Last October I ranked the home and road uniforms of each NHL team.
Back in February I did the same with alternate uniforms.
And now it's finally time for the conclusion of my "NHL Uniform Countdown" series, as today I'm ranking all the specialty jerseys worn in the NHL during the 2016-17 season.
I've decided to split these jerseys into two categories, "New" jerseys and "Vintage" jerseys. The "New" jerseys category will include Stadium Series jerseys, Centennial Classic jerseys, and 50th Anniversary jerseys, while the "Vintage" jersey category includes Winter Classic jerseys, Heritage Classic jerseys, and other miscellaneous throwback jerseys. I created these categories because comparing a modern jersey to a throwback jersey is like trying to compare apples to oranges.
Okay, let's get started!
Top "New" Jerseys
6. Philadelphia Flyers 50th Anniversary Jersey
The striping pattern of the Flyers 50th Anniversary jersey is fairly nice, but I'm just not a fan of the gold numbers. I'd prefer black numbers with a gold outline.
5. Detroit Red Wings Centennial Classic Jersey
I love the detail of the Stanley Cup winning years "engraved" onto the silver sleeve stripe, but overall I think the Red Wings Centennial Classic jersey suffers from an identity crisis. It has too many stripes to be modern, but it's not vintage either. It's a poor mix of the two.
4. Philadelphia Flyers Stadium Series Jersey
The Flyers Stadium Series jersey has several unique features, some of which I like and some I don't. I like the raised sleeve stripes and the large sleeve numbers on those stripes, but I'm not a fan of the outline-only back numbers or the contrasting orange nameplates.
3. Toronto Maple Leafs Centennial Classic Jersey
Unlike their opponent, I think the Maple Leafs did a good job of combining old and new with their Centennial Classic jersey. But I also think this jersey looks a bit generic, due to it's similarities to the Panthers new jerseys.
2. Los Angeles Kings 50th Anniversary Jersey
You don't see grey (or silver) jerseys very often, which is part of the reason I have the Kings 50th Anniversary jersey ranked so high (I like jerseys with unique main colours). I'm also a fan of this striping pattern, I think this jersey would make a good full-time third jersey (if the gold accents were removed).
1. Pittsburgh Penguins Stadium Series Jersey
Yellow is also a less common jersey colour, and I think the Penguins pulled it off wonderfully with their Stadium Series jersey. I like the striping pattern, the triangle-less logo, the stencil font for the name and numbers, and especially the yellow helmet. The only thing I'm not a fan of is the white in the collar, but that's a fairly minor complaint.
Now on to the vintage jerseys!
Top "Vintage" Jerseys
7. Chicago Blackhawks Winter Classic Jersey
The Blackhawks Winter Classic jersey doesn't look bad, it actually looks good, but it's just too similar to their normal road jersey.
6. Arizona Coyotes Throwback Jersey
I like the Coyotes throwback jersey as a specialty jersey worn for a few games each year. I think it's too dated to come back full-time though, but that doesn't affect it's rating on this list, I just happen to like the upcoming jerseys more.
5. Los Angeles Kings Throwback Jersey
The Kings current jerseys aren't very colourful, so it's a nice change of pace when they wear this gold throwback jersey. I did prefer the purple version of this jersey though, but I do think this gold version is very nice as well.
4. St. Louis Blues Winter Classic Jersey
I've always been a fan of the Blues original jerseys, so as you can guess I like their Winter Classic jersey as well (which is based off of their original blue jersey). I think the lighter shade of blue looks great too, but I don't like the use of vintage white.
3. Toronto Maple Leafs "St. Pats" Jersey
The only thing I don't like about the Maple Leafs "St. Pats" jersey is the gap between the boxes for double digit back numbers. Other than that I think this jersey is great, I love how it honours the franchise's history, it's a fun way to celebrate St. Patrick's day, plus the colour green is very underused in the NHL.
2. Winnipeg Jets Heritage Classic Jersey
In my opinion, the red pants are the best part of the Jets Heritage Classic uniform. The splash of colour the pants provide is very nice, and the double stripes with the jet logo within them look great. The jersey itself is good too, there's nothing that special about it, but it doesn't have any flaws either.
1. New Jersey Devils Throwback Jersey
Let's get this out of the way right away, I don't think the Devils should promote this throwback jersey. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but I think the Devils could do better. However, I think this jersey is perfect for how it's currently used. The colour scheme, striping pattern, and red helmet provide lots of vintage charm, and (like with the Leafs) it's a fun way to celebrate St. Patrick's day.
So those are my thoughts on all the specialty jerseys worn in the NHL this season. If you disagree with me, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
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