NHL JerseyWatch 2011

July Edition Reebok released its planning catalog to retailers for the new season back in January. Since then, we've been accumulating more and more about what logos and jerseys will debut in 2011-12 season.

I've been meaning to get around to the July update but work has kept me pretty busy the last few weeks. But I finally have some spare moments — even if we are on the cusp of August already. Some of the new information this edition is based on rumor and speculation, so bear that in mind. This is all guess work until official team/league announcements are made. New or updated information is noted in red.

Chicago Blackhawks

new!

Blackhawks current third jersey / NHL.comNo alternate jersey Rumors have been circulating that suggest the Blackhawks are looking to ditch their third jersey.

At this point I don't have any hard sources to cite, but it sounds like team management doesn't really love this sweater (right) which began life in 2009 at the Winter Classic played at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

I'm not certain whether the Blackhawks plan to revert to the previous all-black third jersey, which first debuted in 1996 (and was later relaunched in Reebok Edge form in 2008 after taking a year off) — or go without an alternate uniform altogether. They could also try their hand an entirely new design, but I really wouldn't bet on that.

Also unclear is the timetable for the current third jersey's demise. Have we already seen the last of it? Or will it get one last hurrah this season before it becomes part of Hawks history?

That'll be worth keeping an eye on this season. Blackhawks fans, we'll be counting on you for details. The home and road jerseys will stay the same as they ever were.

Dallas Stars

updated

Stars current third jersey / from NHL.comNo changes Reebok said the Stars were looking to launch a brand new third sweater this year. And most of us were hoping they'd run far away from their current look.

The most prevalent rumors this summer suggested it would be green with a nice nod to the past. As we know, retro is all the rage lately. But if it does happen, we'll have to wait at least another year now.

In the last edition of the JerseyWatch, I reported the rumor that ownership issues in Dallas could derail the process of adding a new sweater. Yesterday, that was confirmed by Daryl Reaugh via Twitter. (Hat tip to @Monrreal for the tip.)

The Stars' TV color man went on the record, responding to a fan question, saying: "[A] new third [jersey] was in the chamber but got shelved in deference to impending new ownership."

That's really a shame. I was hoping the Stars would get the chance to add a little more color. Now, if it does happen, it will likely have to wait at least until next season — maybe longer.

Looking back, 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 — already in short supply around the NHL — disappeared almost entirely.

For the record, the current set of uniforms will remain unchanged for 2011.

Edmonton Oilers

Oilers new road jersey / OilersNew road jersey At last, Oilers fans can rejoice! A new white retro sweater (right) was unveiled on June 24 at the NHL draft.

Edmonton selected Ryan Nugent-Hopkins first overall and used the opportunity to reveal the retro jersey which now matches the club's blue and orange home uniform — completing a set fans have been begging for.

If the Stars fared the worst in the switch to Reebok Edge jerseys in 2007, the Oilers weren't far behind. The navy and copper uniforms were a disappointment. As with many new Reebok uniforms, 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 of fans were quelled by the introduction of a retro third jersey that brought back the brightly-colored blue and orange from the 1980s — most associated with Gretzky's Cup-winning dynasty.

In 2009-10, the fan-favorite uniform got top-billing as the new home sweater. Many fans were hoping the white jersey return last season, but after three straight years of uniform changes in Edmonton, the NHL probably frowned upon a fourth — even though the Isles got away with it.

This means the 2007 white jersey is officially retired and that's great news for everyone but Flames fans (who can't make fun of them for bad uniforms anymore). The real bad news, however, the third jersey will not be changing. So those wannabe stripes aren't disappearing entirely quite yet.

Florida Panthers

updated

Panthers unveil new home jersey / PanthersNew home & road jersey The Panthers joined a handful of teams at the 2011 draft in unveiling a brand new jersey at the podium.

As had been rumored for some time, Florida is going back to red for their home uniform (right) in 2011-12. And even a Lightning fan will admit that's a good thing. The Stinkin' Panthers were never supposed to be blue. That's Lightning territory. Happy to see them reclaim their original identity.

The Panthers' first red jersey was relegated to alternate status in 2003. When the Reebok switchover occurred in 2007, the red went away entirely.

The new red sweater borrows from the same template as the old blue one, without the extraneous piping on the front and sleeves. (But I think gold piping would've been all right on the sleeves in this case.)

The red rumors go back to January when Miami Herald writer George Richards revealed what he'd heard from players and team officials. On July 8, Richards also reported that the Panthers will be debuting a new road sweater as well. He says the new jersey will look an awful lot like the current one — white with red on the sleeves — except that now the useless blue piping is going away.

Additionally, it sounds like the Panthers are keeping their navy and powder blue third jersey. I've always been a fan of it. Though it's been reported (also by Richards) that team management could do without it. So the Panthers may again grace this space in 2012. We'll keep an eye on it.

Los Angeles Kings

updated

Kings unveil new road jersey / GettyNew home, road & alternate jerseys The Kings have decided to switch things up in 2011 with an all new uniform set. (Kind of. Only one new jersey is actually being added.)

The Kings unveiled their new white road sweater (right) at the 2011 draft, which officially confirms months of speculation going back to October when we first saw prototypes.

The new jersey nearly matches the black alternate launched in 2008 — which becomes the new home jersey next season. The key difference is in the waist striping. On the black jerseys, there's piping around the bottom but no waist stripes.

The October leak aside, this uniform swap wasn't entirely unforeseen. The team has been dropping hints for some time. For example, the players wore the black third jerseys for home games throughout their 2010 and 2011 playoff runs.

The black and purple home jersey which debuted in 2007 is apparently set to become the new alternate in 2011 and the highly popular purple-and-gold throwback sweater from last year will go back into the mothballs. At least according to LA Kings Insider Rich Hammond, that is.

He said that back in March. Now, I've been told that the Kings are contemplating surprising fans by bringing back the retro threads as a full-time alternate uniform in the autumn. But it's only a rumor until then. I've got my fingers crossed.

While the fate of the black and purple jerseys remains up in the air for now, the 2007 white road jersey is officially no more. I, for one, won't miss it.

Nashville Predators

updated

Gold sweater unveiled / PredatorsNew logos, home & road jerseys The Predators are one of a handful of NHL teams undergoing sweeping brand changes in 2011.

On June 22, the team unveiled four new logos and a revised color palette. The new primary mark is a simplified version of the "Pred Head" the team has used since Day 1. There's also a new secondary logo in the shape of a guitar pick featuring symbols from the Tennessee state flag.

