Poor Winnipeg, always getting the shaft.

If it's not Ilya Bryzgalov complaining about a supposed lack of parks, or the
San Jose Sharks ripping on Winnipeg's climate and alleged poor WiFi, then it's
the rest of Canada ranking the Gateway to the West ("Winterpeg," for
non-politicians) only slightly behind Hamilton as the nation's easiest city to
make fun of.

Even their hockey teams haven't had an easy ride.The WHA-Era Winnipeg Jets

In late 1971, the city was awarded a professional hockey franchise that would
begin play the following year. Unfortunately, the Winnipeg Jets were to play in
 the World Hockey Association, a troublesome, tumultuous seven-year venture
that ended with the National Hockey League absorbing four of the six remaining
WHA teams in 1979.

But that's okay, because at least they had some fun along the way, right? I
mean, they made the playoffs in six of the WHA's seven seasons, winning the
Avco World Trophy three times and playing for the championship on two other
occasions.

On the other hand, the most prolific players in team history - WHA history, too
 - were Anders Hedberg, Bobby Hull and Ulf Nilsson. Together composing the "Hot
 Line," all left rather unceremonious legacies. Hedberg and Nilsson bolted for
the New York Rangers in the summer of 1978, while Hull was later revealed to be
 a less-than-savoury character off the ice.The NHL-Era Winnipeg Jets

Ah, but the move to the NHL provided an opportunity for the Jets to reinvent
themselves and again reach the precipice of their domain. Unfortunately,
ascending with the Jets throughout the 1980s were fellow Smythe Division
powerhouses the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers. Winnipeg made the
playoffs eight of 11 seasons between 1979-80 and 1989-90, playing either
Calgary or Edmonton in all but one year.

Despite fielding a roster that included the likes of Dale Hawerchuk, Paul
MacLean, Thomas Steen and 1981 Norris Trophy winner Randy Carlyle, the Jets
were only able to get past the first round twice (in 1985 and 1987), both times
 at the expense of the Flames. Also on both occasions, they were then promptly
swept by the Oilers.

In 1990, the Jets were finally able to push the Oilers, now sans Wayne Gretzky,
 to the brink of elimination, before blowing a 3-1 series lead and losing in
Game 7. Of particular note, Game 6 in Winnipeg was delayed by an overzealous
fan throwing popcorn on the ice, jinxing the Jets, according to some.Teemu
Selanne was an incredible talent - potting an astounding 76 goals during his
rookie season of 1992-93, but even he couldn';t save the Jets. (Photo by Denis
Brodeur / NHLI via Getty Images)

The Winnipeg Jets: Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.The Jets Return to
Winnipeg

The current iteration of the Jets came about in 2011, thanks to the relocation
of the Atlanta Thrashers, with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman showing all the
enthusiasm of a hostage on a ransom video.

Will this edition prove more successful? We'll just have to wait and see. It's
too early to call. Only time will tell. Other analytical cop-outs.

One thing's for sure: They won't be winning any awards for their uniforms.Jets'
 Takeoff Lacks Direction

But first, let';s start at the beginning.

The Jets were a brand-new team in a brand-new league, debuting in the WHA's
inaugural season of 1972-73 with a uniform set that…well, looks like the
uniform set of a brand-new team in a brand-new league.The inaugural threads of
the Jets, which manage to feel gaudy and yet somewhat generic at the same time.
 (Illustration by Andrew M. Greenstein, The WHA Uniform Database)

The centrepiece of the jersey is the logo, a pretty generic-looking "Jets"
wordmark flanked on the left by a hockey player in flight. Not exactly
inspiring iconography for a fledgling fanbase, though the "J" in Jets does look
 rather good doubling as a hockey stick.

Nor were the backs of these jerseys any good, with the contrasting nameplates
and Comic Sans-esque typeface providing all the professionalism and distinction
 of a house-league peewee team.

