2015-16 NHL Uniform and Logo Changes

[nash61]

Not bad by any stretch. It's just that white uniforms with the blue chest stripes, be it this version or the 2004 "vintage" entry, are worlds better. The red version of their set is the most iconic uniform in hockey, I don't understand why they refuse to go with a matching white when the design has existed for over 50 years.

3 years 1 Cup --vs-- 70+ years 18 Cups.

Rocket Richard won a Cup in the heritage classic jersey before they ditched it. But he and every other susbequent team won more Cups in the standard white jersey.

While I understand that argument it doesn't really hold up for me. Would they not have won those cups had they kept the blue striped chest? By Sharks terms if anything that heavy shoulder yolk likely held them down.

You can't discount what actually happened in the uniforms though. The current whites have a special place in the hearts and mind of the Habs faithful because of the success associated with them. That's not nothing.

If you go by actual jerseys worn while hoisting the Cup, the current whites' total is 5 Stanley Cups.

[habsfan1]

If you go by actual jerseys worn while hoisting the Cup, the current whites' total is 5 Stanley Cups.

By those standards, their track record of hoisting the Cup in the Heritage jersey is 0 Cups.

Their 1946 Cup victory took place at the Montreal Forum, at a time when teams were wearing colored jerseys at home.

[Morgan33]

So 19 cup wins in the reds. Honestly does it really matter if the 5 championships in the whites aren't represented? Wouldn't it be better to have a matching set with a white jersey based on the most iconic uniform in the history of the sport?

I only harp on this because, from a visual standpoint, the 40's whites blow the currents clear out of the water. That is simply a fantastic jersey. Make this change and I can get on board with them being the best dressed team in the league.

[IceCap]

Not bad by any stretch. It's just that white uniforms with the blue chest stripes, be it this version or the 2004 "vintage" entry, are worlds better. The red version of their set is the most iconic uniform in hockey, I don't understand why they refuse to go with a matching white when the design has existed for over 50 years.

3 years 1 Cup --vs-- 70+ years 18 Cups.

Rocket Richard won a Cup in the heritage classic jersey before they ditched it. But he and every other susbequent team won more Cups in the standard white jersey.

While I understand that argument it doesn't really hold up for me. Would they not have won those cups had they kept the blue striped chest? By Sharks terms if anything that heavy shoulder yolk likely held them down.

You can't discount what actually happened in the uniforms though. The current whites have a special place in the hearts and mind of the Habs faithful because of the success associated with them. That's not nothing.

If you go by actual jerseys worn while hoisting the Cup, the current whites' total is 5 Stanley Cups.

My apologies. I didn't realize that the red sweaters were worn exclusively during all of those campaigns that ended with them hosting the Cup in red.

You can't discount what actually happened in the uniforms though. The current whites have a special place in the hearts and mind of the Habs faithful because of the success associated with them. That's not nothing.

Unless the team in question isn't from the original six...

Careful, lest you find yourself backed into a corner

Wouldn't it be better to have a matching set with a white jersey based on the most iconic uniform in the history of the sport?

I only harp on this because, from a visual standpoint, the 40's whites blow the currents clear out of the water. That is simply a fantastic jersey. Make this change and I can get on board with them being the best dressed team in the league.

The 40s white is sharp. No question. It's not perfect from an aesthetic standpoint though. It's always been a bit of hassle to find a colour layout for the numbers that looks good, isn't muddled, and is aesthetically consistent with the white number/blue outline from the home reds.

[The Giant Pacific Octopus]

Man I would love to see the Canadiens put the blue stripe back on the white uniforms. That blue (err sorry Bleu) looks so sharp on the white (err sorry Blanc) jerseys.

[Kevin W.]

No, ditching the current white is unacceptable. It needs to remain. There's too much history behind it.

They do, however, need to bring the 1944 white back as a third jersey.

[The Giant Pacific Octopus]

No, ditching the current white is unacceptable. It needs to remain. There's too much history behind it.

A few people might bitch and complain but they'll get over it once they see the blue striped white jersey over and over again and realize how superior it is to the current whites. Then they'll think to themselves.

