Avalanche Unveil 3rd Jersey!
Thursday · Nov 12 · 2009 | 9:44 PM PST
Earlier this afternoon the Colorado Avalanche officially unveiled their brand new third jersey, confirming months of rumors and speculation here on Icethetics.
Kyle Quincey and Paul Stastny were on hand for the Avs to model the new threads. A photo gallery was made available via the team's official web site.
;)
Kyle Quincey and Paul Stastny model the Avs new third jersey
It marks the first time since moving from Quebec that the franchise has donned a blue sweater. Even the Avs' pre-Reebok third jersey was burgundy. However, it did feature the same diagonal lettering across the front that we see on this one.
It does have something unique in the Age of Reebok. The team name is spelled out in white type across the back of the collar. You can sort of make it out in the image to the right.
Overall, it's a solid design. Personally, I would've preferred something different across the front. I like that Nashville and Florida are trying something new — even if it is just a re-imagining of logos they've worn for years.
Minnesota and Colorado are sticking with the text elements and it's just not what we like to see on the front of a hockey jersey — or perhaps I'm speaking only for myself.
Anyway, the Avalanche also announced a schedule of 12 games in which the jersey will be worn — beginning, as expected, on Saturday when they face the Canucks in front of the home crowd.
You can find the full schedule on their site or in the sidebar calendar here on Icethetics. I'm pleased to say they'll be wearing them next month against my Lightning. We can bond over new blue thirds.
There's also a video of Stastny and Quincey talking to the media about the new jerseys. It's really nothing insightful. These guys could care less. They're professional athletes paid millions to compete, not sit around and judge the aesthetic achievements of a shirt.
I'm sure they'd be happy in anything. Only exception might be that Anaheim travesty from the mid-90s. I'm sure those guys never wanted to have to wear those — multiple times.
Anyway, the next and final third jersey this season will be the Panthers on November 23. Not to worry, though, I'll have new content in the meantime. (Panthers third jersey concepts coming soon!)
Reader Comments (53)
Now that I see them, I actually don't mind them as much. Although the text on front still bothers me a little.
Those look ALOT better on the players, when I saw the concept for them, they just looked...awkward...
Color scheme and all is beautiful.
I still, and never will be able to, get by teams simply using lettering instead of a logo. To me, if you're not the New York Rangers, you should have a logo. This goes for Anaheim, Dallas, Atlanta's 3rds as well.
I could picture the Colorado Avalanche logo in the middle of that jersey and just making this a beautiful looking hockey jersey. It has that classic and traditional look with a modern twist going for it.
It's a shame the Avs people lack creativity. Because everything about this jersey is beautiful, except the damn "COLORADO" lettering.
Now I Know Why Most Hockey Jerseys Have The Logo As The Crest. So This Doesn't Happen.
I agree with Andrew. Now that I've seen them on the player and not just a shady photo, I am more relieved. A couple things though: the stripes at the elbows seem just a little too thick to me, a little overdone. The black armpits kinda seem pointless to me, I'd prefer just keeping the blue there too. Also, I don't really have a problem with it, but why put AVALANCHE on the collar like that? It's not like anyone's going to see it.
That being said, I don't have a problem with the text in this circumstance, because they've done it before and it's done with a team name, instead of this BOLTS or SNES nonsense. And I'm definitely happy they've gone to blue. I'm excited to watch the game this Saturday.
I like color and layout of the jersey as a whole. Its got a traditional look that still feels like an Avalanche jersey to the core. The diagonal lettering.... its what it is. Nothing special about the "crest" but its not bad. What I don't like is the combination of the blue with the black pants. I don't know if burgundy would work better or just look bad, but the black doesn't work for me.
They are passable - not great. I'm just glad they:
1. Don't have numbers on the front of the jersey.
2. Aren't black for black's sake.
3. Don't feature a team nickname.
Overall it's okay. The colors are great. I still dislike the way the corporate name deleted is made to completely stand out, but sadly that's a no win situation.
I'm completely in favor of the diagonal wording across jerseys, but using "Colorado" just doesn't work. In order to have Colorado diagonally you need to have small letters, which are too small for me. The small letters make it look like a child's replica jersey.
The letters take a great thing and make it look cheap.
Yay Nordiques Blue! Lacks a the Fleur-de-lys, but it' my blue :P
Seroiusly, i think it's great. It's got a nice retro-ish feel.
And yes Chis, some of us like text on a sweater. if it fits with the sweater and the team's image itt's all good. It may come across as being too conservative, i'll give you that, but i'll take a conservative jersey anyday over antrocity like the buffaslug or the picasso Coyote.
Unimaginative crap. My 10 year old cousin could come up with better concepts than that diagonal lettering $***.
