The Jerseys, Numbers and Players in Slap Shot

Slap Shot came out 30 years ago and time has done little to damage it's appeal. Often hailed as one of the greatest sports movies ever made even non-hockey fans can quote large portions of it verbatim. The amount of Chiefs related merchandise seems to grow with each passing year (as do the number of rec league hockey teams who sport the jerseys). And, lets be honest, what better way to show how much you love a movie is there than to go out and spend over $100 on a team jersey that only existed for a couple of minutes on film? Nancy Dowd (who wrote the script) must be very happy every time she sees a Denis Lemieux jersey at her local mall.

Now, buying a jersey that is featured in the film is no problem, let it be Ogilthorpe, Hanrahan or your choice of Hanson brothers, there are a ton of places on-line that sell them as well as customize them. Be advised that many don't accurately reflect those featured in the film, and that at no point are the Chiefs ever shown wearing nameplates - nor are the Long Island Ducks jerseys orange. The Syracuse Bulldogs jerseys are nearly identical to those worn by the Flyers during the 1970's, and the Hyannisport Presidents are exactly those worn by the North Stars during this same period of time. For reasons I have never understood the Chiefs are the only team who actually wear the Federal League patch. Some teams have nameplates, others lack TV numbers. Whether any of this is actually done for a reason is questionable. But so is the use in actually delving this far into the subject to begin with...

Some Basics
There are 7 teams shown in the film:
Charlestown Chiefs
Lancaster Gears
Broom County Blades
Hyannisport Presidents
Long Island Ducks
Syracuse Bulldogs
Peterboro Patriots
If you're really interested Slap Shot Tribute has the logos here.

Besides the Chiefs the only team that is shown in both home and road uniforms is Hyannisport.
Ross "Mad Dog" Madison who is announced as being on the Bulldogs roster in the last game between Syracuse and the Chiefs is actually never shown on the ice (as far as I can tell) and I still have no idea what number he wore...
The following jerseys are for players who actually have speaking lines or are named specifically within the film's script.

The Charlestown Chiefs Roster

Denis Lemieux - #1
"You do that, and you go to the box. Two minutes by yourself...and you feel shame."

Morris "Mo" Wanchuk - #2
"Not Poodle."

Dave "Killer" Carlson - #3
"Coach, I want that hundred dollars."

Billy Charlebois - #5
"Ensemble number 32: entitled Omar Sharif and modeled by Chiefs defenseman Billy Charlebois who hails from, if I can read the card here, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan."

Jim Ahern (A) - #6
"I knew there was a reason he made the trip."

Reggie Dunlop - #7
"I am personally placing a hundred-dollar bounty on the head of Tim McCracken. He's the head coach and chief punk on that Syracuse team."

Andre Bergeron - #8
Not a word in the entire film!

Ned Braden - #10
"Somebody's gonna kill you, ya dumb son of a bitch, but it's not gonna be me."

Johnny Upton (C) - #12
"I'm gonna flash'em, Joe."

Jean-Guy "Froggy" Drouin (A) - #14
"Finit?"

Jack Hanson - #16
"That's what we're here for guys, to win."

Steve Hanson - #17
"Dave's a killer!"

Jeff Hanson - #18
"Hey fellas there's six of 'em out there for us."

Yvon LeBrun - #30
"Well played, good win, two points..."

Hyannisport Presidents

Nick Brophy - #8
"Anybody throws me against the boards I'm gonna piss all over myself."

Broom County Blades

Barclay Donaldson - #9
"I gotta contract!"

Long Island Ducks

Tommy Hanrahan - #1
"Cover the point goddammit, cover the point!"
(The Islanders were nearly named the Ducks and actually considered using this color scheme.)

Syracuse Bulldogs

Tim "Dr. Hook" McCracken - #9
"Major surgery - open heart."

Andre "Poodle" Lussier - #16
"Andre, of course, has been living in semi-seclusion in Northern Quebec ever since the unforunate Denny Pratt tragedy."

Ogie Ogilthorpe - #2
"This young man has had a very trying rookie season. What with the litigation, the notoriety, his subsequent deportation to Canada, and that country's refusal to accept him....well, that's more than most 21 year olds could handle."

Clarence "Screaming Buffalo" Swamptown - #7
"I'll never forget an exclusive interview in which Swamptown revealed that he calls his hockey stick the "Big Tomahawk," and he usually refers to the opposing players as "the little scalps"."

Gilmore Tuttle - #15
"And from Mile 40, Saskatchewan where he now runs a donut shop: number 15 and former penalty minute record holder of the Federal League from the years 1960 to 1968 inclusive - Gilmore Tuttle."

As mentioned, Ross "Mad Dog" Madison is really never shown on the ice in a way were his number is actually visible, but otherwise that covers pretty much all of the main characters in the film.

All the jerseys can be found in the Jersey Database for use with the widgets on this site in the Misc. section here. This includes the home Chiefs jerseys as well as both home and road with the names.

Regarding 3rd Jerseys Part 5

Part 1 can be found here.
Part 2 (Atlantic Division) here.
Part 3 (Northeast Division) here.
Part 4 (Southeast Division) here.

Intro
To continue the saga of third jerseys and if, when, and how they will return to the NHL - the rest of this series will focus on the jerseys we have seen in the past, as well some speculation and critique as to what we may see in the future.

All images are linked to the originals from Webshots.com, the majority of these are game worn and are part of individual's collections.

The Central Division

Detroit Red Wings

Detroit is one of the three NHL teams never to have used a third jersey. This is probably all for the best because they really would be fighting an uphill battle to come up with anything that would even do justice to the two regular jerseys they have. In fact, during their entire existance in the NHL they have never really strayed from the look they continue to use even into the 2007-08 season.

In 1991-92 (and in one game in 1993-94 against the Blackhawks) they used an alternate jersey in conjunction with the league's 75th anniversary, that jersey (shown to the right) was never actually worn by the Red Wings at any time during their history. It was actually worn by their predecessors the Detroit Cougars in the late 1920's. Presumably if the Red Wings would be forced to bring in an alternate sweater this would probably be it, since it now has some tradition in the city. If they were to go and do anything else I'd be amazed (less it be picking another sweater from from the 20's or 30's). Of course...stranger things have happened...

Chicago Blackhawks

The stranger things happening... The Blackhawks, whose home and away jerseys are just about as iconic as the Red Wings, introduced their black versions in 1996 (and used them till this year). Chicago had at one point during their history actually worn black as their main color (not a stretch considering their name) however those jersey looked nothing like these and did not even incorporate red.

I can't say I have ever really had anything against these, and the fact that they have never even considered replacing their red jerseys with them makes them quite alright. However one does question their value to the team's identity and whether or not wearing a heritage jersey would mean more than simply swapping out the colors to create a third version of their regular uniform.

