The Vegas Golden Knights are a paradox.

For one, they're an ice hockey team based in the desert. The National Hockey
League's success - or lack thereof - in such markets doesn't exactly inspire
great confidence (see: Coyotes, Arizona). Plus, the Golden Knights were the
first major professional sports team to call Las Vegas home - another
substantial risk, especially for the least-recognised of North America's "Big
Four" professional sporting leagues. Furthermore, Vegas has a myriad of other
entertainment options besides hockey, options far more established than
puck-based competition.

And yet, early returns are positive beyond anyone's wildest dreams. The team
has embraced the city, and the city has embraced it right back. T-Mobile Arena
is packed every night. And merchandise and ticket sales aren't just good,
they've gone so far as to help boost the NHL's salary cap.Golden Knights owner
Bill Foley has to be happy with his investment so far, as he';s looking more
and more like a genius every day. (Joshua Dahl / USA TODAY Sports)

As for the on-ice product, in true Las Vegas fashion, the ragtag Golden Knights
 have put on a show. Their very first season, they defied almost all
expectations, having not only made the playoffs, but then going all the way to
the Stanley Cup Final.

Show-offs.Vegas' Golden Marketing Strategy

In all seriousness, it really was nice to finally see the realisation of this
long-rumoured team in Las Vegas. I'm sure the local population is ecstatic
their city is finally known for something more than excessive gambling and
shotgun weddings. The NHL certainly stepped up with some pretty generous
expansion rules, but no one could have foreseen such a competitive product
right out of the gate.

One thing';s for sure: It';s nice to see, at long last, an NHL team that is
properly marketed.

But the best marketing a team has is their uniform; more specifically, their
jersey. These are what will be donned by the players, seen in the stands and
worn with pride around the world.

So how did they do?The first attempt at a Vegas Golden Knights uniform.
Decidedly disappointing, I';d say. (Illustration by Andrew M. Greenstein, The
unofficial NHL Uniform Database)Home Jersey

Let's start with the home jersey, as, let's be honest, few of us on the correct
 side of the continent ever stay up to see these threads in action.

I mean, it's not like it's awful or anything. The logos are fine. The colours
are good (individually, at least). It has reasonable balance to it. And yet, it
 just might be the dullest thing I've ever seen.

This is supposed to be Vegas! Where are the lights, the tassels, the
extravagant excess? I thought this was Sin City!

The tail striping is passable, with a thin golden stripe (I believe this
particular shade is known as "Vegas Gold" directly atop a thick wad of black.
The sleeves are a different story, with a large chunk of black topping a
mid-sized golden stripe (inlaid with a really neat textured pattern), with a
thin band of red around the bottom of the colour block (why red wasn't included
 in the tail striping is anyone's guess). This messy, disjointed striping
situation reminds me of the Arizona Coyotes. A black crew-neck collar, lined
with red and a "Vegas" wordmark, finishes off the jersey's decoration.

Red inside the collar is one of the most unique details of our jerseys.
#VGKFirstJersey pic.twitter.com/XPu0clHme1

- Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 21, 2017

But perhaps the worst thing about these jerseys is the slate grey background.
Even the official name for the colour ("Steel Grey" can't spice things up.
This dreary shade completely washes out what should otherwise be a really fun,
punchy colour scheme. The logo, simple and appealing in an eerie, ghostly sort
of way is, nevertheless, fairly bland in tone, so I would';ve liked to see red
used as the primary colour for these kits. It would contrast nicely with the
darker, duller logo and striping, and could be paired with a dark-coloured
helmet and gloves for optimal contrast. Check out the red on the sleeves and
shoulder patches, and tell me it wouldn't look great as the background colour
in this palette.

Alas, no such luck. We're stuck with a home jersey that looks like a print job
that ran out of colour halfway through.

As for the rest of the kit, the sock striping seems to be simply a reversal of
the sleeves, with a grey helmet, black pant and black gloves (trimmed with
gold, like the jersey numbers) rounding out the design.

All in all, there';s a lot going on in this uniform. The primary colour was a
poor choice. The striping is weird. And the white font sticks out like a sore
thumb, considering there are no other white accents. Truly, a symphony of
befuddling dreariness.

The Golden Knights gambled - and lost.Away Jersey

The road kit retains many of the same problems as the home, most notably the
messy, inconsistent striping. However, the use of white as the primary colour
is a marked improvement over the grey. It greatly brightens up the jersey,
making the logos and striping blocks really pop.

Were I forced to spend my hard-earned money on one of these two designs, I'd
definitely pick the road kit. Even though it';s more or less the same in
layout, grey being relegated to secondary colour status makes the entire
product look cleaner, sleeker and altogether more professional. Vegas can at
least take solace in the fact they look sharp in other teams' barns.

This crisp, contrasting look is only enhanced with the Golden Knights'; use of
black pants, and would be doubly so if the helmets were black, too. Not to
mention the gloves. Seriously, ditch the white. It';s tacky and unbalances the
 entire uniform.Golden Knights Jerseys Technically Beautiful

The easiest way for me to sum up the Vegas Golden Knights' first attempt at an
NHL uniform is to compare it to the fair city of Ottawa. Back in 2001, Ottawa
attempted a rebrand, going with the slogan "technically beautiful."

I mean, yes, Ottawa is the seat of government in Canada. It has nice museums.
It';s very clean. It';s effortlessly bilingual. And yet, no one really wants to
 go to Ottawa. Somehow, someway, it just doesn't come to mind as an enticing
destination.

In the same way, the Golden Knights' jerseys are "technically beautiful."
They've got two cool logos. They have a good colour palette. The striping,
while unnecessarily busy and complex, is not egregiously offensive. And there
are some nice textural elements on the sleeves and logo.

None of our players have numbers yet. But when they do, this will be what their
 numbers look like. #VGKFirstJersey pic.twitter.com/mU1l5jBSlr

- Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 21, 2017

Everything is in place for a truly spectacular creation, coveted by hockey fans
 the world over. And, as mentioned, the road editions are decent enough. But
the crown jewel - the home jersey - just doesn't really…work. Like, at all.

That said, all things considered, it';s hard to be upset about jerseys if
you';re a Vegas fan. You';ve got it pretty good.

**Originally published June 2017.

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