More on the Millionaires Tribute
Tuesday · Feb 5 · 2013 | 11:30 AM PST
We received some surprising news last Friday when the Vancouver Canucks revealed how they'll be honoring the old Vancouver Millionaires on their uniforms this season. Since this is actual jersey news in a season where we weren't expecting any, you can bet this will be a frequent topic of discussion.
Vancouver Canucks official website
On Friday, the Canucks' alternate jersey made its season debut with a new addition — the blue Vancouver Millionaires patch on the chest. It only improves upon a jersey that's already outfitted with some pretty awesome logos. (That Johnny Canuck V mark needs to become the primary logo. What are they waiting for?)
By the way, I'm not ignoring that Hockey Talks logo. All seven Canadian teams will have a version that they'll wear as a helmet decal at various points during the month of February. I'll have a post on that later this week.
Vancouver Canucks via Twitter
But back to the Millionaires. If you're looking to deck yourself out in that classic logo, clearly gear is not in short supply. This photo was posted to the Canucks Team Store Twitter account on Friday. They're even selling the five-year-old third jersey with a new patch. Pardon the pun, but millionaires indeed.
Of course we can't leave out the new sweater that's at the center of all this exciting news. As modeled by Ryan Kesler in photos released by the team last week, this is the Vancouver Millionaires jersey the team will wear at least once during this shortened season. All indications point to March 16 when the Red Wings are in town.
Photos by Severin Samulski via Fort Nucks
Believe it or not, the Red Wings as an opponent for this game isn't as random as it seems. This requires a bit of a history lesson to understand why.
In 1912 came the formation of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA), of which the Millionaires were a founding member along with the New Westminster Royals and Victoria Senators. In 1913, Senators became the Victoria Aristocrats. (Honestly, after four lockouts in 20 years, can you imagine any NHL team today being named the Millionaires or Aristocrats and still having fans? Yeah, the naming thing gets worse...)
Before the 1916-17 season, the Aristocrats left Victoria for Spokane, Wash. where they were renamed the Canaries. (Told ya.) But no one in eastern Washington cared to attend games and the club folded before the season even ended.
Victoria, B.C. returned to the PCHA scene in 1918 with a brand new team — also called the Aristocrats. (Think Winnipeg Jets, except with fewer relocations.) In 1922, the club was renamed once again to the Victoria Cougars. That might actually be a name you recognize if you're at all familiar with Stanley Cup history. (Also, the Millionaires became the Maroons.)
Two years later in 1924, the Seattle Metropolitans folded, leaving just two teams in the PCHA. The Cougars and Maroons moved to the Western Canada Hockey League where the Cougars promptly won their first and only Stanley Cup championship against the Montreal Canadiens!
The Cougars played one more season in the newly renamed Western Hockey League where this time they lost the Stanley Cup Final. It also spelled the end of the team as the WHL was unable to compete financially with the NHL. The teams were disbanded and players' rights were sold to NHL clubs.
Guess who bought the rights to the Victoria Cougars in 1926. Yep, a group from Detroit, who named their new team the Detroit Cougars. The Cougars became the Falcons in 1930. And ultimately, in 1932, they became the Detroit Red Wings we know today.
So you see, the Canucks are really trying to stir up a century-old rivalry. Can't wait to see it. Now if only someone could convince them to wear their 2009 Winter Classic jerseys — which were in fact Cougars jerseys!
Then we'd have ourselves a hockey game.
Reader Comments (12)
great write-up! thanks.
Anyone else see a similarity between these uniform and the Flames Heritage Classic uniforms?
Whats with keslers helmet in that millionaires shoot?
The history there is amazing. Thank you for that lesson.
As a Wings fan, I would be so excited to see the wings wear their WC jerseys in Vancouver for this. Great throwback.
I love it. With a closer look at the jersey, the crest is actually a faux felt applique. Also, I'm quite positive that they'll wear a maroon helmet with this throwback, not white.
That Johnny Canuck logo looks ALOT like Vachon Bakery. TOO MUCH in fact: http://cheezburger.com/1818002688
The Millionaires' jerseys are beautiful! Cannot wait to see them in action against Detroit on March 16.
I love the Johnny Canuck V, however, I feel that the full-body Johnny Canuck should be the primary logo. I wouldn't even mind replacing the arched 'Vancouver' with 'Canucks' like in the old WHL. Just replace the Agency font and return to the traditional block font.
Getting back to the Johnny V, I have news for Gagp. Vachon removed the baker from their V logo. The V just has the baker's hat. There were similiarities between the old Vachon logo and the Johnny V but they weren't that much a like. Different colours, different V's, and the baker's upper body and arm were present.
http://www.vachon.com/en/
I see that they plan on first selling old millionaires logo products first. Yet the new modern V thats on the uniform as a patch. Is not getting any merchandise for sale. Seems odd but this is probably just to make money off the old Logo and most likely make a real 3rd jersey next year. With the Modern V on the front as an entire Crest. S
Oh gawd now even you Chris want that Johnny Canuck V as a primary....that would be the worst thing they could do. Ugh.
Dont forget the Millionares's link to present day Vancouver: Key player Fred Cyclone Talyor, whose family still runs the Canuck Stores' ccompetion, Cyclone Taylor Sports on Oak St. (read as: Dont expect too many premade TAYLOR jerseys)
Hey Chris, looks like it is now confirmed! Can't wait to see these on the ice. http://canucks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=657968