NHL JerseyWatch 2011
Sunday · Jan 16 · 2011 | 11:41 PM PST
January Edition Reebok has released its 2011 planning catalog to retailers across North America so they can decide what merchandise to carry. And, as expected, many are rather eager to share their inside information with those dying to know what changes are coming.
Before I continue, it's important to point out that just because this information comes from Reebok doesn't make it gospel. Nothing is official until the specified team or league says so. For example, last year's early catalog for retailers suggested the Predators would have new home and road uniforms this season. That never happened. All this tells us is what's in the pipeline.
Supposedly, 11 teams are making changes in 2011. Take the following for what it's worth and keep in mind that it's all subject to revision. For each team, I've listed what's changing along with speculation on how said changes might manifest.
Atlanta Thrashers
Thrashers current third jersey / from NHL.comNew alternate jersey Atlanta has arguably the ugliest third jersey of the Reebok era. Despite a look that merges elements from football and basketball uniforms, it gets points for originality in a market where hockey is often overlooked. But they shouldn't forget they still play hockey.
It was a surprise to hear the Thrashers are already looking to replace the alternate sweater as it was only introduced in the 2008-09 season. Makes me think sales are in the tank. So how might they make changes?
I don't want to be the one to say it, but dark blue is probably a good bet. It's the new black in terms of being a popular color for alternate uniforms. And it's certainly not maroon.
Thrashers 1999-2006 / from Getty ImagesWhat's more is the Thrashers don't have a lot of history to draw from, having been founded in 1999. But if they were to take inspiration from the past, let's not forget their original dark jersey (left) was navy.
By the way, anyone recognize the 26-year-old kid in that photo? If you guessed Marc Savard, well done. I'd forgotten he spent a few years in Atlanta before becoming a star in Boston.
Anyway, if the Thrashers' goal is to sell more jerseys, I'd sooner buy this than the weird hybrid they're currently offering. But then truthfully, I'm a Lightning fan so I'd never buy a Thrashers jersey.
But who can say if they're interested in digging up the past? They completely surprised us in 2008 with the jersey they came up with so we may be shocked again in 2011. If it is an original design, I'd count on a major element that highlights the city of Atlanta, be it a new logo or straight-up text.
Regardless, I don't see how they can do worse than their current alternate uniform. And it will be a relief to finally see this one disappear from the NHL.
Buffalo Sabres
Sabres third jersey / from NHL.comSame alternate jersey The Sabres will hang onto the alternate sweater they introduced this season as part of their 40th anniversary celebration.
Though nothing is changing, I thought it worth mentioning here as some thought perhaps the jersey would be worn only this season and then retired. In fact, it seems the royal blue will hang around at least one more year. Possibly longer.
Also, the jersey does feature the throwback Sabres logo with their founding year, 1970, set inside. This was used as the team's 40th anniversary mark but it's not specific to this year, which means it's likely to stay on the sweater.
It goes without saying, but Buffalo's home and road uniforms will also stay the same for 2011-12. Overall, this might be the best set of sweaters in the NHL. And it's all because they're paying attention to their past.
Dallas Stars
Stars current third jersey / from NHL.comNew alternate jersey Reebok says the Stars are looking to launch a brand new third sweater. And most of us are hoping they run far away from their current look.
Dallas may have been the hardest hit by the transition to Reebok Edge in 2007. They went from having a beautiful and unique set of sweaters to some of the blandest in the league. And green almost disappeared entirely.
Currently, the Stars wear a black jersey and a white jersey, each of which simply has the word "DALLAS" arched above the sweater number — not too unlike the Thrashers' current third. They're trimmed in gold and only the white uniform has any hint of green. Their third jersey (right) is the only one with any kind of a logo on the front.
Stars 2003-2006 / from Getty ImagesNow it seems they're finally ready to advance the brand and add something new. (Let's just hope it's not a black version of the present third.) I think we're all anticipating something in green, a color that's slowly but surely returning to the NHL after an absence that went on too long.
Maybe even a new logo to go with the green? So long as they learned their lesson from the "Mooterus" (left). That lesson being, don't get too cute with your logo or it will come back to bite you.
Let's be honest, anyone who's ever opened up a sixth grade health class textbook would recognize that shape without a second look. We can all pretend it's the constellation Taurus, but no one is being fooled here. Not even Trevor Daley.
Not only that, but what's with the red? That's never been in their color scheme. And they don't need it. They already have two great colors in green and gold.
The point is, the Stars don't have a good track record with third jerseys. Keep in mind that the current road jersey was their most recent try at an alternate design. And it was terribly lacking in creativity, obviously. Maybe the next try will put an end to that streak.
Edmonton Oilers
Oilers home jersey / from NHL.comNew road jersey At last, Oilers fans can rejoice! A new white sweater is coming to Edmonton this fall.
