When it comes to hockey jerseys, there are some top-tier S-level ones, and then there are some that fans wished never saw the light of day. For the Vancouver Canucks, they've had some top five all time sweaters, not just in franchise history, but the NHL as a whole.
That said, in our "best and worst" week at The Canuck Way and FanSided, we will dive into the five best Canucks jerseys of all time. Which ones made it on the list?
5. The Stink-and-Rink 1970 jersey
When looking back over the history of the Canucks, it's hard to leave the "OG" jersey off the top five list. It's the original stick-and-rink jersey that debuted in 1970, and it's still a classic to this day. Those jerseys were the first use of the color scheme of blue, green, and white, which are still the primary colors of the franchise to this day.
If anyone asks a Canucks fan what jerseys are iconic from the 1970s, these are at the top of the list. Over the years, they got a revamped look for a modern sweater and have been celebrated in previous seasons for throwback nights. The stink-and-rink logo patch is even on the current orca sweaters now; that's how nostalgic it is.
4. Current orca jerseys
After the original stink-and-rink jerseys, it's hard to figure out which jersey just misses out on the top three of all time. That being said, the current Orca jerseys just miss out and are number four all time. The current blue and green look with the white trim is simple, but aesthetically pleasing. Plus, the simple orca logo on the front is a slick look.
In previous seasons, the orca logo had the "Vancouver" above it, which made it look clustered. When the Canucks dropped the name and just left the orca, it easily jumped into the top five all time. It's hard not to look at it and appreciate the style it's in with the color scheme, along with the simple logo design.
3. Modern "flying skate" jersey
Just making it into the top three is the modernized "flying skate" logo that the Canucks debuted back in the 1985-86 season. Fast forward to the last few seasons with the "reverse retro" phase and teams bringing back throwback jerseys with a modern twist, and that's what you've got now.
It's a perfect combo of a throwback logo from 1985 to 1997 and a modern jersey design, feel, etc., of what it is now. While it's not the original "flying skate" jersey, it's a perfect look for the modern fan with the nostalgic feel for the older fans.
2. Johnny Canuck jersey
Back in 2022, Adidas and the NHL unveiled the "reverse retro 2.0" jerseys for all 32 teams. There were some excellent, good, and plain old horrendous jerseys. However, the Canucks knocked it out of the park with their reverse retro "Johnny Canuck" jersey. The logo was the shoulder patch on the stink-and-rink alternate jerseys between 2008 and 2017.
The jersey featured a skating lumberjack on the front holding a stick, along with numbers on the top left of the jersey where leadership letters would go. While the 2020 reverse retro 1.0 jerseys featuring the orca with a gradient color scheme were excellent, nothing beats the retro 2.0 featuring Johnny Canuck. Once again, another great mix of old-school and the modern style of the game today, done in the right way.
1. Original "flying skate" jersey
To round out the list is the jersey that's always been beloved by fans of the team, and even those who aren't fans but love the jersey nonetheless. It's the original flying skate jersey that was the longest-tenured logo/jersey in franchise history.
From 1985 to 1997, this was the look of the Canucks who made multiple trips to the playoffs and the 1994 Stanley Cup run. It reminds fans of Pavel Bure, Trevor Linden, Kirk McLean, and others. If there were a pool or a bracket tournament for what is the best Canucks jersey of all time, it's the OG flying skate without a doubt.
Do you agree with this top five? Did we miss one or would you rank these diferently?
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