The 2020 edition of Icethetics’ annual JerseyWatch may have come a bit later than usual, but it’s packed with more exciting news than we’ve seen since the site launched in 2007. Read on to see why!
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Currently, 20 of 31 NHL teams employ a third jersey. The big headline for the 2020-21 season promises to be the introduction of a new series of alternate uniforms—what I’m calling the fourth jersey. Recent reports have suggested that teams will have special throwback jerseys next season.
Icethetics sources confirm this new program, describing them “throwbacks with a twist.” I’m told that what makes some of the sweaters even more interesting may be the individual match-ups, which will take place primarily in November and December.
Multiple Icethetics sources have now provided jersey descriptions that suggest the “twist” could be as simple as a color inversion (i.e.: a blue Canadiens sweater with a red chest stripe). Interestingly, a similar theme has been executed in a recent concept series by Matt Burke.
Not every team will add a fourth jersey, but many will. At this time, I don’t have a lot of information about this new set of sweaters. But my sense is it will dominate the NHL uniform conversation this summer.
Though I’m referring to it as a “fourth jersey” until something more official comes along, a team could still use one without necessarily having a designated third jersey.
The annual debut of Icethetics JerseyWatch is usually set in motion by the release of the Adidas catalog in the winter. It’s meant to help retailers determine what new products to order. Printed copies are often photographed and find their way to me or another part of the web.
This year, that catalog apparently went digital and was only available for a limited window of time to specific users. That means our spies weren’t able to provide the usual sneak peek. So this year’s information comes from a variety of other trusted Icethetics sources and some speculation based on over a decade of experience.
Continue on for team-by-team JerseyWatch reports.
Expected After 15 years of employing a very consistent look, the Hurricanes have been adding new jerseys at a rapid rate in recent seasons. This year will be no different as the Hurricanes are slated to play in their first outdoor game—the 2021 Stadium Series. Expect more outside-the-box thinking for this futuristic one-off uniform.
Possible With the NHL having announced the postponements of its Winter Classic and All-Star events in October, the Stadium Series is likely to follow. It’s usually held in February or March, meaning the league has some additional time to make a final decision.
Possible The Panthers were slated to introduce a new third jersey in 2019-20, but I’m told things never came together for the decision makers and so it was shelved. There’s a possibility it gets back on the docket this year, but I’m not holding my breath right now.
Confirmed The Panthers were named host of the 2021 NHL All-Star, but in October the NHL announced a postponement due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Florida will likely return to hosting duties in 2022. source
Confirmed Minnesota was named to host the 2021 Winter Classic on Jan. 1, 2021. However, given the state of uncertainty amid the coronavirus pandemic, the NHL postponed the event, which is now likely to take place in 2022. When it does happen, the Wild will host the St. Louis Blues. source
Unveiled 10/6 The Wild unveiled a 20th anniversary logo that will be worn as a patch on their sweaters throughout the 2021 season. source
Last year, the Wild were slated for a new third jersey but Michael Russo of The Athletic reported the team wasn’t thrilled with the TV camera tests and scrapped it. source
Russo added that if the Wild got the Winter Classic, a new third jersey would likely wait until at least 2021-22. source
Possible An eBay seller with a strong reputation among jersey buyers reported the Ducks will be resurrecting their short-lived third jersey from 1996. There have been conflicting reports about the base color, though the contenders seem to be orange, black, and the original jade. source
Unveiled 10/2 Following months of rumors, the Golden Knights officially revealed their new gold third jersey, which utilizes a metallic gold knit material that offers a unique glittery effect. source
Expected In October, a fan blog leaked details of the Golden Knights’ new Reverse Retro jersey, due to be released for the 2021 season. It’s red with the secondary logo on the chest and features striping inspired by the Las Vegas Thunder, a team that played in the IHL during the 1990s. source
Expected The Flyers’ reverse retro (4th) jersey leaked via an eBay seller to an Icethetics reader in October. The design is essentially a color swap of the orange road sweater the team wore through the 1980s and ’90s. source
Expected The Pens’ reverse retro (4th) jersey leaked via an eBay listing in October. The design is essentially a color swap of the black road sweater the team wore from 1992 to 1997. source
Unveiled 10/6 The Coyotes mark 25 years in the desert with a pair of anniversary logos, which will be used as patches on their uniforms during the 2021 season. source
Unveiled 10/6 As the Blue Jackets turn 20 this year, the team unveiled a pair of anniversary logos, which will be worn on their uniforms during the 2021 season. source
Unveiled 10/6 In a relatively minor branding update, the Kings have implemented a new wordmark for 2020-21. source
Speculation Since learning about the throwback fourth jerseys, I’ve been wondering if the Kings (and Blues) were a test case in 2019-20. It seemed odd to me that they’d wear the 1988 throwback jersey for one game without any real reason. Usually these things are done to commemorate an anniversary or some other special event. That wasn’t really the case for this jersey so I’m wondering if Adidas and the NHL were using them this year to gauge fan reaction. Either way, I could certainly envision it coming back in 2020-21.