If the Stars fared the worst in the switch to Reebok Edge jerseys in 2007, the Oilers weren't far behind. Fans had been without their true blue and orange, instead dealing with navy and copper with red trim since 1996.
In 2007, the colors stayed the same, but the jerseys were a disappointment. As with many new Reebok sweaters, there were no waist stripes. And the sleeve stripes inexplicably stopped on top of the elbow instead of wrapping completely around the arm.
Only a season later, the complaints were quelled with the introduction of a retro third jersey (right) that brought back the brightly-colored blue and orange from the '80s that most hockey fans associate with Gretzky's Cup-winning dynasty.
Oilers 1981-1996 / from Getty ImagesJust one year after that, the fan-favorite uniform got top-billing as the new home sweater. Things have been quiet on the jersey front this season. But now with a new white sweater in the works for 2011, fans should be excited.
Most likely, the new road sweater will be a white version of the current home jersey — a look we haven't seen on a regular basis since it was retired back in '96.
To remind you of what that looked like, I tracked down this shot of Mariusz Czerkawski specifically because you can see that the sleeve stripes wrap completely around the elbow. We have indeed missed that feature.
Many fans were expecting/hoping the white jersey would make its return this season, but after three consecutive seasons of uniform changes in Edmonton, the NHL probably frowned upon the notion of a fourth — even though the Islanders got away with it. And as disappointing as that may be, let's take solace in the fact that it's being rectified next season and not five years from now.
Unfortunately, however, the third jersey will not be changing. So those wanna-be stripes aren't disappearing entirely quite yet.
Now for this final paragraph, I could go off on a tangent about how we don't know anything for sure and they could come out with an entirely new design for the white jersey... but I think we all know the Oil would not dare be that reckless. Or would they?
Florida Panthers
Panthers current home & road jerseys / from NHL.comNew home & road jerseys Reebok says that Florida's piping-happy home and away sweaters are going away at the end of this season. And even a Lightning fan will admit that's a good thing. Because these are terrible.
Over the last season or two, there's been a noticeable shift away from the leaping panther logo to something more simplified — similar to what we're seeing in Nashville. The Cats' new third jersey is a great example of this.
More and more, Panthers marketing materials have featured either the third jersey logo or a paws up version of the leaping cat. It's hard to say for certain what changes are in store for the new sweaters, but there are no plans to change the third jersey at this point.
Panthers 1993-2007 / from Getty ImagesIf the Cats really want to do it right, just look back. Under the heading of you don't know what you have until it's gone, the funny thing is they're one of those teams that got it right the first time.
And even though the red jersey (left) that we'll always associate with John Vanbiesbrouck was relegated to alternate status in 2003, it's too good to disappear forever. Bring it back.
This season the Panthers are holding a few throwback nights. And while we hoped to see them in red again, these events had nothing to do with the jerseys worn on the ice.
Now that the Panthers have a navy blue jersey that actually looks good, they should hang onto it (as a third) and bring the red back. To the Panthers I say, let the Lightning be blue and reclaim your original colors.
Despite all that, however, the new third jersey does show a clear move away from red. The addition of powder blue is great as an alternate color, but I would hope they aren't looking to extract the red from their identity altogether.
Hopefully the hot Florida summer — which I no longer have to contend with (yay!) — will yield some answers. Until then, all we have is speculation.
Los Angeles Kings
Kings current third jersey / from NHL.comNew home, road & alternate jerseys Apparently the Kings intend to toss out everything and go back to the drawing board in 2011. Wow.
Actually, if I'm being honest this complete reboot wasn't entirely unforeseen. The team has been dropping hints over the past year. For example, the players opted to wear the black third jerseys throughout their 2010 playoff run. And the throwback launched this season is very popular among fans.
Not only that, but Icethetics reported in October on photos of possible jersey prototypes seen in Luc Robitaille's office at the Kings' practice facility. They are essentially white versions of the current third jersey (right).
Kings throwback jersey / from Getty ImagesSo if I had to guess, the crown logo along with the black and purple sweaters will disappear. Replacing them will be the LA shield logo along with black and white jerseys. And as for the third, obviously the purple and gold throwback is the front-runner.
And that suspicion just got a little more meat on it last night when the Kings added nameplates to those jerseys. Surnames are a league requirement on uniforms, but they got away without them for opening night against the Canucks as they were celebrating the 40th anniversary of their first meeting — which was at a time when jerseys didn't have nameplates.
So now this is a complete uniform and it looks phenomenal. Fans like it and there's no reason not to keep it around. I wouldn't be at all surprised if that's how things shake out for the Kings next season. Black and white regular unis and very colorful thirds.
Of course I could be totally wrong and they could be in the process of launching an brand new identity altogether. As I've been saying, we'll really just have to wait and see.
