Welcome to the NHL off-season, where hockey fans get to ride a roller-coaster of chaos and I pay attention to the littlest of things, such as jersey changes and Tim Tebow owning a minor league hockey franchise. (If you were wondering, the Shady Sports Network does feature actual NHL coverage, which you should definitely stay tuned for) So naturally I was paying attention when the league announced that Adidas would no longer be making their uniforms, and also when they announced the death of the beloved Reverse Retro line of alternate sets.
What was the Reverse Retro series? It was the perfect thing for jersey nuts like myself. For 2 seasons (2020-21, 2022-23) Adidas would create a brand new alternate uniform for each and every team, going off nostalgia for the main inspiration for each and every jersey. With it unlikely to return for a few years as the NHL transitions to Fanatics for their jersey design, now is the best time to look at all the teams offerings and grade them. We’ll be looking at both the first and second iterations and giving them a grade. Let’s get started!
(all image credit belongs to their original owners)
Anaheim Ducks: B+
The Ducks were a prime candidate for the reverse retro series with all their Mighty Ducks nostalgia in their pocket, so they had some good options when it came to creating their jerseys for the series. For the first go around, they went with the much hated “Wild Wing” jerseys. These uniforms feature a full “mighty” duck bursting out of ice, but this time with a white base. The number is still a ridiculous font, and all the original creativity is still here, but I still think it’s a Wild jersey to actually put on ice.
The second try featured a much tamer design, recoloring an old Mighty Ducks jersey in the current Ducks color scheme. Is it passable? Yes, but it lack so much potential creativity. Instead of trying something that’s never been seen (such as a jade green Mighty Ducks jersey) they just went with something that feels like such a cheap and easy alternate to make. With so much Mighty Ducks nostalgia the team holds over everyone’s head, I think they could’ve done something a little better.
Arizona Coyotes: B
The Coyotes managed to have a great start to the Reverse Retro lineup where they brought back their first ever alternate in purple. While the jersey they based it off is commonly hated for the landscape looking straight out of a 1980’s video game making the uniform look right out of the minor leagues. However, I like seeing it in purple, and the coyote head logo has a lot of potential as a jersey logo.
When they chose to do it again for the second go around, I was a little more disappointed. They could have tried to go with something other than what they did the first time, but the hardly changed it. the orange color is a little less appealing than the purple, and with so many other good color options for the Coyotes, this just feels lazy.
Boston Bruins: B+
The Bruins surprisingly have little nostalgia to pull from when it comes to making retro uniforms, as their current design is considered a classic and some variation of it has been used by the team since 1955, although it wasn’t used entirely until 1967 per NHL uniform database. Seeing their jerseys for the series is looking at the extent of their marketable nostalgia. The yellow jersey is basically just an older style of the current jerseys but recolored to resemble even older uniforms from their past. Other than the wild bear shoulder patch, I really like this one.
The second go around was the infamous “Pooh bear” jersey but with a white base instead of gold. I personally hate this jersey, but it was decent for fans of the team that like the design. This time, everything from the original returns, right down to the mediocre logo, and now an ad patch. For the fans, it’s great. For my jersey taste, which I don’t expect many to agree with, it’s not great.
Buffalo Sabres: B
Do these look similar to you? I didn’t think the Sabres would go with almost the same idea both times they made a reverse retro, with both times being a recolored 90’s era jersey with a white base. I much prefer the first one as it goes with a relatively under the radar alternate jersey recolored. This was awesome to see, and the whole set just came together so well. I really liked to see this jersey come back into the limelight with the classic Sabres colors.
The second try was a lot less original. The recolored “Goat Head” jersey might be a good idea, and it was executed fairly well, but this was the same season the Sabres added the original version to their lineup as a true alternate jersey, making this a much less impactful reverse retro offering. While I don’t hate the design itself, this feels like it could’ve been done way better, even if it was as simple as making the base blue.