Personally I'd love to see them bring back the major barberpole action they wore in 91-92 (image to right), I actually knew someone who bought one of these and it was truly something to behold. The Hawks actually wore the style for nearly 20 years, lasting up until the mid-fifties when they changed to the solid red and larger logo. I have no idea what fans of the team think, but I do know that the Blackhawks won a Stanley Cup in the first year they officially wore them and that would be 70 years ago next season...

One way or another Chicago isn't going to dissapoint anyone, enough people like the black jerseys that their return would be welcomed. They are also an Original Six team which means doing anything too brash is pretty much out of the question. Of course they could always go with those black jerseys that don't involve any red, they'd actually look quite good. You can see an image of them here.


Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets have been in the league for just just more than 7 years now and in that time they have amassed a ridiculous amount of logos. At last count they had already had 2 different primary logos and 5 different alternate ones. (Goodbye strange bug thing and hello hat.) Their first alternate jersey, which came out in 2003, featured the primary logo they are using now as the crest. I guess the team realized they were onto something since they kept these jerseys until this year and basically styled their new Edge versions after them. Unfortunately without the stars on the sleeves...

Now, I guess it is too much to expect them to incorporate more of the Civil War theme into a third jersey (you know buttons down the front, maybe a collar and felt patches...) so I can only hope that they at least try to use the hat logo they currently have on the shoulder patches. I'm not sure why but I like the idea of a team using something so simple and yet at the same time so historical. Granted it doesn't say anything about hockey, and it's not exactly flashy and menacing, but it defines what a blue jacket is...kind of...well more so than the old CB rollercoaster logo did anyways.

Who knows, Columbus came out this season having some of the nicest jerseys in the league. They were well defined, simple and straight forward. If they can do something along those lines with a third jersey then I'm sure they'll have a hit with the fans. (Just don't bring back that bug thing!)

Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators brought out jerseys in a color nobody had ever seen before in 2001. Whether the color is technically known as mustard, or not, doesn't really matter since that is the only way people talk about them. Well did, until they were abandoned this season and many, perhaps not all, but many, breathed a sigh of relief.

Now, the strange thing about these jerseys is not just the color but the hemline which is curved like the Edge jerseys. The only other team I can think of that did this was Vancouver who had it on their third jerseys as well. What the significance was I don't know, since they didn't use the same style on their main jerseys. Some people have claimed that this looks better on a pair of jeans and fans like that, but to me that seems a bit trite. At the same time it's as good a theory as any since I can't for the life of me see how it would in any way, shape or form create a better jersey for the players to wear on the ice.

In addition to the hem thing, the Predators also introduced yet another crest with these which meant that they now had a different one on each of their three jerseys. I have never really liked when teams do this and as far as I know hockey is really the only sport that does it. The Predators are doing it this year as well, along with Minnesota, and it kind of drives one mad if you care about the aesthetics of these types of things.

Whether or not we see the return of the mustard next season is up for grabs. I'd say no. We are more than likely going to see something a bit more tame colorwise and perhaps a bit more daring patternwise. All I can say is pick one sabre tooth cat and stay with it.

St. Louis Blues

Most of us are probably aware of the infamous third jersey the St. Louis Blues never wore. If you aren't familiar you can see the design that still makes team owners cringe here. As for the third jersey the team would eventually adopt they played things much more conservatively. One would almost say they played them intelligently. Brought out in 1997 these are one of the very few examples of a team using a white alternate. They were also very much in opposition of the team's main jerseys. Not because they were dramatically different, but because they were dramatically less complicated. (At the time the team was using the diagonal stripes and strangely skewed numbers.)

After one season these became the Blues official home jerseys and the royal blue version debuted as their away jerseys. Now, whether or not the team actually used the 1997-98 season as a way to gauge fan reaction I don't know. If they did then I guess they discovered they had created something more along the lines of what the fans wanted. If that is the case then you have to admit they played the third jersey card in a very nifty way and since then have not even bothered to try another one.

The team did wear their heritage jerseys in 2003-04 (these being from the late 70's/early 80's) and I imagine that they would conceivably draw from their past for any other third jersey they are going to wear in the future. Considering the infamy of the disaster they so narrowly avoided in 1996 one can assume the current owners still don't want to venture into uncharted waters any time too soon. The Blues had great uniforms in the 70's, better than most, so I think people would be happy to see more of them.

Next up the Northwest Division...
Part 6 can be found here.

Advent Day 25 - Thomas Steen

The only number 25 in the league that is retired belongs to Thomas Steen. He is also the only Swedish born player to have earned the honor.

He played 14 seasons in the NHL, all with the Winnipeg Jets, totaling 950 games. Besides Bobby Hull, his number is the only other the Jets ever retired (9 and 25 continue to be recognized by the Coyotes).

Besides playing with Winnipeg he played in three Canada Cups for Sweden as well as numerous World Championships. After retiring from the NHL in 1995 he went on to play 6 more seasons in Germany before finally hanging up the skates in 1999.

He is the father of the Maple Leafs Alexander Steen.

More on Thomas Steen can be found at the HHOF*s Legends of Hockey page here.

His jerseys in the database can be found here.

Steen and company during the 1984-85 season...with terrible music track.

Advent Day 24 - Bernie Federko

One of the greatest St. Louis Blues of all time Bernie Federko played 12 seasons with the team and retired with most of the team's scoring records.

He came into the league in 1976 playing 31 games with the Blues and notching 3 hat tricks in his rookie season. He would have 100 or more points in 4 seasons and more than 90 in 3 more. He was the first player in NHL history to record at least 50 assists in 10 straight seasons, and the 22nd to top the 1000 point mark. He only played in 2 All-Star games and was often overlooked in an era playing with the likes of Lemieux and Gretzky. Jacques Demers called him the most underrated player in the league.

He was traded to Detroit in 1989 and would retire the following year. The Blues retired his number 24 in 1991, and Federko was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002. To this day he still holds the Blues records for games played, assists and points. He is currently the color commentator for the team.

More on Bernie Federko at the HHOF's Legends of Hockey page here.

His jerseys in the database can be found here.

A look back at Federko's career in St. Louis:

Advent Day 23 - Bob Gainey

One of the most dominant defensive forwards to ever play the game Bob Gainey played his entire 15 year career in the NHL with the Canadiens. He won 5 Stanley Cups in Montreal and was awarded the Selke Trophy four years in a row between 1979 and 1982. He also won the Conn Smythe in 1979.

