At the age of 38, Jaromir Jagr is still bringing it, having scored 2 goals and 3 assists in his first two games for the Czech Republic at this month's World Championships. Jagr has had a long and storied career in hockey. He's a member of the triple gold club, having won a Stanley Cup (two, actually), an Olympic gold medal, and a World Championship. He's won all sorts of NHL records and led the NHL in scoring five times. He won one Hart trophy for MVP of the league. He has 1,599 points in 1,273 regular season NHL games, and 181 points in 169 games. Prolific numbers. He doesn't have to prove anything to anyone.
But Jagr's decision to play for his home country during the World Championships wasn't one that all of his fellow top Czechs emulated. As a result, the Czechs were recently upset by NORWAY. Not exactly an international powerhouse.
Recently Jagr challenged the younger players to start showing up:
"It's the national team. We didn't really have a lot of success lately and a lot of guys said no in our country," he said. "I understand the guys are injured or they feel tired after the season, but look at guys like Ovechkin or Kovalchuk [playing for Team Russia]." He concluded: "I think you've got to be a little more proud of your country."
Jaromir Jagr has demonstrated his national pride time and again, playing internationally more often than not, even after his regular team has been eliminated from the playoffs. If 38-year old Jaromir Jagr can play an extra 5+ games at the end of his regular season, and bring his best game, so can players half his age.
Team USA, clearly, is not alone in having some of its best players decide to stay home. But unlike the Czechs, Team USA may have had more to lose. We saw what they did at the Olympics with a full roster, coming within one overtime goal of defeating Team Canada, the heavily favored host country, in the Gold Medal game. With a full roster Team USA could have used that Olympics momentum to challenge for gold at this year's World Championships. Which would have been nice, because the last time they finished higher than third was in 1960 (!). Now they're in danger of being relegated after only three games.
It's time guys like Zach Parise, Bobby Ryan, Phil Kessel, and Erik Johnson started listening to old Jaromir Jagr. Not that he's slowed down and has an increasingly grey beard, Jagr is becoming something of a soothsayer.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
You Get What You Pay For
One can't be surprised by the slow start suffered by Team USA at the 2010 World Championsip in Germany. The squad is made up of NHL third liners and fifth or sixth defensemen. The goalies are frightening. After Florida backup Scott Clemmensen, we've got Ben Bishop (6 career games in the NHL) and David Leggio (2 career games in the AHL). The rag tag group has dropped overtime games to Germany and Denmark.
The NHL's Best Uniforms
I'm bored so I decided to rank the best uniforms in the NHL. As is well documented, the league's aesthetics took a turn for the worse in 2007-08 when Reebok instituted their Edge uniform system. Prior to the summer of 2007, who knew there was such a thing as a uniform system? I've somewhat come to grips with the changes but scars remain. The worst change is the curved hemline of the jerseys, which I still consider an outrage and an eyesore. The worst casualties of the changes were the Oilers, Blues, and Panthers and these rankings reflect that.
The AHL and ECHL have followed the NHL in this endeavor and unfortunately, the CHL has too after sitting it out for two seasons.. Let's hope the NCAA isn't next.
Anyway, I considered uniforms worn during the 2009-10 NHL season. The entire uniform (logo, pants, socks, fonts, colors, alternate uniforms, etc.) was taken into account. I decided against using a points system because I feel like it would have been too scientific and that it could have ended up putting certain teams higher or lower than I think they should be.
1. Montreal Canadiens
4. New York Rangers
9. Boston Bruins
13. Ottawa Senators
22. Colorado Avalanche
23. Calgary Flames
28. St. Louis Blues
St. Louis was the worst casualty of the league's major uniform overhaul a few years ago. They had excellent uniforms, top ten in my opinion and they let Reebok butcher them. They added horrific piping from shoulders to pants and enlarged the shoulder stripes in a weird, terrible way. The piping on the pants is scary ugly. The third jersey is more bad than good. Incorporating the St. Louis Arch seems like a good idea but it just doesn't work.
29. Atlanta Thrashers
This franchise is a mess on many levels and the uniforms are no different. The Thrashers are another team with three completely different uniforms, which is brutal. The worst is not the red football-ish third jersey. I don't even mind that one. The worst is the baby blue home jersey that says "ATLANTA" down the left sleeve, leaving that arm numberless. Stupid, gimmicky, and very 1990's IHL. The fonts are quite ugly. For some reason, the baby blue on the home jerseys is almost nowhere to be found on the other two uniforms. Pick a color guys.
