More NHL news, as the Hurricanes yesterday became the first NHL team (at least that I’m aware of) to release their full uniform schedule for the upcoming 2023-24 season.
The schedule announcement came with some news, most notably that the team is once again playing musical chairs with its red jersey. The silver-trimmed red throwback that was revived last season has been mothballed, although it may return at some point in the future, while the black-trimmed red design that was the primary jersey until last season is now back as an alternate:
See if you can follow this: The design on the left was the team’s original road jersey when the franchise moved to Raleigh in 1998. Then it was the home jersey from 2003, when the NHL switched to wearing color at home, through 2007. Then it was revived last year as a throwback, and now it’s back on the shelf.
The design on the right was the team’s primary home jersey from 2017 through 2022. Then it was scrapped last season when the team redesignated its black alternate as its new home primary. But now the red primary is back, but as an alternate.
You got all that?
Meanwhile, the uni schedule shows that the Canes will once again wear their Hartford Whalers throwbacks for one game this season — on Feb 3, at home against the Devils. I’m sure there’s some sort of joke to be made here about how the Hurricanes-as-Whalers could be scheduled to play the NFL’s Titans-as-Oilers, thereby pissing off as many long-resentful fans as possible, but someone cleverer than I will have to make it.
Being a CT born Rangers fan I hate 1. Islanders 2. Hurricanes 3. Devils.
Broons?
CT born Bruins fan. Was a Whalers fan, they left when I was 11, didn’t follow hockey again until college, went with Bruins simply b/c I’m also a Red Sox fan and generally don’t like NYC (despite living across the river now and working there).
My order of hatred is just
1. Hurricanes
2. Rangers
3. Habs (but that’s more of a love to hate).
Nothing against the Devils or Isles, actually tried to get into the Devils when they got the new arena but atmosphere is dead even when they’re good. Everyone in NJ like the Rangers I don’t understand where Devils fans even come from?
I have a friend from law school who is a Devils fan. I used to torture her back in law school to the point that she rolled her eyes at me. I would say “Tell me, which hockey team abandoned you and you picked up the one in the suburbs?”
Anyway. . . it was all in good fun and we became good friends after the torture.
Correction: HALF of NJ is rangers fans, the other HALF are FLYERS fans ! But yes, not many devils fans in NJ!
I feel like the “Throwbacks to a previous location/identity are insulting to fans in that location” take is missing some perspective and is ultimately self-defeating. By wearing Whalers throwbacks, the Hurricanes are keeping alive and in people’s consciousness the memory of a team that otherwise would be largely forgotten as soon as the fans from its era pass away and yield to a new generation.
I totally agree. I was just acknowledging the other point of view.
That’s an insanely generous way of looking at it. If they actually wanted to be altruistic towards Whalers fans, sell the trademark to the owners of the Wolfpack (Hartford’s AHL team) and let the Hartford Whalers at least return in the AHL.
This isn’t about altruism, it’s about making money. Canes can go kick rocks.
Selling the Whalers identity to the owners the Wolfpack is essentially handing over the branding to the NY Rangers.
What he said
Exactly – the colors -should- belong the region, not the rich owners. It’s just gross that people think the team that is profiting off of the sale of these jerseys is doing people a favor by keeping the history alive. The history belongs to Hartford.
Well stated – thank you, Daniel!
I love that the Hurricanes celebrate their franchise history…even if it’s only for 1 game.
I wish they’d throw back the Whalers look more often.
I’ll go with that.
The real story is that when Tom Dundon took ownership from Peter Karmanos, he had no history with the Whalers. Absolutely, Dundon is about making money – and he saw an opportunity by bringing back the Whalers’ logo with occasional green unis once or twice a season – but Karmanos, given the way he ripped the Whalers out of Hartford (and did so a season or two too early, which is how they ended up playing in a half-empty arena in Greensboro their first couple of seasons in North Carolina) couldn’t possibly go there. Also, Karmanos was old school – he refused a third jersey in black, even though it’s a team color, for years after it became an accepted practice in the world of NHL unis – whereas Dundon is about whatever makes him money … and saves him more money (see the stories about how he treated Ron Francis, John Forslund and Chuck Kaiton for proof).
Now … to the red jerseys/sweaters. Should have stuck with the “throwbacks.” They resonate well with fans, they’re still the best-designed red jerseys they’ve had – I also like black and I love the flags on a hockey stick logo – and, well, I prefer them, so there!
Too late for the Devils to wear Rockies throwbacks?
