Ranking Every NHL Team's Road Jersey for the 2023-24 Season
There are sticks, pucks and skates. But that's not all there is when it comes to hockey.
Indeed, more so than any other sport, the coolest game on ice is particularly fashion forward when it comes to player apparel, be it logos, third jerseys or retro threads.
So, there wasn't much of a push needed for B/R's resident hockey heads to tackle the burning preseason question: Which team has the best road ensemble.
We took a look at all of them, including the new offerings this season in Philadelphia and Boston, and ranked them from worst to best based on aesthetic appeal.
It's a subjective list and opinions vary greatly from one set of eyes to the next, so take it with a grain of salt—or a spray of ice, if you prefer—and drop your thoughts in the comments.
32. Chicago Blackhawks
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Many people think the Chicago jersey is, or is at least among, the best in the league. The classic design, the simplicity of color and the overall effect.
But there are also plenty of people with perfectly valid reasons to loathe the jerseys because of, in their opinion, the franchise's appropriation of Native American culture with the logo. We don't disagree with them.
Which is why the ranking is where it is. The symbol should be changed, and it would not be a crime if the franchise nickname was changed as well. And until one event or the other occurs, it stays at No. 32.
31. Washington Capitals
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Patriotism. Red, white and blue. Representing the seat of government in the U.S.
All are perfectly worthwhile themes relating to the Washington Capitals.
The unfortunate thing, though, is that they fall flat when it comes to the team's road ensemble. The colors are fine, but the design is mediocre and the logo feels stale after all these years.
30. Carolina Hurricanes
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The storm-warning flags blowing in the wind on the shoulders are excellent, but nearly everywhere else on the road jerseys the operative word is "yawn."
The detail on the stripes feels a bit too contrived, and the diagonal block lettering across the front isn't done nearly as well as in other iterations in other cities.
Kudos for trying to be creative, but it seems forced rather than innovative.
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29. Columbus Blue Jackets
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Another foul-up of the red, white and blue idea.
With full apologies to the 1st Ohio Battery, the Columbus logo has never risen much beyond the level of cheesy.
And now that it's been around for the better part of 20 years, it's even more difficult to look at this mess of a composition.
28. Los Angeles Kings
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There may be a little blowback on this one from the fans who like silver, black and white on a jersey no matter what the final product looks like.
That's a valid take, but we disagree.
The lines are sharp and the colors not too hard on the eyes, but the logo feels like it could be so much more than what it is. Put the Gretzky-era crest or even the old-school crown alongside this combination and it gets better immediately.
27. Vancouver Canucks
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What team in the NHL has a more checkered jersey history than the Canucks?
The multi-colored mess from the 1970s and 1980s is perpetual grist for the "worst ever" mill, but while the modern offering doesn't reach those levels, it doesn't head much in a positive direction either.
The road versions are better than what they wear at home, and the changing logo colors from home to road is an interesting twist. Still, there are many others that have better qualities.
26. Nashville Predators
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Yellow and white, in this case at least, just isn't right.
There's no question that the Predators' road sweaters are much better than the mustard-smeared concoction the team wears at Bridgestone Arena, but the cartoonish logo and an uninspiring color scheme combine to create a package that's most kindly described as "meh."
25. San Jose Sharks
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It all starts with the logo, and the Sharks have a great one.
But there's nothing else that rises as far as that.
It works better on the road jerseys than on the teal quagmire that the team wears at home, but it seems a bit on the plain side.
It just feels like there's more that could be done.
24. Colorado Avalanche
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If you like blue, these jerseys could be your jam.
But it's an awful lot of blue.
And it seems weirdly disjointed for no discernible reason. The names and numbers are different colors on the back. One or the other would be fine.
Meanwhile, as you're making that choice, we'll dream of a return to the old Quebec Nordiques style.
23. New York Rangers
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First things first: The road jerseys are light years better than the home versions.
But they're also starting to creep close to the line where new might not be bad.
The lettering and the colors all seemed vintage when Mark Messier was wearing them in the 1990s, but it'll be 30 years this season since he hoisted the Stanley Cup on Broadway.
