JakeH28’s Uniform Hour: NHL 2024 Uniform Grades

Welcome everyone to the series on the Network where local jersey designer JakeH28 reviews uniforms from across sports. Today, we’ll be going over the NHL uniforms we will be seeing hit the ice in 2024.

2024 is going to be a year of great change on the ice for the jerseys worn by each NHL club, but many may not notice. Fanatics is taking over jersey manufacturing and design from Adidas, meaning there will be a new template on the ice. The jerseys will be much the same as they were under Adidas, and very few teams unveiled new looks- but the ones that did will be shaking up the way the league looks.

With all that said, I’d like to give credit to the NHL uniform database for providing a well run database of all the league’s uniforms and I would also like to give all image credit to the owners of the respective images.

Anaheim Ducks: B+

The Ducks are going to be looking different on the ice than they have for years, choosing to mix eras and rebrand their entire look. Overall, the design here takes the colors introduced after the Mighty Ducks era while bringing back the old logo on the front of the sweater. Overall, it’s a solid look without much that is really exciting or stands out. Perhaps mixing in different colors would really take these to the next level. However, as it is, these are a fine change that is an upgrade for the Ducks.

Boston Bruins: A

Boston may have spent a year away from wearing their now iconic sweaters to celebrate their 100th season, but as we move towards the 101st season of Bruins hockey, they return to wearing their normal jerseys. I love almost everything about these uniforms, they are some of the best examples of hockey jerseys we have in the NHL today. However, there is a distinct lack of gold on this set. A golden alternate or even some gold socks would be a nice balance of color.

Buffalo Sabres: A

The rare and coveted A grade goes to only the uniforms I think fit their team perfectly, and the Buffalo Sabres have created a set that does exactly that. The design itself is so clean and simple on the home and away sets. Both of them are incredibly solid sets that look like they could have been with Buffalo since the beginning. The away set is surprisingly well balanced instead of being a plain white jersey. The icing on this Sabres cake is the throwback jersey, which when brought out is a complete change of pace and one of the best throwbacks in the NHL.

Calgary Flames: A

Another solid set in the NHL belongs to the Calgary Flames, who recently in 2021 made a new version of their old classics, which proved to be the right call. These sweaters won’t blow anyone away, but they are really well put together. The jerseys are the right colors for the Flames, though I do wonder what these would look like with a little black tacked on to balance out the warm colors of the rest on the set. You’ll find the Flames using their first Reverse Retro jersey as their alternate for this season, bringing Blasty the Horse back and making another solid jersey in the set.

Carolina Hurricanes: B+

The Carolina Hurricanes are far from having a bad or even average uniform set compared to the rest of the NHL in a vacuum. A solid red jersey is paired with a road sweater that intriguingly uses diagonal text. Add in an electric black jersey, fleshing out the set, but in context, that black jersey is a weird home uniform that really has no business being worn night in and night out. Pair this with the strange away jersey, and the set is a disjointed one that really doesn’t tie together. Bonus points are given for the Whalers throwbacks worn once a year, now white instead of green.

Chicago Blackhawks: A

It’s hard to imagine the Chicago Blackhawks wearing anything other than the sweaters which have been evolving with the team since the design was introduced all the way back in 1955! Good looks stick around, and an Original Six team is the perfect example of this. Everything is balanced well in the set. Despite not having any alternate jerseys, it’s not needed for a team that has one of the best- and most classic- looks in the entire NHL.

Colorado Avalanche: B+

Here comes a potentially hot take: The Avalanche uniforms aren’t as good as many will say they are. Not that these are bad uniforms, but rather these aren’t as exciting. My biggest gripe comes with the color scheme on display. The maroon and navy just isn’t a good color scheme. As sell, the concept of the mountains on the sleeves and waist is a good idea, but it isn’t done very well, especially on the sleeves. I also don’t really like their alternate, which to me is among the most forgettable NHL jerseys out there.

