Icethetics Playoffs Preview 2011
Tuesday · Apr 12 · 2011 | 10:08 AM PDT
I'm sure I echo most hockey fans when I tell you this is undoubtedly my favorite time of year. I love the Stanley Cup Playoffs — whether my team is in them or not. So much drama and excitement.
But typically, blog content dries up and I can't be bothered to peel myself away from the TV long enough to care (and now I even have CBC games!). Of course, the playoffs haven't started yet and I need to entertain myself. I don't know how Icethetics "previews" the playoffs, as it's never happened before, but that won't stop me from trying. So forgive me if I start to ramble.
Who's wearing third jerseys?
Obviously the first thing everyone wants to know: Which teams are wearing their dark third jerseys at home for the playoffs? Since the Age of Reebok, the NHL has frowned upon any team sporting more than two uniforms during the playoffs. Not sure why.
Last year the Los Angeles Kings wore the black third jersey throughout their postseason run (all of one round) — a decision supposedly made by the players. I have every reason to believe they'll do it again this year, especially considering it is supposed to become the home uniform in 2011-12.
Speaking of next season, we're all familiar with the rebranding the Tampa Bay Lightning are undergoing. Because the blue BOLTS alternate jersey is the only one of the current set that will carry over, it sort of makes sense they'll wear it this postseason. But there's been not confirmation of that yet.
One team that has confirmed intentions to wear their thirds in the 2011 playoffs is the San Jose Sharks — who did so via Facebook this week. Though it should be noted that technically they said, "Taking a lead from what the players wanted, the Sharks will wear their black jerseys when the playoffs open."
You could take that to mean they'll only wear it for the opening game then switch back to teal, but I doubt it. I think the NHL would disapprove. By the way, that brings us back to the Kings. It seems both teams will wear their black alternates in their quarterfinals series. How dull. But if it's "what the players wanted..."
The only other team I think may do the third jersey thing in these playoffs is the Boston Bruins. I may not like it, but it is popular amongst the fans. The sweater in question has been all over their playoff marketing, especially on their website. Could just be promotional, could be a subtle hint.
As for the rest, the Capitals, Flyers, Canadiens, and Red Wings are all without third jerseys. The Sabres just re-retro-branded (that's what I'm calling it). The Penguins' third is too polarizing. The Coyotes' and Ducks' alts are too blah (biting critique, I know). And the Blackhawks and Rangers are Original Six, and like all the NHL ads say, history will be made. Neither of these teams would be caught dead carrying the Cup in anything but those historic, classic threads. (Nor would we want that.)
That just leaves Nashville and Vancouver. And you know what? I wouldn't mind seeing either the Canucks or Predators in their thirds for the playoffs. Guess we'll find out for sure this week.
Cups by jersey era
The important stuff now dealt with, I asked what you guys what else should be in the "preview" post. Via Twitter on Monday, @NateBrowntown asked, "If tampa wins this year, it's 2 jersey eras, 2 cups. Any other teams that have won a cup for each jersey style?”
Indeed, the Lightning have only redesigned their uniforms once — in 2007. The team won the Cup in 2004 with the original design (except for the number style which changed frequently from 1992 to 2001). This is their last chance to win it before starting a third "jersey era" next season.
But Nate's question is a hard one to answer — whether any team has "won a Cup for each jersey style." All these uniform changes — it's really a recent development born from the marketing world along with the need to sell tickets and pay players millions of dollars.
But instantly Montreal comes to mind. The Canadiens have basically worn the same uniform since the 1920s. And they've won a Stanley Cup in every decade except the 2000s. Like the Habs, the Red Wings have hardly changed their uniform design since the 1930s. They've won 11 Cups since 1936.
The Anaheim Ducks have had two distinct uniform eras with the rebrand that came in 2006. In the first, they made it to the Stanley Cup Final (2003) and in the second, then won it all (2007). The Hurricanes have had only one uniform set since moving to North Carolina in 1997. They won the Cup with it in 2006. The Whalers never did.
The New Jersey Devils began life in 1982 with a red/green color scheme. When they swapped the green for black in 1992, they started winning championships — in 1995, 2000 and 2003. There are so many little things like this you could go on forever. But I'm ready to move on.
Playoff marketing ploys
Another tweeter called @Bazurkk asked, "What [do] teams put on the towels or t-shirts handed out to fans pre-game?"
Obviously I can't answer that myself. I don't even live in an NHL city. But I post the question here so those of you who do can answer. How is your team promoting itself? I know Phoenix and Pittsburgh are going the "White Out" route. The Lightning have a T-shirt with a dumb slogan that says "Hunt It Now." What else is out there? Add it to the comments.
