NHL JerseyWatch 2010
Wednesday · Mar 24 · 2010 | 11:30 AM PDTIf you logged onto Icethetics today hoping for a comprehensive list of new uniforms being prepped for the 2010-11 season, then it's your lucky day . Straight from Reebok, here's how next season's jersey line-up shakes out.
Let's get this out of the way first. There are 15 teams that will not be changing their home, road or alternate jerseys in 2010. They are: Atlanta, Boston, Carolina, Chicago, Colorado, Edmonton, Florida, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Ottawa, Phoenix, San Jose, St. Louis, Tampa Bay and Vancouver. In addition, Detroit, Montreal, New Jersey and Washington are the only 4 teams that do not have third jerseys and do not plan on adding or changing anything.
That leaves 11 teams with changes to discuss. This entry will serve as a reference for the next few months, so I'm going to keep things simple by going in alphabetical order.
Anaheim Ducks
New alternate jersey According to the information I have from Reebok, the Ducks will be adding an alternate jersey this season. Their home and road sweaters will remain unchanged.
By the way, the list I have does not detail any design elements so all we'd have is speculation at this point. And I'm going to try to avoid a lot of blind guessing in this post. You guys should feel free to add your speculation in the comments.
Buffalo Sabres
New home, road & alternate jerseys The Sabres will be undergoing big changes to celebrate their 40th anniversary season. Their current third jersey — a throwback with some modern updates — will take over as the home jersey, as has long been rumored.
Reebok lists the Sabres' road sweater as TBD, but it will most likely be a white version of the current alternates. I also understand they'll be adding an entirely new third jersey, but I'm told it may be only for the 40th anniversary season.
Sabres 2010 third jersey conceptIt will be royal blue with BUFFALO in a white script across the front, containing the vintage logo with the player's number underneath. The concept here to the right is my own rough rendering of the description I've been given. I've added the traditional striping and colors.
Obviously this jersey design isn't exact. But based on what I've been told, it's probably a good estimation. We'll have to wait until this summer to find out for sure.
Calgary Flames
New alternate jersey As the Flames have already announced, they will be bringing back the red retro jersey that was worn for a handful of games this season. The major difference is that it will be adapted to the Reebok Edge cut. The striping will remain as is. The home and road sweaters will not change.
The rumored black jersey that was previously in the works has likely either been tabled for a few years or scrapped entirely. We may never know. Unless Ken King gets chatty.
Columbus Blue Jackets
New alternate jersey The Blue Jackets have not made an official announcement, but the Columbus Dispatch confirmed earlier this month that a new third jersey is in development and will be used in the 2010-11 campaign. This is corroborated by Reebok.
According to the newspaper, a cannon will be the central feature of the crest on the new uniform. No other details have been made available at this time.
Dallas Stars
Road & alternate jerseys swapped Reebok confirms that the Stars will officially switch their road and alternate jerseys next season. Both jerseys are white. Currently, the third is a white version of the home jersey, which features DALLAS arched above the sweater number.
As of the fall, the white DALLAS jersey will become the primary road sweater. The one crested with the Stars' primary logo will become the alternate.
Nashville Predators
New home & road; no alternate jersey The indication from Reebok is that the Predators will turn the alternate jersey they launched this season into their new home sweater. The road sweater is listed as TBD but a safe assumption is that it will be a light version of the new dark jersey.
Because of these major changes, the Preds will not wear an alternate next season.
The new home jersey (third, currently) features the same primary logo the team has used since its inception in 1998 but with a simplified color scheme — now navy, steel blue silver and black. The gold and orange have been removed.
New York Islanders
New road jersey The Islanders are still a bit of a mystery for 2010. Reebok says only the road jersey will be changing. However, Isles blogger Chris Botta said last year that the current retro thirds would become the new home sweater.
It could be an oversight on Reebok's part or an indication that the Isles are sticking with their current jersey for home games. Botta also confirmed that a white version of that retro jersey was in the works. It's likely that will be the design of the new road sweater.
All of these questions will likely be answered this summer.
New York Rangers
New alternate jersey Reebok verifies the news we've all been dying to hear. The Rangers will wear an alternate jersey next season. But will it be the Lady Liberty logo make her glorious return?
Possible Rangers third?Reebok doesn't specify, however, Rangers blogger Greg Caggiano recently claimed to have the inside track on the new thirds. He says he's been told they'll be nearly identical to the current home jersey with NEW YORK replacing RANGERS across the front.
Caggiano doesn't specify a source so it could just be guessing. I think it would disappoint a lot of Rangers fans and Icethetics readers. The Rangers arguably had the best third jersey of the '90s with that Statue of Liberty logo emblazoned on the front.
