NHL Style Rankings: Feeling the Love for Rich Colors on Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day, folks. While we're still hoping to see some pink and red outfits from NHL players ahead of Wednesday night's slate, the post-All-Star break outfits have been rolling in quite nicely.

Now, this is a tough time of the year...and of the NHL season. Spring and the playoffs still seem so out of reach, and yet we must trudge through and find little specks of brightness in our day-to-days until then.

This is why I'm a huge advocate of rich colors that transcend the typical neutrals from January-March, even if it's just a pop of color via a fun thrifted jacket or hat.

Do any NHL players agree with that philosophy as the second half of the season kicks off? Let's see.

10. Auston Matthews: Toronto Maple Leafs

Chris Tanouye/Getty Images

TORONTO, CANADA - FEBRUARY 05: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the New York Islanders at Scotiabank Arena on February 05, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images)

Do I just love the Beatles-esque photo shoot, or do I also love Auston Matthews' first post-All-Star Game fit? Probably both, if I'm being honest.

The Abbey Road-inspired photos remind us of something we don't often discuss here at the Style Rankings but is of underrated importance: Posing.

NHL players aren't career models and this doesn't particularly matter to them, but if you're trying to showcase your fit, knowing your angles and having some creativity with it all is key.

9. Thomas Chabot: Ottawa Senators

André Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images

OTTAWA, CANADA - JANUARY 20: Thomas Chabot #72 of the Ottawa Senators skates against the Winnipeg Jets at Canadian Tire Centre on January 20, 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by André Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images)

Thomas Chabot is a rare Style Rankings first-timer, so welcome to the club.

I'm a sucker for any sage-green moment, and I especially like the tones this suit is working with. The clashing designers on the belt and the tie are an interesting choice, but I'm ultimately OK with it.

I like the combination of black and green, and both labels are small enough that the black matching colors overpower the Hermes and Gucci in a good way.

8. Elvis Merzļikins: Columbus Blue Jackets

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COLUMBUS, OHIO - FEBRUARY 10: Elvis Merzlikins #90 of the Columbus Blue Jackets walks into Nationwide Arena prior to a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on February 10, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Colin Mayr/NHLI via Getty Images)

One thing about Elvis Merzļikins is he's going to elevate the standard suit-and-sneakers combination and graduate it from basic status. He's done it again here, with a little royal blue and a seasonal beanie to spice it up further.

There's something so great about royal blue in the depth of winter and the dog days of the season, and the darkness of this hallway drives that point right home.

7 and 6. K'Andre Miller and Vincent Trocheck: New York Rangers

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 08: Vincent Trocheck #16 and K'Andre Miller #79 of the New York Rangers celebrate after a goal in the first period by Chris Kreider #20 against the Vancouver Canucks at Madison Square Garden on February 8, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)

This isn't exactly how the "Who wore it better?" game works, right?

Here we've got recent Style Rankings regular Vincent Trocheck paying his respects to the Rat Pack with an old-school ensemble, tied together with a briefcase-looking bag, a top hat and the mustache.

Then we've got K'Andre Miller with his typically tailored-to-perfection suit, some shades and a Prada bucket hat. I don't know what it is about this specific bucket hat that I love so much when I'm not typically a fan of these hats. Am I a sucker for Prada? Please weigh in if you can explain this.

Either way, Trocheck gets the slight edge for commitment to the Singin' In The Rain-esque bit. I think he likes New York.

5. William Nylander: Toronto Maple Leafs

Chris Tanouye/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images

OTTAWA, CANADA - FEBRUARY 10: William Nylander #88 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on February 10, 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)

William Nylander entered the second half of the season slaying just as hard as he did in the first with this black look. Unpopular opinion? I'm almost always a fan of a grey-and-black color scheme if you don't overdo it with the grey, and he is on point with the ratio here.

None of this should work together, but he is such a reliable fashion narrator that it does.

I'll also give him some extra points for his velvet look.

4. Ryan Lomberg: Florida Panthers

Michael Mooney/NHLI via Getty Images

ELMONT, NEW YORK - JANUARY 27: Ryan Lomberg #94 of the Florida Panthers skates during warmups prior to the game against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on January 27, 2024 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Michael Mooney/NHLI via Getty Images)

You don't see this lighter-than-salmon-pink hue every day, especially in an NHL pre-game suit.

Kudos to Ryan Lomberg for his originality in, shall we call it, millennial pink? I'm a fan of going all-out when it comes to a bold color. This doesn't work half as well if you're opting for a white tie. Great idea, great execution and great flow to tie it all together.

A subtle nod to Valentine's Day?

Courtesy of Style NHL Instagram Page

3. Brad Marchand, Jakub Lauko and Linus Ullmark: Boston Bruins

Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 27: Brad Marchand #63 and Linus Ullmark #35 of the Boston Bruins skate toward the bench at the end of the first period against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center on January 27, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Bruins called game at their Super Bowl party with these T-shirts featuring Taylor Swift in boyfriend Travis Kelce's Chiefs gear.

The Chiefs ended up winning in overtime in the most-watched television event since the moon landing, and the Bruins got posted to this Swift fan page as a treat.

Many of the Swifties might have been wondering who these guys were, and now they know. Kudos to the Bruins and their unabashed Swift fandom (and TikToks) for #growingthegame.

2. Flower Power: Minnesota Wild

Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

ST. PAUL, MN - MARCH 29: Minnesota Wild Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (29) acknowledges the crowd after picking up several bouquets of flowers that were thrown onto the ice by fans after a game between the Minnesota Wild and Philadelphia Flyers on March 29, 2022, at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN.(Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Midsommar or a celebration of Marc-André Fleury and his recent milestones?

Before the Wild and the Penguins took to the ice last week, they were decked out in floral tributes.

I loved some of the subtleties and differences in this; whether it was a tie, the wreath or the flower pendant.

1. Linus Ullmark: Boston Bruins

Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - FEBRUARY 10: Linus Ullmark #35 of the Boston Bruins arrives before the game against the Washington Capitals at the TD Garden on February 10, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

How many stunning monochrome fits and jackets can one man have? Ullmark and his stylist, Tom Marchitelli (Gentleman's Playbook), are having a career year with look after look for the goaltender.

Ullmark's formula is simple and transparent, and it produces banger after banger every time.

Solid suit with a relatively interesting color, dark version of that color for the tie, match the tie with the coat, add a hat if you're feeling frisky.

Of course, his looks haven't been exclusively this formula the entire season, and you'll see variance with the brown checkered coat above, but there's something so crisp and refreshing about having a "go-to" look that works for you in multiple colors.

Consider this the next time you feel like you have nothing to wear except that one go-to outfit—maybe a few colors of the same components will do the trick.