Hockey jerseys are one of the most recognizable pieces of sports memorabilia on the planet. There have been hundreds of jersey designs around the NHL since its inception and some standout more than others. These are (in my opinion) the top 5 hockey jerseys in NHL history!
Number 5: Colorado Avalanche 1995-2007
Easily one of the best jersey designs of all time, the beauty is in its simplicity. The zig zagging lines on the bottom and sleeves of the jersey add something special. The Avalanche would wear this jersey for 12 years before abandoning it in favor of a sleeker look. The organization brought back similar styles to these when the NHL switched to Adidas, but they are missing something and lack the nostalgia these do.
Number 4: Washington Capitals 1995-2000
Known as the “Screaming Eagle”, these broke the mold for the Capitals in 1995, who were using a red, white, and blue scheme since their inception in 1974. These jerseys stayed in the rotation until 2000 when their alternate black jerseys with the capitol building as the crest took over as their home jerseys. Years later, the Kootenay Ice of the CHL would adopt this jersey design for a few seasons.
Number 3: Dallas Stars 1997-2006
The franchises name is the Dallas Stars… and their jersey is in the shape of a star… BRILLIANT! in the early 1990’s and mid 2000’s the Stars had a boring black and white color scheme, but the decade in between, these babies were all the rage. Originally an alternate from 1997-99, they became the Stars home jerseys starting in 2000. They wore them until 2007 when they returned to the straight black home jerseys. Boring.
Number 2: Nashville Predators 2001-2007
Known as the “mustard cat”, these jerseys were originally the Predators alternates from 2001 to 2004. They gained and immediate cult following even in the little time they were worn. They were added to the regular rotation as a home jersey starting in 2005. Nashville kept them until 2007 when the Reebok Edge jerseys were implemented and the mustard cat was left behind.
Number 1: Anaheim Ducks 1993-2006
The Mighty Ducks were added to the league in 1993 and wore these jerseys right out of the gate. Backed by the Walt Disney Company, the team was named after the Mighty Ducks movie that came out the year before. They kept these as their main jerseys, mixed with some wacky alternates, until the team was rebranded the Anaheim Ducks in 2006 and switched to an orange and black color scheme.
Honorable mentions:
New York Islanders 1995-1998
These are about as wacky a jersey as you can dream up, but it was the Islanders legitimate jersey home jersey from 1995-1998. The Islanders franchise has always been known for their ugly jerseys and this one easily takes the cake, but at the same time, there is something gloriously terrible about them.
Tampa Bay Lightning 1996-1999
These beauties were the Lightning’s alternate jerseys in the late 1990’s are rarely saw the light of day. Having a hockey jersey depict a storm scene that reflects how the team got its name to begin with is some super creativity from the Lightning organization.
Los Angeles Kings 1999-2007
These are actually the Kings first attempt at a purple and black color scheme. In 2002 the crest would change from a crown to a crest featuring a shield with crossed sticks. The overall purple theme is something the Kings had tried to incorporate into their jerseys for much of their history, but today use strictly black, white, and silver. These were probably the best Kings jerseys in their history and they need to make a comeback as soon as possible.
Philadelphia Flyers 1997-2007
Originally debuting as an alternate in 1997, they became part of the regular rotation in 2001 and remained there until 2007. The Flyers recently added a black jersey back into the mix, but it just isn’t the same. The organization has chosen to stay on the orange and white color scheme since 2010, and quite frankly it is time to bring back the jerseys most of us grew up watching and reflect a high point in Flyers history.
By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
photo credit: sports.yahoo.com
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