POWER RANKING EVERY JERSEY IN THE NHL
IN HONOR OF THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS, WE RANK THE JERSEYS OF ALL 32 HOME TEAMS
Billie Miró Breskin
May 3, 2023
Hockey uniforms have long been a source of pride, but also one of debate and controversy. Though previous articles have attempted to rank jerseys (or “sweaters,” if you prefer to be old-school), they often fall into the politics of team dynamics and playoff chances, ignoring what stylish substance each uniform may have or lack. I’m here to set the record straight. Read on for a purely fashion-focused ranking of every jersey in the NHL.
32: CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
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Image Credit: Hope Standard
The Chicago Blackhawks would not be last on this list if not for their logo. There are avid supporters and denouncers of the image (for more details on the debate and the logo’s history, check out this article), but no matter what one believes, in 2023 there seems no reason to keep a logo so controversial and potentially damaging. If the Blackhawks replaced it with something like this, the team (one of the Original Six teams in the NHL) would place higher on the list.
31: LAS VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
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Image Credit: The Athletic
The Golden Knights’ sparkly Jerseys are just like Las Vegas itself: flashy at first glance, but increasingly disturbing and depressing the longer you look.
30: NASHVILLE PREDATORS
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Image Credit: NHL
Yellow on yellow. Enough said.
29: ANAHEIM DUCKS
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Image Credit: Pucks of a Feather
While the straight lacing at the neck of these jerseys looks promising, the rest of the design fails to deliver. From the colorways to the chevroned stripes on the arms, these jerseys are far too busy for a team that has placed last in the standings this regular season.
28: ARIZONA COYOTES
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Image Credit: Puck Prose
The Coyotes would get an A for effort if the result didn’t look so… effortful.
27: NEW YORK ISLANDERS
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Image Credit: Forbes
In theory, orange and blue make a great pairing as complementary colors. When paired with thick bands of white, awkward outlining around the neck, and a muddled logo, however, any benefit they may bring is quickly overshadowed.
26: MINNESOTA WILD
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Image Credit: Forbes
Whoever decided to put beige in close proximity to blindingly white ice is probably not OK. Has anyone checked on them?
25: WASHINGTON CAPITALS
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Image Credit: NHL
Looking past the mildly chaotic logo, the Capitals’ jerseys fail to impress. Thin lines won’t tone it down, they’ll just make you squint.
24: TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
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Image Credit: NHL
With the block-y blue and white base and logo, these jerseys look more like pinnies worn for PE class than NHL-grade uniforms.
23: COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
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Image Credit: NHL
Again with the chaotic logos and wispy lines! The Blue Jackets only beat out the Capitals because of their classier colorway.
22: CAROLINA HURRICANES
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Image Credit: NHL
These jerseys look great in motion. Unfortunately, the warning flags on their new primary logo do not. Bring back the classic hurricane!
21: VANCOUVER CANUCKS
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Image Credit: NHL
The deep blues and greens of the Canucks’ jerseys certainly are pretty, but they’d be placed higher if they stuck to their classic secondary logo (currently on their shoulders).
20: FLORIDA PANTHERS
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Image Credit: Front Office Sports
This jersey gets a lot of hate, but the continuous stripes across the chest and arms are a unique touch. Plus, it has a kitty.
19: EDMONTON OILERS
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Image Credit: Copper And Blue
The Oilers’ logo is instantly recognizable, and the colorway is orange and blue done right (Islanders, take note).
18: CALGARY FLAMES
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Image Credit: Flame For Thought
While this jersey could benefit from some darker accents, the palette is, well, fiery. It works.
17: PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
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Image Credit: Pittsburgh Hockey Now
I am nothing if not a hater of yellow, but the Pens do it right (or right enough to have returned to a modernized version of their 1967 logo).
16: WINNIPEG JETS
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Image Credit: NHL
While the color palette of this jersey is somewhat subdued, it makes the lighter blue and white pop. Bonus points for a circular logo, just for kicks.
15: COLORADO AVALANCHE
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Image Credit: NHL
Another oft-hated jersey, yet it has several details that get it into the top 50th percentile of this list. The widening burgundy lines on the arms mimic the ‘A’ of the logo, and the jagged, gray lines around the hips represent mountain ranges.
14: OTTAWA SENATORS
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Image Credit: NHL
Can black and red be improved upon? Clearly, as there are 13 jerseys ranked above this one. But still, sometimes simplicity in base is best when supporting a detailed logo.
13: ST. LOUIS BLUES
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Image Credit: FOX2now
The deep blue and marigold yellow of the Blues’ jerseys compliment each other nicely, and the light outlining on the music note logo is a nice inversion of the numbering.
12: DALLAS STARS
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Image Credit: @DallasStars Twitter
Say what you will about the Stars’ jerseys, but you’ll never mistake them for anyone else. The emerald green is refreshing in a sea of red, blue, and yellow, and the logo is the gifted sibling of the Blue Jackets’ logo.
11: BOSTON BRUINS
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Image Credit: Wall Street Journal
Another iconic logo, the Bruins are one of the Original Six, and their legacy shows in their jersey. Like the response to their groundbreaking regular season, I have no notes.
10: NEW JERSEY DEVILS
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Image Credit: Puck Prose
Remember when I said red and black was basically unimprovable? Yeah. (Bonus points for the rather cheeky logo).
9: BUFFALO SABRE
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Image Credit: ESPN
Buffaloes! Swords!
8: TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
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Image Credit: NHL
Remember my put-down of the Lightning? This is blue and white done right. Slimming down the stripes helps considerably, and the classic Original Six logo doesn’t hurt either.
7: SAN JOSE SHARKS
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Image Credit: San Jose Hockey Now
Teal! Great Whites! Orange accents! Considering the Sharks have a player named Couture, they deserve this top-ten spot.
6: MONTRÉAL CANADIENS
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Image Credit: Eyes On The Prize
Another Original Six, another great jersey. Not much more to say than that.
5: PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
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Image Credit: Philly Hockey Now
The fluid lines and bright orange of the Flyers’ jerseys evoke mod sixties designs, making this uniform the grooviest in the NHL.
4: LOS ANGELES KINGS
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Image Credit: LA Kings Insider
Minimalists, this one’s for you. Just block out the fussy little crown in the logo, and you’ve got a nice, simple rip-off of the NFL’s Raiders. But hey, if it works it works.
3: DETROIT RED WINGS
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Image Credit: Detroit Jock City
Another Original Six team, the Red Wings’ swooping design makes for a surprisingly chic logo and, by extension, the uniform as a whole.
2: NEW YORK RANGERS
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Image Credit: mywabashvalley.com
Yes, I confess, I am a Rangers fan. But it’s not favoritism, I promise! Lettering on jerseys is hard to pull off, and this team (the final member of the Original Six) does it gracefully. While many teams have similar colorways, there’s only one “Blueshirts.”
1: SEATTLE KRAKEN
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Image Credit: The Hockey News
The dark horse in this competition, the Seattle Kraken played their first games in the 2021-2022 season. While I will always be a little disappointed they didn’t wind tentacle-like lines down the arms of these jerseys, the dual blue tones and vivid red accents set against black bases are visually arresting. 10/10.