That all said, the bones of these kits are really rather good. Gapped
tri-stripe patterns on the sleeves and tails, a feature replicated on the
socks, give the uniforms a crisp, traditional feel, while the utilisation of
the classic blue, red and white colour palette provides just enough contrast -
thanks in large part to red pants - to make the kits sufficiently interesting
to look at. The no-nonsense number font, complete with flush trim, even lends a
 hint of aggressiveness to the ensemble.

The white jersey is especially good, with contrasting cuffs and shoulder yokes,
 to go along with a red collar. The blue uniform could do with a bit more
contrast, particularly towards the top of the jersey, something which would be
rectified the followed season.

Generally speaking then, the Jets' first attempt at a uniform was pretty much
what you'd expect from a new team playing in an upstart league: Conventional
enough to be attractive to the masses, with enough zaniness thrown in to make
the WHA stand out from the NHL. A great idea, with thoroughly mixed results in
execution.Jets Debut Now-Classic Look

In only their second season of existence, the Jets decided to overhaul their
look, debuting the now-classic logo that, with some changes, would stay with
the team through their transition to the NHL, right up until their move to
Phoenix ahead of the 1996-97 campaign.The Jets would tweak their uniforms from
their second season onward, with the best set of the bunch being worn during
the 1976-77 campaign. (Illustration by Andrew M. Greenstein, The WHA Uniform
Database)

As you can see, many of the issues with the original uniforms have been
rectified, with a contrasting neckline being introduced on the dark jersey,
while the ridiculous contrasting nameplates and their childish typeface on both
 kits have been replaced by sturdy, straightlaced block letters. The Jets also
chose to dispense with the contrasting cuffs on the white sweater.

The result is a much cleaner and more conventional look than the Jets' original
 ensemble.

Normally, though the cleanliness of a sweater is something I value highly,
straying too far into the conventional can sometimes leave a uniform looking
dated, generic or, worst of all, boring.

However, whenever a team tries to implement something new and exciting, there's
 always the chance the viewer's focus will be drawn almost entirely to said
element at the expense of everything else. Needless to say, they'd better get
it right.

With their absurd inaugural nameplates, the Jets decidedly did not, and they
rightly tidied up their image for their second season, resulting in massive
improvements in their on-ice aesthetics.

The only real issue I can see with this uniform set is the use of a single logo
 between the two kits, as the blue background of the crest, when set atop the
blue jersey, makes the outfit look a little drab and dreary.

That said, when they reached the NHL, the Jets began using a white-backed logo
for their blue uniforms, solving this problem by improving the colour balance
of the darker kit.

One interesting note is that the Jets' pants, which underwent constant
tweaking, changed, in 1975-76 (the uniforms depicted above are from the 1976-77
 season, but retained said changes), to something closely resembling those of
the New York Rangers. More on that later.Jets Ditch Good Taste

For 1977-78, the Jets again altered their look, switching to uniforms they'd
wear for the final two seasons of the WHA's existence.The final jerseys the
Jets would wear in the WHA, a look ultimately ruined by excessive - and
unnecessary - alteration to a very solid base design. (Illustration by Andrew
M. Greenstein, The WHA Uniform Database)

Everything was made more complicated, and Winnipeg's uniforms were the worse
for it, with the dark uniforms again bearing the brunt of the assault on good
taste.

Most noticeable is the addition of contrasting shoulder yokes to the Jets' blue
 sweaters. The staunch whiteness of these additions significantly disrupts the
colour balance of the kit, making it overly saturated with white. Not only is
this ill-advised design feature unnecessary on dark uniforms, it's very hard on
 the eyes and, for the Jets specifically, the dark backing to their logo makes
the white shoulders look doubly obtrusive.

Another seismic shift was implemented in 1978-79 (the year depicted above),
when the pants were switched from red to blue. Not only does this make the dark
 kits overly blue and altogether washed out, the change to blue pants makes the
 inclusion of red in the colour scheme look like an underutilised afterthought
- even on the white uniforms, rather than the key component of a classic colour
 scheme it should be.

