Update: Tracking the AHL's Pacific Division domino effect
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The relocation of five AHL teams to California next season is causing a domino effect that's impacting the ECHL. Get caught up on what's changing.
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Five AHL teams relocating to California cities in 2015
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Five AHL teams owned by NHL franchises will relocate to California to create a new Pacific Division in the 2015-16 season.
Read MoreManchester Monarchs scrap purple, swipe Kings jerseys
/Monarchs' home and road jerseys, 2014— // Photos from LA Kings Insider
The AHL's Manchester Monarchs lost a piece of their identity Wednesday. They scrapped the purple and gold from their color scheme and unveiled new home and road jerseys identical to those of their NHL affiliate, the Los Angeles Kings.
Perhaps they're just trying to capitalize on the Kings' recent Stanley Cup championships, but this is nevertheless a depressing development for a club that once had a truly unique look.
“These jerseys tie us to our parent club, the Kings,” said [Monarchs president Darren] Abbott. “The Monarchs have so many players that have gone on to play for the Kings and have helped them win Stanley Cup championships in Los Angeles that we wanted to bring their identity into our uniforms.”
I'm of the opinion players shouldn't be wearing NHL jerseys until they make the NHL, but obviously Abbott disagrees.
This is almost a literal representation of what I think when I see an AHLer wearing an NHL jersey.
If you live in New Hampshire, the new sweaters will be available very soon.
The jerseys were unveiled at a press conference held at the Verizon Wireless Arena on Wednesday that introduced head coach Mike Stothers to Manchester. Fans will be able to purchase the new jerseys at the Monarchs' annual Summer Fan Fest ... on Saturday, July 26.
For more photos from the unveiling, check out L.A. Kings Insider.
What do you think of the Monarchs switching to these jerseys? Be sure to vote in the poll.
Manchester Monarchs home and road jerseys, 2010—2014
FURTHER READING: Monarchs celebrate Kings' original 1996 third jersey · Feb 1, 2014
Monarchs celebrate Kings' original third jersey
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Fan vote determined throwback sweater for Los Angeles Kings Night
The AHL's Manchester Monarchs wore a jersey last Saturday, Jan. 25, that hasn't been seen on the ice in 18 years.
Last August, the Monarchs decided to let fans choose which jersey the team would wear in honor of their NHL affiliate for Los Angeles Kings Night.
The vote featured these three throwback jerseys from Kings history.
Option A was the Kings' original gold sweater, worn for their first 13 years of existence. It's the reverse of the purple Legends Night jersey currently in use by the Kings.
Option B, unmistakably, was the first ever third jersey worn by the Kings for a few games in 1996. And Option C was the Kings' alternate jersey from 2002 to 2007.
The result of the vote was an overwhelming win for that memorable '96 sweater.
A few months later, the first photos of the Monarchs' version of the sweater emerged.
For more photos, check out the Monarchs' Instagram posts on the side. And in case you need a reminder, below are some shots of how the Kings wore it back in '96.
Monarchs to Don Classic Kings Look
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Manchester club plans L.A. Kings Night for January
The famous "Burger King" jersey. Your vote could put it on pro hockey ice once again.
The AHL's Manchester Monarchs are planning L.A. Kings Night in honor of their NHL affiliate. And fans get to decide which Los Angeles throwback the Monarchs will wear for the game.
You can vote here, but the winning jersey will be announced on Thursday. So vote now!
Any of these would be cool to see on the ice again, but I'm particularly excited by the possibility of the Kings' old third jersey from 1996. That was a classic. So I won't mince words. Vote B!
Update on 2013-08-15 20:04 by Chris
And the winner is...
The Monarchs announced today that the Kings' 1996 third jersey won the two-week poll and will be the basis of the club's Los Angeles Kings Night specialty sweater. And it wasn't even close. (The winning design picked up a whopping 75% of the vote.)
From the press release:
Fans of the Manchester Monarchs, the primary affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings, have spoken and with over 11,000 people voting, the Kings first-ever alternate jersey from the 1995-96 season will be the inspiration behind the team’s specialty jersey which will be worn during the second annual Los Angeles Kings Night in January 2014, Monarchs President Darren Abbott announced today.
Following the 1994-95 NHL Lockout and the purchase of the Kings by Philip Anschutz and Edward Roski, Jr., the organization joined an NHL-wide initiative to introduce third jerseys. The Kings jersey featured an arcing stripe from the right shoulder down the left hip that faded from black to gray. It included shoulder patches of the Kings primary logo at the time and a new King logo on the upper left front of the jersey that is the only human image ever featured on a Kings jersey.
The alternate jersey was introduced on January 27, 1996 when the Kings won, 5-4, against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim at the Great Western Forum.
While we eagerly await the the arrival of January, here's something to think about. When the Kings and Ducks meet for their Stadium Series game on Jan. 25, it'll be almost 18 years to the day when those two wacky third jerseys first hit the ice. They're all grown up.
Not that I think the NHL would be crazy enough to allow them to come back, of course.