The unprecedented Adidas reveal brings us a treasure trove of new sweaters – and only a few groaners.
The NHL and Adidas made some history today, revealing new alternate jerseys for every team in the league. They’re called Reverse Retro and while the theme takes on a number of forms, there are some true gems in the lot. Now, where you’re talking about “retro,” the response from your audience is going to vary greatly depending on how old a particular audience member is. So I’m gonna rank all 31 jerseys and I will admit that as a child of the 1980s, I have a certain era that I look fondly upon and a certain era that I turn up my nose at (let’s just say the Dead Puck Era looked bad in all forms).
So let’s get to the rankings and spare no feelings along the way.
1. Colorado: This is the jersey we all wanted to see; the return of the Nordiques logo. With Colorado colors, it’s outstanding, right down to the Fleur-de-Lis border at the bottom and on the shoulders.
2. Los Angeles: Combining the Wayne Gretzky-era “Chevrolet” logo with the Forum Blue and Gold color scheme was an awesome choice. This is going to be tremendously popular both in and outside the hockey world.
3. New Jersey: Perhaps the perfect definition of “Reverse Retro,” the Devils get a flipped version of their classic 1980s sweaters. That Pine Barrens green looks so, so sharp.
4. Montreal: For a team that has done a lot of variations lately, the Habs still knock it out of the park with this blue number, which evokes teams that based their jerseys on Montreal, such as WHL Spokane or the Toronto Jr. Canadiens.
5. Carolina: Yesss, the Whale is back! We’ve seen Carolina go Hartford retro before, so this isn’t a shocker, but sometimes you just gotta give the people what they want.
6. Minnesota: It would have been fun to see the Wild go full North Stars, but bringing back the color scheme is still pretty good. Also, the jersey numbers on this look fantastic.
7. Columbus: Maybe I’m on an island here, but I really like the Blue Jackets’ look. The red is bold and it’s a first for the franchise as a main color. Makes the cribbage board logo really pop.
8. Arizona: The Coyotes have gone all-in on zany lately and hey, why not? It’s been working. The purple looks great and I fully enjoy that they refer to this mascot as the ‘Peyote Coyote.’
9. St. Louis: I didn’t like the original version of this jersey, but the Reverse Retro one really works for me. Flipping the script is exactly what this line of sweaters is about, after all.
10. Winnipeg: Bringing in a cool new understated color scheme gives the Jets a different vibe here than a lot of other teams, but that’s a plus in my book. Winnipeg zigs when most others zagged.
11. Toronto: I was worried the Leafs were going to go Full Harold Ballard Era, so it was a relief that the designers put a twist on the 1980s base they worked off here.
12. Chicago: Yeah, it’s both retro-cool and problematic – what’s new? This was the only logo not shown in the NHL’s official video (they showed the back instead) and that has to be an omen.
Chicago Blackhawks/Adidas
13. Pittsburgh: The Penguins have done so many looks due to outdoor games, but this one is nice, shouting out an old team font to create something unique.
14. NY Rangers: You don’t want to mess with the Rangers’ uniforms too much, so going back to Lady Liberty was a good, safe choice for the Blueshirts.
15. Washington: I’m really feeling this, though I’m not sure if I’m in the minority. Rocking the Red with a Peter Bondra eagle on the front? Yes, I’m in.
16. Buffalo: The color scheme is excellent, I’m just not 100 percent sold on the swords logo. Just a little too sparse for my tastes – it’s a shoulder logo and always should be.
17. Ottawa: Not too controversial, but still a twist on the Senators’ history. Adidas were like doctors on this one – the first rule is to do no harm.
18. Tampa Bay: This is one of those retro jerseys where I feel not enough time has passed to be effective. The team’s original font still looks too cartoonish – maybe wait another 10 years?
19. Edmonton: Other than going with the Todd McFarlane oil drop logo, Edmonton is kinda painted into a corner with their design choices. You can only do so much, but this one’s fine.
20. Boston: The Bruins are another team with the Outdoor Jersey Fatigue problem, as we’ve already seen so many variants in recent years. This one is fine, but I don’t know how many they’ll sell.
21. San Jose: The bar for Sharks jerseys is obscenely high, as San Jose has consistently rocked winners throughout the franchise’s history. This one is a little underwhelming.
