What to Watch For at the 2014 NHL Draft

The future of the NHL is gathering in Philadelphia this weekend. Some may go on to greatness. Some may fizzle early. But all will be available in stores this fall. That's right, so you can buy and wear them.

Did you think I was talking about future NHL players? Future jerseys, of course!

In recent years, the NHL Draft has been used as an opportunity for teams to unveil new sweaters, logos, or — in the case of the Jets — even their name! This year there should be more of the same.

What follows is a pick-by-pick preview of what to watch for on draft night.

Early picks

Don't expect anything too exciting through the first nine selections. The only potential question mark is the New York Islanders at 5th overall. But they're sure to give their pick the classic blue sweater over the Stadium Series threads. No one else has anything big on the horizon.

10 · Anaheim Ducks

All signs point to a new white road jersey being unveiled when the Anaheim Ducks welcome the 10th overall pick. Reports have stated it will be a simple reverse of the current third jersey.

On Wednesday, reddit user "ewoods3" claimed to have seen the sweater and offered up details of its design.

So I saw our new away jersey...
You guys are gonna like it!
I'll describe it roughly so I don't give too much away
White Jersey, Gold D Logo with I believe Silver? maybe? trim around it. Shoulders are black with the Mighty Ducks patches on the shoulders. Arms have a similar (maybe even the same pattern) color scheme.

Not sure what he's leaving to the imagination there, but we'll take it — assuming it's true. By the way, the Ducks also pick 24th overall so they might use that to debut the black third as the new home sweater. Just a thought.

UPDATE · Jun 27 · The rumors are true! The Anaheim Ducks unveiled their new sweaters this morning and they're just what we were expecting.

Now I'm certain we'll see them at the draft tonight.

12 · Arizona Coyotes

Two picks later, we'll get a 2011 flashback as the Arizona Coyotes officially introduce their new name. You could argue the difference is we've seen this one coming for months now. But truly, who really thought Winnipeg's NHL team would be called anything but the Jets?

The Coyotes are not changing their jerseys this year, but we will get our first look at the redesigned "AZ" shoulder patch when their draftee tries on his new threads.

UPDATE · Jun 27 · Coyotes VP of communications Rich Nairn tweeted a photo of today's draft jerseys this morning — featuring that new AZ patch.

This photo also may clear up the question as to whether the Reebok logo on the back of the neck will make a swift exit this year in favor of Adidas — or CCM, seen around much of the hockey world these days.

However, who's to say if this is a 2014-15 jersey. Could be an old one with the new patch sewn on. Just some things to consider.

16 · Columbus Blue Jackets

A few picks later we should get to see the 2015 version of the NHL All-Star Game patch on the Columbus Blue Jackets jerseys. We saw the 2013 version at the draft two years ago, but the patch was never used beyond that since the game was canceled due to the lockout.

17 · Philadelphia Flyers

Up next, the Philadelphia Flyers take the stage. I have no reason to expect them to offer their first-round choice anything but their orange home jersey. But they are hosting this year so there should be a lot of Flyer fans in the house. It could be a unique opportunity to debut that rumored new third jersey. Worth watching for.

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18 · Minnesota Wild

No new jerseys are coming to the Minnesota Wild this year, but I wanted to mention them since they've been an anomaly at recent drafts. Most teams give out their colorful home jerseys. Some do white roads. But the Wild have been using their green thirds. Will they continue?

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19 · Tampa Bay Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning have been teasing a new third jersey. But with such a late pick, it's not like there will be a ton of Bolts fans fixated on the proceedings. It's unlikely the team would use the 19th overall pick to reveal an alternate sweater. Still, I'd hate for us not to at least have it in the back of our minds.

Tampa also has the 28th overall pick, received in the Martin St. Louis trade.

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21 · St. Louis Blues

The St. Louis Blues are expected to introduce new home and road uniforms this summer. However, I get the feeling they'll want to make a big deal about it with their fans. So the draft in Philly would likely not be ideal. When asked recently whether the jersey rumor was even true, the team's owner said, "let's talk about that another time."

Blues draftees will probably get the current (soon to be retired) jerseys for now.

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22 · Pittsburgh Penguins

Same story as the Lightning here. The Pittsburgh Penguins pick 22nd overall, but introducing its future by giving him a new third jersey inspired by the past is the kind of thing one might expect from this team. So again, keep it in the back of your mind.

