Enjoy the Canucks’ third jerseys while you can, because it appears they’re not long for the ice.
According to a report from Michael Russo from the Star Tribune in Minnesota, the NHL will restrict teams to two jerseys – home and away – for next season.
That means the Canucks will be left to choose: orca or stick in rink?
Image: NHL Uniforms
My guess is that they will choose the orca, which has been the team’s primary logo since 1997. They began wearing the modernized stick and rink third jersey with Johnny Canuck shoulder patches in 2008, one year after launching their uniforms that they currently wear today.
See also
Third jerseys are a big money maker for sports leagues, so on the surface this may appear to be a curious decision. Russo reports that the move is related to the league’s move from Reebok to Adidas as the official NHL jersey supplier, which begins next season.
The last time the league changed jersey manufacturers was in 2007, when Reebok took over from CCM. That move coincided with many teams – including the Canucks – making stylistic changes to their uniforms. It also resulted in the league getting rid of third jerseys for one season.
Ten years later, it looks like history will repeat itself.
Follow Channels and Categories