"Man have I been stagnant with an irrational hatred of change. These new white jerseys rock. How come it took the Habs so long to go back to them? How come I didn't come to my senses earlier? How come I didn't switch from Dial-Up to Wi-Fi sooner? How come it took me so long to get a smart phone? How come I didn't ask that girl I had a crush on out on a date sooner?

That's it!! From now on I will be open to change. Especially good change. You hear that World. I'm a new man and I will be successful. I will not be afraid to try new things and to accept change to established philosophies and traditions. To Hell with the establishment. The revolution is here!!!"

And that last part you can make a pose like this on top of a mountain when you yell it out to the world.

[Gothamite]

Sheesh, dude. You had POTD by the second line.

[Geoff]

No, ditching the current white is unacceptable. It needs to remain. There's too much history behind it.

They do, however, need to bring the 1944 white back as a third jersey.

You know what else is white and has a ton of history behind it but needs to go away?

(Because it's not the internet without the occasional comparison to Nazis or the KKK.)

[Sport]

From last June

Why I prefer the Montreal Canadiens to have two distinctly different uniforms home and road.

In most cases I prefer the home and road to match as much as possible, however I will never understand the appeal of the Canadiens matching white jersey.

First of all, they've had the plain white jersey forever. Their established identity is two non-matching jerseys. This isn't the Minnesota Wild where it's unacceptable because they're an expansion team who deliberately choose not to match. It's the most historic team in the sport and their identities were established at a time when it wasn't as important to have a cohesive brand home to road. It adds to the whole cache and the mystique of the Montreal Canadiens to have two uniforms with different long visual histories.

I love the simplicity of the white jersey. I love how it takes a backseat to its more famous brother the red jersey. If hockey was like soccer the red would be the primary and the white would be the clash kit.

From an actual design standpoint here's where I take issue with this uniform:

1. It's predominantly blue, which is weird for a team who wears what feels like a 50/50 split of red and blue in their other uniform.

2. The regular white jersey has that pretty red yoke and red cuffs, they wear blue pants, and the hem striping and sock striping is equal parts blue and red. Both red and blue are balanced equally and in nearly the same ratio across the whole uniform as the home reds. So if you think about it that way it actually lines up better with its red brother than the uniform below.

3. On both the reds and the regular whites the two colors are separated by white in most places. I think this is more attractive. Below the red is pushed right up against the blue, which creates this odd color vibration and from a distance bleeds into the blue causing people on TV and high lower bowl to see a team wearing a white sweater with an odd purple stripe.

4. There is just no good way to put number on the back of that jersey. Either you go with red and it's hard to read on the blue stripe or you go with white and it's hard to read on the white jersey.

just doesn't do it for me. As a once in awhile alternate go for it, but to replace the regular white uniform that's built up decades of history? No thanks.

[chcarlson23]

No, ditching the current white is unacceptable. It needs to remain. There's too much history behind it.

A few people might bitch and complain but they'll get over it once they see the blue striped white jersey over and over again and realize how superior it is to the current whites. Then they'll think to themselves.

"Man have I been stagnant with an irrational hatred of change. These new white jerseys rock. How come it took the Habs so long to go back to them? How come I didn't come to my senses earlier? How come I didn't switch from Dial-Up to Wi-Fi sooner? How come it took me so long to get a smart phone? How come I didn't ask that girl I had a crush on out on a date sooner?

That's it!! From now on I will be open to change. Especially good change. You hear that World. I'm a new man and I will be successful. I will not be afraid to try new things and to accept change to established philosophies and traditions. To Hell with the establishment. The revolution is here!!!"

And that last part you can make a pose like this on top of a mountain when you yell it out to the world.

Sure that's all true, but Hockey is a sport of Tradition, so the Habs current white sweater is going nowhere...

[The_Admiral]

Much like the Yankee pinstripes, I think of the Habs' red sweater as their historic sweater, and the white sweater as what they have to wear when can't wear their red. The Yanks won championships in their ugly '70s-ized road greys, but I don't think they need to keep them forever as a result when some small changes would improve them. So it goes with the Habs.

