Avalanche rival's latest recognition leaves NHL fans stunned
Photo credit: Glenn James / NHLI
The Colorado Avalanche rival Dallas Stars have boasted an impressive lineup of jerseys over the years, many of which have been the envy of teams across the NHL. However, one design has now risen above the rest: the 2020 Winter Classic jersey was recently named the best in franchise history.
The jersey is earning widespread praise for its nostalgic style and clean look.
Avalanche rival's new honour stuns NHL fans.
Taylor Newby from The Hockey News writes that The Athletic recently unveiled their picks for the best and worst jerseys in each NHL franchise's history. For the Stars, the 2020 Winter Classic design earned top honours, while the notorious "mooterus" alternative jersey was voted the team's worst.
Choosing the Winter Classic look as the best is a bold pick, especially with an honourable mention going to the iconic star-shaped jersey worn during the Stars' 1999 Stanley Cup-winning season.
"The clean crest that paid homage to the Dallas Texans of old along with felt numbering and lettering created an instant classic look for a game that featured over 80,000 roaring fans at the Cotton Bowl. The pairing with the tannish-beige pants and gloves, however, was not a look that fans fell in love with. As a jersey alone, though, it is hard to argue that it is not at least one of the best, if not the best, in Stars history." -Newby
The Cup-winning jersey would have been the obvious choice for many, and it likely still holds the top spot in the hearts of fans who remember that historic moment. Not only is it tied to a championship, but it also stands out for its bold and unique design.
"The star shape on the jersey was re-created in two reverse retro jerseys, but with extremely different levels of success. The first reverse retro created an all-white look on the ice when paired with white pants and white gloves, and while some aspects of it were good, the jersey begged for a splash of green somewhere to break up the monotony of white. That jersey could easily beat out the 'mooterus' for worst jersey in franchise history." -Newby
Looking to more recent years, the second Reverse Retro quickly became a fan favourite, selling out in the most places well before the season ended. The black, green, and silver take on the updated star design was a strong contender, arguably an underrated pick, for the best jersey, even over the Winter Classic look.
"Now, consider the current home victory green jerseys. These are one of the best home jerseys in the league, but might just be overshadowed by the other excellent choices that have come along since being introduced in 2013-14. The jerseys have gone through the Reebok, Adidas and now Fanatics era but have stayed pretty much identical to the first introduction back in the year where Jamie Benn was made captain and Tyler Seguin was introduced for the first time." -Newby
And then there's the most polarizing jersey of the past four years: the blackout design featuring the alternative Texas logo in neon 'city lights' green. While some fans dislike it, the majority of Stars supporters seem to embrace it wholeheartedly. Head to a game at the American Airlines Center, and you'll see just how many fans proudly wear the blackout jersey night after night.
Unofficially, it looks like the blackout jerseys have seen their final days on the ice, having been worn in just six games last season, with the team hinting at a fresh new look for the upcoming season. This change could even prompt The Athletic and fans to rethink what truly stands as the best jersey in franchise history going forward.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 21 | 19 ANSWERS Avalanche rival's latest recognition leaves NHL fans stunned Are you a fan of the 2020 Dallas Stars' Winter Classic jersey? | ||
| yes | 3 | 15.8 % |
| no | 16 | 84.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
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