Nashville Predators
Predators current third jersey / from NHL.comNew home & road jerseys I'm getting the weirdest sense of déjà vu. I think we were singing this song last year.
Yes, it was the 2010 catalog in which Reebok reported we'd see new home and road uniforms for the Predators. But as we know, that never quite happened. But it appears to still be in the cards.
There's a key difference, however, from last year's report, which indicated the third jersey would be going away. That led us to believe the current third would be the new home sweater and a white version would be added for the road.
"Limited edition" jersey / from Seth WrightThen, just yesterday Icethetics readers were treated to a photo of what that jersey would've actually looked like. It was being auctioned at last night's game as a "limited edition" jersey.
Now, according to Reebok in 2011, the Preds' third jersey isn't going anywhere. That means we're likely to see brand new designs for the forthcoming home and road sweaters.
That's reinforced by the unconfirmed report from commenter Kiltimar in yesterday's post. He claims to have been part of a focus group which got a look at new jersey concepts — neither of which looked like what we see here.
Of course I'm not sure if this means the colors will change. Gold has been a trim color on the Preds' uniforms since their inception in 1998. But it may finally be time for them to let it go.
All that does seem to be clear, though, is that the current home and road uniforms are disappearing by the fall. And I, for one, won't be sorry to see them go.
New York Islanders
Isles current road jersey / from NHL.comNew alternate jersey Reebok is indicating a brand new third jersey for the Islanders — which will probably ruin everything now that they've finally gotten it right.
This season, the Isles debuted their new white sweater (right) to match the blue throwback that's been in use since 2008. We were all relieved and overjoyed to see it.
And that's because the folks on Long Island make bad decisions when it comes to trying new things with the uniform. For this team, retro works and it always has.
Remember the "fishsticks" debacle of the mid-90s? If not, you're lucky. Fans quite literally revolted at the sight of the new sweaters and logo. So much so that the team was forced to bring back the old look not three seasons later.
Islanders 2002-2007 / from Getty ImagesThe only time the Islanders have attempted a non-retro third jersey, it was orange and featured some very bizarre design choices.
The Isles weren't part of the wacky third jersey era of the mid-90s because they were busy making wacky home and road jerseys at the time. This orange sweater (left) was launched in 2002 and if Aaron Asham looks puzzled, imagine the rest of us.
I'm all for trying new things. The orange jersey is cool. I like the blue shoulder yoke and laced collar. But what is with the odd pointy blue and white stripes in the middle? What are they meant to be pointing at exactly?
Honestly, I don't want to know.
Regardless, the only orange sweater the Isles ever wore was a failure. I say that despite its five-season run that lasted until Reebok came along in 2007. Should we, uh, thank them? Well, when you look at what they came up with for New York, the answer is a loud and clear "no!"
I'm not sure what the Islanders have in store for a third jersey in 2011. I'm just worried it's not going to be good what with their terrible track record.
New York Rangers
Rangers current third jersey / from NHL.comSame alternate jersey Like the Sabres, the New York Rangers will hang onto their anniversary sweater for at least another season.
None of the Rangers' three jerseys are changing in any way. But again, like Buffalo, I thought it worth a mention since there was the possibility the sweater would only survive for the 85th anniversary season.
The only difference between what the Rangers are wearing in 2010-11 and what they'll have in 2011-12 is the 85th anniversary shoulder patch. Obviously that will disappear following the end of this season.
Personally, I'm a bit disappointed. I, along with many of you, was hoping the Rangers would one day bring back the Lady Liberty logo and uniform. It lasted 11 years and it's arguably the best alternate jersey in the history of the NHL.
For now, though, it looks like we'll have to continue waiting for that day to come.
Ottawa Senators
Senators current third jersey / from NHL.comNew alternate jersey Earlier I said the Thrashers may have the ugliest third jersey in the NHL. Forgot about the Senators.
Luckily, Reebok says that in 2011 the Sens will debut a brand new alternate sweater. And it can only be an improvement on what they've been wearing since 2008 (right) — which is all over the map.
So what will this new third jersey look like? We've been speculating for quite a while here on Icethetics. It started with a retro-styled concept designed by a fan that appeared in official team materials.
Then just last weekend, Ottawa's farm team in Binghamton wore the same barber-pole throwbacks that the original Senators sported in 1930s.
Senators 2000-2007 / from Getty ImagesEither of those is more likely than the Sens looking back into their own short uniform history. Among Canadians, retro is in.
Prior to the Reebok era, the team's last attempt at a third was what you see Mike Fisher wearing (left). It's probably their best alternate sweater design, and my overall favorite Senators jersey.
Their first third jersey, a red one, eventually became their standard dark sweater, from 1999 until 2007. But since their current home uniform is red, black is most likely for the new uni.
