Regarding 3rd Jerseys Part 6

Part 1 can be found here.
Part 2 (Atlantic Division) here.
Part 3 (Northeast Division) here.
Part 4 (Southeast Division) here.
Part 5 (Central 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 Northwest Division

Calgary Flames

The Flames have an interesting history with third jerseys. Their first, introduced in 1998, was the black one using their new horse logo (it's not a dragon) and featured a completely different design than the jersey they were currently wearing (at the time they had the ones with the diagonal stripes on the front as well the sleeves), even the fonts used were different. You probably wouldn't even have known it was a Flames jersey if it weren't for the flaming C's on the shoulders. This particular jersey would be their alternate till 2000 at which point it became their main dark jersey and a white version in the same style using the traditional crest in red with the horse logo on the shoulders was introduced as it's counterpart. (So, yes, they became yet another team to use two totally different logos on each jersey.)

The black jersey would be their main jersey until 2003, when it was relegated back to third jersey status when the team introduced the red version which featured the black Flames logo. Not sure many other teams ever really did this, introduce a new jersey and move an existing jersey to the alternate. After the 2005-06 season they dropped the black jersey all together and did not use an alternate of any sorts in the season before the change over to the Edge templates.

Hard to say really, the Flames can always dust off the original Calgary sweaters a la Lanny McDonald. They did win their only cup wearing them in 88-89 (20 years ago next season...), so I hope they make at least a guest appearance at some point next season. Other than that they could do just about anything, bring back the horse, use a white C on a black jersey, use the flag for the city of Calgary...

Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche introduced their one, and only, third jersey in 2001. From everything I've heard and read it has always been a fan favorite out in those parts and people seem to regret it's dissapearance this season. Who knows, maybe it will be back next season, it's certainly simple enough to easily translate onto the new template. (I make the assumption that the mountain tops weren't.)

Now, before I say this: understand that my opinion doesn't matter - it's just an opinion and all that really matters is what fans of the team think, BUT I cannot stand diagonal city/team names on NHL jerseys. The Rangers get away with it since that is what they have always used, but when other teams do it it relegates the whole look to that of a college team. Colgate can do it, or Wisconsin, even NMU could get away with it, but not NHL teams. When Pittsburgh did it in the 90's I think it should have been a warning to everyone else, but...I guess the Avalanche missed that phone call. The jersey itself looks nice, and yes it is supposed to be "old time hockey" but I can just never get over the awkward text on the front. However, as I said, the fans loved it.

For all I know there is a debate somewhere in a Denver skyrise going on right now about whether or not to create something new that evokes the spirit of the Avalanche and the state of Colorado - or to bring back the third jerseys of yore. Either way someone's going to be happy and someone's going to be dissapointed...that's just the way it goes.

Edmonton Oilers

In 2001 the Oilers brought out their infamous third jersey which was designed by co-owner of the team Todd McFarlane (who is also the creator of the highly successful Spawn comic book character and series). The jerseys, not without some serious critics and a little controversy, would become the most popular and best selling in the league.

Without orange, or copper, and featuring a crest that - at first glance - bares no resemblance to anything Oilers related, it's not hard to understand where the critics were coming from. But, as it was mighty popular and sold very well, there isn't a whole lot that need be said to defend it. The fact that the team never made any hints at replacing the standard Oilers look with it certainly didn't hurt it's appeal either.

Edmonton would use this as an alternate for 6 years (up until last season), so conceivably if the the league brings back third jerseys next season we could see it return. (Although I think the team needs to clean up their current jerseys a bit before they focus on another one.) Otherwise, there is always the iconic Cup era jerseys from the 1980's.


Minnesota Wild

Contrary to what one might think these didn't actually become part of the team's uniform set until 2003-04. And, as you can tell by the fact that they are the teams main road jersey now, they were popular and did well to define what the team was going for identity wise. Critics will say that they use a different crest and, well, completely different style and look compared with their away jersey...but what can you do. They look good on the ice, they certainly mean hockey when you see them - and hey this is Minnesota - so all in all you can't help but call them a success from the third jersey standpoint. They are actually the only third jersey that made the transition to the Edge style this season.