A more minor change is the creation of a two-tone, three-stripe collar, which,
though quite nice on the white sweaters, looks utterly gaudy and ridiculous on
the blues.

The numbers on the backs of the jerseys are much slimmer than previous
iterations, while the trim of those on the sleeves is significantly thicker.
Not only are these changes seemingly devoid of all reason and rationale, the
two sets of numbers are now noticeably different, creating a lack of continuity
 throughout the uniforms.

The Jets had a real good thing going but, like so many before them - and so
many that would follow, they tried to tinker with a good thing, with ultimately
 disastrous results.NHL-Bound Jets Rip Off Rangers

The Jets entered the NHL in 1979-80, wearing uniforms that were eerily familiar
 to fans.An excellent NHL jersey to this day, the Jets'; duds from the 1980s
look rather familiar... (Illustration by Andrew M. Greenstein, The unofficial
NHL Uniform Database)

You see, Jets general manager John Ferguson Sr. used to be GM of the New York
Rangers. For the 1976-77 season, Ferguson Sr. completely redesigned the
Rangers' uniforms, using the template seen below.Just a few years after these
short-lived kits were worn by the New York Rangers, the Jets would rip off the
template for their own use. (Illustration by Andrew M. Greenstein, The
unofficial NHL Uniform Database)

To be honest, it's really not a bad-looking setup. However, the Rangers already
 had a perfectly good thing going with their sweaters, not to mention a
half-century of history behind them, and Ferguson Sr.'s changes - along with
the man himself - only lasted two seasons in the Big Apple.

In one of hockey's most undercovered twists of fate, Ferguson Sr. lured Jets
stars Hedberg and Nilsson away from Winnipeg in March 1978, only to be fired as
 GM of the Rangers that June, before being scooped up by the Jets a few months
later.

It's also worth pointing out that, starting in 1978-79, following Ferguson
Sr.'s departure, the Rangers began using a template for their dark jerseys that
 was essentially identical to that of the WHA Jets from earlier that
decade.Perhaps as some twisted revenge ploy, the Rangers would alter the look
of their blue jerseys in 1978 to a template that more closely mirrored their
whites, but also the Jets'; sweaters from their WHA days. (Illustration by
Andrew M. Greenstein, The unofficial NHL Uniform Database)

Interesting all around.Jets' Early NHL Days Sleek, Polished

Back to the Jets' jerseys, it was the right setup at the right time.

On the white jerseys, a blue, full-length shoulder yoke is trimmed in red,
complemented by a thick blue tail stripe with flush red trim. This pattern is
reversed on the road sweaters, with white and blue swapping places. As for the
socks, they mimicked the tail striping for 1979-80, but switched to a
tri-stripe pattern the following season (depicted above).

Normally, the asymmetrical nature of the tail striping would bother me but, in
this case, the blue stripe on the tail of the white home jersey flows
seamlessly into the blue pants, creating one clean block of colour, trimmed on
top by the jersey's red stripe, and on the pants by the red and white trim.

As for the road kits, the white tail stripe contrasts nicely with the blue
pants, not in such an overpowering fashion as to be hard on the eyes, but just
enough to prevent the outfit from looking washed out.

Speaking of contrast, as mentioned, the logo on the blue jerseys is now backed
by white, enhancing the colour balance of the Jets' road sweaters.Dale
Hawerchuk was unquestionably the Jets'; leader and - best player - throughout
the 1980s. Also, note he';s wearing a red captain';s "C." The captaincy letters
 would later change to white, to match the jersey numbers. (Photo by Denis
Brodeur / NHLI via Getty Images)

With flush-trimmed numbers added to an already exciting uniform package, the
Jets took the ice during the 1980s in sleek, sophisticated kits, as crisp and
clean as any in NHL history, while highly reflective of the fast-paced,
run-and-gun play the 1980s favoured.