This leaves me convinced that Jacob Barrette's concept is probably on the right track. The O logo has been the club's secondary mark since 2007 and it pays tribute to the original Senators franchise. And as I said, in Canada, retro is in.
Still, while this may be what a lot us want to see, there's no telling what Ottawa will do. No one expected the SENS jersey or its odd design, but it happened.
I guess we can just hope they've learned from their mistakes and we'll see something great in 2011. They have a checkered history, but at least it's not all bad.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pens' Winter Classic jersey / from NHL.comNew alternate jersey This should be the least surprising news in the entire post. The Pens will have a new third in 2011.
The Penguins first talked about replacing their powder blue third jersey last year. But upon the announcement they'd be participating in another Winter Classic, those plans were shelved.
The last time the Pens added a third jersey, it was borrowed directly from the 2008 Winter Classic. Now three years later, it's all but a given that history will repeat itself.
I'd be very surprised if the new uniform isn't the 2011 Winter Classic sweater (right). Chances are it's the same design they were working on last year when the idea of changing the alternate jersey first came up.
The only difference would be the lack of a Winter Classic shoulder patch. I've altered the image to represent that. It's a nice looking jersey on its own. But I do think it would be better if they used real white instead of the trendy vintage white.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Lightning home & road jerseys / from NHL.comNew home & road jerseys This is my favorite part. According to Reebok, the Lightning will sport brand new home and road uniforms next fall!
This is news to me and while I never thought Tampa Bay's jerseys were perfect, I am surprised to hear they're changing them again after just four seasons. My guess is it has to do with the new management team. So, changes all around in the Sunshine State.
Frankly, I like the Reebok Edge uniforms better than what the Bolts wore previously. The blue is brighter and the stripes aren't quite so boring. If your team name is Lightning, you can really afford to not have bland sweater designs.
Having said that, it's a good time for a change. And I'm sure I'll be first in line to buy the new ones. I'd hope for a blue home jersey but that's probably unrealistic considering the third jersey is blue and it's not going anywhere just yet.
The only thing I expect in the new sweaters is the unique underarm striping that's been part of every Lightning uniform since their inception in 1992.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Leafs current third jersey / from NHL.comNew alternate jersey As rumored, the Maple Leafs will be debuting a new third jersey for the 2011-12 season.
The current third jersey in its Reebok incarnation launched in 2008. Prior to that, the same design was used from 2000 to 2007. It was based on a uniform and logo the Leafs used from 1958 to 1967.
When team management has recently discussed changing the uniform with the media, they've said the plan is to borrow from their own history once again.
Leafs '70s throwbacks / from Getty ImagesA year ago, Toronto paid tribute to the 1970s as the players skated out in replica jerseys for warm-ups. They matched sweaters worn by the team from 1970 until 1992. Rumors suggest the team may look to that era for its next alternate uniform.
They look great and just different enough to distinguish themselves from the recently altered home and road jerseys. Fans always love the retro look so the Leafs would probably be wise to go this route.
Beyond that, there's not much else in the Maple Leafs' jersey history that isn't a little crazy. So unless they go with the '70s throwbacks, they'll have to come up with something completely new. And that doesn't usually work out well for them.
And I'll say it once again. We won't really know anything until next summer, fall at the latest. But the Leafs usually like to make a big deal about jersey unveilings so I'm sure we'll know when it's coming.
That wraps up the inaugural edition of NHL JerseyWatch 2011. More updates to follow.
Reader Comments (98)
I'll be the first to stand up and clap if the Canucks announce that the stick-in-rink will replace the ice-breaching orca in 2011.
Please let this be true, Oilers. The half-stripes are killing me more than the brutal hockey.
Yes, I know this is not the final say so, but still nothing out of D.C.?! Are the Caps seriously going to let another year go by without, and excuse the word choice, capitalizing on one of the best secondary logos in North American pro sports? It just seems like a vast financial oversight. (I guess that's a bit of a common theme there) Well, I guess it's better than trying to rush something into production. Fan or not of the Capitals, I think we all would love to see the "Weagle" take center stage on a Capitals jersey.
@Heinz, dislike, They better not touch my team current home and away.... The Stick and Rink look better as shoulder patch and it is godawful boring looking logo as a primary.
I honestly do hate the LA Kings current third, and had hopped they'd scrap that one, and now it seems it's becoming their home and a white version their away? What a terrible day.
Not that I'm a Kings fan per se, but I've spent a lot of time in LA, and if there's any NHL team that I'd say I feel connected to it would be them.
Otherwise I'd say most of these changes seem to be for the better. I've never really liked Toronto or Dallas playing in white alternates, even though the TML one is a classic and good looking one too.
I personally think Tampa could use an overhaul of their jerseys, and I think that the Pens and Sens (pun intended) could use some changes to their uniforms as well, as I'd say all of their basic uniform designs are quite boring and similar (except for the logo obviously.)
