Ranking every Calgary Flames jersey of the 21st century

These jerseys are, in a word, horrendous. When Reebok took over in 2007, they abandoned everything that made the Flames’ early 2000s uniforms nice. The infamous piping on the side of the jerseys is peak Reebok era, and not in a good way. And why are the nameplates italicized?

The idea to add Canada and Alberta flags on the shoulders makes no sense either. The Flames are neither the only team in Canada nor in Alberta. A giant blue patch on a red jersey is also a huge eyesore. It’s a travesty that these are currently the longest-running Flames jerseys this century.

10. 2017-2020 Adidas Home/Away

When Adidas took over NHL jerseys in 2017, fans hoped they’d completely revamp the Flames look. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case, as they basically just retooled the previous Reebok Edge jersey. On the plus side, they removed the ugly piping on the jersey, and the nameplates were no longer italicized.

That said, these jerseys are still incredibly ugly to look at, even with the changes. Thank goodness they only lasted three years.

9. 2013-16 Alternate

In case anyone forgot where the Calgary Flames played, these jerseys plastered it on the front of the jersey in big letters. I’m still not sure what the goal was with these. I’ve never been a fan of wordmark jerseys, but this one takes it to a new level of bad.

The decision to include both a wordmark and a tiny logo on the front of the jersey makes no sense, and just looks flat-out weird. Add in the strange, busy-looking shoulder patches that had never been used before, and this entire jersey was a miss. There’s a reason you never see anyone wearing them.

8. 2026-27 Hometown Remix

I hate to say it, but this jersey just isn’t it. The Flames have worn their new Hometown Remix jersey only once, but for my money, it’s already one of the team’s worst this century. The nods to the ‘Dome are fun, but there are just way too many, and they’re too obvious.

The logo looks like an Eggo Waffle, and the window outlines on the sleeves just look strange. Lastly, what does sparkly gold have to do with Calgary or the Saddledome? If you squint, it also just looks like the team’s regular home jersey with a slightly gross-looking yellow. I don’t understand any of the design choices with this one.

There was a lot of potential here, but the result is somehow both boring and over the top.

7. 2023-24 Heritage Classic

These jerseys are fine. The off-white with the red is a nice combo, and the design has a clean, vintage look. My main issue is the logo. Circle logos always feel incredibly lazy, especially when they’re just a logo slapped inside a larger circle. This one looks more suited to an NBA logo than something you’d see on an NHL jersey.

I get that they were a tribute to the Calgary Stampeders hockey club of the 1950’s, but they could’ve been way more creative with the design. A completely forgettable jersey in every way, but at least it’s not ugly.

6. 2022-23 Reverse Retro

The Flames’ second Reverse Retro brought back the infamous pedestal jersey from the 90s, this time in black. Credit where it’s due, these are the definition of a reverse retro. The white logo on the black base really pops, as do the red and yellow pipes.

Any black Flames jersey is a win in my books, but these are definitely the worst of the bunch. The pedestal design remains too busy and looks a little off on a modern jersey. Another example of a Flames jersey you basically never see anyone wearing.

5. 2010-11 Heritage Classic

Probably the most divisive jersey in Flames history. You either love these, or you don’t. For me, these are the best one-off jerseys in franchise history. The overall look takes inspiration from the Calgary Tigers barbershop jerseys, and they look beautiful. The textured beige C on the front just brings it all together.

These jerseys perfectly encapsulated what a Heritage Classic jersey should be, and it’s a shame we only saw them once.

4. 2021-22 Reverse Retro

Back in 2021, the Flames finally brought Blasty back with their 2021-22 Reverse Retro. While the jersey completely goes against the definition of a Reverse Retro, you can never go wrong with Blasty.

The jersey keeps many of the same elements as the OG Blasty from the early 2000s, with some minor changes. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The white C on the shoulders is a nice upgrade, though.

3. 1998-2006 Blasty

Speaking of Blasty, the original is without a doubt one of the nicest jerseys in team history, and it’s a shame it was gone for 15 years. The fire-breathing horse is also one of the best logos in NHL history. As mentioned above, a black Flames jersey is always a hit in my books, and this one is the cream of the crop.

The chevron design is perfected here, with the red on the collar, at the bottom of the jersey, and on the sleeves, offering a perfect contrast to the black.

2. 2003-2007 Home/Away

Before Reebok massacred the Flames look in 2007, we had these beauties. These jerseys are just perfect. Some of the 2003-04 nostalgia comes into play when we talk about these (they spawned the C of Red after the team adopted red as its primary colour in 2003-04), but that doesn’t take away from how nice they look.

The black C on the red jersey goes together so well here. Add in Blasty on the shoulders, and you’ve got an instant classic. The 2026-27 rendition still looks incredible for a reason. This is a truly timeless jersey.

1. 2020-Present Home/Away

You can’t beat a classic. I’d argue the Flames’ current jersey set is not just the best in team history, but one of the best in NHL history. In fact, NHL fans rated it as the league’s best set up when they brought it back a few years ago. The red base with the white logo and numbers, outlined in yellow, is simply perfection. The stripes are clean and simple but pop thanks to the colour contrast.

It’s a crime that the team didn’t wear these for over 25 years before bringing them back full-time in 2021. They’re undoubtedly the best jerseys the franchise has, and probably will ever wear.