30. Anaheim Ducks
I hate these uniforms. Can you even call that a logo? It's a word. (Yes, the Caps logo is too but it's a little more creative than this.) Black, gold, and a tiny hint of orange? Yuck. Then the gloves have way more orange in them than the rest of the uniforms. The numbers are too big. Bland in every way and terrible all around.
1. Montreal Canadiens
You can't go wrong with the Habs. Classic logo. Awesome pants. Not much explanation needed here.
2. Chicago Blackhawks
The Hawks combine great colors, a great logo, and great striping (especially on the pants). They also have the best shoulder patch in hockey. Too many teams have unnecessary shoulder patches, but the "C" with the tomahawks is the best.
3. Detroit Red Wings
Another classic. The winged wheel will always be one of the better logos in sports. The epitome of a crisp uniform.
4. New York Rangers
The Rangers have at least two innovative elements to their uniforms: the diagonal lettering instead of a logo and the drop shadow numbers. Both are excellent and oft-imitated by teams at all levels of the game. Great colors, and snazzy pants.
5. Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers made a wise choice by swapping their orange third jersey of recent years with the home black. That they ever minimized the orange was incredible. In hockey, the Flyers define orange. The dumb Reebok striping on the road white jersey and third black is neutralized by the classic, 1970's orange jersey. Classic, simple logo.
6. Toronto Maple Leafs
Classic two color uniform. I'm one of the few people that prefer the simpler Leaf logo over the more detailed, older one that the they currently wear on their third jersey. The numbers would look better if they were single tone but I can't rank this iconic uni much lower than this.
7. Phoenix Coyotes
The Dogs have some of the most crisp uniforms in the league. They might have the best pants outside of the Original 6. The fonts are single tone and easy on the eyes. Those thirds though...there's a reason that no one else, to my knowledge, has ever worn black socks and jerseys with red everything else. That's because it looks like hell.
8. Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks may finally be at the end of the identity crisis that has been their uniform over their 40 years of existence. At least they should be because they look great right now. They're the only team in the league currently rocking blue with green, so that right there sets them apart. Points for awesome pants and one tone name and number fonts. Even the logo is good. You can argue, "what the hell does a killer whale have to do with a Canuck?" But then what are your options when you're called the Canucks? The "C" out of the Pacific Northwest icon killer whale works for me. I don't even mind the bearded Canuck shoulder patch guy on the alternate. One knock: the third jersey is too similar to the primary.
The Dogs have some of the most crisp uniforms in the league. They might have the best pants outside of the Original 6. The fonts are single tone and easy on the eyes. Those thirds though...there's a reason that no one else, to my knowledge, has ever worn black socks and jerseys with red everything else. That's because it looks like hell.
8. Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks may finally be at the end of the identity crisis that has been their uniform over their 40 years of existence. At least they should be because they look great right now. They're the only team in the league currently rocking blue with green, so that right there sets them apart. Points for awesome pants and one tone name and number fonts. Even the logo is good. You can argue, "what the hell does a killer whale have to do with a Canuck?" But then what are your options when you're called the Canucks? The "C" out of the Pacific Northwest icon killer whale works for me. I don't even mind the bearded Canuck shoulder patch guy on the alternate. One knock: the third jersey is too similar to the primary.
9. Boston Bruins
Boston's spoked B logo is a classic and template for a many a logo elsewhere. Also unique is the yellow socks with black everything else look on the home uniforms. I'm not a fan of the alternate, which is a poor attempt at a throwback.
10. New Jersey Devils
The Devils combine super simple uniforms with an awesome, awesome logo for a good look. The Devils logo is underrated. I think it's brilliant. They switched to their current unis in 1992-93 and haven't tweaked them one iota since and there's something to be said for that. They've never had third jerseys and they probably never will with Lou Lamoriello at the helm,
11. Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins uniforms are fine save for two things: the light gold where bright yellow used to be and the stupid rib cage pattern. Take the unis the Pens had prior to the Reebook "system" and replace the light gold with bright yellow and you've got a great look. The fonts are fine. The logo is good, although I don't hold the skating Penguin in the same high regard that most hockey fans seem to.
12. San Jose Sharks
I hated the Sharks current uniforms after the Reebok revolution but they've grown on me. I still don't love the orange highlights, but everything else is pretty solid. The now classic Sharks logo is mostly intact from the 1991 original. I don't love the nearly all black third uniform but it is fairly original in its blackness.
