Every Team's Best Look Ever - NHL Edition (Official)

[nash61]

[Billy B]

Southeast

Panthers - They got it right at the beginning. The Panthers look best in red, but the navy blue jersey is a good change of pace for an alternate.

Capitals - I think the Caps are a team that's had a lot of above average looks, but nothing great. I chose the current set without the alternate, but I do think if they introduced a navy blue jersey with the alternate logo they'd be in business. The black capitol jersey is my favorite jersey, but the crest is bad and I don't like the white jersey.

Lightning - It's not great, but their previous two looks are so bad that these take it by default. I think black trim used throughout the entire uniform would make this really good.

Jets - The current uniforms are better than anything the Thrashers or previous Jets have worn. Great color scheme and good logo that ties in with the RCAF. Nothing bad about this set at all.

Hurricanes - I thought I would go with the original uniforms because they don't have the phantom yoke, but I decided that the alternate jersey on the current set makes up for that.

Whalers - A bonus here with the Whalers. I like the green jerseys better than when they switched to blue. The diagonal stripes on the sleeve were a unique touch and you have to go with the version that had Pucky on the shoulders.

[Lights Out]

Ok, I'll stop complaining and throw in my picks:

As long as we're critiquing each others' picks, can't say I agree with you on Anaheim, Columbus, Edmonton, LA, Minnesota, Nashville, Ottawa, Philly, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, or Toronto.

I've never understood why people like that Oilers set so much. The blue sweater especially is an eyesore, with that humongous bright orange yoke. The '90s color scheme was more pleasing to the eye and more appropriate for their name, IMO. I feel the same way about the classic Islanders look: too bright.

IMO, if you're going to do royal blue and orange, the shade of blue needs to be a little darker than what the Oilers and Isles use, because orange is a very strong color.

[hockey week]

Ok, I'll stop complaining and throw in my picks:

As long as we're critiquing each others' picks, can't say I agree with you on Anaheim, Columbus, Edmonton, LA, Minnesota, Nashville, Ottawa, Philly, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, or Toronto.

I've never understood why people like that Oilers set so much. The blue sweater especially is an eyesore, with that humongous bright orange yoke. The '90s color scheme was more pleasing to the eye and more appropriate for their name, IMO. I feel the same way about the classic Islanders look: too bright.

IMO, if you're going to do royal blue and orange, the shade of blue needs to be a little darker than what the Oilers and Isles use, because orange is a very strong color.

I figured I'd be in the minority with Anaheim, but I own one of those alternates and whenever I wear it, I get all sorts of compliments. It's a nice sweater.

Pittsburgh was between that and the X-Generation early 2000s jerseys, but I didn't want to just pick my childhood favorites lol.

And it's ok, you can be wrong on the rest, that's your choice

As for the Oilers, I picked it because that's what they were best at. They were a team born of the 80s (WHA notwithstanding, they weren't noticed until the cup runs, they were the only WHA-NHL team to never win an Avco Cup), and maybe they should be the ones who can look ridiculously 80s and still be loved. The navy/copper/red just doesn't suit them as well...it's a little TOO dull. This is a team that needs some kind of compromise between the two looks, but even then, what is to say that the people would accept it? Until then, every night is an 80s night when the Oil are playing, and that's ok with me.

[IceCap]

Yeah, if any team is allowed to be stuck in the 80s it's the team that Gretzky played on in his prime.

Also the Toronto Maple Leafs' costum font is terrible. I know Lights likes it because it matches the font in the primary Ballard leaf logo but that logo should probably go anyway.

[Sport]

If this isn't your best look for the Blue Jackets, then you're wrong. Just the way it is.

[IceCap]

Oh yeah. It is technically BFBS, but it works. It's a shame they didn't just keep that design during the Edge changeover.

[IceCap]

re Jets: The red leaves in the logos just seemed tacked on and superfluous. Yes, I know what the one is allegedly there for,

Allegedly? They unveiled the look at a RCAF base and payed the air force for the rights.

it just doesn't go with the aesthetic of the team, imo of course. And that's all I really care about. It's the only places in the whole identity that red shows up, along with the shoulder patch. I think the jet figure in the new primary crest would be stronger visually without it.

The Blue Jays manage to make the "red only in the logo" work. I think it sets them apart, honestly. Had they adopted the old Jets' colour scheme people would have complained about another red, white, and blue team. By going with double blue, and only using red on the leaves on the logos, they pay homage to the original colour scheme while still standing apart from the other red, white, and blue teams.

As for the double blue? It's a trend in the NHL, sure, but the Jets are the only team to use it as their primary colour scheme.

[The_Admiral]

It should've been medium and light blue, not dark and medium. They look too drab now, especially at home in the former land of the whiteout.

[Lights Out]

Yeah, if any team is allowed to be stuck in the 80s it's the team that Gretzky played on in his prime.

Honestly, those Oilers uniforms look more '70s than '80s to me. I think it's the super bright colors and the head-to-toe (besides the yoke) royal blue. With the Oilers' classic colors/design, I think I prefer the WHA-era orange sweaters.