A Retrospective gallery
Nate's question earlier got me thinking. Which NHL uniforms have actually skated around with the Stanley Cup? It can't be that many, can it? So I tracked down some photos. This gallery of grail-lifting captains goes back 15 years.
And let me point out that the winning jersey has alternated between darks and whites every three years like clockwork going back to 1998. This means in 2011, we're due for a dark (home) jersey win. (In 2003-04, the NHL switched the whites from home to road.) Prior to Detroit taking the chalice at Mellon Arena, the Stanley Cup champion claimed their prize on home ice for six consecutive seasons starting in 2001.
The one other thing I wanted to point out is how the reflective surface of the polished Cup seems to take on the colors of the winning team. That's just flat out cool.
Jonathan Toews / 2010 
Sidney Crosby / 2009 
Nicklas Lidstrom / 2008
Scott Niedermayer / 2007 
Rod Brind'Amour / 2006 
Dave Andreychuk / 2004
Scott Stevens / 2003 
Steve Yzerman / 2002 
Joe Sakic / 2001
Scott Stevens / 2000 
Derian Hatcher / 1999 
Steve Yzerman / 1998
Steve Yzerman / 1997 
Joe Sakic / 1996
Jersey Competition Once we know which jerseys each team is wearing, I'll set up a few polls asking which jersey is better in each series. We'll see if those results are able to accurately predict the winners. But I think that's all I have for now.
Reader Comments (42)
Very cool gallery of the Cups & Captains. Too bad the NHL changed the "home white" rule because it was an easy way to spot where each cup was won.
well the Canucks have lots of home ice to play on! crosses fingers knocks on wood lol
For those wonder what the Ducks' playoff towels look like, here's a good place to find out: http://duckstowels.blogspot.com
Very stupid and unoriginal of the Sharks to be using their blacks. Do the players on the team not have pride in the team's primary colour? Teal is to the Sharks what orange is to the Flyers or red is to the Blackhawks. Why can't the Sharks' marketing department convince their fans to have a "Sea of Teal" at the Shark Tank during the playoffs? Dumb, dumb, dumb!!!
As for the Canucks, that is one team that should be wearing their thirds at home during the playoffs. As much as I want my Canucks to win their first Stanley Cup, I don't want them hoisting it in the orca jersey(at least, not at home). The Stick 'n Rink jersey with the Johnny Canuck V represents the true Canucks brand and heritage. Go Canucks go! And leave the orca behind!
Not sure how significant this is.... but at practice, the Canucks have been wearing their blue helmets with the Johnny Canuck logo. This would suggest that the Canucks will also be wearing their alternates at home.
I have received 4 towels in the last 2 years going to playoff games in Chicago. Each of those towels has the Stanley Cup Playoffs Logo, (I assume that last year's Finals had the Finals logo on it somehow) the round (Western Conference Quarterfinals, etc.) and the teams involved. I cannot remember off the top of my head if they had the date as well.
I can check later on today if I remember.
Hate that the Sharks will wear their black jerseys. It's so boring. Not sure why they don't want to embrace the teal...
In 2007 (first year of the slug) the Sabres wore both the main dark and the third jersey during the playoffs.
Maybe the Sharks are trying to break their choking habits by ditching the teal? And was it really the player's choice, did Joe Thornton walk into Doug Wilson's office and say "me and the boys have been talking, and well, we think it'd be really swell if we could wear our BLACK ARMOR sweaters for the playoffs, whatd'ya say Boss?"
Whatever the reason, it doesn't matter to me personally, I don't care if they wear pink and yellow polka dots, just get to the Cup already!
(And as a side note, the "Sea of Teal" has never worked. The team had tried various attempts over the years to get all the fans to wear it at the same time, from video messages from the players to "reveal your teal" to handing out teal shirts before the game, there are too many fans that simply don't care. Maybe a black out will actually work, black is much more fashion conscious and chic and will look better on those texting on their iPhones all game long.)
Anyone else think it's weird that Lidstrom's captain "C" is on his right shoulder (our left), while everyone else's has been on the left shoulder (our right) - including past Detroit captain Yzerman?
