Jersey Brief: AHL Classic Edition
Wednesday · Feb 6 · 2013 | 12:52 PM PST
Late January was a busy time for some "classic" American Hockey League uniforms. We'll start with the 2013 AHL Outdoor Classic which took place on Sun., Jan. 20 at HersheyPark in Hershey, Penn. between the Hershey Bears and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. (Does anyone else have a sudden urge for chocolate?)
Photos by Matthew O'Haren / The Sentinel
By the way, it turns out that jersey the Pens photographed for Instagram last October was the one they'd be wearing to the big outdoor game a few months later. Now we know. It's surprisingly lackluster for the Penguins, but it works for an outdoor hockey game, which sort of demands that old-timey look and feel.
Photos by Kyle Mace / Sweetest Hockey on Earth
The Penguins ended up winning the game in an OT thriller on a goal from Paul Thompson.
By the way, for more fantastic photos of the Bears' uniforms from the game, head on over to Sweetest Hockey on Earth. Lots of great shots by Kyle Mace. I particularly like the felt appliqué crests on these. Adds even more to the throwback feel of an event like this. Penn Live has more game photos.
Speaking of throwbacks, before the Outdoor Classic, a bunch of alumni from the Bears and Penguins got together for a game of their own — wearing, of course, sweaters of olde.
Photos by JustSports Photography
JustSports Photography has posted shots from the game on their Facebook page. (Note there were three separate links there as they posted their many photos in three separate albums.)
That wasn't the only classic AHL game in the month of January.
Just over a week later, on Mon., Jan. 28, the best players still left in the AHL (after the NHL nabbed a bunch of them) descended on Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, R.I. for the 2013 AHL All-Star Classic. After 15 years of pitting an all-Canadian AHL team against players born in other parts of the world, the league switched up their All-Star format in 2010 — to east versus west.
Photos from AHL via Facebook
Since it's not obvious from the sweaters, I'll tell you that the team wearing blue was the Western Conference All-Stars. The Eastern Conference wore white. And both teams feel like a bizarre mix between the old Montreal Canadiens' and Washington Capitals' uniforms for some reason.
For those of you that can't get enough of these "fauxback" jerseys, the AHL is the league to watch right now. And if you want one of your very own, they're up for auction on ebay.
Photo from AHL via Facebook
The West ended up winning the game 7-6. (Maybe because East players started shooting on their own goalie?) But what's interesting about the teams' jerseys is that they were worn during warms-up prior to last year's All-Star Classic. Why is that interesting? Check out this year's warm-up jerseys.
Photos from AHL via Facebook
I'm not saying they AHL All-Stars will wear black and gold in 2014, but these are unique. I doubt the league would stray from their red, white and blue. I'm also not sure I like how the Boston Bruins' primary and secondary logos have been redesigned for the purpose of this event. Seems like they could've been a little more original.
In case you're interested, the Journal Star reported last month that the AHL is considering Peoria to host the 2014 All-Star Classic. (Concept logos, anyone?)
And finally, this...
On first glance, from above, it looks like this could be the San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators — or the Boston Bruins in their 2009 Winter Classic threads. But no, it's Providence and Worcester both wearing colored sweaters! Proof that you don't need a white jersey to have a hockey game.
Get with it, NHL. If they can do it, certainly you can too.
Reader Comments (10)
I think I like the ones they warmed up in better than the ones they wore at night during the actual game. Anyone else with me on that?
Both sets are amazing though - very sharp!
i would like to see two colored jerseys. the lakers and Sweden make it work, the bruins could have their home be be black and road yellow and maybe Pittsburgh with vegas gold away and black home. i like the idea of having a colored away as well for at least a alternate
I actually really like the old skool/classy look of those Bears jerseys. So nice imo , I'd even buy one.
Again, coming from a player's perspective, I find it much easier to play when one team is in white and the other is in color. I don't know if anyone else feels the same way, but this is why I'll never be a fan of lightly colored uniforms being used in place of white uniforms.
Two colored jerseys...used to happen with when LA Kings , California Seals and occasionally the Penguins played at home back I the 70s and 80s. Always looked great.
As long as one of the teams is light, it shouldn't matter. I wouldn't want to see blue vs. red, but if one team is wearing yellow, grey, gold, etc. instead of white, there's no reason it wouldn't work.
Yeah I don"t like the colored road jersey idea. Like Randy said as a player I find it annoying when playing against a team with colored jerseys instead of the traditional white.
If rugby and soccer can handle both teams in colors other than white, other sports can too. What an absurd tradition to cling to (wearing white, that is).
in the third photo on the left, it looks like the player is wearing purple pants and different socks... why?
the Original Six teams just had one jersey, eventually the white ones were added. Rangers v Maple Leafs must have been tough to play...