Every year the NHL hosts outdoor hockey games in stadiums around the country called “The Stadium Series”. It creates an energetic atmosphere and one of the biggest crowds the NHL sees all year. These games usually showcase two geographical rivals to manifest a baseball or football stadium with a hockey rink in the middle split 50/50 with each fanbase. And each team’s players repping brand new jersey concepts for the game. The two local New York teams, the Rangers and the Islanders have only squared off once before in this special event. Back in January of 2014 the Rangers bested the Islanders at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. Each fanbase have long awaited a rematch and a full ten years after the first bout there will be a second. As we’re about a month away the jerseys that the players for each team will be sporting at Metlife Stadium in front of 80,000 New York hockey fans have been released. Let’s take a look at them. 

New York Islanders:

As an Islanders fan, I can humbly say these are absolute trash. Zero creativity, invitation or seemingly any thought put into these. Which is the exact opposite reason for playing and being a part of this game. There is a difference between simple and lazy and this is without a doubt the latter. For a team of people to sit down and the best idea they can come up with is a ginormous orange stripe in the middle with an even uglier block letter of the nickname of the team is truly disheartening. 

New York Rangers:

Although I have truly despised the Rangers fans and organization for as long as I can remember, I don’t remember a time where I was jealous of them–until now. Simply put, these sweaters are clean. That red white and blue pops and I’m only assuming they’ll look even better on the ice. Reminds me of a throwback New York Giants jersey which is fitting because they’ll be wearing these in their stadium. If I was a Rangers fan, I’d be purchasing one of these immediately.