As for Nashville I'm the first one to sign on for their need of a new home and road, but I am a bit glad to see it's not going to be their current third and a white version, as I find these very monotone. Don't really get the black and blue checkers piping and I generally think all sweaters should have three "colours" in them (not counting the black here as it took me a year just to see that the piping wasn't in fact pure blue) , with a few exceptions (Toronto and Redwings do utilize the one coulor and white uniforms well)
Oh I almost forgot.. I really don't like the idea where the Kings are going with their jerseys.. The Purple and Black is a unique colours selections in the league.. The throwbacks are terrible, I think California have enough similar colours (LA Lakers, Oakland Raiders, etc) coming from individual sports..
As for Toronto, I'm kinda disappointed to see if this third jersey is going to go and they are keep digging up bunch of throwbacks.. Yes, the 70s one look good, but the current third is a beauty. I wonder if it possible to make the current third as an away while keeping the retro leaf..?
Seeing as the flyers adopted their most recent third as their home, i'd love to see something new from them, ive always wanted to see them in a black jersey but with orange numbers, from memory chris i think someone submitted something like this as a concept not too long ago, it had a weird halloween feel to it , but the basics were there for something potentially great
It was with great sadness that I reached the bottom of this very interesting article.
No mention of the Avs unipron.
We can only assume those monstrosities will survive another season. Most teams that were hit with the worst end of the redesign stick have gone some way to banishing those pipes and stripes and replaced them with at least a decent third as the article details, but Colorado show no signs of rectifying this horrible mistake. I don't care for lettering wordmarks, so the third isn't my cup of tea either.
Bring back the mountain range!
A lot of these announcements I can sum up in a few sentences for multiple teams.
Do it now!!: Atlanta, LA
Do they really need to?: Islanders, Pittsburgh, Tampa, Toronto
Hm, didn't see that coming (Sarcastic): Buffalo, Edmonton, Rangers, Ottawa
Hm (Really) Didn't See that Coming: Florida, Nashville
All bets say this becomes their home jersey in a few years: Dallas
I can't wait to see what's next for Florida, Nashville, the Islanders and Tampa.
I'll be glad to see the back of the Oilers current white jersey and the retro look would be wonderful. As for the 3rd jersey, why the Oilers ever ditched the comet jersey I don't know, I'd be one happy bunny to see a new white and the original 3rd jersey back with the Oil. As for the other designs, lets see them in the league.
When the Edge jerseys came in and what seemed to be a Reebok/NHL uniform jersey designs, it sort of spoilt the NHL in terms of appearance. Let the teams choose the looks they want, let them try to be different, even though the Islanders got it all wrong on many occasions at least it was worth a try, now it's all safety first and nothing to coin a phrase from the All Star discussion, out of the box.
If the Kings miss another golden opportunity to go back to the original Forum blue and gold unis then the creative department really need their heads checking; the sheild logo combined with a purple and gold home and a white, purple and gold road would be the sharpest of sharp looks. In fact Chris, I believe I submitted one as a concept some months ago, perhaps with all this speculation it would be an idea to do a concept post on the 'changes'.
I'm hearing rumors out of Long Island that the Isles thrd will be black.
Please let those rumors be wrong.
If the Oilers do in fact go back to the retro away jerseys i will be the happiest man alive! Also FYI Marc Savard played for Calgary before he went to Atlanta as well.
@HSTEBBS
Ted Leonsis has stated the reason the Caps have not made a 3rd jersey is two-fold. 1. They are trying to create their identity with the 'Rock the Red' and 2. With financial harships, they don't want the fans to have to try to spend a lot of money on a new jersey.
I, as a Caps fan, would love to see a 3rd jersey. My feeling is if people can't afford a new jersey.... DON'T BUY IT!
I figured something was up with the Oil and new silks. They were either giving them away ( A freebie when you bought the Oiler 3 pack) or practically giving them away( most stores had been selling them at 50% off) . I knew there had to be a reason everybody was trying to get rid of their stock of jerseys. I can't wait to see what the new jersey looks like and it will be perfect timing for when the team turns things around.
I bet that Atlanta will continue with their "tradition" of non-symmetrical jerseys for the new third. Like I've said all along, there should be enough creativity so that each team can be easily recognized by their own unique identity. There are more than enough color schemes to allow for that without every team pulling the dark blue card. I just hope that teams like Dallas, Atlanta, Florida, and perhaps even Ottawa don't become known solely by the overwhelmingly repulsive mess that each have right now. I'm excited to see what's in store.
All I can say is I sure hope Calgary doesn't adopt their Heritage Classic Ronald McDonald's like all the other outdoor game teams have.
Interesting. Some of those teams like Tampa and Florida are teams I will be redesigning for my senior thesis project. Looking forward to see what RBK come up with compared to what I'm going to do. I have a feeling most of these teams will grab a jersey from the past and use elements from that one in the new one.