Calgary Flames: C+
The Flames went for the “Blasty the horse” alternate from 1998-2006 for their first reverse retro. I didn’t hate the decision, but the design itself is a lot more boring than the original. Instead of changing the base color to red or white, they kept it black and simply removed the coloring beneath the stripes making it look bland. If you looked closer, there is some flames at the end of the sleeves, but they are just gray, and nearly impossible to see. The design was well received, and they were made a regular alternate for the team.
The second go around brought back the much hated “Pedestal” jerseys the team used from 1995-2000 but this time they changed the color scheme to be primarily black. The stripes are a little less crazy this time, but the general chaotic design is the same as before. I personally think it looks a little bit better with the black base, but the design should be left in the gutter for all future nostalgia based jerseys. In my opinion, they should’ve gone with the 2000 white uniform recolored black or red.
Carolina Hurricanes: C
The Carolina Hurricanes don’t have much nostalgia from their Carolina days, so for their first reverse retro they went with a Hartford Whalers alternate jersey. There isn’t much special about it other than it being the beautiful Whalers design. While the reversed Whalers look might be great, it wasn’t very creative or special. The concept of a Hurricanes color Whalers uniform would be infinitely cooler than this.
With reverse retro 2.0, they had the opportunity to try something a little different, and they completely ruined it. Carolina, instead of doing something neat that honored their history in any shape or form, made a red version of their regular away set. Really? This was the best they could come up with? It looks passable as a uniform, but it feels more like a normal home set that’s mediocre at best. There’s nothing retro about it, and it’s from the worst uniform in their set. This single-handedly devalues the Hurricanes grade.
Chicago Blackhawks: B-
Like the Bruins, the Blackhawks are a classic franchise with classic uniforms. The nostalgia for jerseys goes as far as a black alternate and then anything before 1955. This posed a challenge for them, and I’d say they rose up for it when they made their first reverse retro. It is a black version of the regular uniform they wore in 1940, but this time with a jersey logo. It looks very good, but it blends in with a lot of the other offerings. I wouldn’t be upset if this became a regular alternate.
The second go around was just plain bad. The jersey is from 1938, which means it’s in a really ugly and outdated style. The word “Chicago” is just bland, and the numbers on the back look horrible with the striping going all the way around. To make matters worse, it looks very similar to the jersey Detroit debuted for reverse retro this year as well. This style should’ve been left in the past for good.
Colorado Avalanche: A-
The Avalanche absolutely hit it out of the park when it came to their reverse retro jerseys, with both offerings being towards the top of most rankings you could find. The first one was a beautiful recolor of the Quebec Nordiques jersey, featuring the old style and logos but in the newer Avalanche maroon and blue. I really liked this set, it stands out among the rest of the first reverse retro lineup. Maybe seeing a little more of the Avalanche’s blue in the striping would somehow make this even better, but it will always be remembered as one of the best looking jerseys of all time.
Following that up with another great jersey was going to be nearly impossible, especially if they wanted to go with a different idea than just Nordiques nostalgia. They managed to do it pretty well, mashing the Avalanche jersey design with old logo of the (hockey) Colorado Rockies, which was also based off the state flag. It’s excellent for fans of the team, and the design itself is pretty good looking as well. I really liked the way it blended the “mountain” arm stripes with the older colors and logos. Tis is another one that would be a cool alternate to wear regularly.
Columbus Blue Jackets: B
The Blue Jackets have some of the most forgettable reverse retro jerseys revealed by any team in the NHL. With their limited nostalgia, it was a hard task for the team to come up with anything new that also looked good, so their first offering was a simple color swap of their first ever home jersey. (Minus the alternate logo on the shoulders) However this ended up among the worst of the first reverse retro jerseys. For a team called the Blue Jackets, there’s hardly any blue on the entire uniform. I’d at least make the shoulder yolk blue so there would be more color that actually represents the team.
The second time around, the Blue Jackets got the memo to put more blue in the jersey, although it wasn’t entirely blue. This isn’t a bad thing, as there is still more blue on the jersey than the first time, and it feels like a Blue Jackets jersey. This is a recoloring of their first alternate jersey, now with a black base and blue and white striping. I really like it, while it isn’t an amazing jersey that blows away every single fan for the team, it still is a very solid look. If this were an alternate, it wouldn’t hurt the team at all.