And it feels like this jersey is best preserved under glass rather than worn on the ice.
22. Ottawa Senators
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It's not terrible, but it's not particularly memorable either.
The centurion logo does look better and pops more on the white-based road jerseys than the darker home sets, but not everyone is in love with the logo to begin with.
Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. Couldn't they have done a little better with a symbol or a design more indicative of national pride?
21. Boston Bruins
12 of 32It's the 100th year of the franchise, so a commemoration is no surprise.
We just wish it could have been done better, or more interestingly at least.
Only the true jersey hawks will even notice the subtle tweak of centennial gold in place of the longstanding gold tint, while the spoked-B crest remains largely unchanged.
We're big fans of tradition, but this feels like a missed opportunity to do something memorable.
20. Toronto Maple Leafs
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It's no coincidence that the Rangers, Bruins and Maple Leafs are clumped together.
They're all signature looks of the NHL's Original Six days. But the first expansion came more than a half-century ago, and it's starting to feel as if design times have passed by.
We won't blame anyone who's still in love with Toronto's vibe. Still, there sometimes comes a point when classic becomes just plain old. And it may have happened here.
19. Calgary Flames
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The Flames have done a nice nostalgia job with an old-school look that conjures memories of Lanny McDonald and Joe Nieuwendyk in the 1980s.
They've bucked the trend toward black and certainly have a jersey that doesn't resemble any others in the league. But there's nothing too distinctive about it, aside from the fact that it's reminiscent of a generation or two ago.
Good, but not great.
18. Arizona Coyotes
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Some are red hot or ice cold when it comes to an opinion on Arizona's jerseys.
But it's OK to go ahead and call us lukewarm.
The logo from the 1990s and creative piping make this one stand out when compared to everyone else's offering, but different isn't always better.
It's commendable that the Coyotes have leaned into nostalgia, but it feels as if they've fallen short of what could have been accomplished with a different design.
17. Dallas Stars
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How you feel about this one might come down to the logo.
If you like the D-in-the-star look, you'll probably rank it higher because there's nothing that aggressively unlikeable about the whole package. The color scheme is pleasant enough if it's your cup of tea and not particularly offensive even if it's not.
Still, like a few others on the list, it just feels like there are better options.
16. Winnipeg Jets
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Yes, hockey fans, the Jets of the old World Hockey Association had a better look.
There, we said it.
Don't just trot them out on throwback nights. Make them a permanent thing.
OK, we're through tilting at hockey windmills. The colors these days are good enough. The logo, with its Royal Canadian Air Force vibe, is interesting. The stripes on the sleeves and socks can work.
Add it all up and it's a middle-of-the-road placement.
15. Vegas Golden Knights
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It's the league's second-newest team and its defending Stanley Cup champion.
And you can't say the Golden Knights haven't done it their own way.
The gold on the crest, sleeves and socks is much more effective on the road jerseys than the ones worn at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and the white gloves and unique logo are simply more evidence that new and different can be pleasing...even in the NHL.
14. Florida Panthers
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We saw a lot of these jerseys last spring, and it wasn't a bad thing.
The shield logo looks better and stands out better on the white road sweater as opposed to the home one.
While some color contrasts fall short of their desired impact, it feels like the broad midsection stripe coordinates nicely with the similar stripe on the legs.
13. New York Islanders
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If you don't like this one, there's an excellent chance you're out of your element.
The franchise's classic blue, white and orange color scheme continues to work wonderfully well together, providing a pleasing visual contrast.
And there may not be more than a handful of logos in the neighborhood of the all-timer from Long Island. Close your eyes and you can imagine Billy Smith chopping legs and Bryan Trottier hoisting Stanley Cups.
12. St. Louis Blues
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It's hard not to like the Blues' jerseys.
They're not complicated. They're not bogged down with too many stripes, garish colors or ridiculous logos.
What they do have is perpetually pleasing lines and a top-tier logo, which gives them a well-warranted place at the precipice of the league's upper third.