23 · Colorado Avalanche

Anniversary patches are often premiered at the NHL Draft. The only team that could conceivably celebrate a special anniversary this year is the Colorado Avalanche, who turn 20 next season after moving from Quebec in 1995. However, they marked their 10th year during the post-lockout 2005-06 season, so they may wait until 2015-16 to do the 20th — if they do it at all.

Then again, the Predators had a 15th anniversary logo last year but never used it on their jerseys. And the Capitals marked 40 years without hardly acknowledging it. And for the record, the Avs have not done any special 20th anniversary promotions or marketing for 2014-15 at this point. So yeah, this is all just complete speculation on my part.

24 · Anaheim Ducks

Again, keep an eye on the Ducks when they make their second first-round pick. This could be where we get confirmation the third jersey is receiving that full-time promotion.

29 · Los Angeles Kings

The Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings select 29th due to the Devils' Kovalchuk contract punishment. But don't expect them to break out their new gold throwback jerseys just yet. Because the team started the production process late, they don't expect the sweaters to be ready until December.

However, you may recall they gave out a special non-game throwback when they hosted the draft in 2010. So you never know.


Watch the first round of the NHL Draft starting at 7 PM ET Friday night on NBCSN, TSN or NHL Network. I'll do my best to keep up with the live coverage, but I'll be working late. (Lousy day job, right?)

NHL JerseyWatch 2014: June Edition

Let's have a new edition of NHL JerseyWatch 2014! I can't think of a better way to get back to blogging. A lot has happened in the four months since the last update. In this edition, I'm breaking all the details down into "facts" and "rumors" — there are plenty of both!

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Ducks

THE FACTS
In their 2014-15 retailer catalog, Reebok listed Anaheim's home and road sweaters as "TBD" — foreshadowing changes on the horizon.

Eric Stephens, Orange County Register, tweeted Dec. 3 that the "plan is for [the] current Ducks third jersey to become [the] main home sweater, perhaps next year."

THE RUMORS
In addition to the promotion of the third jersey — which debuted in 2010 — a new white version will be introduced for the road. And we could get our first look in just a few days.

On June 21, HFBoards user "Ducks DVM" reported on the team's open house event held for season ticket holders last week. He wrote briefly:

No more "Ducks" on jerseys. White jersey will be unveiled at draft.

Makes sense to me. Remember, the NHL Draft starts Friday night.

Also intriguing is the artwork on goalie Frederik Andersen's new lid, revealed June 17. Designer Dave Gunnarsson said:

When you're a goalie from Denmark in the NHL, Denmark the land of LEGO, of course a LEGO goalie is helping you building a LEGO wall on the mask.

Not sure a LEGO wall would do much against a slapshot but take a closer look at LEGO man's jersey. It's orange and features the classic Mighty Duck front and center.

This has led many to wonder whether it's a sneak peek of a new Ducks third jersey. My honest guess is it isn't. In a Q&A with the team website, Andersen said:

I think it was originally meant for the Stadium Series game, but [Gunnarsson] went with a different design for that and decided to save the LEGO idea for later. 

In other words, the 2014 Stadium Series jersey probably dictated LEGO man's palette. The Mighty Ducks logo, however, I can't explain.

But there's still an open question. Will the Ducks have a new third this year? As the Magic 8 Ball would say, don't count on it. From a marketing standpoint, it makes more sense to introduce one jersey at a time.

That said, I might expect a shiny new alternate uniform from the Ducks by 2015 or 2016.

Don't count on an orange third jersey quite yet. — Photo from @davidofdaveart via Instagram

Don't count on an orange third jersey quite yet. — Photo from @davidofdaveart via Instagram

UPDATE · Jun 27 · The new look is official! The Ducks unveiled their new home and road jerseys on the morning of the draft.

Among the changes to the original third jersey design are the new Stadium Series style collar laces and numbers outlined in orange.

Coyotes

THE FACTS
The Phoenix Coyotes will be officially renamed the Arizona Coyotes on Friday, June 27 at the NHL Draft. Also from Monday's press release:

As part of the name change, the Coyotes are introducing a new shoulder patch (alternate mark) for their home and road jerseys in 2014-15. The Coyotes are also unveiling a new wordmark for this season.
The rest of the Coyotes uniform will not change in 2014-15.

Craig Morgan, FOX Sports Arizona, reported in January that the Coyotes would bring back their 1996 jersey for a special throwback night next season.