Unveiled 10/6 Following a summer full of leaks, the Senators officially unveiled a new logo on Sept. 18. New sweaters were then introduced on draft day, Oct. 6. The updated look is based on the team’s original uniforms from 1992. source
A new third jersey was also reported by The Athletic, but the Senators subsequently denied that for the 2021 season.
Unveiled 10/6 In late January, the Jets unveiled their 10th anniversary logo in a letter to season ticket holders. Then in October, the team announced a redesign incorporating a red No. 10 in memory of Dale Hawerchuk, who died over the summer. source
Unveiled 10/5 The Flames officially announced their red and white retro jerseys will be used as their primary home and road sweaters in 2020-21. The old red home jersey will stick around as an alternate. source
Unveiled 8/11 A year after announcing plans to switch back to royal blue as their primary color for 2020-21, the Sabres officially revealed new sweaters. The design is inspired the team’s original look from 1970 with some modern updates. source
Unveiled The NHL’s newest expansion franchise finally revealed its name and logo on July 23. The colors are midnight blue, icy blue, and red. The Seattle Kraken will officially begin play in the 2021-22 season. source
Possible An Icethetics source (without a previous track record) reported getting confirmation from a team executive that a green version of the Devils’ throwback jersey is in the works for 2020. This tracks with other reports of inverted color schemes.
Expected The Avalanche arrived in Denver in 1996, so I expect to see a 25th anniversary patch on the jerseys in 2020-21. (They previously used a 20th patch during 2015-16.)
Possible Keep an eye out for a 30th anniversary logo from San Jose. We haven’t seen a lot of 30-year logos from teams in recent years, but that tracks with the lack of NHL expansion in the mid to late 1980s. We could start to see more in coming seasons.
Expected An Icethetics source has reported the Red Wings will participate in the fourth jersey program using an all white jersey (without red sleeves) based on what the club wore from 1934 to 1961. This also sounds like a simple inversion of their modern red jersey.
Expected An Icethetics source with a solid track record has reported the Oilers will have a white fourth jersey, similar to their current uniforms but with the blue and orange inverted. The source reports the look is “reminiscent of the original white jerseys from when the Oilers were in the WHA.”
Expected The Canadiens will take part in the new fourth jersey program. An Icethetics source has reported a blue sweater is coming, but didn’t specify whether it would be an inverted version of their red sweater or something more similar to the 1909 throwback the team wore in 2009.
Expected The Blackhawks announced a plan to wear their black Winter Classic jersey for three nights in 2019-20. It’s already been used four times this season. There’s a good chance it comes back in 2020-21 as a third or fourth sweater.
On Jan. 24, the Florida Panthers were named the 2021 NHL All-Star host for the second time, hosting previously in 2003. It’s far too soon to speculate on the logo or jerseys, but something to keep on our radar. source
Assuming the world isn’t still combating a pandemic in the fall, the NHL is slated to send four teams to Europe for the 2020 Global Series—the Avalanche, Blue Jackets, Bruins, and Predators. These games don’t employ special jerseys, but teams will wear a shoulder patch to mark the occasion. source
Expected The Carolina Hurricanes will make their first ever outdoor appearance when they host the 2021 Stadium Series at Carter-Finley Stadium—a venue quite literally across the street from their home ice at PNC Arena. Look for futuristic specialty sweaters for this game.
The Hurricanes’ opponent is yet to be announced but judging by popular search terms, fans seem to be hoping for a regional foe like the Washington Capitals or Tampa Bay Lightning.
Expected The Minnesota Wild will host the 2021 Winter Classic against the St. Louis Blues at Target Field. Both teams are expected to wear some type of retro uniform, as is standard for this event. This will be the second outdoor appearance for both teams. source
Possible The Predators had a new third jersey in development last year, but scrapped it to keep the focus on their Winter Classic sweater. Could they return to it for 2020? Seems like something to keep an eye on.