Dallas Stars: B
The Stars have some of the most unique jerseys in their “Star” uniforms they wore from 1999-2007. I imagine they were trying to make something with that design, but I think this reverse retro failed. The all-white design is quite plain without many colors or stripes. The star design is visible, but when everything is white and there’s no colors filling in the areas around the star. It would be cool if they went with a black base and green around the outside which had never been done before, but we ended up getting a lame whiteout jersey that just looks plain.
Dallas thankfully managed to make a much better reverse retro the second time around, this time recoloring their original jersey in black with green accents. This is what the first one should’ve been, a design that is appealing and looks good while also putting it in colors that had never been seen before. It might not stand out as one of the best offering the series had to offer, it’s really good and makes up for Dallas’s first jersey in the series.
Detroit Red Wings: D+
The Red Wings managed to whiff both times the league told them to make a reverse retro jersey. The first time around, they recolored their current set into white and silver. That’s right, no contrast or anything, just plain white with silver stripes. This jersey looks like what Steve Yzerman’s draft picks wear when they practice, which isn’t something that looks great in an actual game. This one is in the gutter of reverse retro jerseys.
The second time around the Wings improved their design by using actual colors and stripes, but this still isn’t good. The word “Detroit” is kept in some black stripes that go across the chest and around the sides. This is a throwback to the days where the team was named the “Cougars,” which isn’t horrible, but it feels like all the nostalgia they could’ve brought back was ignored both times. Even a recolored version of their Stadium Series jersey would’ve been so much better.
Edmonton Oilers: B+
The OIlers have some pretty average reverse retro jerseys, but nothing bad, which is good for them. Their first offering was their white uniform from the dynasty era but with the blue and orange elements flipped. I personally think this was a mediocre jersey. There’s a lot of orange, and this was before the team started wearing blue at home full-time, so this was just giving the Oilers way more orange than necessary.
The team was far better when they made their second entry in the series. They brought back the “Gear” alternate they wore in the early 2000’s but this time added orange to it. Unlike before, this uniform had been in need of orange, so the orange was well appreciated. This was pretty good for the fans of the team and jersey design nuts like me. If they did a third iteration, this could be done with a white base and blue stripes, but as it stands, this is what we get.
Florida Panthers: A
If there’s any team I love seeing throw it back to their old styles, it’s the Florida Panthers. That leaping Panther jersey is so awesome and I loved seeing it return in the original style. The jersey resembles their original alternate, but is actually a recolored version of their first red jersey. I find this to be one of the better ones in the league, and I wish it came back as a regular alternate similar to Calgary.
Somehow, the Panthers one-upped themselves when they were asked to create another reverse retro. This time, they used a powder blue as the base for the first time since the horrible “Jet-blue” alternate jerseys, except this time it actually looks good. I much prefer using this alternate logo rather than the roundel panther head, and the colors and stripes look much better. It feels like it belongs to the Panthers while also showing love for Florida. This is good enough to earn Florida a solid “A” grade.
Los Angeles Kings: A
The Kings did a great job on both reverse retro jerseys. They fit what fans want, and aren’t horrible to look at either. The first time around, they recolored their 1991-1998 style set in the purple and gold. This is how to do a reverse retro. Historical colors the fans love with a redone design from your past. The design was worn with the greatest hockey player of all time, while the colors are synonymous with winning culture (at least in basketball.)
The second go around features another purple and gold uniform recolored for the series, which is where I docked points. This uniform actually is the first time the Kings wore white in this color scheme, which gains bonus points. The jersey itself is pretty clean, but definitely feels like it was designed and came out a long time ago. I don’t really hate it, but it doesn’t have as big of an impact as the first one for me personally. I can see why longtime fans of the team would love it though. Overall, not bad Kings.