Just a few days later at the draft, the Predators revealed their new white road jersey (below) by giving it to their draftees. It looked phenomenal.

Then on July 13, at the Preds' Skate of the Union event, the brilliant gold home jersey (right) was officially revealed to the world — on the side of a skyscraper, for that matter! They really went all-out on this unveiling. "Behold the gold," was how they put it.

New road jersey debuts at draft / GettyReaction to the Predators' new look has been largely positive. It's refreshing to see bright colors and a simplified overall design. And ultimately, the official unveilings proved the rumors right.

Believe it or not, every rumor we've discussed here on the site has been dead on. A rarity, to be sure, right?

Initial reports said the blue and black third jersey would be the new home sweater and a white version would be added. That was true... until it wasn't anymore (when the team changed its mind). New rumors circulated that gold would be the new home color. And on July 13, that became official.

Regarding the new logos, a never before seen "NP" lettermark was seen in April on Pekka Rinne's new mask design for 2011. Turns out it is one of the new secondary logos and it will be used on the uniform pants, as seen in photos.

And finally, to quote an earlier edition of the JerseyWatch: "Other speculation involves a freshening up of the very '90s primary logo — perhaps swapping the navy blue for a brighter shade and increasing the amount of gold in use. Ultimately we'll probably have to wait until summer for any kind of confirmation."

Dead on. Again. I know it sounds like I'm tooting my own horn here, but that's not really the case. What I'm trying to say is that Icethetics has great readers when it comes to providing early details before they become official. All I do is filter what comes in. So kudos to you guys for keeping us all a step ahead!

One thing I reported that Reebok got wrong was when they said the third jersey was not changing in 2011. In fact, no third jersey will be used next season at all.

And for as nice as this new set looks, I'm sure it won't be long before a blue sweater works its way back into the Predators' arsenal. That's just the way the world seems to work.

New York Islanders

updated

Isles current home jersey / NHL.comNew alternate jersey Reebok has indicated a brand new third jersey for the Islanders — which will probably ruin everything now that they've finally gotten it right.

Original rumors all but confirm that, suggesting that the new sweater will be primarily black. Wish I was making that up.

Proponents point to two other New York teams who have historically used the orange-and-blue color scheme. The NBA's Knicks and MLB's Mets have added black in recent years. Perhaps the Isles are just following the beaten path.

Ah, but wait... New rumors! I've recently been told that the Isles' new alts may actually have no black whatsoever. Instead? Grey. Think of that.

Specifically, the jersey itself would be the same royal blue we've come to know and love. Where it would differ is with grey shoulders and orange and grey trim. And the crest would feature a script mark. And if I were to guess, some non-traditional striping patterns.

Last season the Isles debuted a new white road sweater 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 tend to make bad decisions when it comes to redesigning Isles uniforms. For this team, retro works and it always has.

The only time the Islanders have attempted a non-retro third jersey, it was orange. For the most part, fans liked it and it was used from 2002 until Reebok ruined the Isles in 2007. Also worth noting: Ex-Isles employee and exiled blogger Chris Botta said in a video blog that the team is indeed adding an alternate sweater next season. When asked why by a fan, his simple answer was "money."

Ottawa Senators

updated

Sneak peek at heritage sweater / SenatorsNew alternate jersey Earlier I said the Thrashers may have had the ugliest third jersey in the NHL. But I'd forgotten about the Senators.

Luckily, in early March, the Sens confirmed a replacement is coming. They're calling it a "heritage" jersey. Team president Cyril Leeder later went on the radio and divulged a key detail — that being a barber-pole look as "part of the design." He even confirmed already having a prototype in the office.

Then at an event in late March, season ticket holders got a sneak peek at the jersey itself — which the rest of us were treated to later (right) in a video on the Sens' website.

The jersey was folded and framed in such a way that we can't really make out what it's supposed to look like. But you can do your own extrapolating.

Some things to keep in mind: A retro-styled concept designed by a fan has appeared in official team materials and in January, Ottawa's farm team in Binghamton wore the barber-pole throwbacks that the original Senators sported in 1930s.

For what's worth, I've been lead to believe it will be a lot like the fan-designed jersey I linked to above. Basically, black with a big black O in the middle on top of a thick red and "vintage white" stripe. Yes, indeed it sounds like that trendy non-white will make an appearance in Ottawa this year.

Ultimately, it has to be an improvement on what they've been wearing since 2008 — with SENS across the chest. I guess the good news here is, at the very least, that jersey is going away.

One other note regarding jersey patches. For years now, the host of the NHL All-Star Game wears a patch with the event's logo on their uniforms. The Senators, hosting in 2012, will be no different. The red home jerseys given to their draftees were outfitted with All-Star patches on the chest. Presumably, the 20th anniversary logo will not be used as a jersey patch unless it's done so after the All-Star break.

Phoenix Coyotes

updated

Team name change Prior to the Thrashers' relocation to Winnipeg, there were reports that the Coyotes could have a new name next season if they stayed in the desert.

Prospective owner Matthew Hulsizer pledged to Glendale in December that he would rename the club Arizona Coyotes — only now he's no longer pursuing the purchase. And for the time being, at least, the club continues to be the property of the league in which it plays.

The immediate issue of the name change is out the window as far as I'm concerned. It would be stupid for the league to put any money toward rebranding this franchise as it seeks a buyer who could potentially relocate the team within a year.

I hate to bring up that dreaded R-word for the sake of any Coyotes fans reading, but you surely know already that your team is in dire straits. The city of Glendale bailed the franchise out with just enough cash to get them through the 2011-12 season — the only reason they didn't become the Winnipeg Jets again this summer. But their current situation is unsustainable.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pens' Winter Classic jersey / 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 this was 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

Yzerman, St. Louis, Lecavalier, Stamkos, Vinik and Leiweke unveil new Lightning uniforms / Lightning

New home & road jerseys The Lightning unveiled a new logo along with new home and road uniforms to very mixed reviews on January 31.

The new management team in owner Jeff Vinik, president Tod Leiweke and GM Steve Yzerman wanted to put a fresh new stamp on the team by changing the entire look.

New home sweater / LightningThere are simplified logos and fewer colors than before, ultimately leading to a more traditional look worthy of an elite franchise. But for as clean as the new look was, many fans were not happy.

The new uniforms lost some of the personality and history that founder Phil Esposito built in back in 1992 — that being the underarm "victory stripes" and the lightning bolts on the sides of the pants.