Photo origin unknown

This photo of a pant shell produced by Warrior appears to be confirmation. Check out the retro desert dog.

THE RUMORS
By the way, what the team's statement did not address was the black third jersey. Will it stay? Not according to Sarah McLellan, Arizona Republic, who says the thirds will be phased out. However, she doesn't specify a timeframe.

In the winter, Reebok told retailers that the Coyotes' third was "TBD" for 2014-15 which may denote it's being retired. My bet is we probably won't see it next season. Could mean extra opportunities for the throwback, right?

Looking down the road, Morgan and McLellan both reported that redesigned home and road jerseys are a possibility in Arizona as early as 2015-16. But I don't expect the logo to change.

Tyler Baldwin, 3TV in Phoenix, on the other hand, seems to think it's a possibility.

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Kings

THE FACTS
The Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings will have a new sweater in their arsenal before the end of 2014.

The team has been wearing their "Forum blue" (purple) retro jerseys on special occasions since 2010-11. The sweaters throw back to the club's formation in 1967.

Starting next season, the team will switch to the gold version of those early jerseys. The change was revealed on March 12 by LA Kings Insider Jon Rosen, a writer for the Kings' website.

This is what the Kings' new retro uniforms will look like next season.

In Rosen's report, Kings exec Luc Robitaille weighed in on the delay in debuting the new colors.

As Robitaille shared with LA Kings Insider, the process of incorporating new jerseys is a two-year process that includes gaining league approval, and then having the jerseys made. As such, the first Legends Night in 2014-15 won’t be held until the second or third week in December.

I'm sure it'll be well worth the wait.

THE RUMORS
The purple may be gone for now, but there's a big year coming up soon. The 2016-17 season will mark the 100th anniversary of the NHL as well as the 50th anniversary of the Kings.

I have little doubt we'll be seeing more than a few flavors of retro jerseys make an appearance during that season.

By the way, as the NHL Draft nears, don't forget this gem from four years ago. Could it happen again?

Islanders

THE FACTS
Chris Botta, Sports Business Journal, tweeted Dec. 31 that we'll "be seeing more of [the Islanders' Stadium Series jersey] in coming seasons." He followed up saying that it "or something very close to it, will be the Islanders' third jersey by 2015."

Get ready to see more of this, Isles fans.

Three months later, Isles' much-maligned black third jersey was officially retired. It made its curtain call on March 23 in a 2-0 shutout win over Columbus.

THE RUMORS
Now the only real question is whether the Islanders will go without a third jersey in 2014-15 or expedite the timetable on bringing back the Stadium Series sweater.

Either way, this will be their final season in Uniondale. The Isles will skate in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center starting in 2015-16.

And don't forget that just last fall CEO Brett Yormark said the "new third jersey in Brooklyn will be black and white." Has that changed? Time will tell.

UPDATE · Jun 24 · And we already have our answer. It has not changed. A piece just published Monday from Arthur Staple, Newsday, cleared that up.

Expect a new third jersey that looks more like the black-and-white Brooklyn Nets jerseys; Yormark said he's met with the Adidas/Reebok apparel makers to start the third jersey design process.

I have no doubt the Islanders will be part of NHL JerseyWatch 2015.

Senators

THE FACTS
Responding to fan questions on Twitter back in April, Senators owner Eugene Melnyk discussed jersey options for next season.

Nevill Carney — whose name you may recognize from his Concepts page contributions —  asked specifically whether the Sens' Heritage jerseys could be promoted to home and road uniforms.

Melnyk didn't answer directly but did say they are looking into using them during the 2014-15 season. The black jersey is already the go-to third, but perhaps there's also an opportunity to use the beige Heritage Classic version on occasion. 

THE RUMORS
In recent months, retail discounts have raised questions about the future of Ottawa's red and white jerseys. But a sale isn't always indicative of a uniform redesign. In fact, it hardly ever is.

While I'm not expecting anything major for the Senators in 2014-15, they're worth keeping an eye on in the seasons to come.

Flyers

THE FACTS
Reebok's catalog suggested the possibility of a new third jersey for Philadelphia. The alternate was listed as "TBD" while the team hasn't had a third since 2010.

THE RUMORS
If the Flyers really are going to have a new third jersey next season, they've done an extremely good job of keeping quiet. I have not seen details reported anywhere else since January.

That tells me it might not be happening after all. But I'm not ready to call it just yet.