The thick yoke works here to minimize the color vibration, and the use of orange as the primary color provides color balance to the uniform as a whole.

[IceCap]

Yeah, if any team is allowed to be stuck in the 80s it's the team that Gretzky played on in his prime.

Honestly, those Oilers uniforms look more '70s than '80s to me.

You missed my point entirely.

Wayne Gretzky is regarded as quite possibly the best to ever play the game. He's probably the only hockey player your average American sports fan could name off the top of his head. The Oilers team he played on was probably the most relevant the Oilers will ever be. It's like the Bulls with Jordon. Those Oilers uniforms are associated with some of the best hockey to ever be played. As much as people want to claim otherwise it's hard to divorce sentiment from design. That classic Oilers look works because of the era it was associated with. Are the colours loud? Yes, but if we're going to be armchair colour theorists then I'd suggest that the thick white stripe around the orange yoke helps balance the whole look.

While the navy, copper, and red is under-appreciated, it's still an example of the "darken our colours to seem cool" trend that a lot of teams got caught up with in the 1990s. The Oilers never really accomplished anything of note in that set, aside from a Cup run that came up short because both their starting goalie and backup goalie got injured during the finals. It's just another dark, drab 90s colour scheme associated with mediocrity. And any currency it did have was done away with when they used it on glorified practice sweaters during the initial Edge switch over.

It should've been medium and light blue, not dark and medium. They look too drab now, especially at home in the former land of the whiteout.

I'd say it's more of a dark and light blue colour scheme.

As for the whiteout thing, well that was bound to be a problem for the Jets regardless of the shade of blue used, since the NHL mandates colour at home. All the more reason why the NHL should switch to a primary/clash kit system instead of the home/road system. Some teams should wear their dark sweaters as much as possible, some teams should wear their whites as much as possible.

I'm not going to critique each of your choices, but I wanted to comment on your Rangers selection.

You've said before that you value innovation above tradition. Well actually the alternate you posted is a fairly conservative/traditional hockey sweater design, with a logo plastered front and centre.

Within the context of a hockey uniform the Rangers' primary home and road look, with the diagonal RANGERS script, is an example of innovation. They were the team that made the diagonal script across the sweater a thing. Anyone else who does it is recognized as trying to copy the Rangers' "look."

[nash61]

If this isn't your best look for the Blue Jackets, then you're wrong. Just the way it is.

Only reason i didn't put these is because I posted full uniform sets. I passed up buying one of these for $60, and still regret it.

[twi]

Now that's a mask!

Again regarding the Jets, I just don't see anything that sets them apart from a collection of current trends in the NHL. I forsee them going the Edmonton route of introducing an old style as a third and then expanding it into full time use, except this time it would be a good move.

That original Columbus third was a nice jersey, even with the normally questionable addition of black. I'd rather see the union cap patch on both shoulders though.

[Billy B]

Finishing off with my Western Conference favorites.

Central

Blues - The current alternate was close to putting that set over the top, but the striping on these is a lot better. Just shows how much throwing out the hem stripes hurts a design.

Predators - I'm a big fan of their original uniforms, but the uniqueness of the yellow home jersey makes these my favorites. The striping is pretty good besides the apron strings and the shoulder patch is great. Not sure why it's only on one shoulder.

Red Wings - I actually like this number font. Probably an unpopular opinion, but I think the Red Wings make it work for some reason.

Blackhawks - Their home is the best overall uniform in the league and doesn't need to see any less ice time because of an alternate.

Blue Jackets - I like these better than the old alternates with the black sleeves. Their current alternate is good, but it doesn't fit in with the home and away.

[hockey week]

If this isn't your best look for the Blue Jackets, then you're wrong. Just the way it is.

Only reason i didn't put these is because I posted full uniform sets. I passed up buying one of these for $60, and still regret it.

I struggled between that and the current cannon third, and the little things made me put the cannon above it. Namely the black, the busy-ness of it all, the mismatched shoulder patches, and red/white/blue leaves little originality to be had. Yes, I know the blue/blue of the cannon is just as cliche now, but with how well those have been accepted by the Jackets' fanbase, and just how good they look on the ice, I couldn't help but go in that direction, which, I might add, is the direction I think the team should be moving towards in the future.

[Billy B]

Northwest

Canucks - So many uniforms to choose from. I think that most of them are good, but none of them are great. I went with the current uniforms as my favorites. It's the best color scheme and striping patter out of any of their uniforms and the whale is a much better logo (even if it isn't that good) than the stick-in-rink. A johnny Canuck alternate would be perfect.

Flames - Adding black was definitely a good decision for the Flames. I don't think the diagonal striping was the best choice for these jerseys, but it wasn't bad.

Avalanche - The mountain striping is miles better than the generic jerseys they wear now. I prefer the lighter burgundy, but it doesn't matter too much to me.