After doing what they claim to do best — listening to the fans — Bolts brass made some tweaks which included adding black trim to the sweater numbers as well as white lightning bolts on the pants.

Leiweke also confirmed the "victory stripes" will be part of the uniform design going forward, but that the deadline for such a change in the 2011-12 season has already passed.

At the 2011 draft, the Bolts gave the new blue jerseys to their new picks. They now feature the inner black outline on the numbers, an element which was added after the January unveiling.

The Lightning have also said the BOLTS third jersey will remain for years to come. I imagine that even means keeping the black and gray elements as an alternate color scheme, though the shoulder logo will likely be changed to one of the new marks.

Toronto Maple Leafs

updated

Leafs' rumored new third jerseyNew 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 1998 to 2007. It was based on a primary uniform and logo the Leafs wore from 1958 to 1967.

When team management recently discussed changing the uniform with the media, they said the plan is to borrow from their own history once again.

On July 14, the oft-reliable Howard Berger reported that the new thirds would be modeled after the 1967 version (above) — which, as it happens, was the last time the Leafs won a Stanley Cup. A week later, Berger posted about a bazillion photos of the original sweater in what he called a "Photo History of the Maple Leafs New Third Jersey." So do please enjoy that link.

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.

Well, I think that's it for this edition of— no, wait a minute. I think I may be forgetting somebody.

Winnipeg Jets

logo unveiling

Winnipeg Jets unveiled their new logos on July 22 / Jets

New logos, home & road jerseys Yes, indeed the biggest news since the last JerseyWatch update was the hurried unveiling of the Winnipeg Jets' new logos on July 22.

Earlier that day, a photo of the new primary logo on a T-shirt had leaked onto the Interwebs, destroying keyboards everywhere... or, at the very least, prompting the team to take quick action and hastily assemble a press conference to unveil their new marks — officially. I'm not sure what their original plan was, but I know this wasn't it.

The new brand quickly made its way around the web, gaining friends and enemies alike. To call the reaction mixed would be putting it mildly. But most Winnipeggers were as giddy as schoolgirls to get their hands on the newest logo-laden gear. Proof that good design is not required to sell shirts.

Now you have my two cents. Speaking of which, I made a real hash of it at the unveiling. If you care to read more about my moment of humility, here's the link. In a nutshell, I was stunned by the poor design, but given that the team only had 52 days to come up with a logo, not terribly surprised by it. I'm not a fan, but it's not my team so I don't have to be.

In case you haven't been following along, True North Sports & Entertainment announced their purchase of and intent to relocate the Atlanta Thrashers on May 31. At the NHL Draft, on June 24, they officially announced the team would be named the Jets — after the franchise that called Winnipeg home until 1996.

The Jets were forced to give out generic NHL jerseys at the draft as theirs weren't — and still aren't — ready for public consumption apparently. The team has said to expect an unveiling in early September, prior to their rookie tournament which begins on Sept. 11.

And just so it's being said, obviously, none of the Atlanta Thrashers jerseys will be used by the Winnipeg Jets. All three are now officially retired.

NHL Special Events

The 2012 NHL All-Star Game will be hosted by the Ottawa Senators. The event logo was unveiled in September. It's not clear if the same "fantasy team" format from 2011 will be used in Ottawa. For what it's worth, no All-Star uniform set has been worn more than once since 2000 and 2001.

The league has yet to make an announcement regarding the hosts of the annual outdoor games. It's been widely rumored the Philadelphia Flyers will host the Winter Classic on the day after New Year's 2012, against the New York Rangers. That would be unfortunate for jersey junkies as both teams already have retro uniforms.

As for the Heritage Classic up in Canada, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has said there will not be one in 2012. I just hope we don't have to wait another eight years for the next one.

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At this time, there are no changes expected for the Ducks, Bruins, Flames, Hurricanes, Avalanche, Blue Jackets, Red Wings, Wild, Canadiens, Devils, Flyers, Blues, Sharks, Canucks, or Capitals.

As reported in previous editions of the JerseyWatch, the Sabres and Rangers will be hanging onto the alternate jerseys they introduced in 2010 as part of their respective anniversary celebrations.

And that's the fifth edition of NHL JerseyWatch 2011 all wrapped up. More updates will continue over the summer as a handful of teams still have new stuff to show us. But as always, keep an eye on the blog for the newest information.

NHL JerseyWatch 2011

June Edition Reebok released its planning catalog to retailers for the new season in January. That's when we got our first look at NHL JerseyWatch 2011 here at Icethetics. In the months since then, we've learned a lot more.

As the summer progresses, more of our rumored information will get official confirmation one way or the other. Many teams unveiled jerseys at the draft this month but we're still waiting on plenty of other announcements. New or updated information is noted in red.

Keep in mind that the JerseyWatch updates are primarily intended to be a compilation of information gathered over months, all put in one place. Regular blog readers may not find a lot of new details here. You've been warned.

Dallas Stars

updated

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.

The most recent rumors suggest it will indeed be green with a nod to the past. As we know, retro is all the rage lately. What that means for the actual design is anyone's guess at this point.

Looking back, 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 — already in short supply around the NHL — disappeared almost 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. 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 — or retro, anyway. I think green would be welcomed as a color that's slowly but surely returning to the league after a long absence.

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. Least of all Trevor Daley.

Not only that, but what was with the red? That was never in their color scheme. And they don't need it. They already have two great colors in green and gold.

Ultimately, it sounds like Stars VP Brett Hull is determined to see the club in something that might've been worn during his NHL playing days. And that's what we like to hear.

However, ownership issues have arisen for the Stars which could put the launch of a new sweater in jeopardy. The current owners may not want to spend additional money while looking for a new buyer. So this new alternate may or may not happen now.

Edmonton Oilers

jersey unveiling

Oilers new road jersey / OilersNew road jersey At last, Oilers fans can rejoice! A new white sweater (right) was unveiled on June 24 at the NHL draft.

Edmonton selected Ryan Nugent-Hopkins first overall and used the opportunity to reveal the retro jersey which now matches the club's blue and orange home uniform — completing a set fans have been begging for.

If the Stars fared the worst in the switch to Reebok Edge jerseys in 2007, the Oilers weren't far behind. The navy and copper uniforms were a disappointment. As with many new Reebok uniforms, 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 of fans were quelled by the introduction of a retro third jersey that brought back the brightly-colored blue and orange from the 1980s — most associated with Gretzky's Cup-winning dynasty.