Most Rangers fans love the new 3rd sweater, and there are quite a few of us that could care less about the Lady Liberty logo.
The old Oilers jerseys are the most overrated jerseys in hockey. On looks alone they are absolutely horrible. If let's say Vancouver had been a great dynasty in the 80's then those V jerseys would have had the luster of winning and the Oilers jerseys would be either long forgotten or recognised as among the worst.
I would be pretty excited if the Sens finally wake up and make a vintage sweater with the =O=. Ottawa has a great hockey tradition that should be cherished.
I don't get where all the hate of the Thrashers' alternate jersey comes from. I think they're great, although I'd love to see them go back to their original uniforms. I've always loved that overhead logo they used to have.
This is my first time posting on this site and I've got to say I freaking love this site!
I've always been really into jersey designs and I'm definitely happy to see a bunch of teams finally making some changes.
Atlanta's jersey's are very iffy for me. The third isn't great and their home jersey is just weird for me. I love the powder blue but I just can't get used to the asymmetric arm. It bugs the crap out of me.
For Buffalo I'd have to agree, possibly the nicest jerseys in the league. Don't change a thing!
Dallas's jersey are incredibly boring which is a huge shame because their previous jerseys before the Reebok thingy were among my favourite.
I can't wait to see Edmonton change up their jerseys. I don't mind the vertical striping but the elbow stripes that don't go all the way around and the lack of the horizontal stripes at the bottom of the jersey is horrid. I thought the same about Toronto's jersey's as well but thankfully they rectified that this season.
The Panthers' jersey is ok but if they went back to their original jerseys I'd be a happy man.
LA: Love the third jersey but I haven't been a fan of their jerseys since they went to purple and black. They're not bad but there's just something about them that seems cartoony to me I guess. I thought their Gretzky era black and whites were decent.
Nashville: Love the third, and I think it would be a great basis for new threads.
Islanders: They FINALLY got it right and now they're probably going to screw it up again....bummer.
Rangers: Their third jersey might just be the nicest jersey in the league. I love the off white colour that makes it look much older and oddly the diagonal word-mark works for me which never happens.
Ottawa: facepalm I'm a big Senators fan but man.....someone needs to be fired. The only jersey's I ever liked from them were their first ones when they rejoined the league in the 90s. A third jersey based on the "O" logo would be a great start though!
Pittsburgh: I love the powder blue thirds and I even liked their winter classic jersey this year. I loved the home and road jerseys they had before the Reebok jersey came into play but now their jersey's have no punch for me.
Tampa Bay: My apologies to the webmaster but I never liked Tampa's jersey right from the start. It doesn't feel like they're far off though. Their current jersey's with horizontal stripes at the bottom would probably look nice.
Toronto: I've always loved the retro third jersey but it might be time to move on. A throwback to the 70-80s jerseys could work very nicely.
Cheers,
I'm sad there's no Blackhawks news, it's their 85th year and i was hoping for a sweet throwback. :(
As an observer, the jersey swap for Edmonton is just what they need, not only from a jersey-foul recovery stand point (see Buffalo and NYI), but as a franchise.
The new clean look will be a welcome change along side the rookie overhaul, arguably the face of the franchise now.
Similarly, look to Toronto for this trend. New captain et al - ergo new sweater set.
Atlanta, Dallas, Florida and Ottawa have a real good chance to get this right.
...Or completely drop the ball. Whichever.
I am so excited! I love new jerseys news. My thoughts (not that anyone will care)
ATL: Thank god, it's about time, you're not a basketball team, no matter what you think. Go with something similar to the original darks.
DAL: The text based jerseys have definitely grown on me, but bring back ANYTHING green. So sick of black jerseys.
EDM: Old is new, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Just do the white version of the home blue.
FLA: Will probably make the blue/blue their home, and introduce a white version.
LAK: I am NOT a fan of their current alternates, they're so boring. I think they will probably use those as the new home and road basis, but I'd rather see something different. Maybe the full crest logo they used before.
NASH: Just going to be home and road versions of the current third.
NYI: Can't hurt to try something completely different. They've got classic home and road already, try something completely new.
OTT: =O= do it... =O=
PIT: Lemme guess....blue?
TB: Just so long as they don't do a white version of the BOLTS jersey, I'm cool with anything. Scratch that, stay away from sublimated storms too.
TOR: Just going to be a solid blue jersey that reads "CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE" or alternatively "KESSEL IS TOTALLY BETTER THAN SEGUIN"
I don't mind the Panthers current jerseys, although I would love to see the return of the red sweaters. I wasn't really keen on the current set when I first saw photos of them, but after seeing them in person, I thought they looked pretty sharp.
The current third disappoints me a bit. It looks way too much like some of the other thirds out there already that use the navy blue and round crest on the front. Wish they'd have gone in a bit of a different direction on them.
