Back in July, the New York Islanders announced plans to toss fans the keys and let them take a crack at designing the team’s next third jersey.
I figured at the time that it would mean fans couldn’t complain about this third jersey — as they did about so many jerseys the Isles have worn — if they were the ones responsible for the masterpiece or abomination.
Well, how wrong I was, because the team has unveiled the eight finalists, one of which will be selected by way of a bracket, and social media hates all the options.
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None of those are offensively awful… but none seem that exciting.
If I had to pick one because my life depended on it — and man, what a terrible stroke of luck that would be, huh? — I would probably go with the one all the way on the bottom right. Navy with the “ISLANDERS” wordmark and chest stripe.
I’m a sucker for a good ol’ fashioned chest stripe.
The Isles’ third jersey history is not stellar. These were used from 2011 to 2014, but if you mentally blocked these out, you’re forgiven. At least they tried something different. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
It’s kind of a shame that the Elite 8 is a little lackluster, because the design tool the team rolled out was great.
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In fact, yours truly submitted at least one design that I thought was pretty great…
…their loss, I suppose.
But these all seem pretty tame, and one even looks almost exactly like the Edmonton Oilers’ old orange jerseys that they used to wear.
NHL fans, many of whom likely had their designs shot down as I did, took to social media to voice their displeasure with the team’s selected crop of potential sweaters.
Well, while the reception has not been warm, it looks like one of those eight sweaters will be hitting the ice.
With how good their home and away jerseys look, do the Islanders even need a third jersey? (Photo by Dennis DaSilva/NHLI via Getty Images)
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According to the team’s original release about the contest, the winner will debut next season, with the winning designer earning themselves a “VIP gameday experience.”