Wild - Their original jerseys had great, unique striping that they didn't need to get rid of. The red alternate was able to give them the old time Minnesota hockey feel without losing out on the primary jerseys.

Oilers - As much as I like the Islanders in light orange and blue, I don't really think it works as well for the Oilers. It must be the yoke or something. It still beats out the navy blue and copper uniforms, though. Those are just too dark for me.

[Morgan33]

Oh yeah. It is technically BFBS, but it works. It's a shame they didn't just keep that design during the Edge changeover.

Aside from the piping contouring to the scooped hem, the design is pretty much the same. Theres not enough contrast between the black and navy to make a significant difference in my books.

Also the Toronto Maple Leafs' custom font is terrible. I know Lights likes it because it matches the font in the primary Ballard leaf logo but that logo should probably go anyway.

Should have went away decades ago. The custom font might just be one of, if not the, worst in NHL history... and I like it when teams get creative with their numbers.

The navy/copper/red just doesn't suit them as well...it's a little TOO dull. This is a team that needs some kind of compromise between the two looks, but even then, what is to say that the people would accept it? Until then, every night is an 80s night when the Oil are playing, and that's ok with me.

Could not agree with this statement more. The Oilers were victim of the 90's trend of darkening colours to the point where they are almost black and while the copper looked great on the front crest (metallic) it didn't fare as well on the striping where it almost resembled a light brown. The current oilers set is pefect and a much needed breath of fresh air for a team using dull colours for far too long. Especially considering the atrocities they wore for the edge rollout.

[Billy B]

Pacific

Coyotes - The original jerseys were perfect for a hockey team in Arizona without being too over the top (which I think the alternate was.) Fitting unique stripes into a traditional template, much like the Hurricanes do, is great for a team that began play in the 90s.

Sharks - Their original look had the best shade of teal and the best striping pattern. These also used silver the most, which is a plus. The new logo is definitely better, but the originals are still the best.

Kings - I like the Kings best in silver and black. For as much hate as it gets, I actually like their current logo but the 90s logo is still better than the current.

Stars - I don't think the Stars have ever had a really good look since they've gotten to Dallas. I don't mind the college-style script on the current uniforms, but they need to use green. The star-template comes in first because of that. I still won't be able to look at it the same after seeing that the star on the crest and the star created by the striping don't match up.

Ducks - This is probably the only one where the nostalgia is making the decision. I have to pick the classic Mighty Ducks look here.

[IceCap]

Oh yeah. It is technically BFBS, but it works. It's a shame they didn't just keep that design during the Edge changeover.

Aside from the piping contouring to the scooped hem, the design is pretty much the same. Theres not enough contrast between the black and navy to make a significant difference in my books.

The black not standing out against the navy sweater is part of why I like it actually. You go "oh, it's just a red, white, and blue sweater" when you first see it, but then you notice the black. It's not so obvious that you think "they just added that because black sells." It's just noticeable enough to make it visually interesting.

Again regarding the Jets, I just don't see anything that sets them apart from a collection of current trends in the NHL. I forsee them going the Edmonton route of introducing an old style as a third and then expanding it into full time use, except this time it would be a good move.

The Panthers already dropped their double blue alternate. Pittsburgh and Columbus still have theirs, but again they use that colour scheme for their alternate looks. Winnipeg uses it full time. I see Columbus dropping their eventually once the trend passes, and I see the Penguins dropping theirs when they've sold all the double blue Penguins gear that they can. I don't see the Jets dropping it though. Given the fanfare they made about donating millions to the military for the right to use the roundel as the basis for the logo losing it could go sour on them from a PR perspective.

I also doubt that they'll ever adopt an older Jets look full time. True North has been quite adamant that the Jets as they exist now are not the same team as the Jets who are now the Coyotes. They'll bring back a throwback as an alternate to cash in on the nostalgia people have for the old Jets, but I doubt that they'll ever embrace an older look over the one they had designed specifically for their franchise. Not as long as Mark Chipman is chairman.

[Sport]

Oh yeah. It is technically BFBS, but it works. It's a shame they didn't just keep that design during the Edge changeover.

Aside from the piping contouring to the scooped hem, the design is pretty much the same. Theres not enough contrast between the black and navy to make a significant difference in my books.

The black not standing out against the navy sweater is part of why I like it actually. You go "oh, it's just a red, white, and blue sweater" when you first see it, but then you notice the black. It's not so obvious that you think "they just added that because black sells." It's just noticeable enough to make it visually interesting.

That's why I like it too. The black areas could've been navy blue like it is now, but that would've been the easy choice. They took a risk by going with black. I'd argue that it's not black for black's sake. It's black for a specific design choice's sake. The black adds another layer visually and it's something we've never seen before. It's multi-dimensional. It's dark and gritty, perfect for a team named after war. Plus, 6 stars on the sleeves is better than the 2 stars they use now (that both get lost in the glove cuffs).

I would've loved if they had transferred this to the Edge and brought a white jersey along with it.