After revisiting our NHL Reverse Retro predictions in the Central, our final division to cover is the Pacific. The division had several interesting choices available, and most of them did fairly well. As in our past three additions to the series, we will recount our initial prediction and compare it with the actual jersey.

Anaheim Ducks:

Predicted: Mighty Ducks

Actual: Wild Wing

The Mighty Ducks are an iconic logo in the grand scheme of hockey lore. With the success of the Mighty Ducks trilogy, the Anaheim hockey team adopted the name when its NHL franchise was born. With that name came the iconic logo from D2: The Mighty Ducks. The Duck-styled goalie mask is a fantastic look, and a modified version of that jersey is used today. However, our initial prediction was that the team was brining back the original jersey with teal, grey and black complements. However, the team went with a jersey from that era, but a different dynamic overall.

The team ultimately decided to go with the Wild Wing jersey from the the 90’s. The Mighty Duck logo does make an appearance, but not on the forefront. Rather, it takes the chest of the Flying Duck logo, and it is a full-bodied version of the old logo. There is also a blue stripe near the waist to represent icy water as well. Although the color scheme is there with the teal, black, and white, it is an odd choice overall. The jersey gives off a bit of a minor league vibe, and it will be interesting to see how it looks on the ice.

Arizona Coyotes:

Predicted: Running Coyote

Actual: Mud Dog

The Arizona Coyotes have most of their logo history already in their rotation. The home and away jerseys have the modern logo, and the wildly popular Kachina uniforms remain as the team’s alternate. With the past and present already covered, the Coyotes had an interesting decision to make with their Reverse Retro. With our prediction, we guessed that the Coyotes would bring back the Running Coyote jersey from the late 2000s and early 2010s. However, the team went back to the Kachina well and brought back another one of its first jerseys.

The actual jersey was a new variation of the Mud Dog jersey from the late ’90s and early 2000s. Instead of the original green, the Yotes brought it back in purple instead. The new color choice adds a unique dynamic to the Kachina head logo. The odd part of the jersey is the waist stripe, where the minor league vibe of the Ducks’ jersey exists as well. The stripes have a desert hill design with several cacti and the crescent moon alternate logo. The sleeve stripes have black and orange only, but the pattern catches the eye on the waist. As a result, Arizona has a fine concept, but the waist maintains a unique design that is different from most other Reverse Retro jerseys in the Pacific and NHL.

Calgary Flames:

Predicted: 2011 Heritage Classic

Actual: Blasty

Calgary has stayed with the “C” logo for most of its time in Calgary, so its jersey was an interesting situation from the start. The team had recently retired the red and black in favor of its original jersey set, so those uniforms were very much in play. However, our prediction was the 2011 Heritage Classic uniforms were coming back. Admittedly, that prediction may have been a little bit of a long shot, and Calgary ultimately decided against it. However, one retro logo stood out in the Flames’ history, and that was their final decision.

The actual jersey turned out to be Blasty, the flaming horse logo from the late ’90s and early 2000s. The jersey remains fairly similar compared to the original jersey; black remains as the primary color, but the complementing details are slightly different. After some red and yellow stripes on the sleeves and waist, the areas below it are black instead of the original red. Also, the white “C” logo is found on the shoulders instead of the red variation of the crest. With white letters with red and yellow outlines, Calgary did very well with their Reverse Retro. It may not be a top-five Reverse Retro in the NHL, but it’s certainly one of the best in the Pacific and a great play on a rather underrated logo.

Edmonton Oilers:

Predicted: Final Season at Rexall

Actual: Updated WHA

Although the Oilers ditched the royal blue and orange color scheme from most of their history, it was likely that the team was bringing the color scheme back. However, the question was what were they going to do with it? Were they going to make a modern-day version of their 2006 alternate? Were they bringing back the royal blue jerseys from the past decade?  Our prediction was the Oilers were reviving the orange and blue jerseys from their final season at Rexall Place and first season at Rogers Place. However, the final choice was a callback to their early days in the WHA. Even with an interesting choice, concepts emerged days before the release with a case of concern for some.

The concepts showed that Edmonton was reviving the orange circle logo with navy blue lettering on the inside. Although the jersey around it was nice, the logo would look out of place on that kind of uniform. However, cooler heads prevailed, and Edmonton used their normal logo to make one of the best Reverse Retros out there. The royal blue and orange color scheme makes a return on a white jersey with orange shoulders and blue piping. Blue and orange stripes are also found on the sleeves and waist as well. Add unique orange numbers with white and blue outlines, and Edmonton hit a home run with its uniform.