That being said, I do like seeing the Nordiques blue come back to being the primary color.
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c'mon !!!!
It looks empty without stripes in the hem, way too much wasted space from the last ''O'' to the bottom.
Other than that it's not Atlanta or Ottawa bad !
ISs it just me, or does it feel like it is missing that "something". Maybe the text is too smal, or the same Chicago-esque striping along the bottom of the jersey could help it out.
"Minnesota and Colorado are sticking with the text elements and it's just not what we like to see on the front of a hockey jersey — or perhaps I'm speaking only for myself."
I'm with you for the most part - it only works for the Rangers, my pick for best uniform in the NHL.
I don't care how "unique" it is, the wordmark on the back of the neck is dumb.
1) this jersey is a resounding "meh". It could REALLY use hemline stripes. That's the biggest detraction here, with that, it would be a perfectly fine jersey.
2) The wordmark on the back of the collar fails the UniWatchBlog "is it good or is it stupid?" test. There is no point here. It's tiny, has no purpose. A team can go without having its name on it, especially since there's a logo on the shoulders. With helmets, fast play, and even fans wearing the jerseys who have long hair (read: all women who buy this jersey), it's completely stupid.
I like the color, it looks good. But I'm rather disappointed with the use of the word "Colorado" on the front.
It started with the Rangers, moved to the Penguins in the mid-90's, then the All-Star Uniforms, and now we have Bolts, Sens, and finally Colorado. Can they really have THIS much lack of an imagination and/or creativity??
Couldn't they, at the very LEAST, have used the shoulder patch logo? Or the old Nordiques logo? SOMETHING?
sigh disappointing.
Not great. Not terrible. The striping is nice. The name on the collar is just goofy. Looks like they are wearing a lanyard around their neck. I also find the black pants to look odd as well. Overall pretty average. MEH.
I like the Avs but apart from the colour, it's not something I'd pick up.
First off, I know it's popular with many and it's "traditional" but I've never really liked the tie-down collar. It gives some jerseys a toddler's playsuit look to my eyes - coupled with the dull, dull, dull wordmark this impression is exacerbated.
No hemline stripe makes the transition between the bottom hem and the black shorts...for want of a better word.. crap.
The shoulder yoke is always welcome though.
even thought its a Script logo. This jersey has taste. Ill give it 1 thumb up.
Isn't this the same blue the BOLTS are using?
They look cartoony. I can't stand them at all, really. I'd be totally fine with the wordmark if it was the old one, but this one just looks silly. As it stands, I have no problem with word mark jerseys as a concept, but this one, ugh. And it's so top heavy, I can't really get behind these.
Please select from the following insults...
A) Hi guys, my name is horizontal waist stripes, I was supposed to be here for the jersey printing but I ran a little late, did I miss anything?
B) What the heck guys, what the hell team is "COLORADO" it should just read "AVS"
C) The New York Rangers are getting sick and tired of teams taking their ideas, next team that does it better be careful cause we are New York, we do have guns, and we WILL find you.
More seriously though. The jersey is just way too washed out. No waist stripes means wasted space all over the bottom of the jersey, the diagonal wordmark is a joke, the Rangers pull it off, everyone else, stop trying. Due to the plaiin white text and lack of stripes, they may as well just be wearing a blue practice jersey.
Oh, and let's be honest, the only reason the team name is on the collar is so that the next time Ruutu nails Tucker from behind he'll know which hospital to send flowers to.
Overall, I like it. A vast improvement over the ridiculous Bettman-striped abominations they usually wear. I have no problem with the "COLORADO". Looks good.
My complaints are threefold: 1) flip the burgundy and the blue, for a mostly-burgundy jersey, like the previous third. 2) The dumb team name on the neck can go. 3) add hem striping, dammit. No one is going to tuck their jerseys in like you wanted, Reebok. So take that change you tried to force on the league and shove it.
Not a bad jersey. The blue resembles Atlanta's sky blue, not the Nordiques' powder blue. I also don't understand why there is no horizontal stripe at the hem of the jerseys. I think the Avalanche should forget about having a third jersey and go back to the beginning by revamping their home/away "lacrosse" sweaters. Get rid of the black pants and helmets and have an all-burgundy uniform with block-style numerals. The A-mountain crest with the puck is timeless, though.
do you think RBK tells teams not to do stripes at bottom hem? is this a money-saving idea? is it the teams going to RBK and asking them for nothing at bottom? It just looks blah without it, and I can't believe that within the last five years, teams just gave up on the concept of having stripes at the bottoms of jerseys or would just blindly put a stamp of approval on jerseys without them.
like how hard would it be to do les fleurs on the bottom? or...even simpler. just a layer of white. or one white / one burgundy. easy, simple, done, perfect jersey. i agree with the poster who says it looks vacant toward the bottom...it does !