22. Nashville: Shoulda made the skull logo the main logo – that would have been tight. Instead, we get a variation that is non-threatening but doesn’t really stand out.
23. Florida: As a jersey, this one is perfectly serviceable, but it’s hard to truly distinguish it from its forebearers. Again, this is a team that didn’t have a lot of options.
24. NY Islanders: Um, isn’t this just a regular Islanders jersey?
25. Philadelphia: The Flyers have a great logo and cool, unique colors, so they have a pretty good base to work off. But the arms on these are super-weird.
26. Vegas: Because the Golden Knights just entered the league recently, it’s hard to be inspired by a new look already. The red is OK, the shoulder logo should have stayed on the shoulder.
27. Anaheim: One of the most notorious jerseys in NHL history gets a reboot. Imagine Ryan Getzlaf pulling this over his shoulder pads in an actual game.
28. Vancouver: The gradient is unique, that is true. But it also doesn’t look good. Or to be more specific, it still doesn’t look good, even if these colors are better than the original.
29. Calgary: Personal preference, but I don’t like the horse. The flaming ‘C’ is incredible and I don’t think the Flames should have black in their uniform.
30. Dallas: The Stars’ original Dallas logo was never that great – the team’s uniforms now are much better. I like the new neon look more – at least it’s bold.
31. Detroit: It’s almost like they forgot about this until yesterday. Nothing could be done with the old Falcons or Cougars looks?
TORONTO – Singles star Leylah Fernandez and doubles specialist Gabriela Dabrowski will anchor Canada’s five-player lineup when the team tries to defend its Billie Jean King Cup title in mid-November.
The 26th-ranked Fernandez, the 2021 U.S. Open finalist from Laval, Que., is the lone Canadian in the top 100 of the WTA Tour’s singles rankings.
Dabrowski, from Ottawa, is ranked fourth on the doubles list. The 2023 U.S. Open women’s doubles champion won mixed doubles bronze with Felix Auger-Aliassime at the recent Paris Olympics.
Marina Stakusic of Mississauga, Ont., returns after a breakout performance last year, capped by her singles win in Canada’s 2-0 victory over Italy in the final. Vancouver’s Rebecca Marino is also back and Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 U.S. Open champion from Mississauga, Ont., returns to the squad for the first time since 2022.
“Winning the Billie Jean King Cup in 2023 was a dream come true for us, and not only that, but I feel like we made a statement to the world about the strength of this nation when it comes to tennis,” Canada captain Heidi El Tabakh said Monday in a release. “Once again, we have a very strong team this year with Bianca joining Leylah, Gaby, Rebecca and Marina, making it an extremely powerful team that is more than capable of going all the way.
“At the end of the day, our goal is to make Canada proud, and we’ll do our best to bring the same level of effort and excitement that we had in last year’s finals.”
Fernandez, who beat Jasmine Paolini to clinch Canada’s first-ever title at the competition, is ranked No. 42 in doubles.
Canada, which received an automatic berth as defending champion, will play the winner of the first-round tie between Great Britain and Germany on Nov. 17 at Malaga’s Martin Carpena Arena.
Australia, Italy and wild-card entry Czechia also received first-round byes. The tournament, which continues through Nov. 20, also includes host Spain, Slovakia, the United States, Poland, Japan and Romania.
Stakusic is up 27 spots to No. 128 in the latest world singles rankings. Marino is at No. 134 and Andreescu, the 2019 U.S. Open champion, is ranked 167th.
Canada will look to become the first team since Czechia in 2016 to successfully defend its Billie Jean King Cup title.
Malaga will also host the Nov. 19-24 Davis Cup Final 8. The Canadian men qualified over the weekend with a 2-1 victory over Great Britain in Manchester.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 16, 2024.
PITTSBURGH – Sidney Crosby plans to remain a Pittsburgh Penguin for at least three more years.
The Penguins announced on Monday that they re-signed the 37-year-old from Cole Harbour, N.S., to a two-year contract extension that has an average annual value of US$8.7 million. The deal runs through the 2026-27 season.
Crosby was eligible to sign an extension on July 1 with him entering the final season of a 12-year, $104.4-million deal that carries an $8.7-million salary cap hit.
At the NHL/NHLPA player media tour in Las Vegas last Monday, he said things were positive and he was optimistic about a deal getting done.