Those navy blue sweaters were so popular that in 1998 the Rangers even added a white version for a short time. They were used up until 2007 when Reebok took over the league.
The Rangers previously wore a blue jersey with NEW YORK on the front from 1978 to 1987. The team's home and road sweaters will not change next season.
Philadelphia Flyers
New road jersey The Flyers will don new road threads for the 2010-11 campaign. While Reebok doesn't say so specifically, it is widely assumed they will wear the retro white jersey that debuted at the 2010 Winter Classic in Boston.
The Flyers have worn the jersey on at least one occasion in front of the home crowd since the outdoor game at Fenway Park. Their home and alternate jerseys will remain unchanged.
Pittsburgh Penguins
New alternate jersey It's been widely rumored and now Reebok is confirming that the Penguins will ditch their powder blue thirds in favor of a new alternate uniform for 2010-11. Once again, the manufacturer hasn't released any details of the design.
However, Tribune-Review beat writer Rob Rossi said in December that blue would be returning in some fashion to the new third jersey. It's probably a safe bet that the Pens will dig into their past once again for this sweater — likely going with one of the darker blue options.
The home and road jerseys will stay the same.
Toronto Maple Leafs
New home & road jerseys This may be a tad misleading. Reebok says the Maple Leafs will redesign their home and road sweaters for next year. Technically, this is accurate, but it won't be a major overhaul. At least not according to Howard Berger.
He claims to have seen all of the 2010 jersey changes and says that the white stripes, once around the base of the team's jerseys before Reebok got involved, will finally be returning. He also says the jerseys will have a new shoulder patch, noting that the previous one was a TML logo which debuted in 2000. He doesn't say what the new one will look like.
The retro alternate jersey will remain intact.
And that's your JerseyWatch 2010 update. This post will continue to be updated throughout the summer as new details emerge. Any thoughts on the changes for the new season?
Reader Comments (109)
Good thing the powder blue Pens jersey will be no more next season. I personally think it's completely overrated.
Weak change for the Rangers if it's true. I guess it could be kind of cool though, simply because of its retro-ness.
Aww, I am disappointed with the Toronto Maple Leafs bringing back the stripes are the bottom. I loved the clean look of the jersey's as compared to the pre-lockout ones. Since there are no stripes on the bottom of the jersey it looks like it just flows right into the shorts and pants. I also don't want there to be a shoulder patch. The crest is all that matters. I would just prefer the third jersey crest to be placed on the current jerseys.
Once again, I am VERY disappointed.
Expect the new Columbus 3rds around Thanksgiving, in time for the holiday shopping season, according to one of the CBJ VP's in a television interview with Fox Sports Ohio.
Quick question - any update on the rumours of a new Ottawa third featuring the "O"?
I am outraged that the Oilers once again are not retiring their hideous pajama uniforms in exchange for a return to white and blue vintage sweaters. What the heck is Patrick LaForge doing to this franchise? It was his decision to ditch the most recent design for this current monstrosity.
Is there a chance that the Bruins could use four jerseys, like they seem to be using now? I'd love to see them keep the Winter Classic jersey, or perhaps use their third jersey logo on the WC uniform..
I hope the sabres ditch their reebokified elements like that bizarre piping and the gray armpits. Maybe i'll give them the benefit of the doubt to celebrate the death of the slug.
Too bad the flames are going to the edge cut, it looked real spiffy with that straight hem, but then i think how did they manage to play entire games with 22.2% more wind resistance??
Preds and Isles are making great decisions canning their tacky edge designs for the more traditional. The old isles are among my favorite of all time, and the preds third doesnt make me want to gouge my eyes out. Flyers are making a good decision too.
The Rangers are a pleasant surprise! I loved the "New York" design when i was a kid! I never really understood the lady libert sweaters, that navy blue was way off of their team colors.
and finally YES! the leafs are finally fixing reebok's desecration of turning their uniform into a unitard blue pajama. :) hopefully they bust out a cool shoulder patch like the bruins did a few seasons ago.
That new Buffalo jersey looks like a baseball jersey...
Damn. I was hoping that the Oilers would be ditching their away jerseys in favour of a white version of current (unofficial home) alternate jersey.
My Thoughts (In Question form):
1. What kind of third can the Ducks possibly have?
2. Why aren't the Bruins making a positive upgrade to the gold winter classic jerseys?
3. Will the Rangers jersey be the same blue or different (major difference)?
4. What do the Pens' think they are doing with one of hockey's best thirds?
5. Why aren't the Devs going with the St. Paddy's designs? Pretty nice if you ask me
6. Have the Sabres actually come up with something worse than the buffaslug of horribleness?
Answer to 6: Yes they have. That concept looks like something you would see in a JC Penny magazine. My eyes are vomiting (The Concept is great, the actual design is not).