13. Ottawa Senators
Ottawa has worn many different variations of basically the same uniforms over their 18 years in the NHL, some better than others. The current ones have some positives and negatives. The positives: the pants, the fonts, the "O" shoulder patch, and switching the socks back to normal horizontal stripes after wearing Reebok-ized vertical stripes for a few years. The negatives: the "SENS" on the third jersey ruins an otherwise nice uni, the dumb rib cage stripes, and the outward facing Roman centurion logo, which I think is trumped by the profiled Roman logo. Overall, a good uniform though.
14. New York Islanders
The Isles have a great logo and great colors. The current unis are a little busy with lots of striping and useless shoulder numbers but once the current third (a take on their early existence uniforms) becomes the primary they'll have an even higher ranking. Another positive that will come from that switch will be a return to the lighter and brighter blue that the Isles once wore before committing a foul that too many North American pro sports teams did in the late 1990's: darkening their colors. The four stripe shoulder patch for the team's four Stanley Cups is cheesy.
15. Nashville Predators
Another team that may start wearing their current thirds full time, which isn't a terrible idea but not all that necessary either. The thirds are very nice, but not terribly Preds. When I think Preds I think navy blue, silver, and yellow. They should stick with what got them here. The current primary jersey's biggest setback is the Reebok-influenced simplicity. Mainly, the lack of a bottom stripe that tends to make a jersey look like a practice jersey.
16. Carolina Hurricanes
The Canes' uniforms were better before they added the ridiculous Reebok shoulder piping. Their logo is very different but also appropriate and cool. I also approve of the hurricane flag checkers. They lose points for the all-black third uniforms. No team should have to wear different helmets, gloves, and pants for their alternate uni.
The Canes' uniforms were better before they added the ridiculous Reebok shoulder piping. Their logo is very different but also appropriate and cool. I also approve of the hurricane flag checkers. They lose points for the all-black third uniforms. No team should have to wear different helmets, gloves, and pants for their alternate uni.
17. Washington Capitals
Washington's uniforms are better than what they recently replaced but that's not saying much. The black and copper era was rough on many levels, but the replacements tried to make the franchise's not terribly classic original uniforms cool in a retro way that doesn't work for me. At the very least they needed to bring back the stars on the sides of the pants, but they didn't. I hate the rib cage striping and piping. The number font is simple enough but there's something about it that I just don't like. Also, they should have gone to the original blue, not the darker blue they wear now if for no other reason than to try to match the hue that's on the American flag. You know, because they're the Capitals and all. All this said, this league has plenty of crappy uniforms that the Caps trump.
18. Dallas Stars
The Stars logo is very solid, if not classic. The recent switch to the somewhat football look has largely worked in my opinion. The "DALLAS" over a large number on the chest is a different and clean look. The third jersey, just trading the "DALLAS" for the Stars logo, is too similar to the white road jersey. My biggest gripes with what Dallas wears is that the home black has almost no green and that overall, the look is kind of plain.
19. Los Angeles Kings
The Kings seem to be in a little uniform identity crisis. Are they heading toward the current thirds becoming their primary uniforms? I don't know that they're better than what they've been wearing. Many people seem to like the thirds because they're modeled after the Gretzky era uniforms, but the originals were better. The primary black, purple, and silver isn't terrible. The logo is simple enough (and better than the shield with the sunglasses wearing lion). The "LOS ANGELES" along the bottom of the jerseys is terrible.
20. Minnesota Wild
Three different jerseys with three different templates is unacceptable. Two of the three are not bad looking but you need some consistency. The red home jersey is fantastic, actually. If they based all of their uniforms like that one they'd fly up this list. The third jersey makes me think they're trying to get away from red, which is a bad choice. I despise the alternate. The Minnesota Wild are red and green. Maybe not the most awesome combo but it's them and they should embrace that.
Three different jerseys with three different templates is unacceptable. Two of the three are not bad looking but you need some consistency. The red home jersey is fantastic, actually. If they based all of their uniforms like that one they'd fly up this list. The third jersey makes me think they're trying to get away from red, which is a bad choice. I despise the alternate. The Minnesota Wild are red and green. Maybe not the most awesome combo but it's them and they should embrace that.
21. Columbus Blue Jackets
I have trouble rating the Columbus uniforms. They have good colors. I guess using the Ohio flag is cool. I don't like the name and number fonts. I can't decide whether the Union hat shoulder patch is cool or stupid. A mediocre uniform all around.
22. Colorado Avalanche
Colorado colors are weird but they work. I think the logo is excellent. The Bigfoot footprint shoulder patch is dumb and ridiculous. The fonts are overly funky, not surprising given their 1995 birthdate. The new third jersey was poorly received, but I actually like it. Which is odd, because I wasn't a fan of the similar maroon third a few years ago.
