The Sabres, at long last, have announced they will be bringing back their red and black uniforms as an alternate jersey for the 2022-23 season. The team made the announcement on Wednesday, stating that they will wear the jersey 12 times during the year beginning with a November face-off with the St. Louis Blues. We talk about the excitement surrounding the decision and the nostalgia this brings as we reminisce about some of the great memories made while the Sabres wore the Goathead the first time around.
We kick off the show with a discussion on the two contracts the Sabres signed this week as Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Tage Thompson each got a new deal from the club. While the UPL deal wasn’t a huge news item, the Thompson contract is. We break down some key points on the seven-year, $50 million contract for the Sabres center.
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With the NHL’s new Reverse Retro jerseys unveiled, we discuss the best of the best and some of our least favorite designs of the collection. We argue over the quality of the Rangers jersey while expressing our excitement over the Sabres version. We also touch on the uncertainty surrounding the 2020-21 season and the frustrations caused by it.
The butterknives are back. Among the many uniform requests Sabres fans have made in recent years, honoring the black and red era has been near the top of the list. Buffalo’s entry in the NHL’s Reverse Retro program doesn’t bring back the black and red color scheme, it’s certainly a step in the right direction.
For years it has seemed like the Pegulas and PSE would rather sell the team before truly acknowledging the era of black and red jerseys. That they’ve resurrected a design from the era certainly bodes well for future endeavors. So long as the proper deadlines are met.
The Reverse Retro alternates that will be worn this year are a fun homage to the third jersey the club released in 2000. The design looks great in the new blue and gold colorway and we even get the added treat of the goathead logo adorning the shoulders.
I’ve been a fan of the team’s original third jersey for a long time, so I’m extremely pleased to see these return to action. The new blue and gold colors translate well to the design and the white base is a welcome choice as the blue and gold stripes work far better than a white and gold stripe would have on a blue jersey. I know the wordmark isn’t very popular with fans but I’ve always been fond of it. And it looks good in blue and gold, so I count that as a win. Continue reading →
The NHL’s newest jersey initiative was formally introduced today, with the Adidas Reverse Retro alternate jersey set unveiled for all 31 teams. The premise was to put a modern spin on a jersey from each team’s history. There doesn’t appear to be any hard and fast rules for how the designs were picked as most put a club’s current colors onto an old design. But others borrow vintage colors or even use throwback designs in the case of the Hurricanes and Avalanche.
It’s a jersey collection that could have easily strayed into questionable territory but taking in all 31 designs, there’s really only a couple which aren’t overly appealing. Perhaps most importantly is what this represents for the league. This is a new take on a jersey program which puts the onus on designs which will be fun for fans to see on the ice and hanging in their closet. This is a big step forward for a league that’s often seen as too boring and conservative. Not to mention it’s going to be an excellent revenue source in a time when any penny earned will go a long way.
Naturally, with a host of new jerseys to enjoy, the only logical course of action is to rank each of the designs. I look forward to hearing how wrong my rankings are in the comments or on social media. Continue reading →
In a move akin to the NBA’s recent jersey expansion, the NHL appears set to introduce a new jersey for all 31 teams beginning in the 2020-21 season.
Early reports describe the new jersey set as a “reverse retro” alternate, with some early leaks indicating the direction the league and teams appear to be going with the program. With indications that all 31 teams will be getting their own reverse retro jersey, the league is taking a new tack with regard to the alternate uniform program. The current process allows for teams to utilize a third jersey with rules providing somewhere between 10-15 games that teams may wear their third jersey. Teams also have latitude to utilize a vintage uniform with stricter stipulations on the number of games they can be worn. Continue reading →
The jersey news Sabres fans have been waiting for finally came this week as the club added a bit of fan service to the unveiling of their alternate jersey, finally confirming they’ll be returning to royal blue uniforms in 2020-21.
Rumors on the third jersey were flying from the minute it was confirmed the Sabres would have an alternate jersey for the 50th anniversary. All white, white and gold logo, no blue, there was a lot floating around with the third jersey. The end product is a sharp jersey that does well to mix the gold color being adopted for the anniversary season and the current navy blue used by the club. I may be biased because my alma mater sported navy blue and vegas gold, but it’s an excellent color combination.
The detail embroidery on the crest is tremendous. It’s not quite chain stitching, but it is just as impressive. Much like the 2018 Winter Classic crest with the felt backing and leather applique bison, this crest is bold enough to be seen from a distance and extremely detailed up close. Thanks to the excellent color scheme, the numbers pop on the sleeve and back of the uniform. Same goes for the crest as the gold dazzle fabric pops against the navy blue. Continue reading →
Two in the Mailbox, the (sometimes) weekly mailbag on the Sabres, goalie stuff, Buffalo and anything in between, is back. You can submit to the mailbag using #2ITBmailbag on Twitter or emailing 2intheboxbuffalo@gmail.com.
One of my very favorite parts of the hockey schedule is upon us. In addition to the start of the season and the opening of the first round, the time surrounding the draft and start of free agency is an exciting few weeks. You typically have a spate of trades and, of course, the drafting, signing or acquisition of new players. For a team like the Sabres, that’s been dragging through the league’s basement, those new bodies are an opportunity to see things finally get turned around.