Minnesota Wild: B+
The Minnesota Wild tried to do the same thing twice when they made their reverse retros, both times recoloring their logo and slapping it on some old Minnesota North Stars jerseys. The first time around, they got a lot of praise for it, mainly because it was a great jersey. This one sticks out among the rest in a good way, has a creative idea, and looks great. I loved it a lot as well, this one is a top tier.
However the second go around was just lazy. There’s more to Minnesota hockey in the past that isn’t the North Stars. Choosing not to do anything with their old jerseys just makes the Wild look like they weren’t trying. This looks fine, the design is a North Stars design, but it doesn’t have the same impact the first one did. Everything looks too similar to give this great marks. Consider it a high B+ ranking though, it’s far from the worst they could’ve done.
Montreal Canadiens: A
Montreal, despite hardly ever changing their uniforms, managed to create some of the best sweaters when they made their reverse retro jerseys. The simple color swap from red to blue manages to look amazing as a third jersey. The team may be associated with red, but somehow this blue works very well for them. I hope this comes back as an alternate jersey eventually, it is amazing.
The second jersey they revealed is equally as amazing. While many teams in sports are using powder blue, especially in baseball, this feels just right for Montreal. Partially because it honors their baseball team, the Expos, who moved in 2004. The multiple shades of blue and white are good looking, but maybe seeing a tad more red would spice the jersey up a little more. Still absolutely stunning what the team was able to do.
Nashville Predators: B+
The Predators uniforms for the reverse retro series are good, but nothing too outstanding. The first jersey is a golden version of their first ever uniform, which I love. The team hardly used gold back in their early years, but it works so well with the silver. The unique number font looks so cool, and is far better than the simple font they use today. I wouldn’t be upset if they brought this back full-time, as it would be cooler than their current sweaters which are extremely bland.
However the second time they made a jersey for this series, it wasn’t as good. This is the original “mustard” alternate jersey, but without the mustard and instead in gold. There’s other small changes, such as the color under the shoulders disappearing, which is a plus. However this one is pretty forgettable. Nothing truly stands out as good or bad other than the logo, which is just plain weird. The Predators have good but forgettable offering in the series.
New Jersey Devils: B-
The New Jersey Devils made some reverse retro jerseys that are passable but neither feel like they belong to the team. The first sweater is a color swap of their first ever jerseys they wore in New Jersey. These being primarily green is weird, especially for a team with their main colors being Red and Black. In the past, they had worn the colors, but it looks more like a Christmas sweater than a hockey sweater. It looks fine as a stand-alone jersey, but as a New Jersey Devils jersey, it doesn’t do that. I actually prefer seeing this design in green as it reminds me less of a holly jolly Christmas, but it still doesn’t remind me of New Jersey or the Devils at all.
So the second reverse retro jersey fixed that mistake by not being a Devils jersey as much as it’s a show of respect for multiple teams that no longer exist from the NHL, the Kansas City Scouts and Colorado Rockies. Yes, both the Avalanche and Devils threw it back to the Rockies, who actually became the Devils. The jersey itself is a simple recolor of their first ever uniform but now it’s in the old colors. This one is pretty good, without any major complaints, but isn’t a major design anyone really should want back permanently.
New York Islanders: D
The New York Islanders managed to amaze me with how bad they did with the reverse retro series, failing both times to have a creative jersey that properly honors their past and/or is a good jersey. The first time, they recolored their original set (which just so happens to be pretty much the same as their current uniforms) to the depressing shades of blue and orange the team put to use from 1998-2011. While not identical to the uniform from that era, it looks quite similar. This is just plain lazy, and uses some depressing colors. This one is not just lazy, but depressing.
At the very least, the team tried a little harder when they brought back a version of their “Fisherman” jerseys. However, like the last one, these are lazy. Teal is nowhere to be found on the uniform, and the stripes are way simplified. I don’t like this, all it ever does is slightly remind me of the original jersey rather than being a true replica. This versions has none of the original life that the original jersey had. The Islanders couldn’t make a good reverse retro to save their life.