Never a high scoring forward his true talent resided in his defensive play. His total of just over 500 points says little about who he was as a player. The Soviet national team coach at the time referred to him as the greatest all-around player in the world. (He played against the Soviets on a number of occasions including 2 Canada Cups and the 1979 Challenge Cup which replace the All-Star game that season.)

He captained the Canadiens for 8 seasons starting in 1981 and his number 23 was officially retired in February earlier this year. Gainey is currently the General Manager in Montreal.

More on Bob Gainey can be found at the HHOF's Legends of Hockey page here.

His jerseys in the database can be found here.

Regarding 3rd Jerseys Part 4

Part 1 can be found here.
Part 2 (Atlantic Division) here.
Part 3 (Northeast Division) here.

Intro
To continue the saga of third jerseys and if, when, and how they will return to the NHL - the rest of this series will focus on the jerseys we have seen in the past, as well some speculation and critique as to what we may see in the future.

All images are linked to the originals from Webshots.com, the majority of these are game worn and are part of individual's collections.

The Southeast Division

Atlanta Thrashers

The Thrashers unveiled their powder blue jerseys in 2003 and reaction the them has always been mixed. The team however staked the franchise on them in 2006 and made them the official home jerseys creating a strange combination of light and darks which use two different main color themes. Light blue being dominant on one, and practically non-existant on the other. Their current Edge design varies slightly from last years model but overall has the same basic appearance.

To me these jerseys are something of an enigma, they seem to break so many rules but in the end they work. In fact they work so well that they are a welcome addition to a league dominated by about 5 standard colors. Even the word "Atlanta" down one sleeve, with no TV number, a style that has no regard for being symmetrical and a bizarre dark line running down the stitching on one side can't ruin the fact that they actually look good on the ice. They are original and certainly added to the Thrashers identity as a team and remain one of the true success stories of a third jersey.

Atlanta being a relatively new club can go anywhere with a third jersey, I imagine they will probably bring out something dark blue if and when they release a third jersey. As for the design, well, I hope they succeed in being as creative as they were with the powder blue one.

Carolina Hurricanes
As previously mentioned the Hurricanes are one of three teams that have never used a third jersey. Why? I have no clue. In a way they should be applauded for this because they could very easily have just put out a matching black jersey using the same pattern but resisted the temptation to do so. They could have also come up with something off-the-wall for the sake of merchandising...but they didn't.

It's hard to say what they would do for a third jersey if it was imposed upon them to have one. Odds are it would be a black version, otherwise your guess is as good as mine...

Florida Panthers

If you are unaware of the Florida Panthers strange uniform history then you are not alone. At first it all seems rather normal, then you take a closer look and realize that all is a bit more confusing.

First off the Panthers added the blue version of their uniform (using the same style as their red and whites) in 1998. However, there was one major difference that made them stand out besides the color. The once bare-pawed panther crest was now breaking a hockey stick. This strange change was never incorporated into their other jerseys, and why it is that the team chose to use it on one jersey and not the others truly boggles the mind. It doesn't in any way actually ruin the logo, but it doesn't exactly add anything to it either. It's a lateral move that seems kind of unnecessary considering it's already fairly obvious that they are a hockey team and adding a stick seems much too cliche. (I find this to be redundant with any sports team that incorportates equipment from the sport into their logos. The Penguins get away with it, but the Sharks and Thrashers don't need it. I'll get to the Ducks later, but they were the worst criminals when it came to this type of thing...)

Now, things get even stranger in 2003 because Florida decided to make their blue alternates their main home jersey and instead of creating a new third jersey simply moved their red ones to that position. (Which is essentially what the Flyers should have done when they made their blacks their main jerseys...instead they just got rid of the orange.) So, what about the stick? Yes, they took the stick away from the panther on the blue jerseys and put it on the red jerseys officially signifying the change of status.

The Panthers do not have the stick included with their new jerseys this year, in case you were wondering, Which makes one question it's return on a future third jersey which will more than likely be a red version of their current set (since they opted for blue for their roads.)

Tampa Bay Lightning

Ugghhh...remember these? So do I unfortunately. The Lightning wore these for three seasons starting in 1996, and let me just say their removal from the team's uniform set for the 1999-00 season was nothing to mourn.

In just the way Atlanta succeeded with something outlandish and different the Lightning failed miserably. Whatever look they were trying to achieve with these...well...it didn't happen. The crest on the front looks remarkably out of place, the actual jersey "pattern" involving a one dimentional storm scene over waves just looks wrong...and the bolts of firey lighting on the sleeves makes them look freakish. I could go into the frazzled font...but that would just be beating a dead horse. In any case these were the one and only third jersey ever used by the team and I'd stake my life on the fact that we will never see them again. (Thank goodness...)

If we are to see a Lightning third jersey again my guess is that it will be something rather conservative and probably involve blue as a main color. Don't expect them to use their alternate logo with the Florida state outline as the main crest however, because that may get it into their heads to use it permanently on their other jerseys as well...which would be the smart thing to do. Who knows, considering the name they could do just about anything on a third jersey involving lightning bolts. I just hope they consider that the players will actually have to wear them on the ice before they start manufacturing them.

Washington Capitals

In 1995 the Capitals ditched the red, white and blue as well as their logo and the jersey style they had for more than two decades. Now, a lot of people loved these jerseys. Granted they took some time to get used to but people actually complain about their return to their text logo and orignal colors. I am not one of those people. I always had a serious dislike for the blue and black jerseys (not to mention their logo(s) and worst of all their choice of fonts) and was thrilled when they brought back their old appearance this year. For once I think a lot of fans got what they wanted and a lot of credit can be given to their new owner who is very concious of what the fans want to see.

In 1997 the team brought out their black alternate using what is not so lovingly referred to as the "squashed bug" logo. Once again I have to go back to the incorporation of hockey equipment in a hockey logo. Not only two sticks but a puck as well in this case. I could make a case for not using a wordmark in a logo, unless the logo is the wordmark, but since the team has since ditched these jerseys it would be fruitless. In 2000 the Capitals made this jersey their main home jersey and thereby being one of the few teams that had two completely different logos on their home and away jerseys. Something that drives me crazy, I think only Minnesota and Nashville are still doing this. Since 2000 the team has not had a third jersey.

Now, the Capitals are a strange case when it comes to what they may unveil in the future. They could very easily bring back their original jerseys as a vintage/heritage/third jersey. But, you run into the problem of the team using two logos that look only slightly different. (I'm all for it, but from a marketing stand point things get confusing.) More than likely they will bring about a jersey that is a nod to their past and somehow uses some of the features of their old jerseys. Possibly the stars and white shoulders. Truly a tough call considering their current identity is less than a year old.


Next up the Central Division...
Part 5 can be found here

Regarding 3rd Jerseys Part 3

Part 1 can be found here.
Part 2 (Atlantic Division) here.