Philly's last third jersey was introduced in 2008 and became their home sweater the following season.

The Flyers used a black jersey from 2007 to 2010. Could they be planning to try black again next season? Stay tuned for updates.

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Penguins

THE FACTS
Rob Rossi, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, reported June 9 the Penguins will bring back their classic yellow in the form of a new third jersey.

The Penguins expect to introduce an alternate jersey to be worn for select games next season. One confirmable detail about the third jersey is the return of Pittsburgh Gold to the team's uniforms for the first time since 2001-02 season.
Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury said he has ordered yellow leg pads and gloves to be worn when the Penguins' don the alternate jerseys.

This only adds to a previous report from Rossi and Josh Yohe on Dec. 13.

There are tentative plans for a new alternate jersey that could debut next season. A design is not finalized, but under consideration is a jersey similar to the ones the Penguins wore during their 1991 and 1992 Stanley Cup runs.

It's the news Pens fans have been dying to hear!

THE RUMORS
What's still unknown is whether the new sweater will be an exact replica of one the black or yellow jerseys worn by Pittsburgh in the 1980s and early 90s. There are certainly a few for them to choose from.

Believe it or not, I'm expecting a yellow jersey. Decades from now, we may look back on this era with some eye rolling, but yellow has been on the upswing in recent years.

The Bruins got the trend started with their 2010 Winter Classic threads — the NHL's first gold jersey since Boston's original alternate was retired in 2006. In 2011, the Nashville Predators introduced their gold home jersey. The Sabres launched a controversial gold third last fall. And as you saw above, the Kings are switching to gold for their Legends Night look.

Everybody's investing in gold right now. Why shouldn't Pittsburgh?

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Blues

THE FACTS
Reebok listed new home and road jerseys for St. Louis back in January. Lending further credence to this was a question posed by a reporter to the team owner.

Jeremy Rutherford, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, wrapped up a Q&A with Blues owner Tom Stillman on the subject, published June 2.

Q: There’s been fairly strong speculation that the Blues will change their uniforms for the 2014-15 season. Is that true?
Stillman: Yeah, I think we should break some news right here. We’re going back to the clown uniforms (with the diagonal red stripes that the Blues wore in the mid-1990s).
Q: Your smile tells us that you’re kidding about that. So is it true? Will there be a uniform change?
Stillman: Let’s talk about that another time.

Can't say I care much for Stillman's sense of humor. That's just downright mean. But seriously though, he sure didn't deny it, did he?

THE RUMORS
All right, new sweaters are on the way in St. Louis. So what do they look like? When we will see them? These are questions we can't answer yet. All I know is I'll be watching the draft on Friday just in case.

Given the current trends in hockey uniform design, the Blues are probably giving up their apron-string appearance for something a little more timeless. Prior to their Reebok overhaul, St. Louis had perhaps the best non-Original Six uniforms in the NHL.

If I had to put money on it, I'd say we see something more traditional this fall. Maybe it'll be a better fit with their superb third jersey.

Rumor has it this blue is lighter than it should be. Or can we blame it on computers?

Rumor has it this blue is lighter than it should be. Or can we blame it on computers?

By the way, another rumor floating around is that the Blues leaked a new, recolored version of their logo in the press release announcing their new CEO on June 16.

The claim is that the light blue is much lighter than it should be, not unlike the shade the team wore during the 1960s and 70s.

However, given the issues with varying digital color spaces and CMYK to RGB conversions, this sort of color shift is hardly uncommon on the web. And while the light blue may be lighter, the dark blue and yellow are as well. It's just not as obvious.

In-house graphic artists usually catch this sort of thing, but it is the summer and a lot of those jobs are seasonal. Or maybe somebody was on vacation.

Yes, it's entirely possible the Blues' next jersey will be a lighter shade of blue, but I wouldn't call this graphic the smoking gun.

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Lightning

THE FACTS
The Tampa Bay Lightning will debut a brand new third jersey next season. This has been revealed through the announcements of special season ticket packages for 2014-15 — which began on TV back in March.

The above graphic is the first hint at a possible color for the new sweater. Are the Bolts finally bringing back the black?

According to reporter Erik Erlendsson, Tampa Tribune, it's unlikely we'll get a look at the new threads before September.

THE RUMORS
At this point, it's probably beyond a rumor that the jersey will be black. It certainly won't be blue. The home jersey is blue and the Lightning just retired a blue third.