I'm pumped to see the new Leafs jersey, I wasnt a huge fan of the new one, got used to it, and then went back to loving my Wellwood one from before the change, it just has such a nicer good old fashioned hockey jersey feel to it opposed to the boring new ones. The ones they have now feel like nike international soccer jerseys... one solid colour with a logo and one or two little things (in this case arm stripes) to make it remotely interesting.
I used to be anxious about the Caps getting a new third, but I've come around and right now I'm glad we're not getting one. The whole "Rock the Red" theme at Verizon Center is great--I love seeing how red the stands are on TV, and a third jersey would just dilute this.
Wish the Sens would've replaced their current third with the vintage "O" though... that "SENS" jersey is horrendous.
OMG Dallas, WTF?!? Apparently we are not the "Stars" anymore, just "Dallas Hockey Club"... I love my team, but without Modano, Lehtinen, and Turco next year - it is all up to Neal, Benn and Eriksson to make sure this team doesn't completely lose face.
Minnesota is actually changing the shoulder patches on their away jerseys. Not a big change, but a change nonetheless.
Looks like I'm going to lose some money. I bet a friend that the Canucks would toss their current jerseys in favour of the third jersey and/or a Johnny Canuck jersey.
BRING BACK LADY LIBERTY!!!!!!!!
Gutted, was really hoping to hear the Sens would be replacing our current third with the vintage O design from this post
Ducks-disappointed they aren't dropping the script and going with the "D" logo
Sabres-very happy that the Sabres are ditching the Buffaslug and bringing back the vintage look
Flames-they should bring back the vintage look on both home/road jerseys. Ditch the black it looks terrible
Stars-they have the worst jerseys in the NHL today, even worse than Edmonton's. they need a complete makeover
Predators-have always had terrible uniforms. glad to see they are changing it up
Devils-really like the green/red/white
Flyers-glad they are going retro on the white jersey
Islanders-very happy they are going retro as well with the home/road jerseys
Rangers-bring back the Status of Liberty 3rd
Senators-need to use the "O" logo with black/red striping. that would look classy
Penguins-please bring back actual gold/yellow instead of this cheap Las Vegas gold
Canucks-rumor had it earlier that the Canucks were changing up for its 40th anniversary just as the Sabres are. Has that plan been ditched now?
Once again I am totally miffed that the Oilers have blown it again. Why aren't they going back to the retro home/road full-time? They must realize that everybody hates the pajama uniforms. Ugh, I can't believe it. Please get rid of Bettman so that the next Commissioner can tell Reebok to take its Edge design and stick it.
as much as i hold distain for the rangers, that 90's 3rd jersey was pretty sharp
There might more to the Oilers' non-change. They have been working to get a new rink built for a while. If it looks like that can be accomplished in 3 years or so, they might keep the current design and reveal new one once they open the new rink.
I have a theory about the NYR third up there. Since it would be rather silly to have NEW YORK across the dark HOME jersey, I find myself wondering if it's more of a vintage jersey, the sort of thing that would be worn at a Winter Classic, since New York keeps popping up in those rumors.
Odd. I thought I heard earlier this year that the current Canucks third jersey would become their regular home jersey.
I'm pretty disappointed that the Canucks are not planning on making any changes to their Jerseys. I was at least hoping they would ditch the Orca logo in favor of the "Johnny V logo" for next season. I'm still optimistic that they will eventually do so if not next season.
The Slug goes away.... sort of. It will still be in the Sabres family unfortunately, as it's listed as an "alternate" logo on their 2010-2011 stylehseet. Just get rid of it completely, will ya Buffalo, cmon you're killing me smalls.
WHY WONT THE OILERS GO RETRO 100% OF THE TIME! or at least complete the stripes around the sleave, as a hardcore Oilers fan seeing those jerseys every(well most of them, you know what I mean) hurts more than watching the actual team.
To SENSFAN, from what I understand from a friend who works at the Sens Store, the Sens plan on going at least one more season with the "Sens" 3rd jersey. After that, it is highly likely that the retro "O" jersey will take its place. It really is only a matter of time before that happens. I long for the day to see that jersey with the RBK Edge cut. I will be among the first to get one! And actually, while at it, why not do what the Leafs are doing and put horizontal stripes on the bottom of the home/road set? Much better that way!
