Top 10 Best Uniforms in NHL History

[Sheppy]

 

[Johnny Engine]

Sticking with NHL only...

You have a great eye for design principles, Tarheel. I'm not sure these would be my top ten, specifically, but they're all good looks that succeed in form and function. You have any particular personal connection to graphic or clothing design?

 

[Datsyukian Deke]

I might be one of the few, but I really liked these Islanders jerseys during the mid to late 90's.

 

[tarheelhockey]

You have a great eye for design principles, Tarheel. I'm not sure these would be my top ten, specifically, but they're all good looks that succeed in form and function. You have any particular personal connection to graphic or clothing design?

Thanks, and no, no personal connection. I just take this stuff too seriously

 

[c9777666]

I might be one of the few, but I really liked these Islanders jerseys during the mid to late 90's.

I always thought that the uniform itself outside the Fishsticks logo was pretty good.

If THAT had been the Isles' look in 1995-96 instead, I think it would've had a longer shelf life.

 

[tarheelhockey]

If THAT had been the Isles' look in 1995-96 instead, I think it would've had a longer shelf life.

The numbers alone, though. How are people supposed to read that?

 

[Johnny Engine]

I always thought that the uniform itself outside the Fishsticks logo was pretty good.

If THAT had been the Isles' look in 1995-96 instead, I think it would've had a longer shelf life.

I kind of think the opposite. If the Isles managed to tone down the 90s in the logo, the way the Preds did eventually, they probably could have used it on a decent jersey with solid, blocky stripes like the one they normally use. The wavy stripes just create too many balance and layout problems to work anywhere, and frankly, the Islanders' logo as it stands isn't all that good anyway.
I mean, it's better than the orange-skinned captain, but from a distance it's nothing but a dark circle, and there's no real harmony among the elements - just a map, some initials, a word, and a hockey stick slapped into one shape.

 

[VanIslander]

Love the "BlackArmor" Sharks jersey. Simple and uncluttered, heralding the logo.

 

[SnoopDogg]

 

[WildGopher]

Absolutely eye-popping

It's likely that many would look and say "Eew", but I tend to agree with you fellas here. Great uni.

Not mentioned yet, but the color scheme on the Cleveland Crusaders dark jersey was one of the best in the WHA, although they didn't have the greatest logo. But sitting in the stands or watching on TV, where you mostly just see the colors, it looked sharp. This is all subjective, but I'd pick the old Sabres' whites as 2nd best NHL uniform, and the current Calgary whites as the best.

 

[Ducks in a row]

I don't care what anyone says Mighty Ducks is the best.

 

[CHGoalie27]

I don't care what anyone says Mighty Ducks is the best.

Every hockey fan should thank the lucky mainstream stars for the movie that not only nudged me and millions of other kids into true lifers after leaving the theater, but followed Gretzky's lead to putting hockey a bit more front and center into the mainstream American crowd. Almost 2 years later, Richter stopped Bure and transformed me into a goalie for the last 22 years, but this movie started my steps past being a casual fan of the game!

I love that shirt. I don't have one and I have about 60 jerseys. To me the biggest shame was having to see that jersey not raise the cup in the hands of JS Giguere in 2003. I want the purple Mighty Ducks Giguere jersey for Christmas.

 

[CHGoalie27]

Love the "BlackArmor" Sharks jersey. Simple and uncluttered, heralding the logo.

This one is pretty damn slick.

 

[Super Fadio Bro]

Love the "BlackArmor" Sharks jersey. Simple and uncluttered, heralding the logo.

I have a soft spot for this (minus the number on the front) and the one they wore between 1998(?)-2007.

 

[87SidKid87]

Kansas City Scouts

 

[The Panther]

The best one ever, I think, is Montreal's home uniforms circa the 1940s.

I also love the early Gretzky-era Kings' look, circa 1988 to 1991, both home and road. What made the home ones special was the silver numbers on the white sweater. I thought that looked so cool and unique (they went back to black numbers later, making their uniforms generic again).

And yeah, Boston's c.1960s ones were great.

 

[Johnny Engine]

I've noticed a lot of love for the Kansas City Scouts uniform in the past few months in here, and I'm pretty surprised by that. The 70s in general had some pretty weird looks (particularly with the founding of roughly 800 WHA teams that seemed to toss their visual identities together as fast as possible, with no staying power at all), but until the recent spate of uniform nostalgia threads that have popped up, I'd never heard them talked about in the same fond light as the Nordiques and Whalers.

From a design standpoint, it's pretty bad. The thin blue-gold-red-gold-blue-red-blue-gold-red-gold-blue striping pattern is similar (and just as busy) to the 90s St. Louis look that nobody likes. I've written about my general dislike of "stuff in a circle" logos like the Islanders, Jets and Sabres, and this one is far worse than any of those (maybe not as bad as the original WHA Jets logo). If you were a 10 year old Scouts fan, could you sketch that horse and Indian on your notebook from memory? Could you even get close? Or would you just scribble a bit inside a circle and add a KC in there somewhere?