New York Rangers: B+
When you look at the Rangers’ reverse retro offerings, there are very few differences. The Rangers don’t really have a ton of old jerseys tog o back to, so this is what they went with. Both designs are the beloved “Lady Liberty” alternate uniforms re-designed for the modern era. Not much else to say, which is why I have it condensed into a single paragraph. The light blue version works as something never seen before, and the navy version is a classic design anyone can like. At least they look different despite being the same idea.
Ottawa Senators: B+
The Senators had just rebranded to their classic design they wore when they first came into the league when they were tapped to create their first reverse retro sweater, but I really like what they did. They reversed the red and black elements on their home uniform from their first days in the league, but also closely resembles their current home and away sets. I like the red alternate look, and I was seriously hoping they’d bring it back full-time. Maybe they will in the future, and if they do, I will be a happy sports fan.
The second time they released a jersey for this series, the Senators brought back the weird alternate/road uniform with the chaotic striping patterns from the past, but this time it’s more subtle with the black base and most of the stripes being a lot less obnoxious. However, the black base and using the current logo makes this look quite similar to the main home jersey, making this a lot less special as a reverse retro jersey. At least it doesn’t look as bad as the original alternate it’s supposed to represent.
Philadelphia Flyers: B
The Philadelphia Flyers chose to return to 1982 both times, but chose different uniforms for each entry. The first time, they took the orange sweater they started wearing in 1982, but reversing the black and orange elements on the sleeves and numbers. This was a great design for the team, and it looked pretty good. The black sleeves helped it to stand out from their typical home threads, but wasn’t super different. This is a fine jersey, but maybe not something anyone is itching to see return again.
So the second time Philly did a simpler reverse retro, starting with a white base and swapping the elements on the arms. This time they really leaned into the retro theme by wearing the infamous “cooperalls” during warmups, which is a nice touch. More teams should’ve done something like this. unfortunately, the jersey is far simpler. There’s hardly any colors on the entire set which makes everything look bland. This one is one of the more forgettable reverse retro jerseys there is. Nothing Philly did was bad, but nothing was particularly good either.
Pittsburgh Penguins: B+
The Pittsburgh Penguins decided to throw back to their 1990’s looks both times they were tapped to create a new reverse retro jersey, and both times they looked pretty good. The first one was a callback to the diagonal text jerseys which had previously never been seen with a white base. The idea was cool, but something feels lacking here. The shoulders have very little on them, and it makes the whole set look somewhat empty. I don’t hate it, but I much prefer seeing it with a darker base color. Major props to the Penguins for reversing the jersey to make their new alternate uniform however.
While the first design was a good way to honor Pittsburgh’s past, the second reverse retro makes a good hockey sweater that also honors their past. The Robo-Pen logo returns, as does a design that had never been seen with a black base before. Unlike before, there’s stripes and design happening all over the uniform, but it’s nowhere near too busy. My main complaint is the black base making it look very similar to their home and alternate uniform. If it had been gold, it may have stood out among the crowd of Penguins uniforms, but instead we get a pretty solid jersey.
St. Louis Blues: B-
The Blues managed to make their reverse retro uniforms anything but blue, and the first time it was a pretty mediocre choice. They reversed the blue and red elements on their 1995 jersey which is a good idea, but the actual uniform leaves a lot to be desired once on the ice. Red was never a color anyone ever wanted to see the Blues wear, and when they made their jersey primarily red, it looked kinda mediocre. They already wear the regular set as a retro alternate jersey occasionally so this leaves even less of an impact. Overall, this is just a neat piece of history, but nothing too special.
The Blues managed to get a lot more creative the second time around with their jersey, which is meant to be a modern replica of their prototype sweaters revealed when the team was originally announced. Those jerseys were blue, but these ones are yellow because of the reverse aspect of the reverse retro series. Perhaps my biggest hot take during this whole article is here: I don’t absolutely love these. Maybe it’s seeing the Blues wear a sunken yellow color or the logo not meshing with the words very well, but there’s something about these that feels distinctly off. The design isn’t horrible, but it shows it’s age when put under the modern spotlight.