Hopefully, the Panthers don't stray too far from the current logo. I really like it, especially since it hasn't changed much throughout their short history.
"Keep in mind that the current black jersey was [the Stars'] most recent try at an alternate." Actually, it's the current WHITE jersey. I have to assume that was just a typo, but I wanted to point it out :-)
Regarding the Oilers...
I really don't like the idea of bringing back old jerseys as-is. It shows a lack of creativity, and I think it shows some disrespect to the original teams that wore those jerseys, especially when those teams were as great as the 1982-1990 Oilers. The Oilers' blue-&-orange jerseys represent the great Oiler dynasty teams, and the legacy of those uniforms is tarnished as long as they're being worn by the current crappy edition of the team. Why don't they just let Zack Stortini or Colin Fraser wear #99 while they're at it?
first of all props to Chris for putting this up, very interesting
now my responses to different people...
Jean: first off, go canucks! great to have our team be the best in the nhl. and all though i do agree that the modified stick in the rink C logo can get boring on the front, so is the orca. and imagine that on the front of a white sweater. I also think that they need to make the current alternate uniform the home/away (with a white jersey for away) and make that retro uniform the home. thats a great jersey.
Pihlbaoge: i do agree that the logo on that black and silver jersey is terrible, but i think the basis of the uniform is great. switch that logo with the crown thats on the home and roads, and make that purple and gold the road, because the purple and gold jersey might be the best jersey in the nhl.
as for the rest of the jerseys...
thrashers: kinda like those jerseys, but i know i'm alone on this one
buffalo: thumbs up
dallas: going to be interesting, but they'll probably just do a green version of the home and away
edmonton: good job, much needed
florida: could be a good choice, interesting, no ideas from me
LA: my ideas are above
nashville: good, no more gold, that team needed a simple jersey to contrast there more unique logo
islanders: gonna be interesting, no ideas
rangers: good, i think these should be the home and roads, it won't happen though. if you look closely i think it says "since 1926" on the collar. cool edition
Ottawa: they should have the candy cane on the whole jersey, no black
Pittsburgh: ok, the powder blue's are pretty cool. maybe make the powder blues home and road and make a white one and then take this years winter classic sweater and make it he alternate. cool idea, won't happen though
Tampa Bay: why? the jerseys are the best thing thats happened to the club other than a 2004 stanley cup and steven stamkos
Toronto: finally the team is getting creative. the simple changes this year made the uniform so much better. new alternates will make that uniform set so much better. if only they could win...
Dang, I was really hoping the Bruins wouldn't just abandon their Winter Classic jersey as it was probably the best WC jersey yet. But it looks like it is another great jersey that will fade into the history books as being under used.
I guess they can't get rid of their current third jersey's since they sell so well.
Good catch, Daniel. I meant white. Fixed.
Those inaugural Atlanta jerseys are among the best of all time. Amazing colours and logo. It's a shame that they ditched them.
I see the word "ISLES" in an arch shape.....over some numbers........arrrgh!
seriously, anyone know when the nhl / rbk contract runs out?? i will count down the days & hope the nhl then sign up with nike (or ccm comes back to life)!!
Good theory with the leafs but they honored almost every era with a warm-up jersey of that era and a few players too.
I myself would like to see a '67 throwback or a blue version of the current 3rd
I really want to see the leafs back in their St. Pats green uniforms that they wore for a game or two back in 2003. The brown pants and helmets looked amazing and it was something new from the original blue and white we have become so familiar with. Even if its not on a full time, alternate sweater basis, it would be nice to see a change of pace. Those jerseys would sell too; after all, the leafs organization values money over on-ice preformance.
I hope they don't sign with Nike. The olympic templates are terrible.
I imagine that the Tampa Bay switch has a lot to do with the emergence of Stamkos as a superstar. Combined with a new uniform that will mean a lot more sales for Reebok.
Well I never really gave this any actual merit until now. Last year when you first posted the jersey switch for the Preds, I was excited. I had tickets for their next home game, and I actually got into a conversation with one of the employees at the arena. I asked if they had heard anything about a switch in uniforms for the coming year, and they said that they had. However, they said that their would still be gold in the jerseys. After I heard that I assumed they had no clue about it, but with this update it makes a lot more sense.
@ Captain Canuck, been a Pens fan since '80 in NO way shape or form do I want the Pens to go back to BLUE full time, the City of Pittsburgh colors are Black and Yellow Gold the Pens should be Black/Yellow Gold(vegas gold has grown on me BUT the RBK Edge Beige/Tan has got to go!)
@ Jerseyman, I'm right there with you bud. CANNOT stand the RBK Edge crap garbage, bring back CCM Box Cut jerseys!
