Rbk EDGE Review: Rangers
Part 21 of 30. All 30 NHL clubs have unveiled new jerseys under the new Rbk EDGE Uniform System for the 2007-08 season. Here at the NHLToL, we're going to review every one of them. Read up and then rate the new sweaters. We'll do a full ranking after completing all of the reviews.
Rbk EDGE Uniform System
New York Rangers
New Uniforms
Old Uniforms
The Unveiling
The Rangers held no unveiling ceremony and images of their new jerseys were the last to be posted at online stores selling NHL gear.
Home vs. Road
Home: Blue. Road: White. The two sweaters are essentially mirror images of each other aside from the patterns on the shoulders.
The blue home jerseys feature white-red-white stripes around the elbows and waist. Red letters with white trim spelling out "RANGERS" are positioned diagonally across the front of the sweater and the laces at the collar are white.
The blue home jerseys feature slightly spaced blue-red-blue stripes around the elbows and waist. The shoulder yoke is blue with spaced red-blue stripes on the outside. Blue letters with red trim spelling out "RANGERS" are positioned diagonally across the front of the sweater. A blue stripe wraps around the wrist. The collar is red and the laces are white.
In The Details
The Rangers are the only team that does not use its primary logo on either jersey. The same numbering and lettering style has been retained.
New & Old
There are no major differences between the new and old jerseys. Slight modifications have been made though, including the league-wide changed collar. Also, the letters on the front of the sweater have been vertically spaced more and at times may seem a little off center.
Standard FAQ
Numbers on the front? No.
Laces at the collar? Yes.
NHLToL Editorial by Chris
The Rangers' jerseys have always been fine. Nothing special to me. I understand tradition and this and that, but the Rangers were given a golden opportunity this season with the introduction of these new uniforms. If you ask me, they blew it big time. I've never been a fan of the text across the chest. I think hockey sweaters are meant to have logos. I also think the third jersey with the Lady Liberty logo is one of the best ever seen in the NHL. I would've quite possibly rated such a uniform 6/5 in this review. This may be a personal bias speaking, but I think the Rangers are one team in need of a sweeping makeover. But that will never happen. And that's really all I have to say on that. 2/5
View the photo gallery
Buy your new Rangers jersey!
32 comments:
come now, they're not THAT bad. At least you can read the wordmark, unlike the Ducks.
Original 6 not changing and that's ok...a classic
You're right. That jersey won't change. And I'm glad. And, at least two other teams, Colorado and Pittsburgh, have tried the diagnonal wordmark, going for a more "classic" look. You can't knock that fact.
i like the rangers other logo not the word mark thing so i agree with chris
Come on now the Flames get a higher score than the Rangers i think you need to make this out of 10 i dont see how in the hell that happened
Even as a Devils fan I've gotta say the Rangers' look is classic. I hate the team, but the diagonal lettering has always looked good to me. I actually miss the old Pens unis and thought the Avs 3rd jersey looked great. The lettering makes even more sense for the Rags cuz their logo has Rangers spelled out diagonally in it. Plus, the striped shoulder bar, or whatever you wanna call it, is totally unique.
I personally agree with Chris, except I might have gone with a 1/5 instead.
Tradition can only take you so far in today's world. When you have real stunning logos in today's NHL and AHL, they make the diagonal name a lame duck.
I'll name you 5 logo designs that blow away the Diagonal "RANGERS":
5) Minnesota Wild
4) Manitoba Moose (AHL)
3) San Jose Sharks
2) NY Rangers Shield
1) NY Rangers Lady Liberty
One of my buddies (who has been a die hard Rangers fan since birth in the 70's), agrees with me that this year the Rangers should have used Lady Liberty as the Home Jersey and the Shield logo on the Away Jersey.
At least that way you can make SOME people happy HALF of the time with the Shield Logo bearing "RANGERS" in a modified diagonal form inside the logo...
They had a perfect opportunity to jump into a new era and decided to stick with the old way that now looks odd on a bad cut of jersey material.
damn guys!
you can't mess with tradition at all! The only reason I feel that the 2 out of 5 is justified is because they didn't centering the lettering correctly.
fans would flip if they changed their jersey. original 6 teams should not (and probably never will) change their jerseys radically.
and dont talk about those disgusting pajama looking late 1970's jerseys. gross stuff
You really think that Colorado, Tampa, Nashville, Columbus, Florida, Carolina, Washington, and Calgary have better uniforms than the Rangers? And that it's as bad as Anaheim and Buffalo's? The only one it's better than (so far) is Edmonton's?
