The NHL is back and it’s bigger and better than ever before. The 2000 season marks the 100th anniversary of the NHL and to celebrate, the league has adopted new logos for all 30 teams. The jerseys are vibrant, eye-catching, and perfectly represent the personalities of the teams themselves! As with all NHL apparel, the jerseys are designed to be worn proudly and to catch the eye. It’s no surprise that each team decided to have a unique monicker and identity revealed by the letters on their jerseys. Here’s a quick guide to what each letter means on the back of a hockey jersey!
Table of Contents
A
The AHL, or American Hockey League is the minor league of the NHL. The logos adorning the chests of the Lake Placid and Rockford Ice Hawks are part of a long-standing sponsorship agreement between the beer company Labatt and the minor league. The team’s colors are green, yellow, and white and the team’s mascot is called a Jackalope. The team is based in Rockford, Illinois and the first NHL game was played at the same city in 1929. The team participates in the Calder Cup, a tournament shared with teams from the ECHL (the league’s affiliate in North America) as well as the CHL (the junior ice hockey league in Canada).
B
The Broncos are one of the most recognizable and popular teams in the NHL today. The Oakland, California-based franchise was started in 1967 and their colors are orange and blue. The team’s nickname, the Colorado Buffaloes, is a reference to the state of the same name and the fact that the team’s first jersey was modeled after the state bird, the turkey. The same year as the creation of the Colorado Buffaloes, the Los Angeles franchise changed their name to the Kings and their colors to purple and gold. The two teams play in the same division and for several years, they were the only ones in the league. With the addition of the St. Louis Blues in 1968, the NHL expanded to six teams. The team’s most popular player today is undoubtedly Wayne Gretzky, who, along with Mario Lemieux, Mark Messier, and Joe Sakic, are the first four players to have their number retired by the team. The jersey’s collar, collar tab and sleeve tabs, along with the name and number, are white with blue trim.
C
The Caps’ current identity was established in 1998 and the team’s current logo reflects that of the federal agency, the United States Customs Service. The agency’s official colors are blue and red and the logo prominently features a lion, an animal with courage and strength. The Washington, D.C., franchise’s nickname is the Capital Capitals, the nation’s capital is their home, and they are currently the second-most popular NHL team, averaging 16,000 fans per game. Their greatest player is undoubtedly Bill Clinton, who was the 42nd president of the United States. It was during his tenure that the team adopted their current identity.
D
The Detroit Red Wings, or just Red Wings, are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NHL. The team captured 12 consecutive Stanley Cups from 1955 to 1966 and that record will never be broken. Two of the most popular players on the team are arguably the greatest ever to play the game, Steve Yzerman and Mike Ziggy. Yzerman played 18 seasons with the Red Wings and holds the record for most goals, assists, and points by a right winger. In 1980, he was part of the “Grand Bargain,” a three-team trade that sent Bobby Sheehan and Denny Henderson to the New York Islanders, Don Castrato and Pete Jensen to the Los Angeles franchise, and Yzerman to Detroit. These players would go on to help the Red Wings win their next 17 championships. Their current mascot is a red-headed woodchuck and the team’s colors are red, white, and blue. The franchise moved to Nashville, Tennessee, following the 2016–17 season and will become the Nashville Predators in the coming months.
G
The Golden State Warriors are one of the most popular teams in the NBA today. The team’s nickname, the Warriors, is a tribute to their now-legendary head coach, Don Nelson, who began incorporating the color gold into his outfits in the early 1960s. After leaving school, the Milwaukee Bucks center became the NBA’s first rookie to score 50 or more points in a game when he scored 64 against the Minneapolis Lakers in 1973. The team’s current colors are black, yellow, and white and their mascot is a noble tiger who goes by the name of Steph Curry. The franchise has won three NBA titles and was named after Nelson’s son, Stephen, who currently serves as the team’s head coach.
H
The Anaheim Ducks are one of the most popular teams in the NHL today. The team’s nickname, the Ducks, was inspired by the bird-like quality of their then-head coach, Jim Schoenfeld. During his tenure, the Ducks won four division titles, two Pacific Division pennants, and recorded 27 playoff appearances. The current head coach, Chris Palmer, is the second to last person to have played for the team and he helped establish the current look with a logo featuring a winged gold duck. The team’s colors are orange and black and their mascot is a noble seagull who serves as both the team’s and the league’s unofficial symbol. The franchise is currently in the midst of its 27th season and has never been to the playoffs.
J
The Jacksonville Jaguars are one of the most popular teams in the NFL today. The Jaguars are actually one of the newer franchises in the league. They were originally founded in 1966 and their current head coach, Gentry Jeter, is the 15th to hold that position since the NFL began keeping track of head coaching positions eight years ago. The team’s colors are orange and black and their mascot is a jaguar who wears a cowboy hat and boots. The nickname, the Jaguars, was inspired by the league’s first player, Don Hutson, who helped the team win their first five games before the season started. Those five wins were the most by any team that didn’t play in a league that is now defunct.
K
The Kings are one of the most popular teams in the NHL today. The first three Kings were all-stars and won two Stanley Cups together. The team’s current identity was established in 1967 when the club’s first jersey featured the moniker, the Royal Flush. The team’s moniker is derived from the fact that their first five jerseys all featured a white background with a single, bold, red stripe around the neck. As with all NHL apparel, the logos were designed to be worn proudly and to catch the eye. The logo is actually a variation of the Chicago Blackhawks’ logo, designed by the renowned, Howard Porter. The current head coach is the 11th man to hold the position and he is also the team’s general manager. The Los Angeles franchise also holds the NFL record for most players represented by one organization (28) and most consecutive championships (7, as of the 2016 season). The team’s colors are blue and gold and their mascot is a majestic stag. The franchise has never missed the playoffs and is currently the third-most popular NHL team.
L
The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most popular teams in the NBA today. The team was actually founded in 1946 and became one of the first NBA teams to win 100 games in a season. The team’s nickname, the Lakers, was inspired by the club’s first head coach, George Mikan, who made his name as a player before becoming a coach. The team has won nine NBA titles and was named after Mikan’s son, Pat, who currently serves as the team’s president. In 2020, the team became the first to wear their original colors, purple and orange, on court in a game against the Toronto Raptors. The team’s mascot is a majestic stag and the colors are purple, orange and white. The Lakers have never missed the playoffs and currently the second-most popular team in the league behind the Boston Celtics.