Columbus Blue Jackets: C

Is there much that’s really exciting about these uniforms? Not really. There just isn’t much here to really appreciate. The red pants are out of place, and thankfully we only see them on the home set now, because on the road set they were bad. Speaking of bad, the phantom shoulder yolk is a bad idea and needs to be ditched as soon as possible on the home set. The alternate jersey is the best in the set, though I don’t really love it as much as others do. This set is among the most bland and boring in the entire NHL as a whole, and an update should come sooner rather than later.

Dallas Stars: A-

The Dallas Stars have created a jersey set that is very similar to another NHL team in the Chicago Blackhawks, which isn’t a bad thing by any means, but one was created for a classic team decades ago and the other was unveiled just over a decade ago. The Stars set in incredibly good, using their color scheme to their advantage. The alternate is an example of a blackout jersey done right. The neon green pops well, and makes for an alternate jersey worth remembering. As time goes on, perhaps we’ll be talking about these jerseys as absolute classics.

Detroit Red Wings: A

Rarely do I support uniforms that are “classic” but feature little actual design elements on them. However, the Red Wings uniforms are so clean that I can’t help but give them an A grade. The Winged Wheel is one of the most iconic logos in NHL history and sports history in general. The uniforms themselves won’t blow you away, but there’s something to be said about this clean look that has endured for nine decades. The away jerseys sleeves being red is a nice touch as well. The only thing preventing me from giving the Wings an A+ is the lack of an alternate sweater, which would push it all the way to the top.

Edmonton Oilers: A

It’s hard to go wrong with the Oilers design which is a modern rendition of the uniforms worn during the Cup winning days of Wayne Gretzky. The colors pop extremely well and everything falls into place on these uniforms which ultimately makes for a very pleasing sweater to look at. With Edmonton being one of the best teams in the NHL right now, it makes sense that their uniforms match. The only thing missing is an alternate that makes sense. While their modern navy alternates are a two-tone jersey done right, their orange home from a few seasons ago would fill the alternate role much better for Edmonton.

Florida Panthers: B

The reigning Stanley Cup champs in Florida have some pretty good uniforms that are now in hockey lore forever. However, they aren’t all that exciting or good especially compared to many other sets in the NHL. The chest stripe is fine, but isn’t exciting. The crest isn’t terribly interesting either, and it looks more like a soccer logo than a hockey logo. The leaping panther designs of the past should be considered as an alternate design, because what Florida has right now is just plain mediocre, and yet it could be so much better.

Los Angeles Kings: B

This season will mark the first year the Kings will be wearing their new design, a modern take on some of the looks from the 90’s. Despite being a new design, almost all of the design cues come right out of the era when Wayne Gretzky was playing in Los Angeles, so these really are more like throwbacks. The color scheme stays with silver and black, and is overall not used very well. These look very mediocre and compared to the rest of the NHL, these are incredibly average, which is still an upgrade from that they had before. I can’t say I like these yet I can’t say I dislike these either.

Minnesota Wild: B+

The Minnesota Wild don’t have the most impressive uniforms, especially compared to the rest of the NHL, but that doesn’t mean that this set is bad. The color scheme really does fit the team name, and the crest is among my favorites in the league. However, when it comes to the uniforms, seeing the red interrupt the rest of the look is somewhat jarring. They do have a vintage look which pits the North Stars colors on a Wild jersey, which was part of the Reverse Retro program. This is a fine alternate, but should not be the basis of a primary set.

Montreal Canadiens: A

The Canadiens have one of the most iconic sweaters in the NHL. Their home red look with the chest stripe has been a staple of hockey for over a century, and the design itself has successfully evolved with the team over time to get where it is today. This look is perfect for this team to wear all the time, and hopefully it never changes. The away set leaves something to be desired. In my opinion, they should add a chest stripe to it, creating some continuity between the jerseys. They should also consider bringing on their blue Reverse Retro from 2021 back full-time to flesh out the set, making it one of the best in the NHL.

