As National Hockey League teams across North America have rolled out their Reverse Retro uniforms, the Islanders joined the party on Saturday night. In their contest against the Buffalo Sabres, New York broke out their new jerseys for the first time, three months after their announcement.

Although the line across the NHL has been embraced by fans everywhere, the Islanders’ version met with much criticism. Rather than go with an original concept that most teams did, the Islanders’ effort was fairly unoriginal. The jersey is mostly a carbon copy of their home uniform, a disappointment compared to the Fisherman jersey that some fans were hoping for.

However, even with the criticism the jersey received, the Islanders wore them for the first time Saturday afternoon. With the Islanders’ first game with the Reverse Retro jersey in the books, let’s review how they looked on Saturday.

The Jersey:

As mentioned earlier, the Islanders’ Reverse Retro is arguably the most unoriginal. It screams Lou Lamoriello. The structure of the jersey is nearly identical to the home jersey, as the blue takes up most of the space with two secondary color stripes. However, unlike the home jersey, the Reverse Retro’s sleeves look a little different. The stripe pattern of the home remains, but the colors are inverted to have white and orange bands going down toward the ends of the sleeves and waist. The collar is also all orange with some navy trim on the inside of the collar, and the laces under the NHL logo are missing as well.

Needless to say, the jersey is obviously not the most original call. With the history the Islanders have, from the Fisherman to old orange alternate, there were several fine options available to choose from, and it can be considered a bit of a miss. However, just because it’s a missed opportunity doesn’t mean it’s a bad jersey. In fact, it is beautiful. Their current home jersey is a very high-quality jersey, and the Reverse Retro picks up right where it left off. The Islanders’ colors look great with a navy blue color over the current royal blue, and it’s a simple yet effective look overall. As a result, even though the jersey may not be the most original, the navy blue is sharp with the orange and white, and the Islanders Reverse Retro isn’t a bad look.

The Appearance:

After the Islanders took the ice against the Sabres, the reviews were fairly positive. The jersey may not have been the best choice, but the Islanders kept their identity fresh with the uniform collectively. Aside from the jersey, another piece to consider is the equipment the team has with it, and the Islanders stuck with what worked on their homes. Starting with the gloves, the knuckles are primarily navy with the fingers keeping an orange color. Pants are also almost the same as the home jerseys, with navy blue as the primary with white and orange stripes. Add socks that match the stripes of the jersey and navy blue helmets, and the Islanders’ Reverse Retro works very well.

As for the overall presentation, the uniform looked very sharp. The navy blue works just as well with the secondary colors of orange and white. With a darker primary color, those two colors stand out more compared to the royal blue counterpart. Although the uniform is far from a showstopper, it is a sharp looking uniform when all of the pieces are together.

The Final Verdict:

Although the Islanders may have missed an opportunity with their Reverse Retro, that doesn’t mean the jersey is bad. The jersey may be a bit much like their current home jersey, but the navy blue adds a unique angle to it. It looks great with the orange and white, and it helps capitalize on the Islanders’ existing branding. As a result, the Fisherman could’ve been a beautiful jersey, but the Islanders’ current Reverse Retro earns a positive review from us.

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.