NHL Teams Wearing Dark At Home

[Blue Falcon]

I know this year all the NHL teams started wearing the dark jerseys at home...or did it start in the 2002-03 season? At what times in the past did NHL teams wear the dark jerseys at home?

[IceCap]

this season was the first time it was done since the 69-70 season. before 69-70 all the teams wore dark at home.

[JamesCraven]

Prior to the 1940's, both teams wore colored sweaters/jerseys at home. In 1992, when the NHL had their 75th Anniversary, "Original Six" teams (except Detroit) wore dark uniforms and in head-to-head contests wore the dark jerseys. That changed when Les Canadiens were asked prior to the 1946-47 season to wear a white version of their sweaters/jerseys against Detriot so that the teams would distinguish themselves from one another. You should check out the nhluniforms.com site for more information.

[Geoff]

Toronto had white and dark jerseys in the 30s or 40s

[JamesCraven]

"Toronto had with and dark jerseys in the 30s or 40s."

Thank you, Geoffrey. Noted and clarified. BTW, it's "white."

[Geoff]

Sorry. I was typing quickly. Why did you cann me Geoffrey. Only one that ever calls me that is my Grandma.

[timmy b]

some history on this subject, if you will....

pre-1951-52:

no rules on what was home or away jerseys. by this time however, 5 of the 6 teams had white and dark jerseys. there is visual evidence of both teams wearing white in a game. i've seen boston v. toronto where both are wearing white (circa 1937), boston v. americans (circa 1938). during this era, detroit and montreal had red sweaters, but had white sweaters that they wore only when playing each other. almost always the wings and habs wore the reds at home, while the opponent would dig out the whites. meanwhile the leafs during this era were pretty much the only team that wore white at home, and blue for road games.

1951-52 thru early in 1955-56:

nhl decrees that teams wear white at home and darks on road. rangers in 1951 become last team to add a second jersey.

roughly mid-december 1955 thru 1969-70:

nhl makes the switch and teams wear white or yellow (kings) on road, and dark at home. for whatever reason, the bruins are the exception. during much of this period, the bruins had a matinee black jersey for home games. and normally wore yellow for home, but in the several seasons just before the end of the original six era, wore white at home as often as their yellows - in 1965-66 and 1966-67 probably moreso. opposing teams visiting boston would either wear whites or darks when the b's were wearing their yellows.

1970-71 thru 1990-91:

teams wear darks on road and whites/yellows (kings, seals, canucks, penguins) at home. save for the occasional reverse sweater night.

1991-92:

pre all-star break dark away, white home. post all-star break white away, dark home. playoffs as pre all-star break.

1992-93 thru 2002-03:

same as 1970-71 thru 1990-91.

2003-04 thru ??

teams wear whites on road and darks at home, save for the occasional reverse sweater night or some altenate jersey thingy.

my first post here and i'm still on the other forums.

take care, all.

timmy b