Anyway, not everybody's thinking about design specifics, and what actually makes a good logo or uniform. The heart wants what it wants, and if anyone has good memories or a postive reaction to that sweater, they're really not wrong. Anyone want to step up and tell me what's good about the Scouts' look?

 

[Bluesguru]

I think when you talk about the best uniforms in history, you have to start out with the original 6. They are all excellent.

After that, people will all have personal preferences but there's no doubt, the original 6 gets mentioned first and then after that it's people's personal favorites.

Lot of great jersey's out there. For example, I love the 70's jerseys of teams like the Blues, Flyers, Islanders, Sabres, Kings. Even the Atlanta Flames. Just some great jerseys out there.

 

[The Panther]

I think when you talk about the best uniforms in history, you have to start out with the original 6. They are all excellent.

I would personally say the Canadiens', Bruins', and Leafs' uniforms were excellent. The Red Wings' was good-ish, but I'd say the Blackhawks' and Rangers' were just okay.

It's just an aesthetic preference, having nothing to do with the teams/players, etc.

Even with the "classic 6" teams, though, there have been lots of changes to the uniforms over the years.

 

[DowntownBooster]

I've noticed a lot of love for the Kansas City Scouts uniform in the past few months in here, and I'm pretty surprised by that. The 70s in general had some pretty weird looks (particularly with the founding of roughly 800 WHA teams that seemed to toss their visual identities together as fast as possible, with no staying power at all), but until the recent spate of uniform nostalgia threads that have popped up, I'd never heard them talked about in the same fond light as the Nordiques and Whalers.

Not sure I agree that WHA teams had uniforms with no staying power. I would say the Houston Aeros uniforms have a classic look about them as did the Edmonton Oilers.

 

[Killion]

Not sure I agree that WHA teams had uniforms with no staying power. I would say the Houston Aeros uniforms have a classic look about them as did the Edmonton Oilers.

Uh oh.... sorry...... usually agree with you on most everything hockey.... sartorial..... but nope, not this time DB.... Didnt, have never cared for the Oilers jerseys, uniforms.... ditto with the Aero's. They coulda done way better. The Aero's the better of 2 bad designs but still. Bland. Never a fan of the Oiler's colors, striping & composition, drip logo. Shouldve really gone all out with a Roughneck vibe, black & white, menacing... There Will Be Blood type dealeo.... throwback. That orange, white & blue just doesnt cut it. Never did.

 

[DowntownBooster]

Uh oh.... sorry...... usually agree with you on most everything hockey.... sartorial..... but nope, not this time DB.... Didnt, have never cared for the Oilers jerseys, uniforms.... ditto with the Aero's. They coulda done way better. The Aero's the better of 2 bad designs but still. Bland. Never a fan of the Oiler's colors, striping & composition, drip logo. Shouldve really gone all out with a Roughneck vibe, black & white, menacing... There Will Be Blood type dealeo.... throwback. That orange, white & blue just doesnt cut it. Never did.

No problem Killion. I grew up watching those uniforms in games against the Jets so I have a soft spot for them.

 

[Killion]

No problem Killion. I grew up watching those uniforms in games against the Jets so I have a soft spot for them.

.... ya, understood. I very much like the Edmonton Oil Kings logo, colors, jerseys (various versions over the years, including some of their 3rds) & uni's, total look but of course, that name taken by both the Oil Kings & Los Angeles so that was out. "Oilers" is fine, but as I said, the logo itself & the colors, not a fan at all.... and while I dont mean to pick on Alberta (love the place & people, honest, even have family living there) but I'm afraid Imma gonna hefta single out the Flames as well.... look, that name made sense in Atlanta.... makes no sense whatsoever in Calgary. Absolutely none. Sorry. Please change, fixee.

 

[DowntownBooster]

.... ya, understood. I very much like the Edmonton Oil Kings logo, colors, jerseys (various versions over the years, including some of their 3rds) & uni's, total look but of course, that name taken by both the Oil Kings & Los Angeles so that was out. "Oilers" is fine, but as I said, the logo itself & the colors, not a fan at all.... and while I dont mean to pick on Alberta (love the place & people, honest, even have family living there) but I'm afraid Imma gonna hefta single out the Flames as well.... look, that name made sense in Atlanta.... makes no sense whatsoever in Calgary. Absolutely none. Sorry. Please change, fixee.

I agree with you about the Flames. It's another reason why a team's moniker should remain with the city where it originated and a new name should be chosen upon relocation. Names that might make sense in one locale can seem out of place when carried forward when the team moves (i.e New Orleans Jazz to Utah, Minneapolis Lakers to Los Angeles).

 

[DowntownBooster]

How about WHA uniforms? My favourites include the Philadelphia Blazers, first year Quebec Nordiques (although I liked the fleur de lis look they had for most of their years in the WHA and then onto the NHL), Chicago Cougars, Houston Aeros, Los Angeles Sharks, and New England Whalers (harpoon "W" was much better that what they wore during their NHL days).

The Philadelphia Blazers definitely had vibrant uniforms. Totally agree with you about the New England Whalers harpoon 'W' uniforms being much better than those worn by the Hartford Whalers when the team joined the NHL.