My only real complaint is the tri-stripe collars which, in my opinion, are
ruined by the white stripe in the middle, which sticks out like a sore thumb.

Still, though, that's not near enough to spoil this uniform set, a rare pair of
 jerseys that not only looked sharp at the time, but would also still look
pretty darned good today.New Decade, New Look for Jets

Winnipeg redesigned their uniforms for 1990-91, doing away with their Ranger
heritage and debuting a set of kits that would become forever etched into the
memories of their fans when the Jets left for the desert in 1996.The
best-remembered Jets ensemble, worn from 1990 until 1996. Simply spectacular,
in nearly every way. (Illustration by Andrew M. Greenstein, The unofficial NHL
Uniform Database)

Starting with the logo, the revamped crest moves the "WINNIPEG" part of the
wordmark to the top of its "JETS" counterpart, while the image of the jet
itself is now turned on its side - two changes that, in a cruel act of
foreshadowing, seem to suggest movement.

Of note, the Jets reverted to the use of a single logo across both their
sweaters. Backed by white, the crest provides pleasing contrast on the Jets'
blue jerseys, but is dangerously close to washing things out on the home
whites.

Logo aside, the rest of the redesign is proof of just how stunningly beautiful
a simple sweater setup can be.

A slim-thick-slim striping package adorns the tails, sleeves and socks. Blue is
 again the dominant colour though, this time, it's properly balanced by red in
the collars, the stripes and, most crucially, the pants of the ensemble.

The simple jersey template is finished off with equally uncomplicated numbers
and lettering. Interestingly - and somewhat unusually, neither the names nor
the numbers are trimmed. However, had they been trimmed, presumably in red, the
 kits might have looked overly busy. It was a courageous design choice - and
one which necessitated a conscious decision, given that the Jets' previous
setup featured number trimming.Then-Winnipeg captain Keith Tkachuk showing off
a classic Jets look, complete with untrimmed numbers and lettering, during the
1995-96 campaign. (Mandatory Credit: Al Bello / ALLSPORT)

While it was certainly sad to see the Jets leave for the desert, the team was
visually stunning on the ice their final few years in Winnipeg - in aesthetics,
 if not in play. And that's gotta count for something.Jets 2.0 Crash-Land on
NHL Scene

In 2011, the hapless Atlanta Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg, beginning the
2011-12 season as the Winnipeg Jets. Fans who'd endured 15 years of Manitoba
winters without NHL distraction could rest easy, as the Jets returned to their
rightful place, much to Bettman's chagrin.

With a new colour scheme featuring silver, red and two types of blue ("polar
night blue" and "aviator blue", the Jets struck an admirable balance between
paying homage to history and breaking away from the past with a modern,
exciting colour palette.

Unfortunately, when it was actually put into action, the Jets 2.0 ended up in
uniforms that looked as though the designers poured a decade and a half of
ideas into one ensemble. Worse still, though they debuted during the reign of
the Reebok Edge uniform system, they've stayed the same despite the transition
into the ADIZERO era.The Jets returned to the NHL in 2011 wearing a decade and
a half of design ideas in one set of sweaters. (Illustration by Andrew M.
Greenstein, The unofficial NHL Uniform Database)Jets'; New Logos Make the Grade

To start with, the logos are actually pretty decent.

Normally, I frown upon militaristic themes in uniform design but when the team
is called the "Jets," and their city of play is home to an air force base
(Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg), an exception can certainly be made.

The primary crest is a blue roundel with a white background, topped by a
stylised red maple leaf and a grey fighter plane. Basically, it's the Royal
Canadian Air Force's roundel with a jet on top. The secondary emblem is made to
 look like an aviation patch, with a "WINNIPEG JETS" wordmark and a maple leaf
atop a winged design, all backed by crossing hockey sticks. Again, thoroughly
acceptable, aesthetics-wise. Even the logo used on the pants, a stylised
"WINNIPEG Jets" wordmark, makes the grade.