Intro
To continue the saga of third jerseys and if, when, and how they will return to the NHL - the rest of this series will focus on the jerseys we have seen in the past, as well some speculation and critique as to what we may see in the future.

All images are linked to the originals from Webshots.com, the majority of these are game worn and are part of individual's collections.

The Northeast Division

Boston Bruins

Boston used heritage jerseys on a number of occasions after third jerseys came about. Most notably the white Bobby Orr style.

In 1995 the Bruins brought out their now rather infamous Pooh Bear jerseys. They were far and away the biggest departure the team had ever made from their standard look. They are probably the most famous of the third jerseys released during the first year of their existance in the NHL and the Bruins would keep them as part of their set for 10 years. Finally abandoning them in 2006 and replacing them with the vintage jersey used originally between 1967-74. To be honest I have mixed thoughts about the bear jerseys. Yes, they are experimental and "fun", but they look a little too amateur. I have no problems with them using the bear logo instead of the B, but the Bruins patches on the shoulder seem very forced and the fur or bite marks (or whatever they are) just seem strange. With that said, somehow they worked on the ice and gained quite a bit of popularity.

The current jerseys the Bruins are wearing are not actually a style they have worn in the past. They are a mesh of a number of different type that were worn by the team in the 70's. However, one could draw the conclusion that their design was probably based on fan reaction to the third jersey used in the 2006-07 season as well as the heritage jerseys they had worn in the past. The fact that they changed their alternate jerseys the year before the switch to the Edge jerseys is something that leads you to believe that it was something of a litmus test.

The Bruins could use just about any jersey from before 1975 as a third jersey, however since their standard set now bares such a close resemblance to older jerseys they'd have to pick one from before Orr joined the team to really have them stand out. I'd personally vouch for the brown and yellow jerseys they wore when Eddie Shore was on the team. I don't think they've ever worn them, and their alternate logo is close enough to the crest used on them that it wouldn't be a huge departure.

Buffalo Sabres

In 1996 the Sabres did the unthinkable, they changed their logo, colors and jerseys leaving a lot of people scratching their heads and wondering what on earth the owners were thinking. I for one never really understood it, and a lot of people started petitions to bring back the blue and yellow. Eventually they would, courtesy of a new owner who made good on the promise...although we all know what happened next.

Buffalo's first third jersey was introduced in 2000, and to describe it in one word I would say "uninspired". They remind me of a roller hockey jersey and really do nothing to further the team's identity. The alternate logo seems empty and lacking. The fact that it says "Buffalo" in the stripe on the front doesn't help matters. It looks like it was thrown in as an after thought so that the jersey had more going on. Eight other teams had red jerseys which left these completely without merit.

In 2006, as we all know, the Sabres returned to blue and gold. Many had hoped for a return to the original jerseys that trademarked the team for more than 20 years, however the new owners went in a different direction and brought out what would be forever known as the buffaslug. Perhaps one of the most passionately hated logos and uniforms in the NHL. As what could only be considered a gesture of good will the team used their original blue uniforms as a third jersey last year. With one small, and quite unnecessary, addition: numbers on the front of the jerseys. I can only make the assumption that this was done to distinguish them from older jerseys.

As has been shown third jerseys are often a testing ground for uniform changes and have on a number of occasions become the teams standard set. If Buffalo had done this I think they would have found out that the slug was a no go and that people obviously favored the traditional uniforms. Alas, perhaps contract or stubbornness dictates it, we are stuck with the slug. I'm not sure how many people out there actually like these jerseys but a fondness for the logo itself doesn't seem too prevalent. I personally wish they would just admit defeat and go back to the old jerseys entirely. Ditch the new logo and uniforms and listen to reason (and the fans). Chances of this happening are probably slim, in which case at least have both the home and road versions available for use next year and wear them often. (Just get rid of the numbers on the front...)

Montreal Canadiens

One of those most iconic uniforms in sports the Canadiens have made no truly major changes to their jerseys in their near 100 year existance. (With the execption of the jersey to the right.) They also chose to stick with tradition when it came to having a third jersey which they added in 2002. Originally a heritage jersey it has been used in regular rotation and was slightly updated to incorporate three colored numbers. The particular style was actually the team's road uniforms, used for only three years, between 1944-47, and is essentially the only other jersey the team has ever worn besides their main set that they still wear today.

I don't think the Canadiens will ever change their uniforms. The team is so steeped in history and tradition that even a slight change would cause a massive outcry of dissapointment. In the case of a third jersey their only true option is too use the one that they had before this season. I don't think there would be any bitter complaints if they brought it back.

Ottawa Senators

The Senators introduced their first third jersey in 1998. It incorporated not just a new design but also a new crest involving a more stylized and two-dimensional senator. They updated it again this year. After just one season Ottawa made these their main jersey and in 2000 added a new third jersey in black using the laurel leaves it also used the alternate font found on the red jerseys. These were used up until last year.

It's hard to say what Ottawa would/could do with a third jersey. They changed their overall design this year as well as their alternate logo. It would be strange to see them use a style they've already had since they returned to the NHL in 1992, in which case they'd more or less have to come up with a completely new design or look to their far far past and bring back the barberpole that is currently used by the Ottawa 67's. It's kind of strange that they have never once used those as a heritage jersey.

I'd personally be interested in seeing a barberpole jersey, but they could be disastrous as the amount of striping doesn't translate well onto jerseys of the non-sweater variety. (As in the jerseys the Blackhawks wore in 1991-92, they look great but something just seems kind of strange when the names are added to them.) If you really want to read into things the use of the original "O" emblem may be a sign of what's to come. Although the 2007-08 season marks their 15th anniversary, next year marks the 90th anniversary of the league which may herald some more focus on the league's long history of uniforms. We shall see...

Toronto Maple Leafs

On a number of occasions the Leafs have worn jerseys from their past including one night when they wore the Toronto St. Pats green jerseys in honor of the team's anniversary. The also wore vintage jerseys in 1996-97 which were based on their first uniform design after coming into the league. These did not include nameplates and are perhaps the only example of this in the modern era.

The teams first true third jersey was based on another design from their history and were first used in 1998-99, disappeared, then came back again in 2000-01 and were used until last year. They use both the same style and logo used by the team between 1958-1967.

Alot of people have complained about the new Leafs jerseys being too boring. But, if you look at the past Toronto has always been rather conservative with their uniforms. They use a minimal amount of striping and it makes their jerseys look like traditional hockey sweaters have always looked. If they come out with a third jersey that actually incorporates a design that strays away from this I'd be amazed. They can't really go too wrong by using anything from their past, and I think the use of the old Leaf is almost mandatory on any alternate jersey at this point since it reflects so much more of the team's history.


