 70's one is the color of orange chosen. This seems to be a brighter orange.
Some notable bad rankings:
1. Pittsburgh Penguins - I don't get why people like this jersey. It looks fairly ugly. They should have gone with something from the 80's-90's era instead of this Winter Classic redux. We've already seen it. It's boring. Definitely does not deserve to be #1.
2. Buffalo Sabres - Again, what's the big deal? I mean, it doesn't look bad, but it's not impressive at all. It seems that people rank this one so highly because they compare it to their current home and away jerseys (which are hideous). So, yeah, by those standards, it's fantastic. But #2 overall? Give me a break.
4. Vancouver Canucks - While this is a pretty sweet jersey, it's basically the same sweater they have now with new logos. To put it at #4 is a bit of a stretch.
7. Ottawa Senators - I don't hate this jersey, but it should be closer to the middle-end of the rankings, not in the top 10. I kind of like the "Sens" logo on the front and the fact that it's black, but aside from that, I really don't like anything else about it.
8. Tampa Bay Lightning - Really? #8? I think we all know why you ranked this one so highly. It's atrocious. Has great potential with the blue, but overall it's a hot mess.
9. Los Angeles Kings - Should be waaaay near the bottom. They went with the 90's colors, but that's about it. They abadoned the fans with their jerseys once again. The homeplate logo on the front is an eyesore. It was pretty obvious that fans wanted either something truly 90's or the vintage purple and yellow. Instead, they got a hot crap. You said yourself this exact thing, yet you ranked it #9? I just don't get your justification.
11. San Jose Sharks - They got it right. They went simple and didn't throw it in your face. It's sharp and is intimidating to their opponents (not that they needed that this year). I really like the new logo and how they accented the teal. The tie-up collar is a great addition too. This should be about 4-5 rankings higher.
12. Philadelphia Flyers - Aside from the Bruins, this is probably the biggest miss and shocker is your rankings. This is a top 3 jersey. Everything about it scream Flyers hockey. It's a true example of how third jerseys can sometimes get it right. I saw this jersey in action yesterday and I couldn't believe how good it looked. I wonder if you re-evaluated these rankings if you wouldn't agree with what some of us have said. I think you would.
14. Toronto Maple Leafs - Another example of how a retro third jersey works. Toronot has history with this jersey. They introduced it in the 1966-67 playoffs and won the cup with it. It worked then, it works now. It should be in the top 10.
16. Atlanta Thrashers - How this jersey is ahead of anything I'll never know. Should be dead last because it is just as ugly as Atlanta's current home sweaters.
17. Boston Bruins - My god, #17 of 18? Your comments say in no way why this deserves to be so far down. I hate the Bruins, but man is this one fine looking jersey. I see nothing wrong with it at all. This could easily be a top 10 contender, if not top 5. Maybe a gold/yellow jersey could've been done to reflect the 50's-60's Bruins, but I really can't understand how anyone could put this jersey so low.
18. Dallas Stars - While this isn't the prettiest jersey and is just a white version of their current home sweater (which is truly boring), it doesn't deserve to be last. I'd move it up a few positions because I agree it should've been dark green and not another away jersey. But dead last is dead wrong.
Pwood,
I agree 'almost' completely with your above rankings/jersey commentaries. I've been reading many of the ranking comments,and it seems like more than 80% favor the Pens and Sabres and Blues in the top 5. The commom negative I'm reading about the Pens is that they 'mailed in'
the 3rd jersey choice by simply copying last year's Winter Classic. So what? The whole idea was to play outside and wear a jersey from the team's inception....which they did. After viewing the game on TV,people forgot how cool these early 'ice blues' looked,and the sales went through the roof. I myself purchased a customized Crosby in January. After seeing how popular the jersey became with the players and the fans,it was kind of a no-brainer to
make this their 3rd jersey for 2008. I think we've seen enough of the changing black & yellow,and the different ways to design a penguin in a logo.This retro late 60's uniform is a hit, and I hope we continue to see it! The other jersey I noticed you didn't approve of was the Kings. I think it looks bad. In fact,every time the Kings get a new look, it's worse than the previous one. The purple and gold was classic. Purple is associated with royalty. Great crown logo they had.Then they shrunk it real small during Wayne's days,added black and silver to try to intimidate like the Raiders, and went nuts with the funny looking crown and then the 'burger king' head! Silly. Added Los Angeles to the hem(I thought I was seeing things!) and now the new 3rd jersey looks like a label on a beer bottle! Who designs these LA
uniforms? Anyone can draw a shield and throw some letters inside it. I think the Kings totally missed the mark again. Can we all agree that black should slowly be escorted out of the nhl,except for maybe Boston and a few others? (Ottawa,SJ)
And lastly.....logos on all jersey fronts.....not names or nicknames.