23. Calgary Flames
Another team that will rocket up this list if they switch to their original uniforms, which were used as alternates this year. The good: classic logo. The bad: the use of black, particularly on the home red jersey, is too much. The socks are awful. Only St. Louis can rival the hideous piping that extends from jersey to pants. The Canadian and Albertan flags on the shoulders are absolutely miserable.
24. Edmonton Oilers
If Edmonton returns full time to their 1980's uniforms that they have been wearing as thirds they'll be in the top ten. I will keep them buried on this list as long as they wear their current garbage uniforms in games. The sins include dark colors where there used to be lighter ones, piping, and a lack of striping that brings out the practice jersey look. The classic logo and the awesome alternates are all they've got going for them.
If Edmonton returns full time to their 1980's uniforms that they have been wearing as thirds they'll be in the top ten. I will keep them buried on this list as long as they wear their current garbage uniforms in games. The sins include dark colors where there used to be lighter ones, piping, and a lack of striping that brings out the practice jersey look. The classic logo and the awesome alternates are all they've got going for them.
25. Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay took a good thing before the Reebok switch and messed it up big time. Their uniforms were fine and now they're not. The socks are terrible. The numbers on the front of the jerseys are unnecessary. The scarcity of stripes invokes practice jerseys. Like their 1992-93 expansion brethren in Ottawa, they wear their nickname across their third jerseys, which is brutal. Bolts is a cool nickname, just don't have it on actual game apparel. Can you imagine Montreal taking the ice with "HABS" across their chests? Me neither.
26. Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres' regular uniforms and logo are among the most derided in hockey and for good reason. The logo is a streak of a Buffalo, which is unusual in that they make their logo not something sword inspired, as in Sabres, but of the animal their city is named after. The striping is godawful, maybe the worst in the league. Unlike the Flames, Oilers, and Islanders the Sabres cannot overly impress me if they make their current retro-themed alternate uniform their primary. That's because their third uses a way darker shade of blue than the original that inspired it. The shoulder numbers copied from the regular jerseys further sullies the jersey.
The Sabres' regular uniforms and logo are among the most derided in hockey and for good reason. The logo is a streak of a Buffalo, which is unusual in that they make their logo not something sword inspired, as in Sabres, but of the animal their city is named after. The striping is godawful, maybe the worst in the league. Unlike the Flames, Oilers, and Islanders the Sabres cannot overly impress me if they make their current retro-themed alternate uniform their primary. That's because their third uses a way darker shade of blue than the original that inspired it. The shoulder numbers copied from the regular jerseys further sullies the jersey.
27. Florida Panthers
Similarly to the Blues, the Cats took perfectly fine uniforms and ruined them with piping and vertical stripes. Their new third jerseys are awful. Many teams make light blue and dark blue work (University of Maine, Chicoutimi Sagueneens) but besides that these just flat out aren't Florida Panthers colors, they just look like crap. The "FLA" shoulder patch/pants patch with a shining sun also works to take down this uniform.
Similarly to the Blues, the Cats took perfectly fine uniforms and ruined them with piping and vertical stripes. Their new third jerseys are awful. Many teams make light blue and dark blue work (University of Maine, Chicoutimi Sagueneens) but besides that these just flat out aren't Florida Panthers colors, they just look like crap. The "FLA" shoulder patch/pants patch with a shining sun also works to take down this uniform.
28. St. Louis Blues
St. Louis was the worst casualty of the league's major uniform overhaul a few years ago. They had excellent uniforms, top ten in my opinion and they let Reebok butcher them. They added horrific piping from shoulders to pants and enlarged the shoulder stripes in a weird, terrible way. The piping on the pants is scary ugly. The third jersey is more bad than good. Incorporating the St. Louis Arch seems like a good idea but it just doesn't work.
29. Atlanta Thrashers
This franchise is a mess on many levels and the uniforms are no different. The Thrashers are another team with three completely different uniforms, which is brutal. The worst is not the red football-ish third jersey. I don't even mind that one. The worst is the baby blue home jersey that says "ATLANTA" down the left sleeve, leaving that arm numberless. Stupid, gimmicky, and very 1990's IHL. The fonts are quite ugly. For some reason, the baby blue on the home jerseys is almost nowhere to be found on the other two uniforms. Pick a color guys.
30. Anaheim Ducks
I hate these uniforms. Can you even call that a logo? It's a word. (Yes, the Caps logo is too but it's a little more creative than this.) Black, gold, and a tiny hint of orange? Yuck. Then the gloves have way more orange in them than the rest of the uniforms. The numbers are too big. Bland in every way and terrible all around.
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