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?
The French league’s legal commission has ordered Paris Saint-Germain to pay Kylian Mbappé the 55 million euros ($61 million) in unpaid wages that he claims he’s entitled to, the league said Thursday.
The league confirmed the decision to The Associated Press without more details, a day after the France superstar rejected a mediation offer by the commission in his dispute with his former club.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former football star Reggie Bush was at his Encino home Tuesday night when three male suspects attempted to break in, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
“Everyone is safe,” Bush said in a text message to the newspaper.
The Los Angeles Police Dept. told the Times that a resident of the house reported hearing a window break and broken glass was found outside. Police said nothing was stolen and that three male suspects dressed in black were seen leaving the scene.
Bush starred at Southern California and in the NFL. The former running back was reinstated as the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner this year. He forfeited it in 2010 after USC was hit with sanctions partly related to Bush’s dealings with two aspiring sports marketers.
VANCOUVER – A fresh face has been gracing the B.C. Lions‘ highlight reels in recent weeks.
Midway through his second CFL campaign, wide receiver Ayden Eberhardt has contributed touchdowns in two consecutive games.
The 26-year-old wide receiver from Loveland, Colo., was the lone B.C. player to reel in a passing major in his team’s 37-23 victory over the league-leading Montreal Alouettes last Friday. The week before, he notched his first CFL touchdown in the Lions’ win over the Ottawa Redblacks.
“It’s been awesome. It’s been really good,” Eberhardt said of his recent play. “At the end of the day, the biggest stat to me is if we win. But who doesn’t love scoring?”
He’ll look to add to the tally Friday when the Leos (7-6) host the Toronto Argonauts.
Eberhardt signed with B.C. as a free agent in January 2023 and spent much of last season on the practice squad before cementing a role on the roster this year.
The six-foot-two, 195-pound University of Wyoming product has earned more opportunities in his second season, said Lions’ head coach and co-general manager Rick Campbell.
“He’s a super hard worker and very smart. He understands, has high football IQ, as we call it,” Campbell said.
The fact that Eberhardt can play virtually every receiving position helps.
“He could literally go into a game and we could throw him into a spot and he’d know exactly what he’s doing,” the coach said. “That allows him to play fast and earn the quarterback’s trust. And you see him making plays.”
Eberhardt credited his teammates, coaches and the rest of the Lions’ staff with helping him prepare for any situation he might face. They’ve all spent time teaching him the ins and outs of the Canadian game, or go over the playbook and run routes after practice, he said.
“I’ve played every single position on our offence in a game in the last two years, which is kind of crazy. But I love playing football,” he said. “I want to play any position that the team needs me to play.”
While B.C.’s lineup is studded with stars like running back William Stanback — who has a CFL-high 938 rushing yards — and wide receiver Justin McInnis — who leads the league in both receiving yards (1,074) and receiving TDs (seven) — versatility has been a critical part of the team’s back-to-back wins.
“I think we’ve got a lot of talented guys who deserve to get the ball and make big plays when they have the ball in their hands. So it’s really my job to get them the ball as much as possible,” said quarterback Nathan Rourke.
“I think that makes it easy when you can lean on those guys and, really, we’re in a situation where anyone can have a big game. And I think that’s a good place to be.”
Even with a talented lineup, the Lions face a tough test against an eager Argos side.
Toronto lost its second straight game Saturday when it dropped a 41-27 decision to Ottawa.
“We’ll have our hands full,” Rourke said. “We’ll have to adjust on the fly to whatever their game plan is. And no doubt, they’ll be ready to go so we’ll have to be as well.”
The two sides have already met once this season when the Argos handed the Lions a 35-27 loss in Toronto back on June 9.
A win on Friday would vault B.C. to the top of the West Division standings, over the 7-6 Winnipeg Blue Bombers who are on a bye week.
Collecting that victory isn’t assured, though, even with Toronto coming in on a two-game skid, Campbell said.
“They’ve hit a little bit of a rut, but they’re a really good team,” he said. “They’re very athletic. And you can really see (quarterback Chad Kelly’s) got zip on the ball. When you see him in there, he can make all the throws. So we’re expecting their best shot.”
TORONTO ARGONAUTS (6-6) AT B.C. LIONS (7-6)
Friday, B.C. Place
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Lions boast a 4-1 home record this season, including a 38-12 victory over the Redblacks at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, B.C., on Aug. 31. The Argos have struggled outside of BMO Field and hold a 1-5 away record. Trips to the West Coast haven’t been easy for Toronto in recent years — since 2003, the club is 4-14 in road games against B.C.
CENTURION: B.C. defensive back Garry Peters is set to appear in his 100th consecutive game. The 32-year-old from Conyers, Ga., is a two-time CFL all-star who has amassed 381 defensive tackles, 19 special teams tackles and 16 interceptions over seven seasons. “Just being on the field with the guys every day, running around, talking trash back and forth, it keeps me young,” Peters said. “It makes me feel good, and my body doesn’t really feel it. I’ve been blessed to be able to play 100 straight.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