Oilers news is unexpected. Copper and blue (both white and dark versions) have been on clearence all year and inwas told it was because they were ditching them...
Very upset that Ottawa isn't switching their third with the "O" concept or at least something like it.... the SENS is a horrible jersey (and yes this is coming from a Ottawa fan)
Who says the Ducks won't go with the "D" logo?!
Buffalo Sabres
The team that just doesnt get it.
First there was the whole slug fiasco and then they manage to ruin their retro alternate but adding completly unnecessary piping and armpit blobs. Now they're introducing another script jersey. Golly gee... how original. If theres one thing the NHL does not need its more script jersey's.
All they had to do was bring the jerseys they used in the 08 winter classic and make a blue home to match. How hard is this?
Ducks-poor fans have never had a nice uniform. i want to hope they get something nice to wear, but i'd bet that it sucks
Sabres- i'm glad theyre bringing back the old logo, but i cant say i dig the baseball script with hockey stripes. although something that said "buffalo" isn't a bad idea.
Flames- i love the white C on the red and yellow jersey. no more black!!!
Stars- yawn
Predators- i'm liking the direction they're moving in. the checkers are weird and untraditional...but they've grown on me.
Islanders- i'm a rangers fan, as you can tell from my name, but i love that retro islanders jersey.
Rangers- i'm not a fan of the liberty jersey. the logo is nice, but if htey were to bring back that jersey, it would have to be updated. some stripes perhaps? but i like the "new york" jersey too. sure it's not BIG NEWS, but who cares. the rangers have one of the best home/away kits in the league. why not add a similar 3rd? a.k.a if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Senators-i would love an O baberpole jersey
Canucks- why aren't they doing a 40th anniversary thing too? theyve had more jersey turmoil than the sabres! nows the time to right the wrongs! stick-in-rink and johnny canuck please!!!
No new Oil jerseys?!? Can this is get any worse? Unreal.
This is horrible. The Stars' third jersey is horrible. I knew they were up to something when they made it the same as the home with the away color scheme; they've been planning on making it the away jersey the whole time... They're doing it all wrong. The third jersey right now is horrible. We like the black version, but the white version it so boring. What they should do is ditch the current 2.5 jersey (it's not right to call it a 3rd jersey since there's no difference) and design a new, green alternate jersey.
What reebok told you about the oilers not changing a thing is false... They are going back to retro in full force, both home/away and i've even seen a few nice looking thirds that could be possibilities. They are completely getting rid of copper and blue and going retro.. FACT,
I'm pretty sure the oilers are going full retro... Reebok just hasn't confirmed it yet.
Oh gosh, PLEASE tell me the Sabres 3rd jersey thing is a joke.
Even for just one year would be too much. It's got Minnesota 3rd syndrome, it looks like a baseball jersey.
As a huge Stars fan it kills me that I have to stare at both road and home jerseys that look like long sleeve basketball jerseys. Whose making decisions on these things?!
Reebok.... an american brand, who are completely destroying the image of hockey... I can't believe there actually molding us into the same as basketball and football jerseys.Pretty soon every single hockey jersey wiill have disgusting piping on it, numbers on the front, and will not have a logo on the jersey, it will just say the name of the city (ie. dallas). It really is sick... Hockey players will not improve if the jersey "fits better". The jerseys look like they came out of a womens sears cataloge. Do you think wayne gretzky would of played better had he had the opportunity to wear the reebok jerseys? If the players good hes going to be good. A jersey won't improve anything.
The old CCM jerseys looked soooooo much nicer, they looked better on the players and they didnt have the sick little dip thing at the bottom, which by the way is almost as bad as the vertical piping.
Some of it seems fishy, particularly the Boston and Edmonton news. Edmonton rbk designs have been on clearance all season, and Boston has worn that yellow Winter Classic jersey four times WITHOUT the patch. The misinterpretations with the Leafs jersey and Islanders also point to this source not being 100% correct.
Here's to hoping the Ducks 3rd is an experiment with the webbed D flying solo as a logo. We could be looking at a throwback Disney jersey, or even a recolor of the old stuff?
Wow, Dallas is really dropping the ball in failing to get a GREEN alternate.
I was hoping the Blues would ditch their bush-league Bettman-striped abominations as well.
yeah, these are all things that are happening, but are they the only things that are happening? This could very easily be an incomplete list, there are always surprises. I'm hoping the oilers are among them, and I'd like to see the Senators also on that list, but idk.