I understand why the ‘Canes want to wear Whalers throwbacks from a marketing, money making and yes, historical point of view. What I did not like is when the Avs wore Nordiques throwbacks (though in Avs colours). The reason there is that those unis had a fleur-de-lis on it, specifically the symbol that is on the flag of Quebec. That is french Canadian, Quebecois symbolism and it doesn’t make any sense to wear it in Colorado. It is a symbol of Quebec City and the province and I was just off put by the laziness of it all.
If Colorado would have made the same jersey, Nordiques logo in the centre, stripes etc. but replaced the fleur-de-lis with say their “footprint” logo, or their “C-flag” logo, I would have been much more understanding of the concept.
Whalers/Oilers situation is a bit different because at least Houston got an NFL team back. As much as I want to buy into the delusion that the Yotes could move to Hartford, it’s not happening. If they move (increasingly unlikely) it’ll be the Salt Lake City. Hartford is way too small and too close to 4 other teams, it’s just not going to happen. Houston had to be without an NFL team for what, like 5 years? Boo hoo.
The market is not too small, but is it close to too
many other teams. Also the arena is not NHL caliber. But none of that really matters. The only thing that matters is if Bettman wants a team in the market. If he does there will be a team there again someday, if not there won’t. And right now he’d rather have a joke in Arizona than a team in Hartford or even Quebec City.
The uniform situation for the Hurricanes such as mess. Throwback red should stay as the primary dark uniform. It was worn as the home uniform during the past playoffs. It is the best look. Bring back the white throwback version as primary road uniform. Original Hurricanes uniforms and a consistent look home and road compared to what they wear now. The current black primary is better suited as an alternate uniform.
Hurricanes this isn’t that hard to figure out.
Wade,
I don’t entirely disagree – as already said, I love the black sweaters with the flag logo – but get this … they actually actively market the “three different colored sweaters, three different chest logos” schtick.
What you see as a mess they see as variety. I’m basically in the middle.
IMO, leave the black alone, keep the red throwbacks and put either the original or flag logo on the white sweaters (template is fine, but “CANES” diagonally across the chest doesn’t fly. Not the Rangers … or even the Penguins for a few years).
… said the guy eagerly awaiting a couple of customized Stadium Series sweaters. Guess what name and number one of them will have, Paul …
You don’t need to bring the Titans/Oilers into this, the Devils could play as either the Rockies or the Scouts (thought the latter doesn’t make sense because they were never in the NHL at the same time)
Well, if the Devils played that game in Colorado Rockies sweaters…then the Oilers/Titans parallels would be a lot closer.
Although the Devils have sort of ceded the Rockies iconography back to the Avalanche, except for the last set of reverse retros the Devils had which were in Rockies/Scouts colors.
Speaking of QC, have the Avalanche ever worn legit Nordiques throwbacks, or just Reverse Retro?
Adam Foote, Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg (all 3 played for the Nordiques) wore throwbacks before a pre-season game in Quebec in the fall of 2002:
link
The entire team hasn’t done so…yet.
I don’t think the Hurricanes should dress as the Whalers.. but if they are going to.. it should be in Boston and Boston only. Make it an annual New England Rivalry game.
Makes sense for them to play Boston or an old Adams Division opponent (Montreal) wearing the Whalers uniforms.
Though I know it would never happen, I think it would be fantastic if they wore the Whalers unis vs. Vancouver Canucks. A battle of blue and green uniforms featuring whales!
Ha – good connection – I hadn’t thought of that!
Could even have Boston dressed as the 1972/73 New England Whalers (WHA)
You could absolutely generate suitable rage by having the Canes in Whaler cosplay vs. the Avs in Nordique cosplay.
(The one I want the NFL to do is the Titans as Oilers vs. the Jets as Titans of NY. Nowhere near the rage level, but I love the idea of the wrong team being the Titans for a game.)
The one I want the NFL to do is the Titans as Oilers vs. the Jets as Titans of NY.
Already happened in 2009!
link
As a Brit, and a supporter of an English football team (Wimbledon FC) that was moved/changed/killed like a US team (becoming MK Dons) and who was part of a very successful venture in starting our team again (AFC Wimbledon) against the express wishes of the FA, I must say I find many of your attitudes to franchise moves bizarrely compliant and passive.
If Hurricaines identify as Whalers, then so be it.
Meanwhile the hideous white CANES jersey is left untouched? *sigh*
The game where the Hurricanes will wear the Whalers green uniform is February 10 – not February 3