San Jose Sharks: B+
The San Jose Sharks managed to create some decent entries in the reverse retro line, with their first one being a gray version of their 1998-2007 uniforms. I like this as a jersey, although many fans didn’t really appreciate this for what it is. I often saw this around the middle of the rankings. The design is actually really cool seeing the arm colors coming off the shoulder yolk. I really like this as a uniform, but as a whole reverse retro, I find it to be lacking. Going with this jersey when they hadn’t fully embraced their original teal sets yet really sucks for the fans that were dying to see those return. However, now that they’ve gone back to that, I would love to see this return as an alternate jersey for the team.
All of that changes seeing their second reverse retro jersey. This is a solid way to honor history, but the uniform set itself is mediocre. The colors are nothing like the Sharks, mainly because they are honoring an entirely different team, the California/Oakland/ Golden Seals. This specific design is just the 1974-1976 design with the wordmark logo being changed from “Seals” to “Sharks” as a reminder of what team is still playing. The colors are different from what the Seals had for the majority of their existence, but are closer to the colors employed by the Sharks today. However, I till wish they put an actual logo on this sweater. It really looks like a football jersey more than a hockey jersey. This is a nice ode to history, but not a great hockey jersey.
Seattle Kraken: B+
The Kraken are a very new team to the NHL. Their second season was the second reverse retro lineup, and they had to come up with something. They honored one of the many minor league teams, the Seattle Ironmen, but also made themselves a neat alternate uniform. I like it a lot, although I do have a fairly big complaint about the jersey. The big navy stripe across the middle makes the logo look out of place. The stripes look busy with the navy background down below, and there’s nothing on the shoulders. However, looking past the criticisms, I really like this. Hopefully the team gets a light blue alternate uniform soon, but until then, this is a taste of what’s to come.
Tampa Bay Lightning: B
When the Lightning revealed their reverse retro jerseys, I was pretty underwhelmed. Both uniforms are fine, but they really could’ve been done better. The first one is just their 2000’s jersey with blue and black swapped throughout. It works in blue very well, but there’s not much to it. While a solid design, nothing is drastically different about it. With their main uniform also being blue, this is more of a complimentary piece rather than a true alternate jersey. It would’ve been cool then, but it’s still nice now.
However their second set is quite… something. This is an updated version of their “Storm” alternate jerseys from 1995-99, which looks as crazy as ever. I shouldn’t need to explain why it should’ve been left in the past, but I’ll give it credit as fans really wanted to see it return. However, with the white base, there’s almost no blue left on the jersey at all, minus the ocean. While fans may have wanted it, this version arguably looks worse than the original. The lack of a base color highlights the problems I have with it. Yet I still appreciate the effort to do something fans wanted.
Toronto Maple Leafs: C
When you see the Leafs’ low grade, you have to give the designers credit. They were making reverse retro jerseys for a team with 2 colors and a limited selection of retro themes and uniforms to go back to. Yet I still feel more than underwhelmed seeing their offerings. Their first jersey takes an old crest and puts it on the 1972-1992 pattern, which has more gray on it. I like seeing the gray be used more, and the design isn’t horrible, but maybe seeing the gray as a base color would’ve made it stand out among the Leafs’ set of jerseys.
Their second uniform is just plain bad. Imagine their current home uniform, but with a shoulder yolk and a slightly altered logo. That is pretty much the entire jersey. This is meant to honor the franchise’s 1962 cup-winning team, but it looks so similar to what they wear now mainly because the team’s current uniforms are supposed to be a modern recreation o their uniforms from the same era! Without the shoulder treatment, these would be no different! I really don’t like this entry, it’s one to forget (although I do prefer having the shoulder yolk as opposed to not so perhaps their current uniforms could get that treatment?)
Vancouver Canucks: B+
The more that I look at the Canuck’s reverse retro jerseys, the more underwhelmed I become. With such glory as the “Flying V”, “Spaghetti Sled,” and “Checkmark sled” in their arsenal, the Canucks played it quite safe with their uniforms. The first one is the old Gradient jersey recolored in the modern blue and green. This wasn’t a bad idea, and it was executed really well. The gradient is still as jarring and weird as it was back when it was first used, but I do like the blue and green color scheme a lot more than the red and blue. This is a nice uniform when it all comes together, but not something anyone is itching to see return.