The three-time Stanley Cup champion is coming off a 42-goal, 94-point campaign that saw him finish tied for 12th in the league scoring race.
Crosby has spent all 19 of his NHL seasons in Pittsburgh, amassing 592 goals and 1,004 assists in 1,272 career games.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 16, 2024.
MONTREAL – Tadej Pogacar was so dominant on Sunday, Canada’s Michael Woods called it a race for second.
Pogacar, a three-time Tour de France champion from Slovenia, pedalled to a resounding victory at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal.
The UAE Team Emirates leader crossed the finish line 24 seconds ahead of Spain’s Pello Bilbao of Bahrain — Victorious to win the demanding 209.1-kilometre race on a sunny, 28 C day in Montreal. France’s Julian Alaphilippe of Soudal Quick-Step was third.
“He’s the greatest rider of all time, he’s a formidable opponent,” said Woods, who finished 45 seconds behind the leader in eighth. “If you’re not at your very, very best, then you can forget racing with him, and today was kind of representative of that.
“He’s at such a different level that if you follow him, it can be lights out.”
Pogacar slowed down before the last turn to celebrate with the crowd, high-five fans on Avenue du Parc and cruise past the finish line with his arms in the air after more than five hours on the bike.
The 25-year-old joined Belgium’s Greg Van Avermaet as the only multi-time winners in Montreal after claiming the race in 2022. He also redeemed a seventh-place finish at the Quebec City Grand Prix on Friday.
“I was disappointed, because I had such good legs that I didn’t do better than seventh,” Pogacar said. “To bounce back after seventh to victory here, it’s just an incredible feeling.”
It’s Pogacar’s latest win in a dominant year that includes victories at the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia.
Ottawa’s Woods (Israel Premier-Tech) tied a career-best in front of the home crowd in Montreal, but hoped for more after claiming a stage at the Spanish Vuelta two weeks ago.
“I wanted a better result,” the 37-year-old rider said. “My goal was a podium, but at the same time I’m happy with the performance. In bike racing, you can’t always get the result you want and I felt like I raced really well, I animated the race, I felt like I was up there.”
Pogacar completed the 17 climbs up and down Mount Royal near downtown in five hours 28 minutes 15 seconds.
He made his move with 23.3 kilometres to go, leaving the peloton in his dust as he pedalled into the lead — one he never relinquished.
Bilbao, Alaphilippe, Alex Aranburu (Movistar Team) and Bart Lemmen (Visma–Lease) chased in a group behind him, with Bilbao ultimately separating himself from the pack. But he never came close to catching Pogacar, who built a 35-second lead with one lap left to go.
“It was still a really hard race today, but the team was on point,” Pogacar said. “We did really how we planned, and the race situation was good for us. We make it hard in the last final laps, and they set me up for a (takeover) two laps to go, and it was all perfect.”
Ottawa’s Derek Gee, who placed ninth in this year’s Tour de France, finished 48th in Montreal, and called it a “hard day” in the heat.
“I think everyone knows when you see Tadej on the start line that it’s just going to be full gas,” Gee said.
Israel Premier-Tech teammate Hugo Houle of Sainte-Perpétue, Que., was 51st.
Houle said he heard Pogacar inform his teammates on the radio that he was ready to attack with two laps left in the race.
“I said then, well, clearly it’s over for me,” Houle said. “You see, cycling isn’t that complicated.”
Australia’s Michael Matthews won the Quebec City GP for a record third time on Friday, but did not finish in Montreal. The two races are the only North American events on the UCI World Tour.
Michael Leonard of Oakville, Ont., and Gil Gelders and Dries De Bondt of Belgium broke away from the peloton during the second lap. Leonard led the majority of the race before losing pace with 45 kilometres to go.
Only 89 of 169 riders from 24 teams — including the Canadian national team — completed the gruelling race that features 4,573 metres in total altitude.
Next up, the riders will head to the world championships in Zurich, Switzerland from Sept. 21 to 29.
Pogacar will try to join Eddy Merckx (1974) and Stephen Roche (1987) as the only men to win three major titles in a season — known as the Triple Crown.
“Today gave me a lot of confidence, motivation,” Pogacar said. “I think we are ready for world championships.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 15, 2024.