Los Angeles Kings:

Predicted: Yellow Crown

Actual: Purple 90’s

The Kings have been a team that stuck with a bland color scheme for years now. The black and white colors are a fine look, but it is very unoriginal and the most basic scheme out there. With the team employing a black home, white away, and grey alternate, the most likely choice here was to go back to the distant past. Although the team had debuted 90’s throwbacks with the “Los Angeles Kings” text crest, we predicted the Los Angeles Lakers-colored crown uniform was coming back. However, the team decide to marry the two jerseys together into one and did so brilliantly

From that jersey, the same basic layout remains. The base color makes up most of the jersey, and three stripes can be found on the sleeves and waist. However, instead of the black, white, and grey making up these components, the team channels back to its early days. Instead, purple is the primary color, and white is found outside the yellow stripes rather than the original black and grey. The logo also gets a facelift, with purple text and a crown on a white background. Add a yellow and purple outline, and the jersey has tremendous pop. The jersey is arguably the best Reverse Retro in the Pacific and possibly the whole NHL, and L.A. deserves a lot of credit.

San Jose Sharks:

Predicted: Golden Seals

Actual: The Original

Although San Jose had a wide variety of jerseys to choose from, we expected them to go the Hurricanes route with their jersey. In layman’s terms, we predicted the Sharks to make a jersey that harkens back to the days of the Golden Seals of the old WHL. There’s a lot to like about the uniform, from its bright green and yellow color scheme to its “Seals” crest on the front. Although a rumor did spread that a teal version of the jersey was coming back, the rumor turned out to be false, and San Jose went a different route in reality.

The actual product is the team’s first logo when they arrived in San Jose. The choice makes sense considering it appears on the team’s 30th-anniversary logo (as shown by acquisitions Ryan Donato and Devan Dubnyk). Around it is grey primary color and curved black, white, and teal stripes. The numbers on the jersey are also a callback to the ’90s as well. As a result, the Sharks go back to their early days in the Bay Area and do so very well. It may not be the best of the bunch, but the jersey is simple and effective as an homage to the team’s beginnings.

Vancouver Canucks:

Predicted: Flying Skate

Actual: Updated Gradient

Vancouver has possibly the most diverse jersey history in hockey. From the “Flying V” of the ’80s, the “Flying Skate” of the ’90s, to the orca logo of today, the team has had several identities in its time in the NHL. After the success of their 90’s retro from this past season, we predicted that the Flying Skate was coming back for another go-around. However, the team instead decided to make an updated twist on a prior jersey.

The finished product turned out to be the team’s gradient jersey from the early 2000s. While the past jersey used navy blue, red, and grey, the new jersey is updated with the emerald green and blue of today. After green shoulders and white piping, the jersey turns into a blue to green gradient heading toward and white and blue waist. Some green and white can also be found on stripes near the end of the sleeve. The logo is also slightly tweaked with a light blue outline of the orca whale. Overall, it’s an okay looking jersey, but it felt like Vancouver could’ve done something a little better here.

Vegas Golden Knights

Predicted: N/A

Actual: Las Vegas Thunder

For the Golden Knights, we did not make a prediction, largely since they are the youngest club in the NHL. With only two jerseys worn in-game so far in their history, the possibilities were very limited. However, instead, Vegas tapped into the city’s hockey past with a concept based on a minor league jersey. The Las Vegas Thunder played in the IHL from 1993-99, and the Knights went with a jersey based on their uniforms.

Although the Thunder had a very different color scheme of teal, black, white, and grey, Vegas used that template to make something work. Red is used as the primary color, and the sworded star logo appears as the primary logo. V-shaped stripes with gold, grey, and black can be found on the sleeves and waist as well. Add the team’s primary logo on the shoulders, and Vegas has a jersey that encapsulates the bright, flashy vibe of the city it represents. It may not be one of the best, but it has enough to it to catch the eyes of those watching.

After revisiting our Pacific Reverse Retro predictions, this concludes our final edition of the revisiting series across the NHL. It was very interesting to go back and see how we did with our predictions back in the spring. Some of them we hit right on the nose in various divisions, but some were fairly far off. While the status of the 2020-21 season remains up in the air, it will be exciting to see these Reverse Retros take the ice in the NHL when play resumes.