OK, here's my take on the rankings, first off, i think too many people are getting a little too negative about Chris's rankings, it's just his opinion that's all. He isn't telling you this is fact. It's just his preference fellaz. I disagree with a lot of his rankings too but i totally respect his choices. Anyway as i get ready to watch my Bruins take on the defending champs i'll move on to my opinion.
So i fully agree with the notion of the Isles and Oilers being too high for just pulling out old jerseys from the closet and dusting them off. I think it's great that they decided to do that but i don't think they should really be ranked higher than some of the new designs.
For instance my top 5 would go like this:
1.)VANCOUVER-(Simple yet effective, classic and classy, excellent colors, and great usage of team history).
2.)PITTSBURGH-(Again just a classic retro look, yet a very fresh feel, it still feels very new and unique even though it's been seen before. Brilliant. I hope rumors of the Pens going to the powder blue full time is true, it'll suit them well. Plus as a Bruin fan i'd like to be the only team in Black N Gold again.)
3.)BOSTON-(Again this is my opinion, but i think this keeps the classic black and gold front and center, it makes sure to continue the Spoked B on the shoulders, and it makes the team look bigger and badder on the ice. It's a real old school BIG BAD BRUINS type look. This is no doubt one of the new sweaters that i'd wait to see on the ice before judging it. On the ice it looks awesome!!!!
4.)OTTAWA-(This jersey didn't excite me at first, but when i saw it on ice, it looked plain nasty. I mean much like the Bruins the Sens looked much more intimidating in those black uni's with the red trim, plus i love the use of the primary logo on the shoulders.
5.)TIE-SAN JOSE and PHEONIX-(This one was a toss up for me, i love them both, the Sharks have a great logo and the colors look terrific, and the Coyotes have a really sleek fast new look. And they both look gret with the full uniforms. I am actually a fan of the Red sleeves on the Coyotes jerseys, i know some people hate them, not me!
Now my bottom 5, are mainly just due to boredom not hatred:
5.)PHILLY-(I just feel fairly bored with this, the usual logo, the usual Flyer look, like i said i don't hate it, i just don't get excited about it.
4.)LOS ANGELES-(Again it's mainly just a yawn, i mean the silver and black Gretzky era look is cool but it's just extremely plain.
3.)ST. LOUIS-(I know this will be unpopular but i honestly find this Blues logo a bit bland, it's cool to have the arch involved, but something about that circle, I feel like it has no identity, like it's got nothing standing out, it just fades into the background.
2.)CHICAGO-(Just too obvious for me, they need to fire it up, i feel there is so much more they could do, and it's just the standard logo on a black jersey. Again just too lackluster.
1.) Now before i say which one is my least favorite, i will preface by saying i love thier regular jerseys ans always have, so the reason i don't like this one is because the hype made me think it was gonna be super inventive but it was just another copy of what they seem to have always worn. Who is it.......THE N.Y. ISLANDERS....sorry Isles fans, not that my opinion means squat but like i said I love the Isles uni's, i was just let down with this. It's another team that has a ton of cool possible options for 3rds. Anyway so that's my top and bottom.
My favorite regular NHL sweater is no doubt Bostons home black RBK EDGE, but if i exclude my bias, i love the WILDS home sweater, and the FLAMES home sweaters. Both are top notch!!!
bwayblueshirt,
Yeah, I suppose you're right on the Penguins third. I definitely understand why they went with the ice blue. It was successful during the Winter Classic. I also agree with your comment that switching little things between the black, yellow, and penguin logo is a little old and isn't really going anywhere. Personally, I hope they stick with the new home and away logo for good though. I like their current look and I liked the jerseys just before the EDGE system took over. I don't understand why team with good logos feels the need to change them.
That being said, I just really don't feel like it deserves to be #1. I'd honestly put either the New York Islanders or the Edmonton Oilers there. I still think it's top 10 worthy, but only by comparison. I think that going with retro colors when the current colors are different only works in special situations (like when your currents suck). The Penguins jerseys are nice. No need to go with this clashing blue. The fans in the crowd are going to be a sea of mainly black, white, and gold with a hint of ice blue. It's just weird.