Wow.
I love the blog, but I've come to the realisation that we have VERY different taste in these matters, sir! But that's OK, if everyone agreed it would be pretty boring.
Anybody else getting tired of these asinine reviews that have no respect for tradition? Shouldn't the reviews be based on whether or not the jersey looks good and best represents the team's history and overall image, and not just whether or not some guy with a blog likes it?
I realize that reading someone's blog means reading someone's opinions, but I'd like to see a little more objectivity. I come to this site to see jerseys and logos, not to see what someone thinks of them. Personally, I'd rather read about details and objective facts, not one person's opinion and what the Lightning have done lately. If I want to see opinions, I'll click on the comment sections.
With that said, I hate the Rangers, but there is no reason the jersey should change. Save the NYR logo for a third jersey. Leave the diagonal text. So what if it looks boring to some people? It doesn't have to look better than another jersey or logo, it just has to represent the organization in the best way possible. Of course the main logo or Lady Liberty would look better than just a word, but the Rangers' jersey would look awful with the shield logo. (Also, I fail to see how a cartoon moose "blows away" any type of logo.)
Let's not change uniforms just because a team has had the same look for however many years. Arbitrarily changing jerseys is what got the NHL in this situation in the first place.
Anybody else getting tired of these asinine reviews that have no respect for tradition? Shouldn't the reviews be based on whether or not the jersey looks good and best represents the team's history and overall image, and not just whether or not some guy with a blog likes it?
Hi Robert. You really want to call me asinine on my own blog? Because that's pretty bold. And just for reference, that's what it is — a personal blog. This isn't a fact-disseminating resource, much as you may want it to be. (If you want facts, the Fox network might be best suited to you.)
Not for nothing, but I'm quite sure that since I created this blog, I can write anything I want here but thanks for suggesting otherwise. If you don't want to read my opinions, this may not be the site for you. (Have you read any of my posts?)
By the way, I'm not sure how you missed this fact, but only one paragraph in these reviews has my opinion and it's labeled as such.
Anyway, I'll finish by saying nothing in design is objective. Everybody with a pair of eyes brings something different to the table and will therefore have a different opinion on it. I respect tradition but only right up until it starts thinking it's better than everyone else just because it's old. That's my view.
You're not saying that you don't want to read my opinions, you're saying you disagree with me so I should shut up, and there's a word for that.
Thanks for visiting and although your disparagement of me personally was more than uncalled for, I respect that everyone has an opinion.
As a Ranger fan, I always thought the Liberty logo was overrated. It was the perfect alternate jersey and that's it.
I respect your opinion and wonder myself what a new Ranger jersey would look like. From a design standpoint, I'm sure the look is a bit dated and for some, tiring. However, the diagonal lettering is a huge part of the team's identity. Others have copied similar styles, but it's uniquely ours. I also like the fact that we don't have to throw a big logo on the front like everyone else.
While it's nice to see fresh new looks every now and then, sometimes you just have to leave tradition alone.
you cant make over an original 6. period
I agree with Robert's comments. Why should the Rangers organization change for the sake of changing, because there was an opportunity? Ask any Rangers fan, and he or she will tell you the current jersey is the best jersey that represents the organization. The team isn't going to, nor should it, change the uniform to please *other* fans. Changing it would've been a stunningly bad PR move.
What's funny about this whole "Orignal 6" vs. "Updated Designs" is that I have yet to hear a single valid argument as to WHY you do not change one of the "Original 6" logos/jerseys.
Everyone puts way too much weight on everything being "classic" in the NHL. Well if that's the case, let's change the following back to the way "it used to be":
• Goalies are not to wear face masks anymore.
• All players are to stop wearing helmets and go back to the "original" pad styles.
• Bring back the 2 line pass penalty.
• From now on we are going to name the different divisions after people that the majority of the populous don't even know who they are anymore.
• To honor tradition we are going to put 7 men on the ice to pay tribute to how certain leagues were set up at the turn of the century.