Next up is the Southeast Division...where things have been kind of crazy...
Part 4 can be found here.

Advent Day 22 - Mike Bossy

One of the greatest goal scorers in NHL history Mike Bossy left his mark in the league playing only ten seasons - all with the Islanders. Despite a career that was shortened by back injuries (retiring at only 30) he shattered scoring records and was a part of the dynasty that won 4 Stanley Cups between 1980-83.

He came into the league in 1977 scoring 53 goals and winning the Calder as rookie of the year. He would go on to score 50 or more in the next 9 seasons. In 1980-81 he scored the legendary 50 goals in 50 games, and recorded 9 hat tricks. The pinnacle of his career came the following season when he scored 64 goals and had 83 assists. He was an even greater threat in the playoffs where he had 160 points in 129 games.

Besides 4 Stanley Cups and the Calder, Bossy who was strictly against fighting, brought home the Lady Byng three times. (In the 83-84 season he had a miniscule 8 penalty minutes.) He was also rewarded with the Conn Smythe in 81-82, the season that saw the Islanders retain the Stanley Cup for a second time.

He was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Islanders retired his number 22 officially in 1992.

More on Mike Bossy can be found at the HHOF's Legends of Hockey page here.

His jerseys in the database can be found here.

About the jerseys: The Islanders changed their blue jerseys in 1977, and then again in 1978. They changed the number font several times in the early 80's and removed the name outlines following the 1983 season.

Watch for the goal scored in mid-air after being hit by Tiger Williams and try and ignore the music...:

Advent Day 21 - Stan Mikita

Born Stanislav Guot in Slovakia, Stan Mikita moved to Ontario as a boy and was raised by an aunt and uncle who gave him their surname. He played 22 years in the NHL, all with the Blackhawks and was one of the brightest stars in the league during the 1960's. When he retired in 1980 only Gordie Howe had scored more points.

Among Mikita's achievements the one that probably sticks out the most is the fact that in the 1966-67 season he won the Hart Memorial Trophy, the Art Ross and the Lady Byng - and also played in the All-Star game. He's the only player to ever win all three in a season. If that wasn't enough he did it again the following season. That he even won the Lady Byng is something of an achievement, the two seasons he did win it he had a total of 12 and 14 penalty minutes. Just two years before that he had 154.

Mikita is usually given credit as the first player to adopt a curved stick which he used quite well racking up 541 career goals. His only Stanley Cup came in 1961, however he played in 9 All-Star games and led the league in scoring 4 times.

His number 21 was retired by the Blackhawks in 1980, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983. In 2002 he was inducted into the Slovak Hockey Hall of Fame.

More on Mikita can be found at the HHOF's Legends of Hockey page here.

His jerseys in the database can be found here.

About the jerseys: The Chicago Blackhawks have made no major changes to their uniforms for more than 50 years. They have however made small adjustments over the years. The tomahawk first appeared on their sweaters in 1955, it has been moved up and down the sleeves three or four times and has been on the shoulders since the early 1960s. The sleeve stripes have altered slightly over the years as well as the collars. The numbers first used outlines in 1973, and names appeared in the 1977-78 season when the league made them mandatory.

Stosh in action via ChicagoBlackhawks.com

Crosby Drops the Gloves!

Well, in case you missed every highlight reel since yesterday Sidney Crosby and Andrew Ference actually duked it out last night. Hockey history has been made: Crosby was in his first NHL fight. This is no doubt something most of us have been waiting for...in a strange sort of way.

So, Crosby in now tied with Gordie Howe for Gordie Howe hat tricks with one a piece. Will we see more of this? Let's hope so...

You have to love the surprise in the announcers voice when he call this. Not the greatest fight you'll ever see but it's good to see the kids got it in him.

The Hockey Sweater - Animated Short

If you are unfamiliar with Roch Carrier's childrens book The Sweater then you are missing a bit of cult hockey nostalgia. It was originally published in French (Le Chandail) in 1979 and tells the story of a small boy growing up in rural Quebec during the great days of Maurice Richard and what happens when he is sent a Toronto Maple Leafs sweater by mistake.

The story became such an ingrained part of Canadian literature that a portion of it appears in both English and French on the back of the country's 5 dollar bill. (Note the number 9 jersey)



The book was made into an animated short in in 1980. For some reason I've always looked at the book as somehow Christmas related, in fact it always reminds me of when I got my first hockey jersey in the mail at Christmas as a kid. If you haven't seen the animated version it is included below in it's entirety (approx. 10 minutes).

2008 NHL Season to start in Stockholm

Well, this is interesting, if you happen to live in Stockholm, Sweden - which I do. For the rest of you this is this year's matches in London again. The only difference is that next year the season will start with Ottawa vs. Pittsburgh playing two games at Stockholms Globe Arena (more commonly known as Globen).

The source for this bit of information is not NHL.com, but rather Eurosport's Swedish website so one will have to take it with a grain of salt. However they cite a "reliable source" for giving them the heads up. A spokesperson for the arena merely said that they cannot confirm the event.

NHL exhibition games have been played in Stockholm before, most notably when hometown hero Mats Sundin and the Maple Leafs played here a few years ago. These would be the first official matches ever played in Sweden.

If you ask me this all seems a bit too good to be true, I mean Ottawa vs Pittsburgh? That is just a little too close to, "What is the best possible matchup we could see?" Not that I'd complain if this turns out to be the case, but I wouldn't put any money down on this or mark it my calendar for next October quite yet.

BUT, what if it did happen? Well, it certainly would be a major help to Swedish hockey, especially in Stockholm where things are none too good. Of the three teams here only one is in the Elite League, the other two are tier 2, one in the middle of the pack the other dead last and very much in danger of bankruptcy and worse.

The odd thing is that hockey is just not big in Sweden's capital and largest city. (Soccer, football, by comparison is mammoth. )Attendance at games is paltry at best, with the Elite League games topping out at less than about 5,000 and other games getting as few as 500 on some nights. They've moved games from the fore mentioned Globe Arena to a smaller venue because the atmosphere is hardly conducive when 80% of the seats are empty.

The chance to turn the focus once again towards hockey in the media, even if it is for two games, would be a much needed kick start to what was once a thriving hockey town. Crosby, Malkin and Alfredsson coming to town would be huge. (All we've got right now is Ed Belfour.)

Hopefully this does come to pass, because if anywhere needed this kind of hockey savior it is Stockholm.

The article on Eurosport (in Swedish) can be found here.

A brief, and somewhat questionably, translated English version can be found here.

Regarding 3rd Jerseys Part 2

Part 1 can be found here.