In 2009-10, the fan-favorite uniform got top-billing as the new home sweater. Many fans were hoping the white jersey return last season, but after three straight years of uniform changes in Edmonton, the NHL probably frowned upon a fourth — even though the Isles got away with it.

This means the old white jersey is officially retired and that's great news. The bad news, however, the third jersey will not be changing. So those wanna-be stripes aren't disappearing entirely quite yet.

Florida Panthers

jersey unveiling

Panthers unveil new home jersey / PanthersNew home jersey The Panthers joined a handful of teams at the 2011 draft in unveiling a brand new jersey at the podium.

As has been rumored for some time, Florida is going back to red for their home uniform (right) in 2011-12.

And even a Lightning fan will admit that's a good thing. The Stinkin' Panthers were never supposed to be blue. That's Lightning territory. Happy to see them reclaim their original identity.

The Panthers' first red jersey was relegated to alternate status in 2003. When the Reebok change over occurred in 2007, the red was gone entirely.

The new red sweater borrows from the same template as the old blue one, without the extraneous piping on the front and sleeves. (But I think gold piping would've been all right on the sleeves in this case.)

The red rumors go back to January when Miami Herald writer George Richards revealed what he'd heard from players and team officials. He believed the third jerseys will remain in place as do I. And that's a good thing.

Since the Panthers have a navy and powder blue jersey that actually looks good, they should hang onto it (as a third) and retire the old blue one. Though it's been reported that team management isn't a fan of that jersey. So we'll see if it sticks around past 2012.

Los Angeles Kings

jersey unveiling

Kings unveil new road jersey / GettyNew home, road & alternate jerseys The Kings have decided to switch things up in 2011 with an all new uniform set. (Kind of. Only one new jersey is actually being added.)

The Kings unveiled their new white road sweater (right) at the 2011 draft, which officially confirms months of speculation going back to October when we first saw prototypes.

The new jersey nearly matches the black alternate launched in 2008 — which becomes the new home jersey next season. The key difference is in the waist striping. On the black jerseys, there's piping around the bottom but no waist stripes.

The October leak aside, this uniform swap wasn't entirely unforeseen. The team has been dropping hints for some time. For example, the players wore the black third jerseys for home games throughout their 2010 and 2011 playoff runs.

The black and purple home jersey which debuted in 2007 becomes the new alternate in 2011. The white version, the most recent road jersey, is now retired.

The disappointing news from Los Angeles is that the purple throwback launched this season — very popular among fans — will go back into the mothballs for now. Hopefully not for too long.

Nashville Predators

jersey unveiling

New road jersey debuts at draft / GettyNew logos, home & road jerseys The Predators are one of a handful of NHL teams undergoing sweeping brand changes in 2011.

On June 22, the team unveiled four new logos and a revised color palette. The new primary mark is a simplified version of the "Pred Head" the team has used since Day 1. There's also a new secondary logo in the shape of a guitar pick featuring symbols from the Tennessee state flag.

Just a few days later at the draft, the Predators revealed their new road jersey (right) by giving it to their draftees. The home jersey will be unveiled on July 13 at the Skate of the Union.

But if you want an early look at that gold jersey (yes, it's gold!), you don't have to wait.

Home jersey prototype / On The ForecheckPredators fan blog On The Forecheck posted photos of prototype jerseys that were just shy of the final version. In an Icethetics blog update, I shared some details about the direction the team's identity almost took.

So where does that leave us on the rumor scorecard? Well, believe it or not, every rumor we've discussed here has been dead on. A rarity, to be sure, right?

Initial reports said the blue and black third jersey would be the new home sweater and a white version would be added. That was true... until it wasn't anymore (when the team changed its mind). New rumors circulated that gold would be the new home color. And on July 13, that will be official.

Regarding the new logos, a never before seen "NP" lettermark was seen in April on Pekka Rinne's new mask design for 2011. Turns out it is one of the new secondary logos and it will be used on the uniform pants, according to the team.

And finally, to quote an earlier edition of the JerseyWatch:

Other speculation involves a freshening up of the very '90s primary logo — perhaps swapping the navy blue for a brighter shade and increasing the amount of gold in use. Ultimately we'll probably have to wait until summer for any kind of confirmation.

Dead on. Again. I know it sounds like I'm tooting my own horn here, but that's not really the case. What I'm trying to say is that Icethetics has the best readers in the world when it comes to providing early details before they become official. All I do is filter what comes in. So kudos to you guys for keeping us all a step ahead!

One thing I reported that Reebok got wrong was when the said the third jersey wasn't changing in 2011. In fact, no third jersey will be used next season at all. But I'm sure it won't be long before a navy sweater works its way back into the Predators' arsenal.

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.

Recent rumors all but confirm that, suggesting that the new sweater will be primarily black. Wish I was making that up.

Proponents point to two other New York teams who have historically used the orange-and-blue color scheme. The NBA's Knicks and MLB's Mets have added black in recent years. Perhaps the Isles are just following the beaten path.

This season saw the Isles debuted their new white road 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 tend to make bad decisions when it comes to redesigning Isles uniforms. For this team, retro works and it always has.

Remember the "fish sticks" debacle of the mid-90s? If not, you're lucky. Fans 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.

The only time the Islanders have attempted a non-retro third jersey, it was orange. For the most part, fans liked it and it was used from 2002 until Reebok ruined the Isles in 2007. Also worth noting: Ex-Isles employee and exiled blogger Chris Botta said in a video blog that the team is indeed adding an alternate sweater next season. When asked why by a fan, his simple answer was "money."

Ottawa Senators

Updated

Sneak peek at heritage sweater / SenatorsNew alternate jersey Earlier I said the Thrashers may have had the ugliest third jersey in the NHL. Forgot about the Senators.

Luckily, in early March, the Sens confirmed a replacement is coming. They're calling it a "heritage" jersey. Team president Cyril Leeder later went on the radio and divulged a key detail — that being a barber-pole look as "part of the design." He even confirmed already having a prototype in the office.

Then at an event in late March, season ticket holders got a sneak peek at the jersey itself — which the rest of us were treated to later (right) in a video on the Sens' website.

The jersey was folded and framed in such a way that we can't really make out what it's supposed to look like. But you can do your own extrapolating.

Some things to keep in mind: A retro-styled concept designed by a fan has appeared in official team materials and in January, Ottawa's farm team in Binghamton wore the barber-pole throwbacks that the original Senators sported in 1930s.