Nashville Predators: B-

The Nashville Predators don’t have bad uniforms, but they sure have some boring ones. The sheer overwhelming nature of the gold really ruins these sweaters for me. Everything is washed in a sea of this mustard-like gold and hardly broken up by much of the navy blue. The away has almost no blue on it at all, making a very bright jersey that lacks contrast necessary to make a good uniform. Nashville would benefit from seeing more of their navy blue in their uniform set, would would elevate their grade compared to the rest of the NHL.

New Jersey Devils: B+

The New Jersey Devils have one of the most consistent brands in the NHL, having looked almost exactly the same every year since the early 90’s. The design itself is incredibly solid, with the stripes and shoulder yolk all being executed extremely well. I will say that the loss of the waist stripe in 2017 really hurt these sweaters. Should those hem stripes make their way back onto the jerseys, these sweaters will find their way to a higher grade. The alternate jersey is fine, but overall seems like wasted potential as a jersey. With too many stripes and not enough color, it doesn’t help the Devils improve their grade.

New York Islanders: A

Long Island is home to a franchise that is one of the cleanest looking in the entire NHL. Sticking to their roots, the Islanders have a set that mimics their original look from the Cup-winning days of old. Blue and orange is a classic color combination for this team, and they really shouldn’t be going away from this look anytime soon. Everything about this look is simple and clean, and it all comes together well for one of the best looks you’ll see in the NHL. Their most recent alternate is now supposedly retired for this season, leaving New York with just 2 jerseys this year.

New York Rangers: A

There is something so iconic about the New York Rangers sweaters with their patriotic color scheme and diagonal text that has been around for nearly a century. The Rangers have been known as the “blueshirts” for a very long time, since their only jerseys for over 20 years were their now legendary blue jerseys. Their away set is also really good, and has been consistent since they were introduced to the NHL in 1951. Their alternate jersey was unveiled last year, and while it’s a solid change of pace for the Rangers, it’s nothing all too exciting.

Ottawa Senators: B+

The Ottawa Senators used the 2021 season as an opportunity to bring back their vintage look from the 90’s, and have kept this solid look since. The design is slightly updated, and it is an upgrade from what they wore before, but these are still fairly mediocre uniforms that don’t do much. The blackout home is a really solid blackout look, but one that should be reserved for an alternate status. The away is very tame and simple. Their red reverse retro jersey from 2021 would be amazing as an alternate or even the home jersey should they ever choose to add that to their rotation.

Philadelphia Flyers: B

Philadelphia has kept a similar look through their entire history for their jerseys, keeping to the full shoulder yolk design and the iconic color scheme of orange and black that has defined the Broad Street Bullies since they entered the NHL. However, the Flyers current duds just aren’t all that good. It’s hard to see these as a finished product when there’s still much more that could be done to finish the uniforms. It also would help if they created a black version of their uniforms to flesh out the set. While I like the blackout look, I’d drop it in an instant for a new black jersey.

Pittsburgh Penguins: A-

The city of Pittsburgh has a standard for their sports team’s designs. Black and Gold, the iconic color combination that is not just recognizable in the NHL, but in every league where Pittsburgh has a team. When it comes to the actual design, the Penguins do a really good job of making everything look solid. The Penguins set as a whole would benefit from bringing back the old yellow alternate, which was one of the best in the NHL, but otherwise they have a fairly solid look on the ice.

St. Louis Blues: A-

The St. Louis Blues are aptly named, as all of their uniforms have a lot of blue. However, instead of being an overwhelming amount of blue, it is perfectly balanced across the different sets St. Louis puts out each night. The home and road sweaters are a well done pair of solid jerseys, though they still look like they were created in the Reebok era. The powder blue alternate is a hit with fans, and rightfully so. The vintage aesthetic makes for a great jersey to pull out from time to time during the NHL season.

San Jose Sharks: B+

Recently, the San Jose Sharks refreshed their look, completely doing away with their old uniforms and bringing on a new set that is aggressively teal. With every piece of gear, save for one of the road helmets, being teal, it can be a lot of one color and not a lot to break it up. However, the design is not a bad one for the main sweaters. The road jersey could do with a little more color to break up the plain white, but otherwise it’s a decent look. The new alternate is a fine jersey, but it isn’t overly impressive or interesting. The fin logo is a nice touch to make it different.