For example, imagine the Canucks went with a navy, burgandy, silve, and white with their third to honor their past. It's like, "Okay, so which colors are we going with?". "Should I wear burgandy to the game, or green?"
Or maybe the Ducks will go with teal and purple for their third. It might work, but signs point to no.
Same thing with the Penguins. I wish they had just done something with the yellow/gold because history has shown that several third jerseys favor accent colors as their entire jersey color.
I understand where you're coming from for sure, I just still can't get used to the ice blue as something I'm going to be seeing more than just at the Winter Classic.
Pwood,
I understand what you're saying about not being into the whole 3rd jersey,different team color look.But I think you should try to look at it as more of a 'turn back the clock' look,which best fits the older teams in the nhl.Don't forget Pwood,these different colors,such as the Pens
ice blue,WERE the teams colors at one time.Home and away jerseys should be enough for the fans to not get confused as to their team's color allegiance.Having a 3rd jersey of a style and color from the past,is simply just that! Now, if you create a new 3rd jersey with new colors that doesn't invoke the past,then I see your point.That would be ridiculous.
When baseball and football teams wear the uniforms from years gone by,lots of times the colors and styles are completely different than today's. Although they're not considered 3rd jerseys, I think you get my point. I just feel that with so many fans spending tons of $ on their
favorite team's aparrel,having a 3rd jersey just to switch around logos and styling for more money is nonsense.At least make it something of retro look and value to the fans who've been around long enough to appreciate where their team came from.
Now......what's your take on my KIngs comments? I'm quite curious if you feel similar towards them.
bwayblueshirt,
Fair enough. I can absolutely agree with you there. For the record, I do understand that when the Penguins went with their blue instead of black and gold that it was, in fact, retro and true to their roots.
As for the Kings comments, I agree 100% with everything you mentioned. Everytime they do a new jersey, it's just an insulting slap to the face to fans. The black and white era was nice, but it would've been better to just to stick to the purple and yellow. Like you said, the purple indicates royalty and the yellow is a great accent color. Right now I'm picturing the most amazing Rbk EDGE Kings jersey you've ever seen (or rather, never will see) and it doesn't have black in it. The "Los Angeles" across the bottom was just stupid and unnecessary. Then they try to keep the 90's era black AND add retro purple (though they darkened it to suit the black) which just didn't work. I think that black, purple, silver/white can look cool (look at the Sacramento Kings, for example), but Los Angeles just had no idea what to do with it. They redesigned the crown and made it look more modern, but it ended up looking too sharp and unrealistic. They could've taken the old crown, tweaked it here and there and made it better. Instead, they took the basic concept of the crown and went with a whole new weird looking crown. And as if the jerseys weren't enough, they go and put some horrible font and numbering on the jerseys to match the stupid logo.
All they needed to do was go back to their roots. Instead, they tried to modernize their roots. As we both know, it just doesn't work for L.A.
This is Pwood, by the way (i just created a member account so my name may appear differently).
Jarrod, Bwayblueshirt here. It's refreshing to hear views that coincide with your own. Realizing that it's not always going to be that way...it's still good to see that some people know a good jersey and a bad jersey when they see it! My tastes,as if you haven't figured by now,are almost always for the vintage look and feel. I just think with so little technology and input,the teams from years past did a tremendous job coming up with uniform and color schemes to fit their franchise. The logos and striping coordinates were superb in most cases.
Even the nicknames given to the cities were usually 'perfect fits'.
Being that my favorite team is from the original 6 (Rangers), I was wondering who your team
happens to be. What are your thoughts on their uni's?
why are you obsessed with green?
Ronald, I agree, yet again. Most teams have really found their own flavor when it comes to jerseys. And to think that the Original Six made their jerseys with limited technology, resources, and input, I concur that they did a hell of a job seeing as their jerseys still sell in tremendous numbers. The Canadiens and Rangers come to mind...
My favorite team is the Philadelphia Flyers. I'm not from Philadelphia, or anywhere even close for that matter, but I definitely bleed orange.
As for my thoughts on their third jersey...well, I absolutely love it. Not just because I'm a Flyers fan (because I would love this jersey even if I were a Penguins, Devils, or Rangers fan haha), but I truly think that Philadelphia captured the retro uniform exactly as it should be. Even down to the numbers (the 1 and 4 are identical to the early 70's Broad Street Bullies jerseys) the Flyers got it right. So, for me, I really love the third jerseys and plan on purchasing one soon (Gagne for sure lol).