Ultimately, it has to be an improvement on what they've been wearing since 2008 — with SENS across the chest. I guess the good news here is, at the very least, that jersey is going away.

One other note regarding jersey patches. For years now, the host of the NHL All-Star Game wears a patch with the event's logo on their uniforms. The Senators, hosting in 2012, will be no different. The red home jerseys given to their draftees were outfitted with All-Star patches on the chest. Presumably, the 20th anniversary logo will not be used as a jersey patch unless it's done so after the All-Star break.

Phoenix Coyotes

Coyotes PHX shoulder patch / NHL.comTeam name change Prior to the Thrashers' relocation to Winnipeg, there were reports that the Coyotes could have a new name next season if they stayed in Glendale.

Prospective owner Matthew Hulsizer pledged to Glendale in December that he'll rename the club Arizona Coyotes — should he actually become the new owner (still up in the air).

If the name is changed, the shoulder patch on the home and road uniforms would have to be updated or removed as it reads "PHX" for Phoenix.

The patch itself is in the shape of the state of Arizona and inspired by the design of the state flag. Perhaps something as simple as replacing PHX with AZ would do the trick.

The alternate uniform's shoulder patch reads "Phoenix" as does the wordmark on the pants. If the name changes, we're likely to see it reflected in an updated primary mark as well.

With the franchise remaining in Glendale for at least another year, the team could be renamed the Arizona Coyotes as early as the fall. If not, perhaps for 2012-13.

We may see new logos and patches, but I can't see anyone spending the money to change the actual uniforms or primary logos for what could be just a season or two.

UPDATE (1:05 PM PT): Today it's being reported that Matthew Hulsizer is no longer pursuing the purchase of the Coyotes. This probably indicates no name change this season. I don't see the NHL initiating any sort of branding overhaul on a club they're trying to find a buyer for.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pens' Winter Classic jersey / 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 this was 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

Yzerman, St. Louis, Lecavalier, Stamkos, Vinik and Leiweke unveil new Lightning uniforms / Lightning

New home & road jerseys The Lightning unveiled a new logo along with new home and road uniforms to very mixed reviews on January 31.

The new management team in owner Jeff Vinik, president Tod Leiweke and GM Steve Yzerman wanted to put a fresh new stamp on the team by changing the entire look.

New home sweater / LightningThere are simplified logos and fewer colors than before, ultimately leading to a more traditional look worthy of an elite franchise. But for as clean as the new look was, many fans were not happy.

The new uniforms lost some of the personality and history that founder Phil Esposito built in back in 1992 — that being the underarm "victory stripes" and the lightning bolts on the sides of the pants.

After doing what they claim to do best — listening to the fans — Bolts brass made some tweaks which included adding black trim to the sweater numbers as well as white lightning bolts on the pants.

Leiweke also confirmed the "victory stripes" will be part of the uniform design going forward, but that the deadline for such a change in the 2011-12 season has already passed.

At the 2011 draft, the Bolts gave the new blue jerseys to their new picks. They now feature the inner black outline on the numbers, an element which was added after the January unveiling.

The Lightning have also said the BOLTS third jersey will remain for years to come. I imagine that even means keeping the black and gray elements as an alternate color scheme, though the shoulder logo will likely be changed to one of the new marks.

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.

Winnipeg Jets

new!

Name, but no jerseys at draft / GettyNew logos, home & road jerseys Undoubtedly, the biggest news since the last JerseyWatch update was the sale and relocation of the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg on May 31.

Earlier this month, the NHL Board of Governors unanimously approved the move and days later at the NHL Entry Draft, the team announced its new name, Winnipeg Jets — a call back to the last NHL franchise in the city, which relocated in 1996.

The new team officially announced its name just prior to selecting its first ever draft pick, but logos and jerseys were not yet ready. The Jets were forced to give out generic jerseys at the draft.

To offer a prototype not yet available to buy would've opened the door to knockoff jerseys which, since they're junk, could be prepared faster than Reebok's official jerseys.

Team management has said they will have new logos and uniforms "not completely different" from the old Jets. Perhaps a darker blue and the addition of a third color such as silver? Read the complete draft recap for details on what we might expect.

As far as a timeline, the Jets haven't been specific on that, simply saying that it will "be a while." If I had to guess, I'd say the designs are done and awaiting NHL approval. After that's happened, factor in merchandise manufacturing time and I'd guess we won't see anything until mid to late August.

And just so it's being said, obviously, none of the Atlanta Thrashers jerseys will be used by the Winnipeg Jets. All three are now officially retired.

NHL Special Events

The 2012 NHL All-Star Game will be hosted by the Ottawa Senators. The event logo was unveiled in September. It's not clear if the same "fantasy team" format from 2011 will be used in Ottawa. For what it's worth, no All-Star uniform set has been worn more than once since 2000 and 2001.

The league has yet to make an announcement regarding the hosts of the annual outdoor games. It's been widely rumored the Philadelphia Flyers will host the Winter Classic on the day after New Year's 2012, against the New York Rangers. That would be unfortunate for jersey junkies as both teams already have retro uniforms.

As for the Heritage Classic up in Canada, I haven't heard a peep. Perhaps we don't get one in 2012? The Canucks, Maple Leafs and Senators each have yet to play a game in the fresh air. Could this be the year? When all of that is decided, we'll hopefully see some neat retro sweater designs. 

---

At this time, there are no changes anticipated for the Ducks, Bruins, Flames, Hurricanes, Blackhawks, Avalanche, Blue Jackets, Red Wings, Wild, Canadiens, Devils, Flyers, Blues, Sharks, Canucks, or Capitals.

As reported in previous editions of the JerseyWatch, the Sabres and Rangers will be hanging onto the alternate jerseys they introduced in 2010 as part of their respective anniversary celebrations.

Wow, that's already the fourth edition of NHL JerseyWatch 2011 all wrapped up. More updates will continue over the summer as a handful of teams still have new stuff to show us. But as always, keep an eye on the blog for the newest information.

NHL JerseyWatch 2011

May Edition Reebok released its planning catalog to retailers for the new season in January. That's when we got our first look at NHL JerseyWatch 2011 here at Icethetics. In the months since then, we've learned a lot more.

As always, keep in mind that, with rumored information, 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 we know is what's planned — and that's subject to change.

For each team, I've listed what's changing along with speculation on how said changes might manifest. The keyword being "speculation" in most cases. New or updated information is noted in red.