11. Tampa Bay Lightning
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Good colors. Good clean design. And a team that's steeped in recent tradition, which tends to slant the view in a positive psychological direction anyway.
The only knock is that the logo isn't particularly inspired, but it's also not cartoony and silly.
A solid offering overall that is just outside of truly elite status.
10. Anaheim Ducks
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The Ducks' jersey is an example of one where the switch from home to road does good.
The logo looks better on a white sweater compared to the dark version where it gets lost and isn't quite as striking.
There's certainly a section of fans who don't care for it no matter what, but we're fans to begin with and even more on this jersey.
9. Detroit Red Wings
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If you have the urge to change the Red Wings' jersey, we have some advice: Walk away, take a breath and come back when you can think more clearly.
There's not a whole lot separating the 2023-24 look from the outfit Gordie Howe was wearing while he was racking up Stanley Cups in the first half of the 1950s. Nor should there be.
The red and white look is timeless and the winged wheel logo is an NHL museum piece.
8. Minnesota Wild
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The Wild are deservedly entrenched in the league's jersey elite.
The logo is as creative as it gets and it works well, unlike some others that veer on the silly.
The red accents blend well with the white base and help make the signature forest-green scheme pop distinctively.
7. Seattle Kraken
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The Golden Knights showed it a few spots back, and the Kraken cement it here.
A new team with a new innovative design is not an insult to the league.
The largely blue logo with the subtle dash of red is wonderful in the center of the sweater, and the anchors on the shoulders do a fine job of paying tribute to the Pacific Northwest's maritime heritage.
6. Philadelphia Flyers
27 of 32It's high time for a new design in Philadelphia, where the Flyers have gone along with the changing-of-the-guard theme in the front office with a new jersey look.
Not too new, of course, because the classic logo is essentially unchanged.
The introduction of burnt orange to the color scheme is a callback to the era of Eric Lindros and John LeClair, who helped comprise the "Legion of Doom" line in the 1990s.
LeClair himself is back in the mix with a gig as special advisor to hockey operations.
5. Buffalo Sabres
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Here's a franchise that started well jersey-wise, before a long series of offerings that could best be labeled as just lousy.
However, drifting back to the French Connection days of Gilbert Perreault, Rick Martin and Rene Robert was a master stroke, pairing the original royal blue with gold and locking in what's always been a classic logo.
It was a top-five jersey then. It's a top-five jersey now.
And we'll forgive you, Buffalo, for the angry goat head years in between.
4. Pittsburgh Penguins
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News flash: There's absolutely nothing lacking with this jersey.
The black-and-yellow color scheme is perfect and stands with the city's sporting tradition alongside the NFL's Steelers and MLB's Pirates. The skating penguin logo in the inverted triangle is lovably silly.
It's suitable for a modern generational talent like Sidney Crosby and instantly connectable to the franchise's first run of glory days with a young Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr.
That's timeless.
3. Montreal Canadiens
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You may feel as if we've waffled on traditional looks in this list. And that's not entirely inaccurate.
But there's a difference between old and classic. And Montreal is classic.
Whether it's the red-based collection worn at home or the largely white roadies, there's simply nothing needed to improve the logo, the scheme, the striping, etc.
If any team was to declare a permanent style, it ought to be the Canadiens.
2. New Jersey Devils
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A fresh, fast, young hockey team with a wonderfully classic look.
The logo has been around awhile, but it's interesting, simple and works. Pair it up with black and red accents on the road whites and it pops even more than when the team is home at the Prudential Center.
And, spoiler alert, if the top two teams on our list—and two of the top four teams on the DraftKings team futures list—come together in the championship round next June, it'll come down to may the best design win.
1. Edmonton Oilers
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They skate well. They score a lot. They're fun to watch.
And it's important that the world's best player be fashion-forward.
That's the case for Connor McDavid in these beauties, which combine one of the league's most recognizable logos with a color scheme that complements it perfectly.
If No. 97 is raising the Stanley Cup anytime soon, he'll look good doing it.
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