Pacific Division
Anaheim Ducks
Bring back Mighty brand
I know it’s not a popular opinion, but I think this was the best, most consistent look the Ducks have had. The duck mask logo is widely celebrated by hockey fans, and the eggplant and jade color scheme was unique to the team.
Currently, the team uses a rather bland webbed-D for their logo, as well as a black-centric color scheme with lots of complicated stripes in their full time uniforms. Bringing back the Mighty uniforms would be a welcome change.
Arizona Coyotes
Add Kachina patterns to the home/road jersey
Bringing back the black Kachina jerseys was a much bigger winner than the Coyotes ever expected, to the point where they elevated the jersey from a one-off special jersey to full blown alternates.
The question remains, why don’t they incorporate any of this design to their current uniform set? Here’s what we propose: Strip down the home/road to the bare brick/white, add the same sleeve and hem pattern as the original Kachina jersey, win. No need to change the logos either. Why shouldn’t this work?
Calgary Flames
Use original uniforms full time
The Flames currently hold the crown for ugliest jersey in the NHL with their red home jerseys, complete with black numbers and armpit stripes. They have a stunningly gorgeous alternate jersey, void of black and using far more traditional striping.
This jersey matches their original jerseys from 1980 to 1994 almost perfectly, and it was a look that aged very well and had a Stanley Cup title to boot. The Flames should turn to these uniforms for a full-time home jersey, and make a matching jersey as a road white. Supposedly this may already be in the works, in which case the hockey world will be made a better place soon.
Edmonton Oilers
Use original uniforms full time
While I appreciate the fact that the Oilers wanted to try something and use those orange jerseys that sold so well as alternates, the better uniform has to be the Gretzky era royal blues. After a switch to navy in 1996 and a bout with Reebok uniforms lasting until 2011, the Oilers switched back to their classic blue and orange look.
The logo is the same, the colors and striping were the same, it worked. Why they felt the need to go full-time orange, I don’t quite get. Points for originality with their new alternate leaked here, but I think they are one of those teams that got it right the first time.
Los Angeles Kings
Bring back purple and yellow full time
The Kings currently wear the same black and silver combination they did in the Gretzky era between 1988-1998. Before that, though, was the unique combination of purple (forum blue, technically) and gold, much like their arena roommates, the NBA’s Lakers. They have thrown back to this design a couple of times in the past few years, and it looks much better than the black and silver they have now. It’s a more unique color set, and would be amazing.
San Jose Sharks
Substitute silver for orange almost everywhere
The Sharks own their color. It’s perfect. The uniforms really do a great job to show that, even the black one. The only real idea I could find, and it’s a minor change, is to change the orange trim to silver to match with the original teal uniforms that looked so good. Keeping the eye in the logo orange is fine, but the stripes on the home and road could be changed to silver, and it’d look just as great, if not better, than what it does now. But again, it’s splitting hairs.
Seattle Totems/Sockeyes/Kraken/Metropolitans/etc.
Use those salmon/aqua colors creatively, have some fun with local themes
Yup, Seattle’s franchise made it here. Much of their brand, including name, logo, and uniforms, are still under wraps, and coming potentially any month now, so nothing much to analyze. However, their website has colors, and they are unique to the NHL to say the least.
And that’s great! Now roll with it. Use those colors well and creatively. Incorporating a local theme, kinda like what the Seahawks do, is highly encouraged. I, for one, am counting down the days until we see what Seattle has in store for us.
Vancouver Canucks
Add negative space V’s on the sleeve stripes
The Canucks have been known to have a fascination of the letter V. It didn’t start with the infamous Flying V uniforms of the 1980s, in fact, rather right from the beginning with a clever little design that spoke volumes.
Look at the sleeves on their original home and road uniforms, and you’ll find a V in there. It’s simple, but it’s a genius move, especially on the white uniforms. Adding this would be a simple change, yet would elevate their current uniforms from decent to great in an instant.
Vegas Golden Knights
Not much, yet
It’s been two seasons for the Golden Knights, and so far so good on the ice. For the first time in NHL history, metallic gold flakes have made their way onto a uniform, and you know what? It looks pretty good.
On top of that, they have a sublimated flourish pattern on the stripes and logo which are a very nice touch. Now, slate gray and black together is meh, but it makes sense, and the bright shiny gold works well to contrast it. This brand has the potential to age well, so let’s give it some time before coming up with ideas on how to fix it.