The older Jets logos would no doubt have been a hit, but these new designs
ensure the rebooted team is firmly grounded in the 21st Century.Jets'; Jerseys
Complicated, Confounding

Where the Jets' jerseys really fall down is, well, everything around the
logos.

Starting with the white away uniforms, the Jets chose to go with a full-length
shoulder yoke, perhaps a nod to their first decade in the NHL. That said,
unlike their previous kits, the yokes are untrimmed.

Whatever the case, the look is completely and utterly spoiled by the dual
slim-thick-slim, tri-stripe design which also adorns the sleeves. This striping
 package looks fine on the socks of the kits but, on the sweater, it just looks
 like a pair of rubber bands wrapped around the arms.Patrik Laine showing off
the arm-cinching design of the Jets'; current road jerseys. (Dennis Wierzbicki
/ USA TODAY Sports)

On the tail, there's a collection of three more stripes in a completely
different pattern, muddling the continuity and flow of the kits. As for the
collar, it is pointlessly two-toned, given that the polar night blue outer ring
 is the same colour as the yoke it borders.

There's simply too much going on for my liking, and most of the design features
 have been poorly implemented.

The home blue jerseys are somewhat better, mostly due to the lack of a
full-length shoulder yoke, which makes the sleeve striping look more natural.
However, the use of striping - and colour as a whole - is still rather
disjointed.

That's not to say these kits are completely hopeless. As mentioned, the logos
certainly hold water. The numbers and lettering use an interesting typeface.
The colour palette works pretty well, though I'd like to see red used outside
of the logo, along with more of the lighter, aviator blue to provide contrast
with the darker, polar night blue background of the home uniforms (perhaps a
stripe on the pants?).

In general, taken individually, the elements of the Jets' current jerseys are
pretty inoffensive and, in some cases, refreshingly unique. However, when taken
 altogether, it's a complicated, convoluted mess.

Clearly, cramming 15 years of pent-up ideas into one ensemble doesn't really
work.Jets' Temporary Throwbacks to Become Staple?

In 2016-17, the Jets faced off against the Oilers in the NHL Heritage Classic,
a game best remembered for Winnipeg's absolutely spectacular throwback
jerseys.No doubt Laine wishes he could wear this sweet throwback sweater on a
more regular basis. (Bruce Fedyck / USA TODAY Sports)

Combining the best design elements of their WHA years with a darker, more
aggressive blue, the Jets proved they're more than capable of the exceptional.
My favourite detail? The tiny Jet in between the stripes of the pants. Simply
marvellous.

If the Jets were to bring back this wonderful sweater as an alternate kit - or
even as a full-time road uniform, presumably with a complementary home jersey
(perhaps in aviator - or even powder - blue), they might well be amongst the
league leaders in jersey sales.

Here's hoping they come to their senses.Jets' Jersey Strategy Not Cleared for
Takeoff

Ultimately, I'm just confused as to what the Jets' marketing strategy is.

Sure, you'll sell jerseys to Winnipeg fans; like any fanbase, Jets fans will no
 doubt eagerly scoop up whatever swag comes their way.

However, the NHL stretches across North America, and hockey itself is an
international game, so any strategy to sell jerseys - to build a brand, in
general - should also take into account the tens of millions of non-Jets fans.
Winnipeg is awash in marketable stars - Patrik Laine, Blake Wheeler, Mark
Scheifele, Dustin Byfuglien…, so it stands to reason people outside of the
Jets' sphere of influence might be interested in a Winnipeg sweater.

Unfortunately, the Jets 2.0 have yet to come up with anything remotely
appealing to anyone outside of their core constituency, which is a real shame,
especially considering Winnipeg';s glorious back catalogue.

The post Winnipeg Jets Jersey History appeared first on The Hockey Writers.

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