these jerseys arent too bad. first pic i saw was on my cell and i thought "wow those suck" obviously it was just the small pic. i still would rather have seen an actual logo on the front. not a fan of the diagonal lettering. but they arent as bad as some we have seen.
yeeeeeeeaaaaaaawwwwwwwnnnnnnnn
1. I don't have a problem with word marks or text on a sweater, it's a historically reasonable choice. It's when you start mixing and matching crests and wordmarks that you end up with a mess (St Louis in the 80s, Current Vancouver)
2. Collar name thing is stupid. Sounds like something a bad NBA/NCAA b-ball team would do.
3. Waist stripe pleast.
4. Black pants/gloves/helmet don't work in this motif. They really need to be burgundy.
Overall it gets a passing grade from me. (mostly since it's 10x's better than their primaries that Reebok messed up royally. Bring back the mountain range bottom hem!
Could have used a logo, but overall I've seen worse jerseys. (i thought that it would be really ugly, but it's not that bad.)
This is flat out terrible. That's all I've got to say.
the pants should be burgundy, not black.
Not to nitpick BrianB23 but the avs have used wordmarks before the Sens and Bolts did.
Overall I like the look, but the burgandy 3rd of the past is better than the blue 3rd today.
This is by far the worst 3rd. I will bet anyone they dont wear them past this season. Has to be the most unispired design ever. The color scheme doesnt even work if youre going to use the Nordique blue you have to replace the burgandy with red. The shell is the worst ever the shoulers should have exteneded all the way down to the wrist.... basically everything is wrong with this. Thank god Im not an Avs fan!
Ranger rip-off..... again.
Great original logo, but this is just like the older maroon 3rd.
Originality lacking in so many teams.
@ BrianB23
Why would they make any reference to the Nordiques? They haven't kept their retired numbers, or haven't worn their uniform once since they left Québec. (except one time for the off season game in Quebec City.)
Would it really kill Reebok to include some waist striping once in awhile? Without them, they look like yet another glorified practice jersey.
Not a fan of the blue color, but what can you do? It's part of their set and they gave it top billing this time around.
Some torso stripes to match those on the sleeves would take it from "mehhh, they're OK I guess" to "yea, those are pretty nifty"
Can't wait to see these jerseys in action tonight on CBC as the Avs host the 'Nucks. As for the jersey itself I somehow knew deep down that the Avs would go with a blue jersey sooner than later. In fact I thought there 2001-07 alternate would've been blue but it ended up being burgundy.
What I like: The burgundy shoulder yokes. (Is that what they're called?) The tie-up collar. Brought that back from their old alternate.
What I hate: The stripes on the arms and socks. Burgundy, White, Black, White, Burgundy? They should've just put White, Black, White only in my opinion.
It actually looks pretty good in-game.
If only they could play decent hockey in them :P :P.
I saw them on Tv last night they looked better than the pictures.
After seeing these on the ice from a TV screen last night...and seeing them get scored on 8 Times. I see it as a bad omen for these thirds. Oh, I wonder why?
-Decision to go with text over a new logo.
-No waist stripe, plus the arm stripes don't look correct.
-The fact that it's a rehash of an old jersey with a new primary colour to make it look different.
Don't get me wrong, I like the blue, it's a very nice, but small tribute to their former home, but the rest just didn't work out...at least below the shoulders it didn't. If they had done the waist, and arms like they did the burgundy shoulder yoke with the white outline, this would have been rated a few points higher. Add in a new logo and it would have been up there with the best thirds.
But it just wasn't meant to be, Colorado's third is right up there with the Sens, Thrashers and Stars.
Overall, 2.5 Out of 5.
why does everybody hate this jersey? Its so much better than their home jerseys
Jeff B, they do. Lots of jerseys around the league have it. When teams ask for it, it gets put on.
As for my opinion, it boils down to one word: Ugly.
Would've loved to have seen a concept based off the old Nordiques unis
how unoriginal. there's so much potential in the name "Colorado Avalanche" for a great uniform. not the first time the avs have let us down
I agree with the comments about the waist stripes. I'm not a fan of the teams going without these stripes. They look more like pajamas than hockey jerseys. These are nice but the missing torso stripes would have made it a classic.
Man I hate these Jerseys so much... They have a great 3rd logo why not go with that!
I don't think that it's the best third hockey jersey from NHL.It could be a lot better.For example I like the 3rd jersey from SJ Sharks more
Thank you for kissing up to the Rangers (We're just that awesome). Probably would have been better had it stayed the way it did pre-Edge. Chris, I want to hear what you think on those terrible new Panthers jerseys.