Speaking of the Winter Classic, it wouldn’t surprise me to see their outdoor jersey return as a fourth uniform.
Expected The Blues will face Minnesota in the 2021 Winter Classic—making their second outdoor appearance. The last time St. Louis was in it, they debuted the throwback they wear as a third jersey today. Will we get a white version of that or something new?
Speculation Since learning about the throwback fourth jerseys, I’ve been wondering if the Blues (and Kings) were a test case in 2019-20. It seemed odd to me that they’d wear the 1994 throwback jersey for a couple of games without any real reason. Usually these things are done to commemorate an anniversary or some other special event. That wasn’t really the case for this jersey so I’m wondering if Adidas and the NHL were using them this year to gauge fan reaction. Either way, I could certainly envision it coming back in 2020-21.
Possible An eBay seller with a strong reputation among jersey buyers reported the Ducks will be resurrecting their short-lived third jersey from 1996. There have been conflicting reports about the base color, though the contenders seem to be orange, black, and the original jade. source
Unveiled 10/6 The Coyotes mark 25 years in the desert with a pair of anniversary logos, which will be used as patches on their uniforms during the 2021 season. source
Unveiled 8/11 A year after announcing plans to switch back to royal blue as their primary color for 2020-21, the Sabres officially revealed new sweaters. The design is inspired the team’s original look from 1970 with some modern updates. source
Unveiled 10/5 The Flames officially announced their red and white retro jerseys will be used as their primary home and road sweaters in 2020-21. The old red home jersey will stick around as an alternate. source
Expected After 15 years of employing a very consistent look, the Hurricanes have been adding new jerseys at a rapid rate in recent seasons. This year will be no different as the Hurricanes are slated to play in their first outdoor game—the 2021 Stadium Series. Expect more outside-the-box thinking for this futuristic one-off uniform.
Possible With the NHL having announced the postponements of its Winter Classic and All-Star events in October, the Stadium Series is likely to follow. It’s usually held in February or March, meaning the league has some additional time to make a final decision.
Expected The Blackhawks announced a plan to wear their black Winter Classic jersey for three nights in 2019-20. It’s already been used four times this season. There’s a good chance it comes back in 2020-21 as a third or fourth sweater.
Expected The Avalanche arrived in Denver in 1996, so I expect to see a 25th anniversary patch on the jerseys in 2020-21. (They previously used a 20th patch during 2015-16.)
Unveiled 10/6 As the Blue Jackets turn 20 this year, the team unveiled a pair of anniversary logos, which will be worn on their uniforms during the 2021 season. source
Expected An Icethetics source has reported the Red Wings will participate in the fourth jersey program using an all white jersey (without red sleeves) based on what the club wore from 1934 to 1961. This also sounds like a simple inversion of their modern red jersey.
Expected An Icethetics source with a solid track record has reported the Oilers will have a white fourth jersey, similar to their current uniforms but with the blue and orange inverted. The source reports the look is “reminiscent of the original white jerseys from when the Oilers were in the WHA.”
Possible The Panthers were slated to introduce a new third jersey in 2019-20, but I’m told things never came together for the decision makers and so it was shelved. There’s a possibility it gets back on the docket this year, but I’m not holding my breath right now.
Confirmed The Panthers were named host of the 2021 NHL All-Star, but in October the NHL announced a postponement due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Florida will likely return to hosting duties in 2022. source
Unveiled 10/6 In a relatively minor branding update, the Kings have implemented a new wordmark for 2020-21. source
Speculation Since learning about the throwback fourth jerseys, I’ve been wondering if the Kings (and Blues) were a test case in 2019-20. It seemed odd to me that they’d wear the 1988 throwback jersey for one game without any real reason. Usually these things are done to commemorate an anniversary or some other special event. That wasn’t really the case for this jersey so I’m wondering if Adidas and the NHL were using them this year to gauge fan reaction. Either way, I could certainly envision it coming back in 2020-21.
Confirmed Minnesota was named to host the 2021 Winter Classic on Jan. 1, 2021. However, given the state of uncertainty amid the coronavirus pandemic, the NHL postponed the event, which is now likely to take place in 2022. When it does happen, the Wild will host the St. Louis Blues. source
Unveiled 10/6 The Wild unveiled a 20th anniversary logo that will be worn as a patch on their sweaters throughout the 2021 season. source
Last year, the Wild were slated for a new third jersey but Michael Russo of The Athletic reported the team wasn’t thrilled with the TV camera tests and scrapped it. source
Russo added that if the Wild got the Winter Classic, a new third jersey would likely wait until at least 2021-22. source
Expected The Canadiens will take part in the new fourth jersey program. An Icethetics source has reported a blue sweater is coming, but didn’t specify whether it would be an inverted version of their red sweater or something more similar to the 1909 throwback the team wore in 2009.
