Metropolitan Division
Carolina Hurricanes
1998-2007 Original Red jersey
After moving from Hartford in 1997, abandoning one of the best logos in sports, the Hurricanes debuted a red and black look based on the hurricane warning flag flown at beaches to let the public know not to swim in the ocean. The flag pattern around the hem stripe was a fantastic touch to the jersey, which was simple everywhere else, to not overdo things with the striping pattern. The design was simple, but spoke volumes.
After the 2007 season, Reebok took over uniforms in the NHL, and added an outline to the shoulder yoke, which detracted from the overall look. Then, in 2013, the team departed from the classic design altogether, only to return to a sublimated warning flag look in 2017. But nothing quite beats the original here, a look they shouldn’t have departed from to begin with.
Columbus Blue Jackets
2007-present White jersey
With not a lot to choose from, we’ll go with the cleanest look the Jackets have given us in their brief history. This jersey features shoulder yokes that extend all the way down the arm (with a star on the wrist, a neat little twist), and the navy stripe contrasts well with the white on the rest of the jersey. The logo has plenty of space to breathe, and the lack of a hem stripe actually doesn’t detract from the look.
The home jersey this compares to has a navy stripe on a navy jersey, which basically outlines the shoulders and arms, nor much else. It’s a design feature of the brand, but the arm striping is better fitted on the road whites. Additionally, the original Jacket’s white jersey resembles the current whites, while the navy jersey has changed somewhat. That consistency leads us to the road white being just a bit better.
New Jersey Devils
1992-2017 Red jersey
In terms of uniform history, the Devils have been the modern example of consistency. Aside from the change in color from green to black, the logo has stayed the same since their first season in 1982. Starting in 1992, the uniforms had stayed the same until 2017, and even then, the changes were relatively minor.
When you think of the Devils’ glory days, these uniforms come to mind. The simple triple stripes and black shoulder yoke to contrast to the red makes it a classic jersey that stood the test of time over it’s 25 years of use. Through the crazy 90’s, the NHL’s Reebok-ification, and until the Adidas takeover, the look hadn’t changed a stitch. The Devils didn’t even add a third jersey, just occasionally throwing back to the red and green days. This one was the modern day slam dunk.
New York Islanders
1972-1995 Original White jersey
For the first 20+ years of their existence, the Islanders had a healthy winning reputation, 4 Stanley Cups, and a very clean design for their uniforms. Blue and orange work well together as both complimentary colors, as well as the colors of the New York City flag. The logo was a simple one, with the I in Islanders pointing to the exact location of the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. Then after a brief bout with fish sticks, the team gradually returned to the look full time.
The Islanders have lately been known to push the envelope with alternative looks, and usually have seen it blow up in their faces. But their classic look was much cleaner and easier on the eyes in the original days (and I guess now, that they returned to the look almost exactly). My personal preference is for the white jersey, where the logo and colors seem to stand out just a bit more on the white background. Can’t hurt to see a picture with that jersey and a Stanley Cup.
New York Rangers
1947-1976 Blue jersey
The Rangers have had an amazing jersey set for the better part of their history. For a couple of seasons, they had a college style arched name and number look, and for some arcane reason, they mirrored the Winnipeg Jets for a couple of seasons in the 70’s. But after each experiment, the Rangers returned to their classic look, with the Broadway Blue shirt, team name diagonally across the chest, red text drop-shaddowed in white, and the classic looking tie-down collar.
The road jersey the team sports is also wonderful, with a unique shoulder yoke treatment, and the same classic text design on the front, but the reason we’re going with the blue look here, is that the team is alternatively known as the Blue-shirts. The Rangers currently wear the same design as the design we have featured here, which goes to show how good this jersey really was.
Philadelphia Flyers
1967-1981 Original Orange jersey
The Flyers were the first team to wear orange as their main color since the 1931 Philadelphia Quakers (yes, they really existed), and almost immediately made it known that orange is their color. Their original orange jersey featured a unique shoulder treatment, with a gradually widening white yoke that made it’s way down the sleeve. The jersey looked obnoxiously in-your-face, which is the exact style of hockey the Flyers played.
The jersey was so appropriate for the Broad Street Bullies, that the jerseys were copied in the movie Slap Shot for the Syracuse Bulldogs, worn by goons such as Andre “Poodle” Lussier, Clarence “Screaming Buffalo” Swamptown, and of course, Ogie Ogilthorpe. These jerseys were perfectly fit for a team that’s goal was to intimidate, and the colors worked perfectly. Nowadays, the Flyers have returned to the look, including a different colored nameplate (a nice touch). Another example of a team returning to it’s roots, rightfully so.
Pittsburgh Penguins
1986-1992 Black jersey
After beginning life wearing different shades of blue, the Penguins joined their Pittsburgh brethren, the NFL’s Steelers and MLB’s Pirates, in wearing black and yellow. The change in colors was actually protested by the Bruins, but nothing came of it. In the following years, the Penguins lifted the Cup a couple of times with names like Lemieux and Jagr wearing some really good looking threads.
The main color being black is appropriate, and the yellow sleeves and a unique style of striping down the arms allowed the Penguins to make the look an instant classic. The team later switched to Vegas Gold instead of yellow, and rode that for a few years until returning full time to the look in 2016, and immediately winning a Cup with the jerseys. The proof is really in the results.
Washington Capitals
1972-1995 Original Red jersey
Though the Capitals’ best success have come in recent years, their look was more a classic in their earlier days. Washington’s first foray into the NHL was wearing a unique jersey loaded with stars everywhere, but no stars on the ice (being the worst team in league history in their inaugural season). But they looked good doing it. Red jersey with white shoulder yokes and stars in every spot they can fit, the jersey became more memorable than the teams wearing them.
In 2007, the Caps returned to red, white and blue, and wore jerseys that had elements of their original look, returning to the text based logo, and putting some stars on the jersey. But they brought back their original jersey as an alternate for a few years, and it looked just as great now as it did then. Certainly a better look than what they have now.