That in mind, there was this 8-year-old prototype jersey that showed up on ebay back in April. It was black. But don't worry. It was consigned to the scrap heap for a reason.

Will the Lightning dig into their history for a throwback jersey from the 90s? Or will they buck the retro trend in favor of a fresh new design?

2015 Winter Classic

THE FACTS
On Sunday, the NHL announced the 2014-15 regular season schedule, including — at last — the Washington Capitals' opponent for the 2015 NHL Winter Classic.

The Caps will host the Chicago Blackhawks on New Year's Day in each team's second appearance in the big outdoor event.

The Blackhawks hosted in the second Winter Classic in 2009 at Wrigley Field. The Capitals faced the Penguins in 2011 at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field.

The nation's capital was awarded the event last September. The new Winter Classic logo, venue and uniform designs will be revealed at a later date, according to the NHL.

THE RUMORS
The best part of any Winter Classic for many Icethetics readers is the sweaters. It's a chance to see teams to dig into their histories.

In 2011, the Caps wore their original white jersey from the 1970s. It wouldn't surprise me to see them simply go with the red version this time around.

And imagine the possibility of white pants! They were a blip in Caps history but will never be forgotten.

As for the Blackhawks, they had a great jersey in 2009 which they later adopted as an alternate briefly. Maybe they could go back to their very first black and white jersey from 1926?

I'm excited to see where both teams end up!

Stadium Series

THE FACTS
After a winter packed with six outdoor games, the NHL will scale back to just one during the 2014-15 season — the Winter Classic in D.C. Clearly the 2014 Stadium Series didn't get the kind of response the league was hoping for. But that doesn't mean they won't try again.

Michael Russo, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, said June 21 the Minnesota Wild will host a game at Target Field in 2016. But various logistical problems kept it from happening in 2015. An interesting aside from Russo:

Personally, I still hear there's more to this Stadium Series thing that has nothing to do with the Wild and that's why the Stadium Series games were scaled down this year to one. Next year, I'm told we're going to see more than one game again.

If the Wild end up hosting the Stars for that game, as intended, who gets to wear the North Stars jerseys?

THE RUMORS
On June 2, Kevin Kurz, CSN Bay Area, reported the San Jose Sharks would be among the teams hosting a Stadium Series game in 2014-15. That seems to be wrong unless the league is holding back on an announcement. But like the Wild, they should be high on the list for 2015-16.

UPDATE · Jun 24 · Or maybe I'm jumping the gun. On Sunday, Eric Duhatschek, The Globe and Mail, said that the Sharks are still planning to play outside.

It is believed that a Feb. 21 date between the Kings and the Sharks will also be played outdoors in the Bay Area, after the NHL successfully pulled off an outdoor game at Dodger Stadium last January.

Perhaps the league is indeed holding back on an announcement to firm up the details. We'll have to wait and see on that one.

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2015 All-Star Game

THE FACTS
After a failed attempt in 2013, the Columbus Blue Jackets will finally host the NHL All-Star Game on Jan. 25, 2015.

The logo has been around in some form since the original announcement 2012. A decision on the format and jersey designs has yet to be announced.

THE RUMORS
Presumably, the NHL will continue to employ the fantasy draft format introduced in 2011, where two captains choose their teams.

A new jersey design was introduced for that game and was recycled in 2012. They're blue and red — a color palette that would fit nicely in Ohio's capital city.

However, there's been no official word yet regarding jerseys. So stay tuned.

One thing we should keep an eye out for this Friday at the draft is the Blue Jackets' updated jersey patch. The 2013 version was on the jerseys given to draftees in 2012. Look for 2014 draftees to wear the 2015 version. (Did you follow all that?)

The Blue Jackets introduced their 2013 All-Star Game patch at the 2012 NHL Draft. Expect to see the 2015 version this Friday.


Final Thoughts

At this point, the most exciting date on the calendar in the near term is Friday. The NHL draft opens on June 27 and with it we'll be treated to at least one new sweater — possibly more — as well as the renaming of the team from Arizona.

These JerseyWatch articles are always tricky. Decisions have been made in some room somewhere but we're not privy to them just yet. There's a lot of speculation out there but I aim to do my best to separate truth from fiction where possible. History has shown Icethetics' NHL JerseyWatch to be pretty reliable. Hoping it continues!

