World news – US – Avs tribute to Nordics on their « Reverse Retro » shirt

The Colorado Avalanche will wear the Nordiques on their shirts this season for the first time since moving from Quebec City in 1995.

The shirts are part of the adidas Hockey « Reverse Retro » collection, adding a modern twist to classic jerseys.. In Avalanche, the Nordiques igloo logo has been recreated in burgundy and Colorado blue, while the flowers around the stem of the white shirt are in burgundy.

‘Reverse Retro’ shirts will only be worn a limited number of times during the upcoming season, and are ‘Till Running Out’ when it comes to retail sales. It will go on sale in the NHL’s official online retail outlets in December. 1.

“The team was very receptive to this concept up front,” said Dan Nair, Senior Manager at Adidas Hockey, adding, “It wasn’t the only idea, but it was probably the only idea we showed them, because we wanted it so badly..

The avalanche was immediately supportive of the jacket because « it’s not an old shirt, it’s a new development, » according to Declan Bulger, Senior Vice President at Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. .

« There is an intrigue from our fans, and we think it will play well because it is part of our history and our brand.. « He is looking back and looking forward at the same time, » he said..

The Avalanche has tried to maintain a connection to their former home over the years. They played exhibition games in Quebec City and supported the youth tournaments there. Colorado State General Manager Joe Sakich was a star on the Nordic team before moving with the team to Denver.

Quebec City has been without an NHL team since Nordiques moved to Denver in 1995, when owner Marcel Obot sold the team after failing to secure a government bailout plan and a new yard of franchise. The city has sought out a new NHL team since then. Help fund the Videotron Center, a new arena that opened in 2015. Fans in Nordic shirts staged demonstrations in dozens of NHL squares. Quebec City made a bid for the NHL expansion team but it was overrun when Las Vegas was awarded one in 2016.

Near Said Adidas Hockey has explored the impact of the revival of the Nordiques franchise that left Quebec City.

“We talked a lot to the Montreal Canadiens and they think the enthusiasm is going to be amazing. We have some information about the market with respect to demand and enthusiasm. There are definitely people who think the Colorado shirt would be very popular north of the border. I don’t know if I can source that to Quebec. I would have done it intuitively, but I don’t have the data to prove it.  ».

Daniel Blanchett, a Nordiques fan who followed the team after their move to Colorado, wasn’t sure Avalanche wore an original Nordiques jacket but was excited about the modified jersey. Not sure how the majority of Quebec’s fandom would happen.

« Not unanimous. Some will say the logo belongs to Quebec City, others will say it is an honor. Blanchett said: « I see it as an honor, especially as it is a mixture of the old and the new. ». « Besides, [the movement] can’t hurt to bring Nordic. It will highlight the good memories and the great hockey fans in Quebec City who will be killed to see the return of the Nords.

Colorado Avalanche, Quebec Nordic, National Hockey League, Jersey, Montreal Canadiens