Now join me in celebrating the 4th birthday of Icethetics with a look at what's coming to the NHL in 2011!

Atlanta Thrashers

updated

RIP: Thrashers third jersey / NHL.comNo alternate jersey Atlanta surprised a lot of us last month when they came out and said they were axing the third jersey.

True, they had what many considered to be the ugliest sweater of the Reebok era. But despite a look that merges elements from football and basketball uniforms, it got points for standing out in a market where hockey is a sport often overlooked.

The Thrashers have confirmed that not only is the maroon jersey going away (yay!), but the team will not wear an alternate uniform at all during the 2011-12 season.

In previous editions of JerseyWatch, we speculated that a new third jersey was in the pipeline. So how did we get that one wrong? Pretty simple mistake. The information Reebok gives to retailers regarding changes for the new season isn't specific. "TBA" is a term used frequently.

In most cases, we take "TBA" to mean a new design is being implemented. It turned out that in Atlanta's case, it actually meant that there wouldn't be one at all anymore. (Hence the overuse of the word "speculation" at the top of this post.)

And lastly, as much as I loathe bringing this up for the sake of Thrashers fans, it's worth pointing out that as of Friday, the NHL appears to have a deal with the city of Glendale to keep the Phoenix Coyotes there for at least another season.

I'm no expert on this subject by any means, but based on the news stories I've been reading, it sounds as though this would increase the likelihood of the Thrashers relocating — possibly to Winnipeg. They're still on the hunt for a new owner and no one local appears to be interested.

In other words, all three Thrashers jerseys could disappear this summer in favor of a relocated, rebranded team. But that still remains to be seen. The deadline would be late May when the NHL gets going on the 2011-12 season schedule. If nothing happens by then, nothing will until next year.

Buffalo Sabres

updated

Sabres third jersey / from NHL.comNo changes Sabres new owner Terry Pegula says none of the team's current uniforms will change heading into 2011-12.

This means Buffalo will hang onto the alternate sweater introduced this season as part of the franchise's 40th anniversary celebration in 2010-11.

One question does loom. The jersey features the throwback Sabres logo with their founding year, 1970, set inside. This was used as the team's 40th anniversary mark but because it's not specific to this season, it may well stick around.

For what it's worth, the Buffalo wordmark appears by itself without the throwback logo on the helmet worn with this alternate uniform.

Overall, the Sabres might be the best set of sweaters in the NHL. It's all a result of them paying attention to their past and their fans. And with the new owners injecting a bit of excitement, it will likely stick around for years to come.

Dallas Stars

updated

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.

The most recent rumors suggest it will indeed be green with a nod to the past. As we know, retro is all the rage lately. What that means for the actual design is anyone's guess at this point.

Looking back, 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 — already in short supply around the NHL — disappeared almost 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. 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 — or retro, anyway. I think green would be welcomed as a color that's slowly but surely returning to the league after a long absence.

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. Least of all Trevor Daley.

Not only that, but what was with the red? That was never in their color scheme. And they don't need it. They already have two great colors in green and gold.

Ultimately, it sounds like Stars VP Brett Hull is determined to see the club in something that might've been worn during his NHL playing days. And that's what we like to hear.

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. The blue and navy uniforms 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. From the side, it made the entire jersey appear to be solid navy.

Only a season later, the complaints of fans were quelled by the introduction of a retro third jersey (right) that brought back the brightly-colored blue and orange from the 1980s — most associated 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 uniform will be a white version of what they wear at home — a look we haven't seen on a regular basis since it was retired back in 1996.

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 and I have to see them at least six times a year.

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.

Following the January JerseyWatch post, Miami Herald writer George Richards revealed that he's heard from players and team officials that the red is, in fact, coming back. He believes the third jerseys will remain intact as well. And that's a good thing.

Since 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.

Of course the odd thing is that the Panthers' new marketing campaign — The Blueprint — which is their way of trying to make fans feel better about their last few lousy seasons (i.e.: "we're rebuilding"). Mixed messages.

Hopefully the hot Florida summer — which I no longer have to deal with — will yield some answers. Until then, like Richards, all we have is speculation. And hope that they do it right.

Los Angeles Kings

updated

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. (Kind of.)

In late March, Los Angeles Kings blogger Rich Hammond confirmed that the club will make some rather sweeping uniform changes in 2011.

The alternate sweater launched in 2008 (right) will become the team's new home jersey. A white version of it will be launched for use on the road. Technically, that will be the only new one for the Kings next year.

The current home jersey — now the only one with any purple in it — will be used as a third. The current road jersey will be retired.

The team has been dropping hints over the past year. For example, the players opted to wear the black third jerseys throughout their 2010 and 2011 playoff runs.

Plus, Icethetics reported in October on photos of possible jersey prototypes seen in Luc Robitaille's office at the Kings' practice facility. Those being essentially white versions of the current third jersey — as confirmed by the Kings.

The disappointing news from Los Angeles is that the purple throwback launched this season — very popular among fans — will go back into the mothballs for now.

Nashville Predators

Updated

The "limited edition" jersey / Nashville PredatorsNew home & road jerseys In the 2010 catalog, Reebok reported new home and road uniforms were in the Predators' pipeline. It appears to still be in the cards — just delayed a season.

The thing is, it almost seems the Nashville rumors are changing by the week. Last year, it sounded like the third jersey would become the new home sweater and a white version of it would be added (right).

That was not to be. After an event in which these "limited edition" jerseys were auctioned, the team immediately denied it would become Nashville's new road jersey.

In late February, the team started sending out renewal notices to season ticket holders, which offered a free "new look Predators home jersey" to those with full season tickets. This officially confirmed new uniforms are on the way, but gave no details about the design.

Predators 2001-2007 / Getty ImagesA fan emailed me to say his ticket rep said a mustard-colored jersey was being tested. The Predators wore a love-it-or-hate-it third jersey of the mustard variety (left) from 2001 until the Age of Reebok. Just ask Marek Zidlicky. And many Predators fans will tell you they loved it.

Just this month, more rumors have suggested a gold jersey indeed on the way — and that it will be the home uniform. The road jersey will probably still be white.

The same source claims the home jersey will be unveiled at the 2011 NHL Entry Draft (June 24), though the Predators do not have a first round pick. Will they still hold a draft day party? We're also told the new road uniform will come out in July.

A small matter worth noting relates to the new secondary mark on the uniforms. A new "NP" logo was seen on Pekka Rinne's recently unveiled mask design for 2011 and has been rumored to be a shoulder patch.