Their current home and away sweaters also sit very well with me. I like the fact that they keep the same basic color pattern and arrangement, but modernized it (something that you and I agree the Kings have not been able to do). The 80's-90's Flyers uniform divided the two main colors with a line straight across the collarbone (for example, the black jersey separates the black and white with a bold orange stripe that extends across the upper chest). Keeping with that design, the Flyers directed the line up diagonally towards the neck and shoulder with their new Rbk EDGE jerseys instead of directing it straight across, I think that design stays true to what Flyers fans have known, but definitely ushers in the more modern Rbk EDGE look. In fact, I like the Rbk EDGE jerseys more than the CCM and Koho uniforms because they've included more orange on the arm (something any Flyers fan will undoubtedly notice and appreciate). Even if I weren't a Flyers fan, I'd rank their jerseys somewhere in the top 10 in the league.
And trust me, I'm not just saying this because I'm a Flyers fan. I love a lot of jerseys of teams I loathe with a passion cough Penguins cough.
Overall, I personally feel that the Flyers have 3 solid jerseys and I'm extremely happy with them.
Oddly enough, I think the Rangers have one of the best looking uniforms in the NHL right now. It was hard to beat that uniform back then, it's hard to beat it now. Like you said, the Rangers are one of the teams that have really found a nice harmony when it comes to their stripes and logo.
I'm interested in your take on this as well. Would you like to see a Rangers third? Or are you preparing for the worst if they do? Also, I'd like to see what you think of the Flyers uniforms.
Jarrod....I never would've guessed you were a Flyers fan. Now you're the enemy! lol
Kidding aside though, it's very pleasing to hear your praise for the Rangers uni's. I always thought they were one of the coolest looking(even if I weren't a fan,like you said). I also loved the fact that they didn't make too many changes in their 90 some-odd yr. history. As you
said in a previous post....why change a good logo or uni if everyone likes it? Though I've stated numerous times that I'm not a fan of word fonts on jerseys, for some reason I think the Rangers get a pass because they came up with it so long ago....it's almost like they should be the only ones allowed(kinda like a copyright!) Years back Colorado tried it and I didn't like it. I think it only works for NYR! As far as a third jersey, when they introduced the statue of liberty 3rd's, I said 'oh no'.....but after a while they grew on me and the darker blue was a nice change, as long as they only wore them once in a while. I wonder why they dismissed it.
Many fans here seemed to love them. I'm not quite sure what type of 3rd they would use for the future. Someone mentioned the badge logo from '78-79. Everyone around here(including me) hated it. But now I look at it and kinda like the look.It brings back memories of Esposito and Co! I think that would be a nice choice, only because I'm afraid they'll decide to do something drastic and ugly like some of these '08 models we've been discussing. I'll keep my fingers crossed for that one.
As far as your Flyers.......obviously not a fan of the team. Going back to the 70's heyday of the Broad St. bullies brings back some bloody battle memories for sure! If only you knew how hated your team was around here! (I'm guessing you do) The rivalry has simmered down quite a bit, since we now have the Devils to dispise. But I've gotta say, everyone I played hockey with always thought the Flyers had cool uni's. They were the only team daring enough to go with orange. And it worked beautifully. I was a fan of Bobby Clarke, and when I see these 3rd jersey's now.....it brings me right back to those times. I'm not too keen on these rbk uni's they sport now, but I could see how they tried to incorporate the old logo with a modern stripe detail. I honestly like the 70's version with the white stripe across the shoulders and down both arms. Reminds me of the 70's Leafs as well. The numbers were a bit rough to see on the sleeves,but that's kinda minor. One thing I absolutely love about the Flyers new 3rd's is the white nameplate on the orange shirt. Outstanding and unique!! Only question I have Jarrod.....I sort of remember them wearing that look in the 70's, but the other day I tried finding it on nhluniforms.com and came up empty. None of the jersey backs pictured this white nameplate. Can you help me on that?
PS - How would it look if they went with an orange nameplate on the white jerseys? Hmmm.
You're right about the Rangers...they sort of have that diagonal name on the front copyrighted and anyone that had tried to imitate just ends up failing at it, especially Colorado's hideous third jersey.
And while I hate the Rangers (especially the Flyer-killing Valiquette haha), I do have some great respect for them. I really hope they try another third and I actually think the shield logo would be good for that. I really didn't like how they came out with the new "New York Rangers" and "NYR" fonts with the third. This is kind of bizarre, but I wouldn't like to see more red in the uniforms. Don't know if it would work, but maybe some concept art would help me picture it better.