The real cause for panic here is: what on earth would the Wild do for a third jersey in the future? Create something else that looks old fashioned? Bring back the green version of their current away jersey? Make a white version of this one? If you said "none of the above" then you might also be right.

Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks jerseys here are game worn and not replicas.

The Canucks were in on the third jersey game from the beginning, and they definitely took the whole idea to heart when they brought these out in 1996. At the time they were wearing the black/white jerseys with the simple hem and sleeve stripes, this particular jersey was certainly in stark contrast to that look - and well just about every other in the league. The true innovators of the "fabric gradient" this was their first of two attempts. This one being the more advanced since it inolved a gradient that blended into stripes on both the front and back - as well as one of the sleeves. I'm guessing people liked these, since someone seems to always defend them when any amount of criticism is offered. I for one find the whole look appalling, however when weighed with some of the other third jerseys of the same time period it becomes slightly less so. The yellow names and numbers on top of red (and the gradient) almost makes you dizzy. These were rather short lived and dissapeared after the 1996-97 season when the Canucks switched logos and color schemes (again).

After three years without a third jersey Vancouver brought out "fabric gradient" model number two. (Even more highly defended than number one.) This one involved the slightly more traditional (if the term can be used) gradient pattern of simply two colors fading into one another. More unconventional was the use of the curved hem on the bottom of the jerseys that is now common place around the league with the new Edge designs. (As mentioned in a previous entry, Nashville was the other team doing this with their third jerseys at the time.) One might also point out the strange use of piping/stripes that connect the sleeves to the shoulders at 45 degree angles. I won't try and kid you, I never understood these jerseys. I still don't. They would last four seasons (five if you count the lockout year).

Now if two different jerseys involving a gradient with two different color schemes and logos wasn't enough, things get just a little stranger in the 2005-06 season. During that year the Canucks, while still using their red and blue third jersey, brought back their blue and green jerseys that they used between 1972-78 as a heritage jersey. Reception to seeing it again after so many other uniform styles during the course of more than 25 years must have been good, since they adopted it as their official third jersey for the 2006-07 season. Thus becoming the only other team, besides say Toronto and Montreal, to use an older jersey style (even with an old logo) as an official alternate. The Canucks get even more credit since it used a completely different color scheme as well. They were even more embraced now that fans saw more of them and rumors began to fly about the team adopting them as their official uniform style with the change over to the Edge jerseys this season.

This would, unfortunately, not be the case. The colors and even the patterns were retained from the 70's however the fonts and logos were not. (The stick and rink C is however used as a shoulder patch.) The orca's colors were tweeked, their traditional font style was altered to Agency, and the word Vancouver was slapped over the front of the jerseys as a wave to the team's pre-NHL existance. Sadly, while the Canucks retain their current uniforms they will be hard pressed to find a reason to wear the old green and blue ones. The only real difference would be the altering of the crest and I think that would come across as saying, "What, you guys like these better?" And if they really haven't heard the fans response to that question yet, then I think they'd rather not hear it when they specifically come out and ask for it.

Now, with all of that said about the Canucks, what are they going to do next year or whenever it is they decide to reinstate the third jersey program. Will they:
a) Come up with something completely different?
b) Yellow, black and red?
c) Red and blue?
d) Same jerseys different crest?
e) Even older jersey style with V's on the sleeves?
f) Johnny Canuck?
g) New color scheme and logo?
h) New jerseys across the board?
i) New jerseys without the word "Vancouver" and a green alternate?
j) Norman Mailer
k) All of the above.

Next up the Pacific Division...and all 37 Mighty Ducks 3rd jerseys...
Part 7 can be found here.