Intro
To continue the saga of third jerseys and if, when, and how they will return to the NHL - the rest of this series will focus on the jerseys we have seen in the past, as well some speculation and critique as to what we may see in the future.

All images are linked to the originals from Webshots.com, the majority of these are game worn and are part of individual's collections.

From Part One
In part one of this series I mentioned the desire to see more vintage jerseys used as team's official third jerseys. It would be wise to point out that the NHL had a Heritage Jersey Program (all of the jerseys you see with the V patch on them) and that until this season were used by teams outside of their regular uniform set. The Kings for instance wore both their vintage black and silver, as well as their purple and yellow uniforms in various games between 2000-2007. They never officially had either as a third jersey.

I also touched on the issues regarding whether or not these jerseys would actually be incorporated into the Edge template or whether they would continue to use the CCM model. If the Winter Classic is anything to go on these would be Reebok branded jerseys using the old template and not the Edge one. (The vintage jerseys Buffalo and Pittsburgh are going to wear are being sold on NHL.com if you want to have a look.) Despite the strangeness of having two different jersey styles this is the only logical solution and I applaud them for it....I only wish they were CCM.

Now...looking back at the past.


The Atlantic Division

New Jersey Devils

As mentioned in part one the Devils are one of three teams never to have worn a third jersey of any sort. Conceivably they could wear their old red and green jerseys as a vintage set, although one would have to weigh this against creating a new jersey entirely to add to the team's identity. I was one of those people that made a sort of small squeak of disappointment when the team abandoned green for black since it was all too typical at the time. On the other hand I've always been relatively pleased with the fact that the team has since resisted the temptation to put out a black version of their current jerseys and call that a third.

So, what do you do if you are New Jersey? Well, hopefully you don't create some sort of alternate logo to serve the purpose. The team has been around for 25 years and has survived well enough on one main logo. Bringing in something new at this point would seem extremely forced and unnecessary. I'd personally vouch for using the jerseys they wore for the first 10 years of their existence. Or, if it comes to it, creating a new one that doesn't stray too far from what they currently have.

By the way that is a Brodeur rookie jersey, he did in fact where the number 29 in the 4 games he played with the Devils in 1991-92.

New York Islanders

If we hop over the whole debacle regarding the you-know-what-uniforms involving a particular type of crispy fish snack then the Islanders only had one third jersey. It was introduced in 2002-03 and for the life of me I have never understood it. I don't know what it does to add to the team's appearance or what the pattern is supposed to symbolize. Granted it's original in that no other team has ever had anything similar to it, but what were they going for here?

I can hope that if and when the league introduces third jerseys again that the Islanders don't bring this back. Now that they've strayed away from the iconic look they had during the 80's when they were winning Stanley Cups every other week, they could bring back that look as a third jersey. Think about it, all the people who don't like what they are wearing Edge style can pick up a player's jersey in the version that everyone relates to when they think of Long Island.

New York Rangers

The Rangers first brought out the Statue of Liberty jerseys in 1996, and there is a rather interesting article from The New York Times talking about them before they were ever used. It includes the great quote from Luc Robitalle, 'It's a really cool jersey. They didn't overdo it. Some teams did. I'm not going to name any names.'' Take your pick of who he was referring to...my money would be one his former team the Los Angeles Kings. So, you see, the players do in fact care about what they have to wear on the ice.

The Rangers wore these as a third jersey up until last year, with the exception of the 1998-99 season when they wore the seldom seen white versions. At the time Gretzky was on the team and to seemingly capitalize on the massive sales that surrounded Wayne wherever he played the team wanted to use both the blue and the white. However, and this goes back to what I said in part one about allowing a team a "second set" with both a home and an away version, the NHL had a strict rule about having only one official third jersey. The Rangers opted to use the whites. The following season the blues were back, the whites disappeared and have since become a sought after collectors item.

To be honest I never really had a problem with these. They worked the best when Richter was in goal with the matching helmet but all in all the team succeeded where other's had failed. They were simple, evoked the spirit of the city, weren't overdone and could be seen as being on par with the team's main set. They weren't without their critics, which is understandable, but they could have been much much worse.

I would think that the Rangers could bring these back without any problems next season and a lot of people would probably be happy with that. One thing you don't really mess with are New York's jerseys, so the thought of them creating yet another design is a bit daunting. Take your pick of vintage jerseys to wear...although none of them stray too far from what they've been wearing since they came into the league...except for the brief (and disastrous) departure from the norm between 1976-1978. And even those have a bit of nostalgia now that 30 years has passed.

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins were in on the third jersey game from the start when they introduced what I can only refer to as robo-Penguin in 1995. These, and I am admitting to this, may be one of the few times a team has truly gone experimental and somewhat succeeded. With that said I don't ever want to see gradients used in the NHL ever again. These were popular and they would become the team's official road jersey in the 1997-98 season and remain so until 2002 when another third jersey took their place along with a matching white version.

The jersey in question would be the style the Penguins would eventually maintain until the switch to the Edge jerseys this season. When they went, so did the more stylized version of the Penguin and the original logo became their sole emblem.

The Penguins could easily use any number of classic designs as a third jersey, perhaps the one that stands out the most would be the early 90's one they wore when they won the Stanley Cup fronted by Lemieux. That jersey just screams hockey when you see it. As mentioned all over the place they are wearing their powder blue jerseys from the 70's in the Winter Classic, and if it weren't for the major departure, these would be pretty cool as a third. (The actual style itself was used by the Penguins between 1968 and 1973.) Fan reaction could probably dictate this. My only hope is that they don't come up with anything over stylized if they go for a new look entirely, they have succeeded in creating an identity through simplicity and anything over the top would ruin it. Perhaps they could put the scarf back on the penguin, it only existed for one season and was never used on a jersey. The man who created the Penguins logo Bob Gessner put it like this, "The first penguin looked a little wimpy with the scarf, more like a figure skater than a hockey player." Ok, maybe leave the scarf off.. (More on the evolution of the Pens logo and their uniforms can be found at the excellent site PittsburghHockey.net

Philadelphia Flyers

It's probably best to admit that I grew up a Flyers fan and still am one. So if I come across as a bit over sensitive in regards to their uniforms you can understand why.

Philadelphia came out with a black version of their other jerseys in 1997, and it worked. It was, in fact, a welcome addition since it did not alter their overall look and used the same pattern. These were really popular when they were released and truly defined the meaning of having a third jersey. They were no better or worse than the regular set, and complemented their existing look. BUT, when they became the team's official jersey (in 2001) replacing the orange I think part of me (and a lot of other Flyers fans died). In fact they didn't even use the original orange jersey as a third that season, it just vanished. There were petitions, there still may be, lobbying to bring back the orange. The team had always worn orange, it was their main color and what made them stand out amongst every other team in the league. Replacing it with black, despite the third jersey's popularity, ruined their identity on the ice.