Other speculation involves a freshening up of the very '90s primary logo — perhaps swapping the navy blue for a brighter shade and increasing the amount of gold in use. Ultimately we'll probably have to wait until summer for any kind of confirmation.

There's also the unconfirmed report from commenter Kiltimar on January's JerseyWatch update. He claims to have been part of a focus group which got a look at new jersey concepts — which looked like nothing we've seen before. Looking forward to seeing the final product.

Reebok says the third jersey will not change in 2011.

New York Islanders

Updated

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.

Recent rumors all but confirm that, suggesting that the new sweater will be primarily black. Wish I was making that up.

Proponents point to two other New York teams who have historically used the orange-and-blue color scheme. The NBA's Knicks and MLB's Mets have added black in recent years. Perhaps the Isles are just following the beaten path.

This season saw the Isles debuted their new white road 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 tend to make bad decisions when it comes to redesigning Isles uniforms. For this team, retro works and it always has.

Remember the "fish sticks" debacle of the mid-90s? If not, you're lucky. Fans 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.

The only time the Islanders have attempted a non-retro third jersey, it was orange. For the most part, fans liked it and it was used from 2002 until Reebok ruined the Isles in 2007. Also worth noting: Ex-Isles employee and exiled blogger Chris Botta said in a video blog that the team is indeed adding an alternate sweater next season. When asked why by a fan, his simple answer was "money."

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 I thought it worth a mention since there was the possibility the sweater would only survive for the 85th anniversary season before being shelved.

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 for the fall.

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

Updated

Sneak peek at heritage sweater / SenatorsNew alternate jersey Earlier I said the Thrashers may have had the ugliest third jersey in the NHL. Forgot about the Senators.

Luckily, in early March, the Sens confirmed a replacement is coming. They're calling it a "heritage" jersey. Team president Cyril Leeder later went on the radio and divulged a key detail — that being a barber-pole look as "part of the design." He even confirmed already having a prototype in the office.

Then at an event in late March, season ticket holders got a sneak peek at the jersey itself — which the rest of us were treated to later (right) in a video on the Sens' website.

The jersey was folded and framed in such a way that we can't really make out what it's supposed to look like. But you can do your own extrapolating.

Some things to keep in mind: A retro-styled concept designed by a fan has appeared in official team materials and in January, Ottawa's farm team in Binghamton wore the barber-pole throwbacks that the original Senators sported in 1930s.

Ultimately, it has to be an improvement on what they've been wearing since 2008 — with SENS across the chest. I guess the good news here is, at the very least, that jersey is going away.

Phoenix Coyotes

new!

Coyotes PHX shoulder patch / NHL.comTeam name change One thing I haven't mentioned in previous editions of JerseyWatch is the possibility that even if the Coyotes do not relocate to Winnipeg, they could have a new name next season.

Prospective owner Matthew Hulsizer pledged to Glendale in December that he'll rename the club Arizona Coyotes — should he actually become the new owner (still up in the air).

If the name is changed, the shoulder patch on the home and road uniforms would have to be updated or removed as it reads "PHX" for Phoenix.

The patch itself is in the shape of the state of Arizona and inspired by the design of the state flag. Perhaps something as simple as replacing PHX with AZ would do the trick.

The alternate uniform's shoulder patch reads "Phoenix" as does the wordmark on the pants. If the name changes, we're likely to see it reflected in an updated primary mark as well.

Should the franchise remain in Glendale for 2011-12 (which is looking more likely), I'd definitely expect them to be renamed the Arizona Coyotes.

We may see new logos and patches, but I can't see anyone spending the money to change the actual uniforms or primary logos for what could be just a single season.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pens' Winter Classic jersey / 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 this was 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

Yzerman, St. Louis, Lecavalier, Stamkos, Vinik and Leiweke unveil new Lightning uniforms / Lightning

New home & road jerseys The Lightning unveiled a new logo along with new home and road uniforms to very mixed reviews on January 31.

The new management team in owner Jeff Vinik, president Tod Leiweke and GM Steve Yzerman wanted to put a fresh new stamp on the team by changing the entire look.

New home sweater / LightningThere are simplified logos and fewer colors than before, ultimately leading to a more traditional look worthy of an elite franchise. But for as clean as the new look was, many fans were not happy.

The new uniforms lost some of the personality and history that founder Phil Esposito built in back in 1992 — that being the underarm "victory stripes" and the lightning bolts on the sides of the pants.

After doing what they claim to do best — listening to the fans — Bolts brass made some tweaks which included adding black trim to the sweater numbers as well as white lightning bolts on the pants.

Leiweke also confirmed the "victory stripes" will be part of the uniform design going forward, but that the deadline for such a change in the 2011-12 season has already passed.

The Lightning have also said the BOLTS third jersey will remain for years to come. I imagine that even means keeping the black and gray elements as an alternate color scheme, though the shoulder logo will likely be changed to one of the new marks.

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.

NHL Special Events

new!

The 2012 NHL All-Star Game will be hosted by the Ottawa Senators. The event logo was unveiled in September. It's not clear if the same "fantasy team" format from 2011 will be used in Ottawa. For what it's worth, no All-Star uniform set has been worn more than once since 2000 and 2001.

The league has yet to make an announcement regarding the hosts of the annual outdoor games. It's rumored the Philadelphia Flyers could host the Winter Classic on New Year's Day 2012, possibly against the New York Rangers. That would be unfortunate for jersey junkies as both teams already have retro uniforms.

As for the Heritage Classic up in Canada, I haven't heard a peep. Perhaps we don't get one in 2012? The Canucks, Maple Leafs and Senators each have yet to play a game in the fresh air. Could this be the year? When all of that is decided, we'll hopefully see some neat retro sweater designs. 

---

At this time, there are no changes anticipated for the Ducks, Bruins, Flames, Hurricanes, Blackhawks, Avalanche, Blue Jackets, Red Wings, Wild, Canadiens, Devils, Flyers, Blues, Sharks, Canucks, or Capitals. 

That wraps up the third edition of NHL JerseyWatch 2011. More updates will come over the summer as we'll likely see editions every month. But as always, keep an eye on the blog for the newest information.

NHL JerseyWatch 2011

March Edition Reebok released its planning catalog to retailers for the new season in January. That's when we got our first look at NHL JerseyWatch 2011 here at Icethetics. In the two months since then, we've learned a lot more.

