If this is the Avalanche's 2016 Stadium Series jersey, it's an epic fail

The Colorado Avalanche’s 2016 Stadium Series jersey, a Rockies throwback, is rumored to have been leaked to the Icethetics website

Allan Muir | Jul 28, 2015

If this is the Avalanche's 2016 Stadium Series jersey, it's an epic fail /

The Avalanche are due to sport at least one new jersey during the 2015–16 season. And according to the folks at Icethetics, a blog that tracks the aesthetics of hockey sweaters and their logos, it could look like this one.

If it does, we’re talking about a crime against hockey fashion. This is seriously ugly.

Of course, it’s too early to get up in arms just yet. The image is not an official release by the team. It is an artist’s rendering created by the site’s own Chris Smith based on leaked information. So it could be end up being 100% accurate or there could be significant changes ahead.

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But we do know this much: Colorado was planning on a new sweater to be worn for the 2016 Stadium Series Game at Coors Field where the Avs will host the Red Wings. Typically, the jerseys designed for outdoor games rely on vintage influences and the logo for this one certainly recalls the one worn by the old Colorado Rockies, the NHL club that played in Denver from 1976 to ’82 before relocating to New Jersey and becoming the Devils. And those hideous white shoulders are similar to what we’ve seen in other recent outdoor sweaters. So it’s entirely possible that it’s legit.

Of course, that logo/jersey was much more colorful than this muted design. So it’s possible that there’s more to this than even Icethetics is aware of.

These guys have a track record for getting this sort of thing right, but here's hoping there’s something more to this design. If not, it will join a long list of outdoor sweater disasters.

RANKING THE WINTER CLASSIC JERSEYS

Ranking the NHL's Winter Classic Jerseys

16. Philadelphia Flyers 2012

Philly's second trip to the Classic produced the worst jersey to date, a Brach's candy corn nightmare of orange marred by thick black and white piping. The keystone-shaped captain's patches looked like a forced concession to vintage integrity.

15. Detroit Red Wings 2009

Too much white space and a dull gothic D logo sank what should have been a classic.

14. Boston Bruins 2010

For a team with such a rich sartorial history, it's hard to understand why they went with this melange of mismatched vintage elements rather than embrace one of their classic heritage sweaters. Plus: yellow!

13. New York Rangers 2012

Another faux vintage special that centers on a slight updating of an old logo slapped onto a cream-colored sweater. And nothing says retro like cream.

12. Washington Capitals 2011

It's not a particularly great design, but at least it's true to the team heritage theme of the event.

11. Philadelphia Flyers 2010

It worked well enough to become the team's permanent design. Clean and simple. But the nameplate box on the back was one of the worst design ideas in years and really tough to read from a distance.

10. Chicago Blackhawks 2015

An updated take on the team's 1956 home sweaters, this one holds true to the throwback spirit of the event. We like the way the secondary logo appears lower on the sleeves, but the decision to stick to the team's current main logo as opposed to the reductivist original cost them the chance to make it feel truly special.

9. Pittsburgh Penguins 2011

Love the expansion-season logo, the lettering and the navy blue base, but that wacky waist striping would look better matched with a vintage tuxedo.

8. Chicago Blackhawks 2009

The black, red and cream base won't make anyone forget the team's current sweaters, and the logo is waaay too small. Still, it's a solid entry that captures the feel of the team's mid-'30s look.

7. Buffalo Sabres 2008

Nice to see this classic look pulled out of mothballs. Sharp colors and one of the best logos in sports.

6. Detroit Red Wings 2014

A little more spacing between the Detroit wordmark and the winged wheel might have moved this even higher up the list. Even though this design didn't exist in the team's past, it looks the part.

5. Washington Capitals 2015

A team with a limited history to draw on needed to get creative to make this jersey special ... and succeeded. The logo is pinched from the Glenn Hall-era Windsor Spitfires, but with the stars above the W it feels like it could have been native to the Caps. Creative shoulder piping and a discrete tribute to the Washington monument make this one really special.

4. Montreal Canadiens 2016

It’s a curious mix of disparate elements from four historical Habs sweaters ... but somehow, it works. The 1909-style blue chest stripe really pops, as does the white C and the “World Champions” globe sleeve patch. Unlike the organization’s previous outdoor designs, this one lives up to the event.

3. Toronto Maple Leafs 2014

Some take issue with the piping overdose on the sleeves, but as a tribute to the team's 1927 sweater it's nearly flawless.

2. Boston Bruins 2016

This is as close to perfection as it gets, from the throwback logo (crafted in felt and chenille, no less) to the vintage neckline that mimics early sweater styles. Even the one concession to modern times, the oversized numbers, are off-white with old school stitching. Dit Clapper would be proud.

1. Pittsburgh Penguins 2008

penguins.2008.jpg — Dave Sandford/Getty Images

Love those baby blues. A truly bold choice at the time, this near replica of Pittsburgh's 1970-71 sweaters set the standard for retro-outfitting a team at this event and became a staple in the Pens' repertoire.

Published Jul 28, 2015

ALLAN MUIR