About the Sharks -
THE SEA OF TEAL : Never worked not because the fans didn't care but because it screws up TV cameras. The FB page for the Sharks (who now has 200k fans btw) flooded with people suggesting a Teal Out but it simply isn't do-able apparently. So they went all orange last year for a game against Colorado.
scott niedermayer's beard was just epic. the pic brings back great memories.
and why are all the teams that are wearing third jerseys those with black thirds
As a Kings fan, I can tell you I'm extremely disappointed in the Kings decision to go with the black jerseys next season, not to mention this years playoffs (although that was expected). Over the next few years, LA will probably have the best runs at the Cup in franchise history. After the years of blood sweat and tears waiting for that moment, it would be so stupid to see the Cup lifted in that horrible black jersey, or anything other than Forum Blue.
I do not support the Sharks decision one bit. Look, San Jose is teal, that's their identity. I would rather see them hoist the cup in their teal jerseys, and with that in mind, I'm sure Sharks fans feel the same way. Just do it for opening night, San Jose! Your black jerseys are really not that great and your teal jerseys are some of the Reebok-era's best.
I hope that the Canucks wear their 3rd jersey at home and wear their 40th anniversary white on the road. That way, no Orca is seen and the Canucks can begin a new era when they hoist the cup for the first time in June!
I think the Ducks are going to be using their thirds this postseason. In my opinion it's better than their regular home uniform by far.
The way the jersey has been quite heavily promoted this season, from the Nationally televised game against Boston, to a Christmas video, to the CHOC hospital visit, and all the way up to the team photo being taken in that jersey, wearing it in the playoffs is only the next logical step.
I will repeatedly hit my head against the desk if, after all that effort put into marketing the new third jersey, they just go with the boring regular homes instead.
If the Canucks make the Finals this year, it would be their third appearance in the Finals in less than 30 years, all of wihch in different sets of home and road jerseys. The Canucks have actually had five different home and road jersey sets in a little over 30 years.
I'm a huge/hardcore Canucks fan, and would love to see the Canucks wear their thirds for home games. This is the year for Canucks fans to BELIEVE.
If the Canucks were featured in the movie, Toy Story 3, the telephone would say, "Their main problem is the orca! It's Orca Bay's 'eye in the sky'. If they don't take out that orca, they ain't goin' nowhere. GET RID OF THAT ORCA!!"
@Erik G. I know what you mean. Do we know why it was changed? They're the only ones that I know of that have the captaincy letters on their right shoulder.
Canucks HAVE TO go with their 3rds with home ice all playoffs long... Love that sweater!
I think it's a HUGE mistake from the Sharks to not go with their great teal sweaters! That is their best jersey imo, and I am going to miss seeing it throught the playoffs.
I hope the Bruins just use their primary home in the playoffs. I like their thrid, but the B in the hub is as classic as it gets! It would just be odd not seeing it during all their home games.
Love that L.A is bringing back the black and silver but I don't like that Shield logo as a primary very much... I am a fan of the crown logo.
The Ducks third has really grown on me and it's by far their best jersey they have. Now if only they would do something about those awful socks, lol. But as somebody mentioned earlier, I believe they will use their thirds during the playoffs as well.
I'm sorry Chris but 2004 picture should say "Jarome Iginla / 2004". That was a goal in game 6!!!
I don't want to call you out Chris, but aren't the Bruins an original six team as well? I know their traditional fans would be PISSED about them hoisting the cup in anything other than the "Spoked-B." However, that would all be completely forgiven if they actually do hoist the cup. As far as their thirds, most of the Bruins fans I know absolutely HATE the third jerseys. They love the secondary mark, but hate the jersey. They would much rather see the team wearing the WC jersey as a second. That, and the Bruins will be playing the Habs. I don't see them wearing anything other than the traditional "Spoked-B" in this series.
However, I have been more than known to be completely wrong before. I do seem to remember the bruins dawning their thirds in the playoffs last season ; I believe it was against the Sabres, and it would not be outside the realm of possibility that could/would do so again this season, especially if they make it past the first round. The bruins thirds usually get their use on weekend/matinee games, but there are none of these (as of yet) in their first series with the Habs.
Erik and Tyler: The C was moved to the other shoulder when the Reebok Edge jerseys were introduced in 2007. The form-fitting design would've meant putting the C too close to the tip of the Red Wings crest. Here's a link to the full blog post from Aug. 2007.
Jon: Keep dreaming.
HStebbs: I don't know how you're calling me out by pointing out the Bruins are also an Original Six team. I'm well aware. And I'm not advocating the idea of Boston using their third jersey. In fact, I'd prefer they didn't. That aside, however, the Bs' current look was just created in 2007. The Rangers and Blackhawks have had theirs since long before that. When I talk about tradition, that's what I mean.
