Over the past few weeks, reports have emerged that NHL teams will be adding a fourth jersey to their lineup. These jerseys, referred to as “Reverse Retro” uniforms, will make a nod to every team’s past during select games. Based on reports, it seems that most of, if not all, teams will get one for the 2020-21 season.

With the offseason rolling on, the fourth jerseys for four teams have been leaked, and fans have been giving their input on the soon-to-be revealed looks. With the uniform news coming out, let’s break down the new Reverse Retro jerseys that will take the ice in the NHL next season.

Anaheim Ducks: Wild Wing

The Anaheim Ducks are reviving the look of the 1995 “Wild Wing” logo. In layman’s terms, this is the full body of the cartoonish Mighty Ducks logo flying out of a sheet of ice. The cartoonish duck also has goalie pads, a blocker, glove, and goalie stick in toe as it heads toward the foreground of the jersey. Around the logo are white and black stripes on the sleeves and shoulders. As of now, it is unknown whether the jersey is powder blue or orange. However, it is confirmed that the logo will make a return. However, it will be interesting to see how Adidas makes this work, as a uniform like this is mainly found in minor leagues. The uniform is not great, and the original Mighty Ducks logo is a better pick for a throwback than this one.

Philadelphia Flyers: Inverse 80’s

For Philadelphia’s jersey, the team brought a look back from the 1980’s but with a twist. The original, shown on the right, has white as the predominant sleeves with black piping and orange numbers. However, this time, black takes the place of where the white is predominantly and vice versa. Although it’s not definite which version of this jersey is better, the extra black adds a unique flair to the uniform. The Flyers’ black adds a unique flare to its color scheme, and it adds some pop to the uniform. Although Philadelphia hasn’t necessarily had much variation with their home uniforms, it will be fun to watch these on the ice a few times a year.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Diagonal White

Pittsburgh’s selection will see the team revive the look of 90’s with the diagonal “Pittsburgh” lettering. The jersey itself is rather simple: white base, yellow and black stripes on the sleeves and waist, and the Penguins’ alternate logo on the shoulders. With Pittsburgh’s home and alternate jerseys using black and goal as the primary color respectively, it’s a welcome change to see the team make a white alternate. While it is a welcome idea to see the Pens going back to their powder blue roots, a callback to the days of Jaromir Jagr and Mario Lemieux is a welcome decision as well. As a result, this jersey takes on the “less is more” motif and does so very effectively.

Vegas Golden Knights: Red Star

Although the Golden Knights haven’t had any real jerseys outside their home, away, and recently unveiled alternate, Vegas is still eager get in on the act. The jersey, leaked by Sin Bin Vegas and confirmed by various sources, sees the alternate star logo take centerstage with red as the primary color. Around the red are stripes of their remaining color scheme, grey, gold, and black in that order. The waist sees the stripes in a “V” formation toward the middle, and the sleeves have a “V” formation toward the ends of the jersey. The red embodies the neon lights of Vegas very well, but the color scheme around it is a stark contrast to what is the primary. If the team used the gold found on their alternate, then it could add some extra flare along the black stripes. However, it feels like the darker gold doesn’t belong here, and that makes the jersey feel very odd as a whole.

As a result, the league has a lot of potential for NHL and these Reverse Retro jerseys. While some have received mixed reviews, over three quarters of the league have yet to have their Reverse Retro leaked. As the league reveals more of these jerseys, we will post updates with extra critiques and reviews about these in the future.

Matthew Page

I am a first year student at Hofstra University and an avid Islanders fan. I have been writing for Drive4Five since March 2020. My family has been season ticket holders for the team since 2016, and hockey is my favorite sport. As I expand my knowledge in the field of Journalism, I am writing to express my love for the Islanders and the NHL.