The jerseys for next week’s NHL All-Star Game have a "reverse retro" spin on the mid-1990s getup and have been extremely well-received. These are the best All-Star uniforms in…at least a decade? Maybe two decades?
But let’s go deeper and ask the Daily Faceoff Roundtable: Which All-Star Game jersey is the best of all-time, and why?
MATT LARKIN: Maybe we’ll all lean toward whichever getup brings about the most nostalgic feelings. I think back to sitting in my parents’ unfinished basement, watching last-minute injury replacement Mike Gartner bury four goals in the 1993 All-Star Game. The 1993 uniform was consistent with the scheme dating back to the 1980s: NHL shield colors, lots of stars, just a fun design honoring the league itself. Still my favorite despite the fact I love the latest ones.
STEVEN ELLIS: OK, I love this topic! I’ll be the first to admit the logo wasn’t very good, but the 2015 All-Star neon green look is one that will always stand out to me. Hard on the eyes a bit, sure, but give me as much neon as possible. I love brighter-colored uniforms, and growing up, I liked putting neon tape on my goalie pads to stand out. That’s why I love Dallas’ alternates — they’re bold. The design itself could have used work, like the random striping on the arms and, again, the logo was ugly. But I’m glad they got creative with the accent coloring.
NICK ALBERGA: Great topic. Just because the game was in Toronto (so I actually paid attention), I’ll go with the 2000 North America vs. the World jerseys. I can’t believe it’s been nearly a quarter-century. We’re getting old. For me, every time I see those units, the nostalgia of Mats Sundin, Dmitri Yushkevich, Curtis Joseph and others comes back. Much simpler times, and there was actual animosity in the league.
FRANK SERAVALLI: I think the correct answer here is the era you grew up watching the All-Star Game as a kid. So for me, my favorites are the teal and purple ones of the mid-’90s, when Owen Nolan called his shot in 1997. I was a kid then, and that was when the All-Star Game felt like it mattered. It’s a unique prism through which we can view the entire weekend — through the eyes of kids — and that’s a reminder for John Tortorella and others who bash it.
MIKE MCKENNA: You’re dead on, Frank. For me, it was the 1988 All-Star Game in St. Louis. I was eight years old when the NHL’s best came to town. Those gorgeous orange and black jerseys were iconic. And someone came up with the brilliant idea to make a graphic of Wayne Gretzky facing off against Mario Lemieux. On a frozen Mississippi River. In front of the Gateway Arch. I’ve had the poster hanging somewhere in my house ever since.
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