I am going to make the assumption that the powers that be heard the fans and decided to give them, in their mind, what they wanted and brought out the orange jersey that they would maintain as their official third till last year. This was in 2002, and in honor of the Flyers celebrating their 35th Anniversary in the league they used the, newly designed, beveled version of their logo. Which I'm sure looks great on paper and t-shirts, but as a crest on a jersey it fails to invoke anything other than a Flyers logo someone has tweaked in Photoshop. You don't mess with the Flyers logo after 35 years. The rest of the jersey I never quite got, it always looked like the sleeves were sewn on upside down, and the names and numbers with three colors always looked too busy. I can't help but think clown fish when I see these.

Myself, and many others, still want an orange jersey as the main home uniform. Black is so overdone and boring at this point that it needs to go, not just with Philadelphia, and not just with the NHL, but with a lot of teams who have more or less incorporated it for the sake of selling more merchandise. Yes, money matters, but don't sacrifice the team's history in the process. Which brings us to the Flyers potential third jerseys, assuming that we don't get a return to the orange jerseys of the 80's as an alternate, we will probably see the current Edge style of theirs in an orange format. Sadly. Ironically spokesmen for the team keep saying that the new jerseys are a nod to the Flyers jerseys of the past blah blah blah. Last time I checked the team didn't have a black jersey for the first 30+ years they existed...which may explain why their white jerseys look so much better.


Coming up next the Northeast Division...and what Buffalo needs to do to cure slugatis (inflamation of the slug).
Part 3 can be found here.

Advent Day 20 - Luc Robitaille

One of the greatest players in hockey history wore the number 20, although their number was never retired by an NHL club. In fact they never played a single game in the NHL, although they are in the Hockey Hall of Fame. That would be Vladislav Tretiak. Perhaps the greatest player to wear the number on this side of the world Luc Robitaille played nearly 20 years in the NHL. Born in Montreal he would start, and spend most of, his career in Los Angeles.

He wasn't drafted in the first round, or even the second or third. In fact he was drafted in the 9th round 171st overall. He would however prove himself a worthy choice in his first season scoring 45 goals and adding another 39 assists for a team leading 84 points (topping veteran Bernie Nicholls). He would rightly win the Calder Trophy.

Robitaille would go on to score at least 40 goals in his first eight seasons in the league (all with LA). In 1992-93 he put up career numbers scoring 63 goals and 62 assists. That year saw the Kings in their only Stanley Cup final in franchise history. They would lose to Montreal in 5 games.

He was traded to Pittsburgh (in the deal that sent Rick Tocchet to LA) after the 93-94 season. He would spend one year with the Penguins (the shortened season of 48 games) playing with Jagr and Francis. After a poor showing with the Pens he was dealt to the Rangers where he spent two seasons, the second one saw him reunited with Gretzky. And then it was back to Los Angeles for the 97-98 season.

He would spend the next 4 years back in his adopted hometown and his form would return. In 2000-01 he put up 88 points, it was the highest total he had recorded since first leaving the Kings in 1994. He had been in the league for nearly 15 years and his thoughts turned towards winning the Stanley Cup before retiring. In the offseason he looked for a better chance and found it with Detroit. It was a good move, he would win his only Cup in that first season with the Wings (playing on a team whose roster looked like that of an All-Star game...). The following season Detroit would go out in the first round and Robitaille decided to go back to Los Angeles before retiring. Two final seasons would be played there.

His last game was played in 2006 and the Kings retired his number the following year. During his career he played in 8 All-Star games and would retire as Los Angeles's all time leader in goals. Not bad for a kid drafted in the 9th round...

He is currently President of Business Operations for the team as well as the owner and president of the USHL Omaha Blazers.

More on Luc Robitaille can be found at the HHOF's Legeneds of Hockey site here.

A great interview can be heard via NHL.com's podcast section on Doc's Classic NHL here.

The jerseys in the database can be found here.

How about that for a goal...and a uniform!

Regarding 3rd Jerseys Part 1

According to initial reports from the summer the NHL will probably allow teams to use third jerseys next season. This is nice for marketing and fashion, but all it really means is that designers will have to go back to the drawing board and find a way to convert whatever snazzy design the team used to wear before the new templates and make it Rbk Edge compatible (sort of like upgrading from a stable operating system to say...Vista.) Well, in theory that's what they would do, but in reality things are a bit more complicated.

History
First a little history, the NHL's third jersey "program" truly came to life during the 1995-96 season (although vintage jerseys had been worn by the Original Six teams in 1991-92 in conjunction with the league's 75th anniversary). Five teams wore alternate jerseys in the first season they were allowed. In 2006-07, the last year they were worn, the number had reached 18. During the 11 years in which they existed more than two dozen different designs were used by the league, these often came and went and were occasionally absorbed into a teams uniform set as a main home or away jersey. Detroit, Carolina and New Jersey are the only three teams to never have a third jersey.

Despite what some of the uniforms we've seen in the past may suggest, teams actually have to have their designs approved by the league and get permission to wear them on certain dates. One exception to this were the Rangers Statue of Liberty jerseys (they actually toyed with the idea of using King Kong if you can believe) which, according to Al Morganti, were in violation of the rules and hence the Rangers were fined every time they wore them. (No stranger to this type of thing the NHL is currently fining the team $100,000 a day for not giving up control of their website to the league.)

Today
So, back to the future, what will we see next year...if anything. Well, some focus has to be put on the actual jerseys themselves not just the designs. Despite a grand entrance and mammoth marketing campaign (EA Sports) the actual Edge jerseys have not lived up to expectations and have seemingly failed to win over most of the players that were supposed to be ooing and ahhing. Most recently in the news the Capitals have completely ditched the space age fabrics used in the jerseys and unanimously voted to return to the material used in previous years. (via On Frozen Blog). Reebok, in a rare multi-national corporate giant moment of saving face, extended this option to anyone in the league wanting to make the switch. Needless to say a many players have done so.

Reebok
What Reebok is going to have to do, or may currently be in the process of doing, is fix the stuff they broke. Whether this means a return to traditional fabrics (negating the point of the Edge design entirely), coming up with new fabrics, or admitting total defeat and returning to the old template remains to be seen. Players were of course involved in the creation process of the jerseys and I can assume their subsequent complaints after using them in action will be taken seriously when the season is over. (I imagine a small survey being given to each team member with questions like, "On a scale of 1-10 how would you say the Rbk Edge jerseys compared to last year's model...etc.") Reebok, despite a contract with the NHL, is going to be walking a thin line with whatever changes they do make - too much and they've created a new jersey entirely, too little and they come across as not taking their product seriously enough.

