New York Islanders: Reclaiming the Fisherman Jersey

As more NHL teams reveal the look of their new third jerseys, New York Islanders fans are buzzing about what their team could be wearing next season and one of the most controversial theories has been about the infamous fisherman jersey.

When the NHL announced that certain teams across the league would be getting an alternate jersey in the upcoming season, it was clear what the theme was: throwback. The Arizona Coyotes, Carolina Hurricanes and Anaheim Ducks have each released designed inspired by past uniforms, sparking much conversation about bringing back an old look for the New York Islanders.

It’s no secret that the fisherman jersey of New York Islanders past is a sore subject for many fans. Introduced in 1995, it marked a change in culture for the once hockey giant. It became the object of ridicule across the league as the Islanders struggled to even scrape together a few points. The team and their logo were an embarrassment.

While the jerseys didn’t last long, they have forever scarred fans of the 1990’s New York Islanders so it was only natural for there to be an uproar when it looked like they might be making a return. It’s entirely possible that the Long Island team will follow the lead of the Coyotes and Ducks and embrace their history. However, many are not excited to remember this particular history.

In Defense of The Fisherman

Despite the pleas and arguments of older fans, I think now would be a perfect time to bring back the iconic fisherman aesthetic. The New York Islanders have just suffered one of their greatest losses. The captain they thought they trusted abandoned them and it seems as if the front office hit the “self-destruct” button in response. The team is being laughed at across the league.

All this means that now more than ever, the organization must prove that they are not ashamed. They aren’t afraid of the rest of the league’s judgement and they certainly going to care what you think. And what better way to do that than to reclaim something that once marked the team as an “embarrassment”?

Embracing the fisherman once again would be the perfect way to stick it to the rest of the NHL that wants to point and laugh. It matches perfectly with the “prove them wrong” attitude that the Islanders should have entering the 2018-2019 season.

While this won’t be a complete rebrand like in the 90’s, it is obvious that the New York Islanders are entering a new era- a post-Garth Snow, John Tavares-less era-and reclaiming the Fisherman would be the perfect way to mark it and show that we aren’t shying away.