Their second reverse retro jersey chooses not to honor the history of the NHL Vancouver Canucks, but rather a much more forgotten minor league hockey team of the same name. (Some consider them the same team, but the NHL doesn’t recognize the team’s history prior to 1970) This jersey is the team’s 1962 uniform, and the logo is Johnny Canuck, a beloved mascot of the team that is not often used. It was cool to see this jersey with that old logo and off white, but something says that it would’ve been cool to see this with a green base. However, this is still more fan-service than a groundbreaking uniform.
Vegas Golden Knights: B-
The Golden Knights are still a new team to the NHL, making it very hard to create proper reverse retro uniforms for the team. Their first try was a Golden Knights version of the IHL’s Las Vegas Thunder, a hockey team from the 1990’s. The base color is red, which a lot of people hated. I’ll say that I don’t really get the hate, other than red not being a main color. The shoulders lack design at all which makes for a bottom heavy jersey, but it’s still very serviceable. You’d hardly know this was supposed to be retro if this was just a regular jersey.
The Knights got a little more creative with their second jersey. While the striping pattern may technically be honoring another Thunder jersey, the designers made it clear the whole design was meant to resemble something the team would wear if they had existed in 1995. The jersey also combines elements from Las Vegas hotels, as the number and wordmark fonts are meant to honor the Stardust hotel and Excalibur hotel respectively. Truthfully, the coolest element of these uniforms in the glow in the dark elements. That makes for some cooler pre-game introductions. Overall, they did what they could, but they are lacking a lot of retro elements, and there’s not a lot of desire to see these return.
Washington Capitals: A-
The Washington Capitals had some great reverse retro jerseys. Perhaps they have some of the best. Both times they went with an updated “Screaming Eagle” design. Now usually I dock credit when a team does the same thing twice, but here I barely had to do it. The first time was a recolor to the current colors, which looks amazing. The Capitals currently have a limited identity, and this jersey was perhaps the best thing they have. The team could’ve gotten away with reversing the navy and red elements the next time, or just bringing this back as a permanent alternate.
The second time also works, as the jersey had never been seen in black making for a unique jersey. While it may be the same idea, it looks drastically different from the first reverse retro. This could’ve been a cool alternate at the time of the original Eagle jerseys, but now it makes for a cool throwback idea. I have no complaints other than seeing the same idea again. The Caps would’ve benefited from the series continuing as they could’ve used their alternate jersey from that era as another entry.
Winnipeg Jets: B+
The Winnipeg Jets love themselves some nostalgia for the original franchise, and that is pretty clear when you look at their reverse retro jerseys. Both are recolored versions of their old threads. The first one is the shoulder yolk design from 1979-1990, but using a gray base and blue stripes. I like the idea of a gray base, as it’s not something that had been seen before. Fans were split on the set, mainly due to the lack of lighter colors. I would say that’s a valid criticism, there’s hardly any light blue or white to be found on the jersey.
The second time, they took the 1990-1996 design and updated it using modern colors. They listened to the criticism from the first uniform, as now there’s a lot more bright colors. The light blue is the main color, and the white is the base color. The design is simple and something you really can’t go wrong with. I really like it, although maybe a shoulder yolk could’ve been cool. I wouldn’t mind seeing this with the current logo end up as the primary away, but that’s probably just wishful thinking.
Final thoughts on the NHL’s reverse retro series
The reverse retro series was a great way for teams to create alternate jerseys, similar to the NBA’s city edition program. I, like many others, will miss this series and all of the uniforms created will live forever in a special place in our hearts, even if they weren’t great. Some teams may not have stood out, others may have made some bad stuff, but I’ll always say that we need this series back for the league until it does. I hope you enjoyed going down this trip with me, and hopefully you’ll stay tuned for jersey concepts, sports talk and more here at the Shady Sports Network.
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