It's a debacle, and a sideshow, it hasn't made players better, and it certainly hasn't boosted jersey sales. But, if the Edge jerseys are going to stick around and additional jersey designs made using them then things will need to be straightened out first. Obviously they aren't going to start putting a focus on additional uniform sets when they haven't succeeded with the 60 brought out this year. (And I don't mean appearance wise, but rather the basic functionality that amounts to wearing a sweater over some pads and being able to play hockey in it.) So, in a nutshell, there will not be any 3rd jerseys next year unless Reebok and the NHL decide that all is well and they can now move forward.

Now, taking into account that all that happens, we can start looking at what kind of third jerseys we are talking about. For one, and this is all speculation and opinion from here on out, I wouldn't be surprised if all 30 teams had 3rd jerseys next year. From a marketing stand point it makes sense, from a video game stand point (don't underestimate how important EA Sports is to both Reebok and the NHL) it gives people a reason to buy an updated version, it brings about publicity and gives fans more stuff to buy. Heck, for all I care let teams have as many jerseys as they want so long as they aren't hideous and a waste of money. Which brings me to the next point.

Limitations
When is a third jersey even worth having? When it says something about the team, adds to their identity, doesn't go overboard, and in some way incorporates a look that is not used in the team's main set. And of course it has to appeal to the fans, but not more or less so than the team's main set. Because, let's be honest, in this day and age sales outweigh identity (sadly). Hopefully teams take these types of things into account and don't just roll out some basic color changes and alternate logos used as crests which seemed to be the easy way to go before.

I personally don't think that any newly thought up third jersey can beat a team wearing a vintage sweater. It says more about the team (and the history of the league) than anything else. They are popular with fans of the game because they are reminiscent of bygone eras and often connected to specific players from the past. (Why do you think Boston's new jerseys have been more successful in comparison to say Edmonton's?) If you are team with a 30+ year history than for godsakes pay some homage to that rather than introducing some flashy bit of fabric with no connection whatsoever to the club. The only real problem with this is whether or not the actual Edge templates are capable of reproducing older designs. From what I understand there aren't too many patterns that can't be achieved. So, if we can go by that (and the fact that older jerseys tended to be simpler) then there are no practical limitations. Even if there are why not make them using the old style, I mean they are vintage...

But what if you haven't got a 30 year history? What if you're say Atlanta or Nashville? This is where things get interesting, there are about a dozen teams that can't really look to the past and return to an old style as a third jersey. I assume that none of them will dig so deep as to wear a jersey from the city they previously played in (as in Carolina wearing a Whalers uniform or Phoenix wearing a Jets sweater). The Ducks will never wear anything that pertains to the Disney era...ever... The Lightning and the Panthers haven't been around long enough, neither have the Sharks, the Blue Jackets or the Wild. The Avalanche could use their old style jerseys conceivably but they are rather close to their new ones. Same with Dallas wearing their old star jerseys. These teams will have to go back to the drawing board and come up with something that is hopefully not as garish as the mustard colored thing the Predators wore.

Why and when?
A certain set of guidelines should be drawn up for when these jerseys are worn. I always liked the idea of old rivalries playing each other in vintage uniforms. Wearing them on anniversaries of particular events or when players retire is another thing we should see more of. In general they should really see more use, otherwise they just become a bit of a show and not a part of the team's look. Instead of a third jersey perhaps we should look at what could be called a "second set" with a home and an away version...that would certainly bring about more opportunities to wear them. It certainly would have made sense last year when Buffalo had their old blue jerseys to wear...but not their original home whites (which they are wearing in the Ice Bowl on New Years Day, which in itself says something about the popularity of vintage jerseys considering the high profile of the game).

Conclusion
- First and foremost the whole Edge mess needs to be cleaned up. Players (and fans) need to have something they can both feel comfortable in and be satisfied with. In no other sport is the jersey as iconic as in hockey (except maybe soccer), and to have so many current complaints and issues is a shame and a scar on the face of the sport itself.

- More vintage team jerseys and less trivial fashion attempts. Give the fans what they want and let the players feel a part of history. The NHL is timeless let's see more of it's great heritage.

- Create more events to exercise the use of these jerseys, not just outdoor games once a year. Rivalry weekends, Original Six nights, bring back Hockey Day in Canada the way it should be....etc.

Part 2
In part 2 of this series I hope to take a closer look at what jerseys we might (that I want to) see next season...or whenever it is the NHL brings the third jersey back. Plus a closer look at some of the one's we have seen in the past.

Part 2 Here

Advent Day 19 - Bill Masterton

Bill Masterton's name lives on not because of his stats but because of tragedy. He played less than a season in the NHL, where he scored the first goal ever for the expansion North Stars. His career and life were cut short half way through the year in a game against the Seals. He was checked and fell over backwards, the hit to his head resulted in massive blood loss and severe trauma to the skull and would cause his death just 2 days later. He was 29.

He was the first, and to this day the only, NHL player to die as a result of an injury sustained during a game. Although many had come close in the past including Gordie Howe who dealt with a similar experience early on in his career. Masterton's death would inevitably put a focus on the use of helmets in the league, although they wouldn't become mandatory for more than 2 decades.

He was the only player to ever wear the number 19 for the North Stars and they officially retired it 20 years after his death in 1987. (The Dallas Stars still recognize Minnesota's retired numbers.)

The Bill Masterton Trophy, which is given annually to the NHL player who most exemplifies "perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey", was created in the year following Masterton's death. It has been awarded to among others Mario Lemieux, Pat LaFontaine, Bobby Clarke, Teemu Selanne, and Cam Neely.

More on Bill Masterton, including the original press clippings, can be found at NorthStarsHockey.com here.

His jerseys in the database are available here.

German Christmas Jerseys

In the minor leagues, in North America, teams will occasionally wear a holiday patterned jersey at this time of year. Usually these are of the cookie cutter model with candy canes, snowmen, snowflakes etc. However, in Germany, where the decorative canvas style jersey is a thing unto itself the sky is the limit when it comes to Weihnachtstrikots (Christmas jerseys), and they certainly know how to go overboard.

The following were some of the best I could find and are all linked to the original sources where larger images are available (and believe me some of these you have to see much larger to truly appreciate). Simply click on the jerseys to see the bigger images. Most of these are game worn, although they are traditional and they do sell them in most of the team stores.


Fischtown Pinguins (Bremerhaven), by comparison to some of the others this is moderately tame. Trees, snow, snowflakes, and that thing that might be Snoopy's doghouse in the middle there...well it's actually the Fischtown Penguin wearing a Santa hat and hiding behind some advertising. These are actually Nike branded from 2005-2006. This year's model (left) is availab