The Winnipeg Jets have atoned for their jersey sins.
A year removed from unveiling the painfully plain and deeply disappointing Aviator alternates, the Jets unveiled an eye-popping, gorgeous uniform Friday evening at their Fan Fest, which they’ll wear when they face the Calgary Flames at the 2019 Tim Hortons Heritage Classic next month.
New Jersey Inspired by WHA Jets
The uniforms — entitled “Heritage Blue” — that Sami Niku, Jack Roslovic, and Mason Appleton sashayed onto the ice wearing to the tune of The Tragically Hip’s “Blow at High Dough” is a modern revamp of the 1976-77 WHA-era away jersey. A note on this: between the 1970-71 and 2002-03 seasons, teams wore dark on the road. The Jets are the “home” team in Regina, which means they need to wear dark to fit the current uniform protocol.
Related: Winnipeg Jets’ Jersey History
“The Jets’ Heritage Blue jersey and full uniform draws inspiration from the championship era of the late 1970s and features a crossover V-neck color and vintage-inspired mesh striping.” a team press release explains. “The crest employs traditional chain stitching to lend a distinct authenticity to the throwback uniform. A pant logo highlights the historical Jets ID set, complete with an era-accurate name and number set.”
The jersey features the same logo as the Jets’ striking 2016 Heritage Classic uniform, but is otherwise quite different. The 2019 design features a red collar and stripes on the arms and beneath the crest: one red between two thin blue, which are in turn, sandwiched by two white. They’re the same stripes Jets’ legends Bobby Hull, Ulf Nilsson, and Anders Hedberg wore while streaking around Winnipeg Arena.
The red numbers outlined by white, the white names, the red pants featuring a thin vertical stripe, and the sock patterns also all pay homage this era.
Heritage Blue Get Rave Reviews
The Flames took a bit of the suspense out of the Jets’ fashion show, unveiling a very handsome 1989-inspired white ensemble on Friday morning that all but guaranteed the Jets would wear blue. Despite the lack of mystery, the uniform the Jets unveiled Friday evening still generated hype.
The new threads have been well-received by Jets fans so far, judging by the reaction on Twitter. Users flexed their GIF game to show their approval, which included Shia LaBoeuf overwhelmed by beauty, Leonardo DiCaprio applauding, and Fry from Futurama proclaiming “shut up and take my money.” Jets’ fans aren’t easily pleased: they showed that when they lashed out online last September after the Aviator alternate reveal.
Reaction on Reddit has been positive, too. “There goes another $300,” one user commented. “Just sitting here throwing money at my iPad until one shows up,” commented yet another. “My wallet is not gonna like me,” said another.
The author’s pocketbook may not be too fond of him either — yours truly plans to shell out for a Josh Morrissey jersey, given the D-man recently signed a new eight-year contract.
Heritage Blue appearances will be rare. The team will wear them on just two other occasions: Dec. 3 versus the Dallas Stars and Feb. 11 versus the New York Rangers.
Overall, the jerseys are awe-inspiring, and will look great alongside the Flames’ equally-impressive whites when the teams take to the outdoor ice at Mosaic Stadium. The limited-time threads are just another reason the game is firmly in the must-watch category.
Presales have already begun, and expect stores to struggle to keep them on shelves. You can also expect the Heritage Blues, just like the 2016 Heritage Classic jerseys, to more than dot the Bell MTS Place stands for many years to come.