As always, with rumored information, 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 we know are the plans — which are subject to change.

For each team, I've listed what's changing along with speculation on how said changes might manifest. The keyword being "speculation" in most cases. New or updated information is noted in red. For religious reader of the blog, there's probably not a lot of new information here for you, as this is meant to be a compilation post for the non-regulars. 

Now join me in celebrating Pi Day with another look at the uniform changes ahead for the NHL!

Atlanta Thrashers

Thrashers current third jersey / from NHL.comNew alternate jersey Atlanta has what many consider to be the ugliest third jersey of the Reebok era. Despite a look that merges elements from football and basketball uniforms, it gets points for standing out in a market where hockey is often overlooked. But they still play hockey, right?

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 anyway.

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 and their fans.

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

updated

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 and I have to see them six times a year.

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.

Following the January JerseyWatch post, Miami Herald writer George Richards revealed that he's heard from players and team officials that the red is, in fact, coming back. He believes the third jerseys will remain intact as well. And that's a good thing.

Since 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.

Of course the odd thing is that the Panthers' new marketing campaign — The Blueprint — which is their way of trying to make fans feel better about their last few lousy seasons (aka, "we're rebuilding").

And because of that, their whole website is currently bathed in blue. Mixed messages.

Hopefully the hot Florida summer — which I no longer have to contend with (yay!) — will yield some answers. Until then, like Richards, all we have is speculation. And hope.

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. (Maybe.)

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 in January 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

Updated

The "limited edition" jersey / Nashville PredatorsNew home & road jerseys In the 2010 catalog, Reebok reported new home and road uniforms were in the Predators' pipeline. It appears to still be in the cards — just delayed.

Last year's report 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.

In February, we finally got a real look at what such a jersey would look like (right). But the Preds were just teasing us. The players, including Shane O'Brien, wore them to a casino night event where they were auctioned off as "limited edition" jerseys. 

The team immediately denied this would be Nashville's new road jersey next season. But didn't deny there would be a new one. More on that in a sec.

Predators 2001-2007 / Getty ImagesAbout a week later, a fan emailed me to say his ticket rep said a mustard-colored jersey was being tested. The Predators wore a love-it-or-hate-it third jersey of the mustard variety (left) from 2001 until the Age of Reebok. Marek Zidlicky knows all about it. And many Predators fans will tell you they loved it.

In late February, the team started sending out renewal notices to season ticket holders, which offered a free "new look Predators home jersey" to those with full season tickets. This officially confirmed new uniforms are on the way, but gave no details about the design.

This is where the speculation begins. Because Reebok says the third jersey isn't changing, we're likely to see brand new designs for the forthcoming home and road sweaters in Nashville.

Then there's the unconfirmed report from commenter Kiltimar on January's JerseyWatch update. He claims to have been part of a focus group which got a look at new jersey concepts — which looked like nothing we've seen before.

It's also now looking more like the colors and logo will remain unchanged despite earlier reports. The Predators may simply be aiming to freshen up their look rather than go for an all-out redesign. I'm actually looking forward to seeing what they come up with.

New York Islanders

Updated

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 historically make bad decisions when it comes to redesigning Isles uniforms. For this team, retro works and it always has.

Remember the "fishsticks" debacle of the mid-90s? If not, you're lucky. Fans 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.

Also worth noting, ex-Isles employee and exiled blogger Chris Botta said in a video blog that the team is indeed adding an alternate sweater next season. When asked why by a fan, his simple answer: money.

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

Updated

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, the Sens confirmed this news to fans in early March. They're calling it a "heritage" jersey. Team president Cyril Leeder later went on the radio and divulged a key detail — that being a barber-pole look as "part of the design." He even confirmed already having a prototype in the office.

Thing is, it can only be an improvement on what they've been wearing since 2008 (right) — which is all over the map. Who mixes super-retro elements with super-modern elements? These guys.

Some things to keep in mind: A retro-styled concept designed by a fan has appeared in official team materials and in January, Ottawa's farm team in Binghamton wore the barber-pole throwbacks that the original Senators sported in 1930s.

Ottawa 67's dark uniform / Robert LefebvreWe've also speculated on the possibility of the Sens borrowing inspiration from the junior club in town, the OHL's Ottawa 67's. They've been sporting a rather sharp black jersey with barber-pole striping down the sleeves. Personally, that one's my pick.

And just this past week the 67's re-introduced the full barber-pole uniforms they're known for. Also huge fan favorites.

The question is whether the Sens will copy any of the aforementioned designs or create something entirely new that still feels retro. Because the term "heritage jersey" absolutely screams faux retro and there's nothing we can do about that.

Just have to hope they opt against the "vintage white" that seems to be taking over throwback jerseys in the NHL these days. That's a color that's been worn out in just the span of a couple seasons.

The Blackhawks started the trend with their 2009 Winter Classic uniform, which was striking, and since then it's a color that's been stolen by the likes of the Bruins, Sabres, Penguins, Rangers and even the 10-year-old Blue Jackets.

I guess the good news is that regardless of what they come up with, the SENS jersey will be going away and that has to be a good thing.

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

updated

Yzerman, St. Louis, Lecavalier, Stamkos, Vinik and Leiweke unveil new Lightning uniforms / Lightning

New home & road jerseys The Lightning unveiled a new logo along with new home and road uniforms to very mixed reviews on January 31.

The new management team in owner Jeff Vinik, president Tod Leiweke and GM Steve Yzerman wanted to put a fresh new stamp on the team by changing the entire look.

New home sweater / LightningThere are simplified logos and fewer colors than before, ultimately leading to a more traditional look worthy of an elite franchise. But for as clean as the new look was, many fans were not happy.

The new uniforms lost some of the personality and history that founder Phil Esposito built in back in 1992 — that being the underarm "victory stripes" and the lightning bolts on the sides of the pants.

After doing what they claim to do best — listening to the fans — Bolts brass made some tweaks which included adding black trim to the sweater numbers as well as white lightning bolts on the pants.

Leiweke also confirmed the "victory stripes" will be part of the uniform design going forward, but that the deadline for changes in the 2011-12 season has already passed.

The Lightning have also said the BOLTS third jersey will remain for years to come. I imagine that even means keeping the black and gray elements as an alternate color scheme, though the shoulder logo will likely be changed to one of the new marks.

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 second edition of NHL JerseyWatch 2011. More updates will follow in the months to come — especially this summer once the playoffs have wrapped up.

NHL JerseyWatch 2011

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.