[Point1]

I will never understand the love for the blue striped Habs whites. The red and blue blend horribly and the numbers always look like illegible garbage.

The current whites are clean and crisp, and they have history behind them as well. They might be my favourite white jerseys in the NHL.

EDIT: the guy up there summed it up perfectly.

[hockey week]

There is a beautiful elegance in the simplicity of the Habs' white jerseys. So simple that it works, so simple that it's unique. The older I get, the more I like the Habs' whites. I used to be in the same bandwagon that wanted the vintage jerseys, but not any more.

The set they have is perfect already.

[hockey week]

I also really want that world patch (bottom right corner) on a hat. Ballcap or toque, I think it'd be a beaut.

[wildwing64]

Other than the NHL shield kind of being stuck there, I love this Habs jersey. They've run out of uniforms to actually throw back to so this fusion of eras is a nice take.

They get bonus points for adding the British Isles to the globe this time

[kiwi_canadian]

So took a gander into Jersey City today in Edmonton (South Common one for anyone that lives around there) and was chatting with one of the guys working there. He told me some interesting things for next year that he's heard:

- Vancouver is looking at bringing back the flying V jersey as an alternate

- Boston wants to use the vintage bear for their alternate next year

- Washington wants to go full time vintage (which was discussed here as well)

- Adidas will not be changing the uniform system. They will be keeping the same templates and will not go away from the Edge system.

Whether he has any actual knowledge of what is going on behind closed dorrs in the hockey world, I don't know but I try make it a point to try and dig information from jersey store people as they can provide info if they want to.

[Edubdesign]

So took a gander into Jersey City today in Edmonton (South Common one for anyone that lives around there) and was chatting with one of the guys working there. He told me some interesting things for next year that he's heard:

- Vancouver is looking at bringing back the flying V jersey as an alternate

- Boston wants to use the vintage bear for their alternate next year

- Washington wants to go full time vintage (which was discussed here as well)

- Adidas will not be changing the uniform system. They will be keeping the same templates and will not go away from the Edge system.

Whether he has any actual knowledge of what is going on behind closed dorrs in the hockey world, I don't know but I try make it a point to try and dig information from jersey store people as they can provide info if they want to.

By vintage bear, do you mean their Winter Classic bear, or Pooh Bear?

And I'm in full support of the Flying V.

[kiwi_canadian]

So took a gander into Jersey City today in Edmonton (South Common one for anyone that lives around there) and was chatting with one of the guys working there. He told me some interesting things for next year that he's heard:

- Vancouver is looking at bringing back the flying V jersey as an alternate

- Boston wants to use the vintage bear for their alternate next year

- Washington wants to go full time vintage (which was discussed here as well)

- Adidas will not be changing the uniform system. They will be keeping the same templates and will not go away from the Edge system.

Whether he has any actual knowledge of what is going on behind closed dorrs in the hockey world, I don't know but I try make it a point to try and dig information from jersey store people as they can provide info if they want to.

By vintage bear, do you mean their Winter Classic bear, or Pooh Bear?

And I'm in full support of the Flying V.

Winter Classic bear

[Chewbacca]

So took a gander into Jersey City today in Edmonton (South Common one for anyone that lives around there) and was chatting with one of the guys working there. He told me some interesting things for next year that he's heard:

- Vancouver is looking at bringing back the flying V jersey as an alternate

- Boston wants to use the vintage bear for their alternate next year

- Washington wants to go full time vintage (which was discussed here as well)

- Adidas will not be changing the uniform system. They will be keeping the same templates and will not go away from the Edge system.

Whether he has any actual knowledge of what is going on behind closed dorrs in the hockey world, I don't know but I try make it a point to try and dig information from jersey store people as they can provide info if they want to.

I have been hearing that the Canucks are getting a green alternate with Johnny Canuck as the logo. By Flying 'V', I have a feeling he means the 94' throwback that they are wearing in February. Boston's new WC jersey would be a good replacement for the Bruins' current third but I wish they would bring their yellow Winter Classic jersey back.