Randoms66, what logo are they using on the shoulders? is it the circle logo from the reds, the Minnesota script, or something new?
so happy the sabres are FINALLY killing off the buffaslug. i love the 3rd (soon to be home) jersey and cant wait to get a white version. as for the third...if thats it, im glad its just for one year. i know thats not an official rendering, but its iffy to say the least. i like the idea though. i guess we will have to wait and see. i hope they will add some sort of stripping down the side of the pants. that will give it even more of a vintage look.
I am glad to know that I am not the only one disgusted by the Reebok abominations. The piping; the stupid hem; and the lack of horizontal striping - ugghhh! There hasn't been a bigger fan of the NHL over the last 25 years than I have been; but I can't bear to watch some of these monstrosities: Edmonton; Dallas; St. Louis; Buffalo; Florida; Atlanta; and even Philadelphia. It is just sickening to look at these things. Many of you have already said it - thanks.
Praise the lord that the Leafs are bringing back the stripes on the waist!!! Up until Reebok got involved, the Toronto Maple Leafs were NEVER without stripes on socks and waists. Long overdue. Interested to see what the shoulder patch will be ... 35-point Leaf maybe? The TML logo was garbage.
Didn't know that the Rangers had a white version of Lady Liberty ... they really should bring back the dark blue one - that was a solid alternate.
Sabres - finally bringing back the right uniforms. Everything since then has been awful, with the most recent ones being the worst logo in all of sport. Don't know about that alternate, though. Don't think they need an alternate.
i think the ducks should adopt the mighty ducks jerseys again
The only way the league can be 100% is if A) gary bettman changes the jerseys back to CCM originals.. B) makes whites play at home and dark away C) hook up a deal with ESPN and not VS... and move a couple of the teams in the states who don't deserve teams (im not being racist im just saying quebec and winnipeg deserve nhl teams) and move them north of the boarder... i know im getting off topic but thats the way it is..
Thrilled about a real RBK retro third for Calgary.
The only thing that needs to change on the current Home and Aways: better shoulder pads.
Enough said.
Apparently, not everybody hates the current Oilers Edge uniforms... but then, a lot of people actually liked the MacFarlane third. Like many here, though, I'd prefer to see the classic style brought back full time. Same goes for the Flames - adding black was a "trendy" 90's thing (see Buffalo's red and black phase), and it's been way out of hand ever since the horsehead jersey (I've railed against the black "C" a couple of times here before).
Much of this, including Chris' Buffalo concept, is just guessing at this point anyway. But, my thoughts on the rest of the announcements:
Anaheim: At least we won't have to worry about a Wild Wing comeback!
Buffalo: Glad to see the 'Slug going bye-bye.
Columbus: We'll just have to wait and see.
Dallas: Utter disappointment. I think, after the Mooterus disaster (and what business did they have trying to introduce RED into the color scheme?!?), they went from being creative to being as bland as possible. This only cinches it.
Nashville - Thankfully, at least one team's scrapping the Edmonton/Florida/Nashville template! (Maybe two, if the Oilers rumors do get confirmed.)
Islanders - They should never have tried the orange sleeve concept in the first place. They should emulate their own winning tradition, instead of imitating Pittsburgh's old unis.
Rangers - If they bring back the post-78 stripes and red-white-red collar for a "New York" jersey, I'd be okay with it. If they just slap "New York" on their current (pre-76 based design) blues, then it's a great disappointment. The Liberty logo needs to make a comeback.
Philadelphia - Their Edge template looks better as the Thrashers' road jersey in my opinion. Going classic would be a big improvement.
Penguins - If they won't bring back the classic gold-sleeve jersey, maybe they'll go with the dark blue, white-sleeve late 70s style. And they really should dump that "Vegas gold" and return to the classic yellow gold.
Toronto - Thank God! If they're not going to try something creative (i.e. side panels), then they should bring the stripes back! The Leafs' unis are pretty plain to begin with, and dropping the stripes was just a bad idea. They really should just bring back the Heritage Leaf for the shoulder patch.
Other teams:
Boston - The WC jersey's mix of styles works better than the black third's. Keep the golds, dump the other set.
Ottawa - Like many here, I'd like to see a genuinely vintage-themed "O" jersey.
St. Louis - Cannot, Cannot, CANNOT STAND those clownishly huge shoulder panels!!! Why, why, WHYYYYYYY!?!?
Vancouver - ... stupid orca...
And the flames have terrible black piping and a horrible mish mash of black, red, and yellow... I have to admit i hate the flames cause im a diehard oilers fan, but I find myself actually having more respect and actually cheering for them when they wear the retro because its such a nice and respectable unis. Lately I haven't even been able to watch flames games because their home/away jerseys are such a disaster... Oilers and flames should bring back retro to full force. You have to look good to play good!