New York Islanders Say Goodbye to Third Jerseys

Based on a recent report, as of 2017-18 the NHL teams will no longer have alternative jerseys. That means the New York Islanders are going to have to say goodbye to the Brooklyn black.

Reports out of Minnesota say that the NHL and it’s new jersey supplier for the 2017-18 season, Addidas, have decided to get rid of team’s third jerseys. For the New York Islanders, that means bye-bye to the black jerseys.

You know, those jerseys that were brought in when the Isles moved to their new home in Brooklyn? The jerseys that GM Garth Snow said: “[…] our passionate fan base could still see the traditions of the New York Islanders represented in this third jersey.”

Did you know the four bands on the arms, on the “NY” logo and on the socks were supposed to represent the Isles four Stanley Cups? Maybe you read it at the time, but you’ve honestly forgot about it at this point.

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Don’t worry. You can forget about it again as of next season.

The Addidas Legacy

When Addidas was originally announced as the new jersey supplier for the NHL’s 30, now 31 teams, there was much to be said of what might happen to these sacred sweaters.

Addidas was going to do unspeakable horrors like add their traditional three stripes and potentially add paid for advertising crests. How did everyone feel about the World Cup of Hockey jerseys? Addidas was in every fans black book before a jersey was even made. Did Addidas win your favor back now?

Some didn’t like the third jerseys. They didn’t fit with the tradition of the team. Fair point. But to be fair, moving to Brooklyn was a culture change. So a new cultural identity with a new look made sense.

I rather liked the black jerseys. They stood out as bold outliers in a typically stale environment that is the NHL. They perfectly suited a team going to a new market, even if they just moved 28 miles away.

But now they’ll join the list of other soon to be extinct jerseys, like the Ottawa Senators “Big O”, and the Vancouver Canucks throwback stick jersey.

Next: Ranking the Isles Third Jerseys

But I’ll get over it, just like I got over the fact that the Isles aren’t going to do anything meaningful to alter their fate this season.