Seattle Kraken: A-

The newest team in the NHL, Seattle nailed their branding from the very start. The crest is one of the best in the league, and the color scheme is superb. The uniforms are simply another part of one of the best brands in hockey. With good amounts of each shade of blue mixed with hints of red, the jerseys are always a treat to see. The thing that would put them over the top? An icy blue alternate jersey to round out the set. Otherwise, this is still one of the greatest sets in the NHL right now.

Tampa Bay Lightning: D+

Few uniforms in the NHL are as boring as the Tampa Bay Lightning, and even some of the ones that are at least have some history to them and are usually solid designs. Looking at the Lightning’s set, I am nothing but underwhelmed. The minimal and plain approach to the look just doesn’t do anything for me. The lightning on the pants is a neat touch, but doesn’t salvage the lame uniform set. The new black alternate is fine, but is very cut-and-dry. Still, it is the most visually interesting uniform in the set.

Toronto Maple Leafs: C-

The Toronto Maple Leafs have a simple look, and it unfortunately suffers from the same problems as the Lightning. There’s not much going on here, with only two colors and little to break up the monotonous look. The sweaters are slightly interesting with some double stripe patterns on the sleeves, but it isn’t super exciting. A third color such as silver would really bolster these otherwise boring uniforms. The alternate black jersey is really cool, should it stick around, it will be my favorite jersey in their set.

Utah Hockey Club: B-

The newest brand in the NHL, Utah Hockey Club is a temporary moniker for the team taking the place of the Arizona Coyotes, and I don’t like it. With their uniforms, there isn’t much to be said. They’re bland, but serviceable. Nothing is too interesting about these, and seeing them on the ice is not something I’m excited for, but they aren’t bad or ugly. Whatever they do, I can’t wait until we have a real brand on display and a full set of uniforms properly designed around it so we can forget the temporary brand.

Vancouver Canucks: A-

For their entire history in the NHL, it seems as though the Canucks have had a hard time finding their identity, but what they have now is certainly a good look for them. While there isn’t much happening on the jersey, everything is balanced fairly well, and the look comes together really well. The home and away sweaters having their logos properly colored to match the jersey better is a very nice touch. The retro alternate is a fun thing to see come out for a few games each year, and it’s a solid add to the set, but nothing terribly crazy.

Vegas Golden Knights: A

The Golden Knights are one of the youngest teams in the NHL, but similar to the Seattle Kraken, they nailed their brand right out of the gate. Now after a few years- and a cup win later, these uniforms are now etched into hockey history. The gold sweater taking up primary home duties was certainly an interesting choice, but it is still one of the best jerseys in the league. The white away jersey is solid, and the steel gray that has been with the team since the beginning serves as a very solid alternate to round out a great set.

Washington Capitals: D

When the Reebok Edge uniform took over the NHL in 2007, the Washington Capitals were given their current uniform design featuring all the Reebok staples, with paneling and piping throughout as well as a confusingly weird crest on the front. Washington has kept up these uniforms which are a relic of a bygone era ever since, and it’s high time we see this team find something new to wear soon. Their alternate is forgettable and bland, but not ugly or bad in any way. I really think that once Alex Ovechkin retires, we will be seeing a rebrand for the Capitals.

Winnipeg Jets: B

There isn’t much to say about the Jets uniforms, which have remained largely the same since they re-entered the NHL in 2011. These jerseys are fine, but not much more than that. The amount of blue is over-powering, and unlike the St. Louis Blues, it really isn’t interesting to look at. Neither of the main sweaters are particularly good or bad, and both look due for an upgrade. The away with the stripes interrupting the shoulder yolk is always a weird touch. Their alternate look replaces powder blue elements with red ones, and I really don’t like it all that much. Overall, very boring and forgettable in Winnipeg, which sums up their time in the NHL.

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