Original Canucks logo designer tells his story

The Vancouver Canucks treated us to a great video today with the story of how the original 1970 logo came about.

Former graphic designer Joe Borovich is interviewed in the three-minute video about his timeless contribution to the franchise.

When I first designed the logo I was a graphic designer. I'm retired now. But at the time I was freelancing on my own. I was a hockey fan all my life and then in 1969 I heard rumors that the Canucks were coming into the NHL.

With that in mind, I decided to take some time and come up with a logo and see if I could submit it.

When you do a logo, they indicate that you should try and bring in the initial of the company and also what they do. I ended up with the initial "C" for Canucks — although a lot of people didn't see it initially — made up of the overall shape of the hockey rink with a stick going through making the "C." And of course the stick is the tool they use so I had three components there.

I worked about a week on this situation. I came up with the stick in the rink and then I applied it to the uniforms. I decided on blue and green and white. Then I took it to the Canucks office.

The Canucks resurrected Borovich's original logo and uniform design for a few nights during the team's 40th anniversary in 2010.

A modernized version of the logo has been in use on the Canucks' uniforms since 2007.

By the way, I have to credit the video producer for acknowledging the club's hilarious variety of visual identities right off the bat, saying: "Canuck fans have have quite a selection of team logos and uniforms to cheer for over the years."

That they have.

Alleged prototype Lightning jersey offered on ebay

Here's something unexpected. A listing recently appeared on ebay claiming to offer a prototype Tampa Bay Lightning jersey from the original Reebok Edge launch. Is it true?

As we know, the Lightning were among a handful of teams to introduce new logos to go with their new Reebok threads. So it makes sense that the Bolts looked at a number of designs before settling on what they did in 2007.

The listing includes almost a dozen photos — all of which can be seen in the slideshow above. The question is, are they legitimate?

The logos seen on this jersey are clearly alternate versions of logo they ultimately went with. And the NHL shield on the neckline is spot on — something knock off artists have never been able to properly master.

There's also a tag pictured that dates the jersey to December 2006 — exactly the time teams would've been looking at prototypes for a summer 2007 launch. So if I had to guess, I'd say it's probably the real deal.

It's a rather considerable leap from Tampa Bay's actual jersey design from 2007 — specifically with regard to the sleeves and number designs, which I actually like better speaking as a Bolts fan. The team was definitely considering a wild new look. Unfortunately, it got toned down a lot and was eventually replaced four years later by new ownership.

As for the listing, the user wants $999.99 for it. Too rich for me, but it would definitely be a unique addition for a major jersey collector and/or Lightning fan.

Don't forget, the Lightning have a new black third jersey in the works for next season. So maybe there's still a chance of seeing something like this.

This is the actual Reebok Edge jersey design the Lightning went with in 2007.

This is the actual Reebok Edge jersey design the Lightning went with in 2007.

U.S. claims Olympic gold with throwback jersey

If they couldn't do it for real in Sochi, at least the U.S. hockey team could earn gold medals in other ways.

A few weeks ago, Icethetics readers decided Jonathan Quick had the best goalie mask at the Olympics. Now, you've selected the Americans' throwback jersey as the best the Games had to offer.

The tournament commenced on March 25 with 30 sweaters — so many that the first round was split into two separate sets of polls. By the end, almost 27,000 votes were cast.

The 18-day tournament wrapped up Saturday night with the white 1960-inspired USA sweater taking top honors. It defeated Sweden's blue jersey with 61% of votes — leaving the Swedes with silver again.

Meanwhile, Canada's red took bronze with 54% against Russia's red uniform. The host country of the 2014 Winter Olympics just can't catch a break, it seems. No medals in hockey. At all.

It's always better to see hockey sweaters in action, so the mini-slideshow below captures the three medal-winning sweaters in all their celebratory glory.

Click bracket to enlarge.

The United States' winning sweater, in fact, was not on the list of jerseys we were expecting to see in Sochi. It made a surprise appearance on the day the Americans faced Slovenia — and went on to win 5-1.

It was worn for just once during the entire tournament but the victory was enough to help it finish fifth overall in the Icethetics Olympic Jersey Standings. Four other jerseys saw action in only a single game — Czech red, Slovenian white, Norwegian red, and Japanse black — but each one lost.


Up next, we're tackling the 2014 NHL Tournament of Logos — the third such tournament since this blog was created in 2007. The Canadiens won then. The Blues won the second tournament in 2011. Who will take it this year?