Now for the history lesson lol. Many people are confused about this so don't feel bad, but the reason why nhluniforms.com does not show the white nameplates is because they only wore the white nameplates when the games were televised. This way it was easier for the viewers to tell who they were watching, I suppose. But for the majority of games (and probably the reason why the nhluniforms.com site creator went with the plate-less image) the Flyers wore just the numbers. Evetually the jerseys added white text with no nameplate, but personally I love the nameplate. It's hard to pull off, but with such a bold orange it seems to work.
dude, seriously? those are some lousy reviews - with all due respect. as for the flyers retro jersey, to my knowledge, they never had the tie-up collar, so why would they add it now? i personally think those tie up collars are beyond lame. why not just have a bow-tie?
and the "sens" and "bolts" jerseys should come in dead last in ANY ranking. i have no opinion one way or the other as for the design of the jersey itself, but that nickname as a logo is ridiculous. i'm just a fan of the classic style logos. the classic, original six type of logo always does well in rankings, so why stray from what works? if the flyers ever adopt a "fly boys" logo for their next third jersey i may have to quit being a fan of the team!
that's just my initial reaction to the rankings. i'll take a closer look at everything and maybe come back for more commenting.
having looked over your jersey ranking, i'd have to say that if you made a poll, the consensus would be a lot different. but hey, it's YOUR ranking.
and nothin' says "TOUGH" like baby blue and a cartoon penguin.
I find it humorous how some people choose to rip you over your thoughts, for those that criticize, make you own blog and give your own rankings....
Now that I got that out, I would have to say you are pretty spot on.
When I saw L.A's uniform I was slightly disappointed they didn't go back to the purple and yellow, but their new uniforms immediately made me think of Batman.
I would like to see teams that have moved (i.e Colorado) bring back their old teams uniforms, I liked the Nordiques, Jets and Whalers uniforms a lot and think they should be used at some point.
Other than that I don't see how anyone can argue that the Penguins have the best jersey, that blue is priceless and more color should be used throughout the league.
' I don't see how anyone can argue that the Penguins have the best jersey, that blue is priceless and more color should be used throughout the league'. Tyler, I couldn't have said it better myself. Not only are the Pens the nicest 3rd jersey, but if a vote was taken I bet they'd be among the top 3 for nicest jersey in nhl history. Many people on this blog have stated that this ice blue is threatening the Pens standard black & yellow, but they're forgetting that the blue was their original color scheme until the team decided to jump on the Pirate/Steeler train, and make a trio of the black & gold in Pittsburgh! If you ask me.....it was a bit much. The Pens should seriously think about going w/the 3rd jersey for full-time at home, and make a white version for the road. It would be a success for sure. Memo to NHL - add more color,remove the abundance of 'black', remove the ugly clutter of piping and underarm striping on the rbk's.
Go back to the CCM hem,not this new 'nitey' shirt look (YUK) and start using more and more retro-look jerseys from the past. The NHL has been starving for a fan base for years now....
start slow with some of the above suggestions, and you'll at least keep the loyal fans happy and coming back for more. Hockey is a great sport, but for some reason it's marketability has
slacked in recent years. What if we had no Crosby, or Malkin, or Ovechkin?
I have found your blog to be very informative and creative and enjoy it almost daily but I have to take issue with your statement about the Black Blackhawks jersey being superior to the red.
With all due respect, and I mean all due respect, you have to be out of your mind to think that the black jersey even REMOTELY can compare to the Blackhawks red. The Blackhawks red jersey is quite simply, the BEST JERSEY IN HOCKEY!!!!!!!!!!!! EVER.
None other compare.
(Not in a specific order)
Vancouver: I don't know why everyone is loving the Vancouver Canucks "Third" jersey...they might as well just get a removable stick in the rink logo that they can attach and remove from their home jerseys.
Oilers: B-E-A-UTIFUL, nothing wrong with the collar, I think the whole jersey is PERFECT!
Dallas: They got a new jersey? Didn't notice........GREEN, GREEEEEEEEEEN!
St. Louis & Phoenix: Looks good, until they wear it...St. Lou needs a thicker yellow stripe cause it blends right in to the white on TV...Although, I don't know if that happens on HDTV, I don't get the blues games in HD...Phoenix needs black helmets...
LA: I was wishing for a purple jersey but they did a nice job with the black...
Sens & TB: Glad they tried something new...
Hurricanes: Great logo...
