Home/Away jerseys

[jmatchett]

I'm not sure exactly when it started, but prior to the lockout, home teams always wore the white jerseys and road teams always wore the darks (with some exceptions). The reasoning was simple; if you travel, the jerseys get dirty, and the darks cover it up better.
However, after the lockout, the league reversed, having home teams wear darks at home and lights on the road. Once again, there have been exceptions, but it's pretty standard now for the most part. Does anyone know why? The only thing I can think of is more jersey designs to wear at home = more $$.

 

[timber09]

I feel like it had to do with the attractiveness of the dark jerseys and teams wanting to wear them in front of their home crowds (or more likely, fans complaining that they didn't get to see the "cool" sweaters). Can't remember for sure but I think that was at the heart of it.

I can tell you that both my high school and collegiate hockey teams put in special requests that visiting teams wear white so that we could wear our dark sweaters at home - most honored that request but some didn't. In both cases, we just liked the dark unis more than the white and wanted to wear them in front of our home crowds.

 

[CGS28]

The change was made prior to the lockout, I know the 03-04 Road Fritsche jersey I have is white.

Alot of it was so that the Home teams could wear their Dark Third Jerseys at home when ever they wanted. This is of course for Marketing purposes, as I know the CBJ also do the Wear white at home so the road team can wear dark and the CBJ wear their Darks on the road, usualy switch with Divisional teams once a season.

Of course this makes the yearly White out a joke as I know I refuse to wear white when my team is wearing the dard blue on the ice...

 

[wingnut888]

I thought it had to do with the whole 3rd jersey things. So not only would fans get to see different jerseys on the road but the road teams could bring along 3rd jerseys to market to other fans also. Whatever it was it probably had to do with money for the league.

 

[Ironman Indy]

03-04 was the first season to see darks at home, the same year that the vintage jerseys were introduced for select games for certain teams

Of course darks at home was the norm up until the late 60s

In 1970 the league switched to whites at home

 

[FrozenInferno]

The home team should be allowed to wear their colors at home, let the visitors wear the plain white.

 

[Metrags]

This is the first time I have heard about any 'fan input' having to do with the jersey change. As far as I know, it was part of the 'new' NHL where goals were supposed to come in bunches.

The dark jerseys give more of a home ice advantage for two reasons, one being dark jerseys give the appearance of a stronger and scarier team. Think of the black knight or big bad wolf, dark colors are scary, even for professional athletes.

Secondly, the puck obviously has a better chance of blending in or causing slight confusion when shot from a black background (seems obvious I know). It is hard enough trying to stop a Chara slapshot, now put him in all black and place a few player in front of the net to screen a tad.

If anyone has the time, it would be interesting to see the difference in road goals vs. away goals for the last 10 years or so. Not sure where you would see that, but it would be interesting.