This draft week may be particularly exciting as the Sabres 50th anniversary is to officially begin. Kim Pegula noted this at the NFL owner’s meetings and many are expecting to see the team’s third jersey unveiled at the draft. The jerseys have been a point of contention among fans since the team doesn’t appear to be switching to royal blue as so many have clamored for. This week’s first question is regarding the jerseys and the one thing I’ll add regarding the uniforms is that even if they’re terrific, there’s going to be a built-in level of disappointment with the fans since they won’t be royal blue. While I’m happy to wait and see the final product, the team could have avoided at least a little bit of contention by listening to the fans and introducing a royal blue jersey. Although I’m still looking forward to see what they have to offer.
Michael/@michaelparthum –What should #Sabres fans prepare themselves for as far as 50th Anniversary jerseys go?
I’ve gone through a few cycles on the Sabres anniversary jersey. A few people I’m friends with who are in the know on this provided me some preliminary information on the jersey that had me pretty nervous. The reports of a mostly white uniform, Vegas gold and a few odd tidbits on the logo left me preparing for some significant fallout. But I’ve really softened on that stance over the last few days.
Feels like a good spot for the Larry David unsure gif
I’m a big fan of Vegas gold (think metallic gold) and navy blue. Those were my school’s colors and it seems to work pretty well for Notre Dame. Ironically enough, one of the main sets of redesigned jerseys from the Sabres Not Slugs website from back in the day utilized Vegas gold instead of sport gold. So from that perspective, I’m keeping an open mind. Confident even in the potential results. Continue reading →
Few things have received such little support around Sabres nation than the Turd Jersey. From the agonizing reveal process to the busy, over thought design, there are no redeeming qualities to the Sabres current third jersey. Now the Basement Brigade is teaming up to give the fans more of a voice when it comes to the team’s alternate uniform design.
Can you believe how ugly this thing is? – Steve Ott, probably.
Through some discussion with Ryan Wolfe from Sabres Hockey Central, we cooked up a scheme to allow designers, bloggers, fans or anyone else to submit their own design for the Sabres third jersey which we will then open voting for down the line. The rules and regulations can be found at Die By The Blade but the long and the short of it is this:
Voting will be open for two weeks after all the submissions have been compiled
You can use #ThirdsNotTurds to submit or converse via Twitter
Ryan put it very well, saying that the goal is to give the fans a voice when it comes to the design of the third jersey. Given all the talent that exists around Buffalo (and beyond) we’re certain that we’ll get some very cool submissions. Hopefully, with the proper support, we can show the Sabres that there are better options than a gold and blue two-toned caped jersey. Here’s Ryan on the subject:
For the past few years, we have been told that the Buffalo Sabres organization wants to hear our opinion. The organization wants to know what we want to see. Let’s show them what we want. Send your design for a new Buffalo Sabres third jersey to sabresconcept@gmail.com. After we obtain the entries, a vote will be held, and we’ll do our best to make sure it gets out to as many eyes as possible. The winner gets the instant gratification that Buffalo Sabres fans want to see their design come to real life.
Things went off the rails last year when the Buffalo Sabres unveiled their newest alternate uniform that has since become known as the Turd Jersey (or #TurdJersey). It was the fourth alternate sweater designed by the Sabres and is by far the worst alternate jersey ever to grace an NHL ice surface.
In honor of tonight’s Second Annual Black and Red Night, I thought I’d honor the other third jerseys worn by the Sabres in an unofficial, but definitive, ranking.
Third jerseys can be tricky. Sometimes teams opt for a futuristic look which often results in mixed opinions. The most recent trend in hockey has been to lean towards traditional or “throwback” designs when it comes to these uniforms. The Sabres have run the gamut in terms of their designs and my rankings are based on a number of factors.
An effective third jersey should serve as a true alternate to a team’s current uniforms. Above all else that is always my first point of evaluation on an alternate uniform. That is obviously a broad definition as the Sabres themselves have done a good job differentiating their home and away uniforms from their alternates, but they haven’t always had well executed jerseys. The key, for me, is something that offers a truly different look to the team’s normal set of uniforms while staying in line with the overarching brand standard. Ultimately determining how a certain jersey fits a team’s identity requires a handful of different evaluations, but the final determination still falls under one umbrella.
One feature I’ve grown to appreciate with any third jersey is the use of an alternate logo. Plastering the current crest on a drastically different uniform can often bring terrible results and introducing an alternate logo that aligns with the team’s #brand is not only a way to branch out from the traditional home and away uniforms, but many alternate logos and jerseys have been quickly adopted as home and away uniforms by teams around the league. Look no further than Los Angeles and Minnesota as great examples of this.
The final way I like to look at a jersey is simple looks. Does it pass the mirror test? That doesn’t mean a jersey can only have horizontal lines, neck ties and traditional design points; simply put, if the jersey has an attractive, flowing design, I’m probably going to like it quite a bit.
With all that taken into consideration, here is how I rank the third jerseys worn by the Sabres: Continue reading →
Two in the Box 
