The Reverse Retro jersey program is returning to the NHL for its second run in the upcoming 2022–23 NHL season, and we here at The Win Column are currently in the process of predicting every team’s new Reverse Retro design.
In case you missed it, here are our predictions on what the Pacific Division, and Atlantic Division jerseys may look like.
Central Division Reverse Retro concepts
Today we will be taking a peek at what the Central Division Reverse Retros could ideally be. This division is full of historied teams who have seen numerous design changes over their courses of their history which has given us quite a few options to go with.
Winnipeg Jets
With their previous Reverse Retro the Jets paid tribute to their original franchise, and this year I’m hoping the Winnipeg Jets pay tribute to the Atlanta Thrashers. A number of teams like Colorado, and Carolina chose to honour their previous homes with their jerseys last round, and I think with how well the original Thrashers dark jersey works within the branding of the Jets, it makes perfect sense to go this route.
St. Louis Blues
For the St. Louis Blues, I chose to use their 90s look like the previous Reverse Retro did. I updated these classic jerseys with the modern double blue colour scheme the team uses. I also chose to make navy the base of the jersey so it would contrast more against the Blues regular home and away set.
Nashville Predators
For the Nashville Predators, I chose to honour the famous “Mustard Cat”. But I simplified what I thought was a pretty over the top design to make it something that would fit in more in the modern day. I also chose to use navy as the base of the jersey because it seems like the thing almost everyone on the internet wants from Nashville, especially after their recent Stadium Series jersey left some navy jersey hopefuls with a bitter taste.
Minnesota Wild
In my opinion, the Minnesota Wild were one of the teams that absolutely hit it out of the park with their first Reverse Retros. The North Stars colours of green and gold are truly amazing, and it’s an absolute shame you can’t currently find them anywhere in the NHL. For this concept I simply did the reverse of the previous reverse retro jersey to complete the set—they don’t need to fix what isn’t broken.
If I had my way, the team would adopt this colour scheme full time.
Dallas Stars
Despite choosing the right jersey from their past, the Stars had one of the least popular Reverse Retros last time around due to the way they approached it.
I have here what I think they should have done the first time around, which uses their iconic late 90s/early 2000s jerseys to inspire a fresh look in their modern colour scheme. With how popular Adidas jerseys in this style were last year during Zubov’s retirement night as a special event piece of memorabilia, I can only imagine how well these would sell as jerseys the team legitimately plays games in.
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche have surprisingly few jerseys to consider when designing a reverse retro. They’ve kept to mostly the same jerseys over their entire franchise history since arriving in the Mile High City. Last time the Avalanche threw back to their time in Quebec City, and while a lot of people seem to want a dark version of that previous reverse retro. I personally think the team should pay tribute to the former Colorado Rockies.
Chicago Blackhawks
I kept things very simple with the Blackhawks and just reversed the black and white which was used in their popular 2019 Winter Classic Jersey, which also pays tribute to the first jerseys the team originally wore way back in the 1920s. This look should take the team on it ice way back in time to a century ago, using a look that’s so vintage that it’s modern all over again.
Arizona Coyotes
With the Arizona Coyotes choosing to go back to the Kachina jersey full-time, it really limited options for a Reverse Retro.
I don’t feel that going back to the jersey they just wore for the last 10 years really works as a retro concept, so I chose to do the white version of the reverse retro they did last time around. But instead of using purple, I chose to use the light burgundy, and sand colours that the team used for the last two decades. Its use of recent colours does invoke a bit of nostalgia for the howling coyote, but it goes well with the Reverse Retro set.
More Reverse Retros to come
Next week, I will be sharing the last of The Win Column jersey designs for every other 2022 Reverse Retro for the Metropolitan Division. Stay tuned.
Let us know which designs you like the most, or if you think that the NHL and Adidas might go a different direction with any of the jerseys we’ve designed so far.
Previous Reverse Retro Predictions:
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