White Jersey's at Home next year

[inkman]

It sound like a pretty good idea. Fans gets to see all the opposing teams colors coming into the arena. Minus the fact that the WGR guys are taking credit for it. <_<

[shrader]

Taking credit for what? Last I heard, the NHL wasn't even considering this change for next year. Has that changed in the last few days?

[jerryg]

That was the idea when the league switched to white at home in 1970 (or so), but so many teams want to wear their pretty 3rd jerseys at home that visiting teams were having to travel with 2 sets of gear, dark colors for "nromal" games and whites for when the home team wanted ot wear their 3rds. So instead of doing the logical thing and killing the (usually very ugly) 3rd jersey or making teams wear them only on the road, the NHL made darks home and whites road wear. Don't want to kill off any revenue streams, y'know. Oh, yeah, that's ANOTHER great thing that happend on Bettman's watch...

[inkman]

Taking credit for what? Last I heard, the NHL wasn't even considering this change for next year. Has that changed in the last few days?

Apparently

[Bmwolf21]

So instead of doing the logical thing and killing the (usually very ugly) 3rd jersey or making teams wear them only on the road, the NHL made darks home and whites road wear. Don't want to kill off any revenue streams, y'know. Oh, yeah, that's ANOTHER great thing that happend on Bettman's watch...

If we were talking about the 3rd jerseys from five, six, seven years ago, I'd agree with you in a heartbeat. But the teams have really moved away from the hideous-looking 3rds, with most of them look real similar to the home & away jerseys. The main difference is usually using the team's alternate logo and using one of the alternate colors as the main one...

 

There are really only three ugly 3rd jerseys left - the Isles and Flyers "orange surprise" nightmares, and the Nashville mustard jersey (you could also throw Minnesota's in there, as the 3rd is a lot different than the home & away.) You can check out this year's jerseys here

 

I like the change back to white at home & dark on the road, but if I were a season ticket holder, I wouldn't want to see the current Sabres' whites 40+ times a year - the whites are clearly the uglier of the two slug jerseys. If I had to pick a favorite of the slug uniforms, it would be the blue.

[shrader]

Apparently

 

Only for divisional opponents? That's one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. If they make the switch, it'll be full time.

 

 

wolf, one problem is that teams have turned their ugly 3rd jersey into their full time home jersey (I'm looking at you, Atlanta).

[Crestwood]

Hmm. Uni Watch on ESPN.com's Page 2 had something on this the other day that confirmed they were not making the switch to home whites. I'll try to dig it up when I get the chance.

[Bmwolf21]

From looking at the uniforms link, Atlanta's about the only one who turned an ugly 3rd into a full-time home jersey...all the rest look pretty traditional, so to speak...

 

And let's be honest, Atlanta changing from their ugly home to their ugly 3rd is really a lateral move at best...

[Crestwood]

From looking at the uniforms link, Atlanta's about the only one who turned an ugly 3rd into a full-time home jersey...all the rest look pretty traditional, so to speak...

Yeah those are quite the unis. Great font for the names; Kovalchuk's barely fits. And that dark blue stripe down just one arm? Who thought that looked cool?

[will]

I like the change back to white at home & dark on the road, but if I were a season ticket holder, I wouldn't want to see the current Sabres' whites 40+ times a year - the whites are clearly the uglier of the two slug jerseys. If I had to pick a favorite of the slug uniforms, it would be the blue.

how do you think i feel seeing them in the sluggy-whites every time they come to boston? :bag:

 

 

answer: i'm just happy to be seeing them. :D

[Screamin'Weasel]

There are really only three ugly 3rd jerseys left - the Isles and Flyers "orange surprise" nightmares, and the Nashville mustard jersey (you could also throw Minnesota's in there, as the 3rd is a lot different than the home & away.) You can check out this year's jerseys here

 

I agree with you on the three mentioned in the main paragraph, but disagree with your paranthetical Minnesota choice. I think the Wild's logo and third are some of the best in the league.

 

I'd like to add Colorado's vertical slant third as horrendously boring (and a blantant rip off of the Ranger's for the purpose of making the Avs look like an old-time long existing franchise); Ottawa's "perspective" view of the senator on both their ugly thirds and their ugly third-turned-home jerseys; and (I can hear the opposision on this already) Montreal's white third with the absurdly hard to read numbers.

 

As for the main topic: how do Dope and the Bullfrog feel they can claim credit for anything on this other than possibly breaking the story? And until I see the NHL make an announcement, I remain skeptical. I actually even kind of hope they are wrong and have to change thier tune on what they said/feel about it. You know, like they did on the slug issue over the summer.

[Two or less]

It sound like a pretty good idea. Fans gets to see all the opposing teams colors coming into the arena. Minus the fact that the WGR guys are taking credit for it. <_<

 

It's always just been a rumour, WGR stating it are saying they know it for a fact.... huge difference.

[Orange Seats]

I don't think the slug whites will look as awkward in the new jersey cut... for one, that sea of white fabric in the waist won't be there because they will be tucked in. Also, the sleeves won't be so baggy. It will still be sluggalo, but I don't think it will look *as* bad as the current whites.

[Crestwood]

I don't think the slug whites will look as awkward in the new jersey cut... for one, that sea of white fabric in the waist won't be there because they will be tucked in. Also, the sleeves won't be so baggy. It will still be sluggalo, but I don't think it will look *as* bad as the current whites.

Actually, and sorry to disappoint, the uniforms won't be tucked in next year, according to UniWatch's Paul Lukas:

 

• Jerseys will not be tucked in. A tucked-in concept was tried out midway through the design process -- the idea was that it would be more aerodynamic -- but the players nixed it. (And let's give the NHL credit for consulting with the players, which is more than the NBA did when introducing its ill-fated new ball.)

The whole UniWatch NHL round-up on ESPN.com's Page 2 can be found here. It answers a lot of the pressing questions we've all had (and also says the colored unis will be the home ones, so we'll see).

 

That sea of white should be a little more bearable when they're more form-fitting... and maybe the team will decide to add a little something to the bottom now that they won't have to be tucked in.

[Bmwolf21]

Couple things - first, as noted above, everything I have found says the same thing - jerseys will NOT be tucked in next year. Apparently the players were pretty adamant about that:

There will surely still be critics - some players may be resistant to change - but the shock value dissipated when the original idea of tucked-in jerseys went by the wayside after the players politely gave them the thumbs-down. Jerseys worn out, please.

.

Second, two weeks before the ASG, Andy Strickland from HockeyBuzz.com reported the piece about the NHL making the whites the home jerseys next year, so maybe WGR's story does have legs:

I?ve been told the NHL will return to home teams wearing white beginning next season. NHL clubs will not have a third jersey next season either.

 

Please understand all these changes apply to every team except the New Jersey Devils of course. Lou Lamoriello does whatever he wants and the league never seems to mind.

[topshelfcookies]

Even though it sounds like teams will not be allowed a "3rd jersey" next season (which I don't really care about), I wonder if the teams will be allowed to wear a "retro" jersey at home or on the road. I can't imagine the league not allowing teams like Toronto and Vancouver, who already wear retro style whites (on the road AND at home on special occasions) will not allow them to do so. With plenty of time to adjust manufacturing and match color samples, I would be really surprised if the Sabres did not wear their complete orignial uniforms (though they'll probably add numbers to the chest again) next season - white helmets, white original jersey, royal shorts, white multi-striped socks.

 

In a way, it's a genious move for the Sabres. Everyone has been purchasing dark and white slug jerseys this year, or opting for the retro blue jersey. Next year, besides continuing to sell the new merchandise, they can start marketing the retro white as well.