Bruins: Anyone else notice that it's exactly the same as their home jersey with a few less stripes...
Sharks: Wow, three lines on each sleeve....impressive....
Chicago: Meh...same old, same old...
Flyers: I don't see ANYTHING wrong with this, It's great!
Penguins: It's got everything a third jersey needs...
Sabres: Not bad, don't think that it should be at #2 but it has gotten better the more I see it...
Toronto: Hey, at least it's more detailed than their current jerseys, although, speaking of their current jerseys, I don't know if you could have any less detail on a jersey. I have always liked the vintage style...
Thrashers: I actually don't mind the jersey in general but I do mind the over sized numbers on the front. Cool sock design...
New York: Nothing to complain about, not #1 but a great jersey none the less.
Chris: Your rankings seem to have little to do with your comments ! You really like the 3rd Blues Jersey but put it BEHIND the abominations such as the Sens and the Bolts ??? The Blues said on their website that the team said it considered using a powder/royal Blue as the base color for the new 3rd but wanted to go in a new direction. While I miss the more prevalent gold accents in earlier jerseys, I have the new 3rd jersey and love it. The colors are GREAT and as a native St. Louisan, I LOVE the Gateway Arch in the logo. JUst a question of whose name to put on the new threads: Oshie or Tkachuk ? The TOP five new 3rd Jerseys are : 1) St. Louis, 2) Pittsburgh, 3)Boston, 4) Carolina, and 5) San Jose. The WORST in no particular order (since who really cares?) are: Sens, Bolts, LA Dallas and the Thrashers. The Thrashers with the large number(s) on the front may just be the worst. Thanks for the space and reading...
Hey Jarrod.... watching your Flyers over here on VS. against the Lightning. I think I'm gonna change my first choice 3rd jersey from the Blues to the Flyers. Wow. It's almost identical to the the originals. Even the thicker black outline on the number is correct. Can't say enough about those white nameplates too! The Flyers hit a homerun with this retro look. Hopefully, they'll keep it now. Do you remember when the 1980 USA olympic team used the blue nameplate on the white jersey? Great look. Maybe this will be an up-and-coming trend now.
But anyways,Flyers 3rd's get my nod over Vanc, Buff, NYI, St.L.......but still think Pens are the best! Bwayblueshirt
I agree with the Pens at 1 and the sabres at 2, But the islanders jersey seems to high for me so here is my rankings
1.Penguins- The whole powder blue seems awsome, And its retro
2.Sabres- What can i say besides they are awsome
3.Blues- I think the deep blue is cool and the arch in the logo is cool
4.Sharks.- I think these jerseys are really sharp and theres no orange!!!!
5.Oilers- It brings back history and traditon how can't you love them
6.Blackhawks- Eh nothing new but these are probully one of the better black jerseys
7.Lightning- I like how its blue but just the words Bolts makes it kinda dull
8.Bruins- This jersey is kinda unique but if they go rid of the shoulder logos it would look much nicer
9.Coyotes- Its Diffrent,
10.Canucks- We all saw this one coming but we didnt see the johnny canuck logo= (well chris did)
11.Kings- The new logo is cool but the silver is boring
12.Fylers- not good but not bad
13.Sens- I would have liked the primary logo on this jersey
14.Islanders-Not a fan at all
15.Maple Leafs- Sure its old school but no one gets a white third jersey
16.Hurricanes- Black isnt there color
17.Thrashers- meh the thrashers on the front isnt great
18.Stars- I was hoping they would go with a black jersey and the logo thats on there new away jerseys insted they pick the dumbest concept ever "DALLAS"
I realize this may be off the thread topic a bit, but I'm watching my Rangers struggle against the Thrashers tonight. As I'm watching, I'm thinking....these Thrashers home uni's might be worse than the 3rd's we've all been 'thrashing' in this thread! I never really liked that weird bird logo(or whatever the hell it is) but I'm finding all types of negatives on this one. The 2 different blues they use, do nothing together. The 'Atlanta' spelled down one sleeve looks horrendous. The font for the n.o.b. and the numbers looks like something from the medieval times. Some of these teams don't even look 'sport oriented' with all these weird fonts left & right. Can we all just go back to the basic, old time beautiful 'block numbers'? They are by far the best looking for any sport. Do you hear that NFL?
I'll tell ya, after watching 2 periods of this Thrasher game, I might have to reconsider that 3rd jersey of their's. It's dull, but this home thing has way too much going on. Anyone agree here?