@Chris. To add on to your Bruins comment, one could argue that the Bruins spoked B has been around since 1948 in some form or another (just minor updates over time) so it can be just as iconic as any Rangers or Habs jersey. But in the end, 3 of their 5 cups were won sans the spoke. Oddly enough, if they won this year wearing the thirds, it would almost be more nostalgic since they would be wearing a form of the logo worn when they won their first cup back in 1929.
@JayQC. You bring up a very good point unfortunately. As much as I'd love to see a sea of teal, I can def understand how the camera's would be a mess in trying to film the white ice and its details with a bright teal background dancing around behind it (but goooosh it would be pretty haha).
NO MORE BLACK PHONIES! Unless you are Pittsburgh or Boston, wear your own damn colors. You don't look more ominous, you just look trendy . . . and phony.
Anyone notice the pattern of the jersey color for the team in the cup winning game? 98-2000 (dark jerseys), 2001-2003 (white jerseys), 2004-2007 (dark jerseys), 2008-2010 (white jerseys). If the patter continues, that mean whoever wins the cup this year will be wearing their home jersey.
The Flyers have done the "Orange Crush" since 2004, where they hand out orange t-shirts to everyone attending the game. The shirts will have pictures and slogans that change every game, plus sponsor logos on the back.
Also, I believe the "two uniform rule" for playoffs has been in effect even before Reebok started making uniforms. That's why the Maple Leafs in 2004 had their white alternates for their road jerseys and didn't wear their regular whites.
Gee Gary, you bother to actually read the blog or just look at the pretty pictures? lol
Its amazing to see the passing of the tourch so to speek when you look at these great leaders who have hoisted the cup since 96 then the young guns starting to show up with Crosby and Towes
Sadly, the Canucks have chosen to go with their inferior orca jerseys. Ugh.
Ducks are wearing their alternates versus Nashville. Still think those uniforms (socks included) look awful.
I do not get the Canucks organization... Why do they refuse to listen to what the fans want to see in terms of uniforms? At least if they wore their thirds at home and the orca white on the road, everybody wins. On top of it, this is their 40th anniversary, so they should be enforcing the more classic and nostalgic look imo. Can they change their kits between series, or do all uniforms have to be in place before the playoffs begin?
The Bruins will not be wearing their thirds at all in the playoffs.
Sorry Chris, just looked at the pictures this time. It seemed at little to long at the time I posted that. Now i'll have to go back and read it.
Can someone explain the logic of "this team has existed for a number of years that is a multiple of five or ten, therefore they should wear uniforms from the past"? I'm no fan of the orca logo, but I'm also not a huge fan of the stick-in-rink. My idea of a great Canucks' throwback is the uniform they wore against the Rangers in 1994.
P.S.: I was watching that Ducks/Preds game from the Predators' feed, and I noticed that the logo Fox Sports was using for the Predators was the one that only had shades of blue, no yellow. It reminded me of those screenshots you posted of the Blues/Lightning game on FSN the weekend after they unveiled those jerseys. Does this mean anything?
Scotty Neidermeyer. Ho-hum, just another Stanley Cup. Love it!
After watching the Kings-Sharks game last night, it has been solidified, I really like the Sharks third jersey a lot!
@ Jimbo,
I am totally with you regarding the Canucks' refusal regarding their classic thirds. Granted, they have done very well at home with the orca, but still, they are the CANUCKS, not the orcas. The Stick 'n Rink has that identity with Canuck fans like the Oil Drop wordmark crest has with Oiler fans. Also, the orca does not have any green in it and it doesn't have that true Native Canadian Haida look like most native artwork of wild predators. When you look at Canuck merchandise with only the orca, you would think the colours are just blue and silver. Our primary colours are blue and GREEN.
No matter how well the Canucks do against Chicago with the orca, I strongly advise you, Jimbo, and all my fellow Canuck fans to write to both team owner Francesco Aquilini and President & GM Mike Gillis on how you much you support the Stick 'n Rink third sweater. The Canucks organization has done a great job in honouring their past this 40th anniversary season and the Roger Neilson statue outside Rogers Arena was a wonderful touch. However, the uniform identity still haunts this team and it needs addressing. The Stick 'n Rink and Johnny Canuck brand is what the franchise has to go with. Let's hoist Lord Stanley's mug - with the TRUE Canucks' look. It's not too late yet.
The NHL has flip-flopped the home/road jerseys several times over the decades. I think it was 1972 when they went to white-home, dark-road, and sometime in the 40s when they had switched before that. Maybe there's something in the NHL bylaws that says they have to change it every 30-something years....!
This would be a good thing to vote on.... which team and jersey looks best lifting the Stanley Cup.
Haha, yeah no chance of bias in that poll.
Well, there goes THAT pattern!