As a die hard Oilers fan this news Is freaking awesome! To add fuel to the fire, this years boxing day sale at the Oilers store had the navy/white jerseys on sale for only $70, while the retros were not on sale. I'm curious to see what happens on the teams locker room sale, one things for sure their trying to clear out the old ones. I'll be first in line for retro whites!!
Pittsburgh, Tampa, Islanders, Toronto, LA.... why?
PIT: The baby blue third jerseys were a hit and now they're dumping them already for what is IMO a downgrade. Makes no sense to me. Especially considering Columbus and Florida are already wearing the same third jersey pretty much.
TB: Too soon to redesign their home and aways. I smell a cash grab. Unless they're just adding bottom stripes to the current set. Then cool.
NYI: They don't need a third jersey. They finally have got it right.
TOR: Being a Habs fan, I hate the Leafs. But even I will admit the current thirds are among the best in the league. I don't know why they would scrap them (or why they haven't been made the home and aways already) but hey... It's Toronto. They screw up everything.
LA: Bring back the Gretzky era jerseys!
The rest I agree with.
I just hope the stars jersey is not blue with a circle logo
Dont get me wrong I love this blog and I agree with you a majority of the time but you really have a problem with anything new. Its retro retro retro. Im getting tired of all these teams looking to crappy looking jerseys of the past to replace some innovative designs that just plane look cool. Islanders, Flyers (though I have come to love their new sweaters), etc. Tampa, LA, and Nashville had some of the coolest looking jerseys in the league and I am very disappointed to see them either having changed them or looking to change them. Your cmpletly right about Atlanta's 3rd but I think the Sens 3rd is one of the coolest looking in the league. Mabye its just because I am from a diffrent generation but this return to the bland designs of the past has to stop, Reebok Edge got it right in most places. (You are completly right about Dallas though, eww.)
Reebok owns CCM, so we're screwed no matter what.
Think TB should bring back the blue jersey with the rain and ocean on it? I personally wouldn't mind buying one if I knew where to get one.
Being a PIT fan, I'm glad the powder blue is going away. I disliked that the color became the primary thing you saw at games and everywhere else. I still think they should of used the 1979-80 navy blue jersey(I have one myself)
I really hope FLA goes back to red like you stated. TOR's blue anniversary from last season are gorgeious I think, I hope they use them. I wouldn't mind the new NSH jerseys neither.
LA is my favorite team outside of my hometown of PIT. I hope they go back to the black, silver and white. The white ones that were leaked, although abit tough to get a good look, did look nice. The purple doesn't look so bad in my opinion neither, but I'd say keep them as a 3rd.
@ ROB forum blue? what blue?
The Sabres decision disappoints me. Although it has grown on me I haven't loved the jersey like I love the current home and away (besides the gray piping). The separated pairs of stripes and baseball-style script logo on the front annoy me. Plus the decision to have the whole uniform to be a blue monochrome does not look good on television. I wanted a gold alternate jersey with the current blue striping, alternate B shoulder crests, and the crossed swords crest
As much as black is hella played out, I hope my Sens go for black again with the new third. Black jerseys have been a part of their identity in one way or another since their inception, be it the original jersey or the later thirds - death to the SNES jersey (one I actually admit to enjoying, personally, though I understand its not for everyone) and bring on the O!
dont get me wrong, i am a huge fan of the lady liberty logo
but those rangers alts are some of the best in the league.
the colours compliment each other very well, and the text is so simple yet classy
also, i really hope the leafs go for an updated 70s version.
or at least switch their current third to a blue alternative. i think making your specialty jersey white is a terrible idea
I disagree w/ the Canuck jersey comment. The killer whale breaching the ice is an awesome logo, especially the fact that it's done in a Pacific North West indian style of artwork. It's way better than the stick in the rink business. I think these teams all change their jerseys too much and my point is highlighted by the fact that everybody seems to rejoice when their home team goes back to something 'retro.' Now if only the Sabres would drop the depressing navy blue, go back to royal blue and get rid of the added outline work (ie around the sword blade)...basically go back to the jersey they had prior to '92 and they'd be perfect. Maybe instead of having the same logo on the shoulders that were on the chest have the buffalo head from the black and red jerseys on the shoulder instead. That's a jersey I'd buy. Oh well, at least they got rid of Buffaslug.
no new avs jerseys? I cant stand their current home and away jerseys. I like the alternates though.
Something I found interesting, Chris, is that you posted "After just four years" when talking about the Tampa jerseys changing. After thinking about it for a little I think this is something that is going to become more and more common. Most major European soccer teams change their jersey (albeit subtly) every season. It's a gold mine, and I think the NHL is catching on. Toronto is the best example. I don't know anyone who has called for a change to the 3rd jersey, most people love it... but if a new one comes out all those die-hard fans will buy it. Just like you with the Lightining, just like I would (and did this year) with NYR.