On Jan. 24, the Florida Panthers were named the 2021 NHL All-Star host for the second time, hosting previously in 2003. It’s far too soon to speculate on the logo or jerseys, but something to keep on our radar. source
Assuming the world isn’t still combating a pandemic in the fall, the NHL is slated to send four teams to Europe for the 2020 Global Series—the Avalanche, Blue Jackets, Bruins, and Predators. These games don’t employ special jerseys, but teams will wear a shoulder patch to mark the occasion. source
Expected The Carolina Hurricanes will make their first ever outdoor appearance when they host the 2021 Stadium Series at Carter-Finley Stadium—a venue quite literally across the street from their home ice at PNC Arena. Look for futuristic specialty sweaters for this game.
The Hurricanes’ opponent is yet to be announced but judging by popular search terms, fans seem to be hoping for a regional foe like the Washington Capitals or Tampa Bay Lightning.
Expected The Minnesota Wild will host the 2021 Winter Classic against the St. Louis Blues at Target Field. Both teams are expected to wear some type of retro uniform, as is standard for this event. This will be the second outdoor appearance for both teams. source
Possible The Predators had a new third jersey in development last year, but scrapped it to keep the focus on their Winter Classic sweater. Could they return to it for 2020? Seems like something to keep an eye on.
Speaking of the Winter Classic, it wouldn’t surprise me to see their outdoor jersey return as a fourth uniform.
Possible An Icethetics source (without a previous track record) reported getting confirmation from a team executive that a green version of the Devils’ throwback jersey is in the works for 2020. This tracks with other reports of inverted color schemes.
Unveiled 10/6 Following a summer full of leaks, the Senators officially unveiled a new logo on Sept. 18. New sweaters were then introduced on draft day, Oct. 6. The updated look is based on the team’s original uniforms from 1992. source
A new third jersey was also reported by The Athletic, but the Senators subsequently denied that for the 2021 season.
Expected The Flyers’ reverse retro (4th) jersey leaked via an eBay seller to an Icethetics reader in October. The design is essentially a color swap of the orange road sweater the team wore through the 1980s and ’90s. source
Expected The Pens’ reverse retro (4th) jersey leaked via an eBay listing in October. The design is essentially a color swap of the black road sweater the team wore from 1992 to 1997. source
Possible Keep an eye out for a 30th anniversary logo from San Jose. We haven’t seen a lot of 30-year logos from teams in recent years, but that tracks with the lack of NHL expansion in the mid to late 1980s. We could start to see more in coming seasons.
Unveiled The NHL’s newest expansion franchise finally revealed its name and logo on July 23. The colors are midnight blue, icy blue, and red. The Seattle Kraken will officially begin play in the 2021-22 season. source
Expected The Blues will face Minnesota in the 2021 Winter Classic—making their second outdoor appearance. The last time St. Louis was in it, they debuted the throwback they wear as a third jersey today. Will we get a white version of that or something new?
Speculation Since learning about the throwback fourth jerseys, I’ve been wondering if the Blues (and Kings) were a test case in 2019-20. It seemed odd to me that they’d wear the 1994 throwback jersey for a couple of games without any real reason. Usually these things are done to commemorate an anniversary or some other special event. That wasn’t really the case for this jersey so I’m wondering if Adidas and the NHL were using them this year to gauge fan reaction. Either way, I could certainly envision it coming back in 2020-21.
Unveiled 10/2 Following months of rumors, the Golden Knights officially revealed their new gold third jersey, which utilizes a metallic gold knit material that offers a unique glittery effect. source
Expected In October, a fan blog leaked details of the Golden Knights’ new Reverse Retro jersey, due to be released for the 2021 season. It’s red with the secondary logo on the chest and features striping inspired by the Las Vegas Thunder, a team that played in the IHL during the 1990s. source
Unveiled 10/6 In late January, the Jets unveiled their 10th anniversary logo in a letter to season ticket holders. Then in October, the team announced a redesign incorporating a red No. 10 in memory of Dale Hawerchuk, who died over the summer. source