Without progress/change things get stagnant.
That is why the rules were changed around a couple years ago.
I'm not saying that a 3rd Alt in the future couldn't feature the Diagonal RANGERS, I'm saying that the Rangers had a perfect opportunity to modernize their look that I really believe a lot of people would have loved and the jersey sales would have gone through the roof.
And yes, this is Chris' website. He has EVERY right to say what he wants to say. If you don't like it and all you want to do is look at hockey logos, then go to Chris Creamer's site. If you want to have fun, then stay here.
When was the last time the Wings changed their sweaters?
How about the Habs, Bruins, Hawks, Leafs even?
Its been a long time because they're the originals, the first ones...teams with huge tradition and respect therein.
While I LOVE the lady liberty (herein referred to as the "Mike Richter Helmet Logo or MRHL for short, as the jersey would never have come to fruition without Richter's headgear), the MRHL is not the Ranger's traditional logo, despite the modernish and new look.
I loved the white liberty Jersey and I loved the Navy one. They'll be back in a few years with the rest of them and who knows, they might cycle them in a-la Buffalo and the sword/buffalo logo, using them on weekend home games or whatever. But you just don't mess with tradition.
If the Wings changed their duds, Detroit would be up in arms unless it was a very slight change. Same for any of the other original 6. Look at Boston. They made SUBTLE changes.
Maybe in a near future we'll see a shift to the MRHL, but to most Ranger fans, the diagonal lettering is classic, classy, and traditional. Can't change.
• Goalies are not to wear face masks anymore.
No, but lets put them back in reasonable sized pads.
• All players are to stop wearing helmets and go back to the "original" pad styles.
Again lets go back to a smaller pad size. Get rid of the overdone armor.
• Bring back the 2 line pass penalty.
Works for me, cherry picking sucks.
• From now on we are going to name the different divisions after people that the majority of the populous don't even know who they are anymore.
If I were named commish, this is the first thing I would do.
• To honor tradition we are going to put 7 men on the ice to pay tribute to how certain leagues were set up at the turn of the century.
Sorry thats not the NHL.
they should change the division names back! its a mockery they ever renamed them in the first place!
I still have yet to hear a reason other than "classic" and "it's always been that way".....
Everyone knows hockey is a sport that respects tradition. That's why changing the whole league's jerseys created such an uproar. Teams that have been around forever like the Rangers, Canadiens and Toronto would never change their jerseys drastically. And they shouldn't. Who cares if it looks ugly when viewed by modern eyes? It's the history of the team and the game that counts for these old teams.
Doug said...
I still have yet to hear a reason other than "classic" and "it's always been that way".....
Because it looks better, it worked for the first 80 or so years of the NHL. Change for the sake of change is a money grab. Change for a reason, not becuase the wind changed direction.
While there are very important mitigating factors, I certainly do find it very interesting that New Jersey and Montreal simply adapting their jerseys to the EDGE cut equals a perfect score, as does Boston going with a retro look, but somehow, New York not changing their perpetual retro look constitutes a failure.
P.S. For the record, Fox Network ≠ Fox News
While there are very important mitigating factors, I certainly do find it very interesting that New Jersey and Montreal simply adapting their jerseys to the EDGE cut equals a perfect score, as does Boston going with a retro look, but somehow, New York not changing their perpetual retro look constitutes a failure.
I guess it speaks not only to the new Reebok sweaters but also what these teams wore prior in the perfect scores to which you refer. There's a very big difference between what Montreal/New Jersey/Boston wear versus the Rangers. See if you can locate it.
But I guess that's why I post the polls for readers to make their rating. I think it's more interesting to see how I stack up against everyone else.
Thank you Robert!!! Well said!!!
While everyone is entitled to his/her opinion, that doesn't mean he/she has to share it. There are too many nitwits posting extremely lame uninformed comments on this site. Have any of you realized why the NY Yankess haven't changed their unis?!?!? It's called TRADITION!!
Change doesn't necessarily = good.
Here's a "valid" argument that Doug is seeking.
Chris pointed out that it's unique to the Rangers that they don't use their primary logo on their jerseys. The striped shoulder yoke on the road unis is also unique.
So there, they do two things the rest of the teams in the league don't do. Tradition aside, I personally think the jerseys are fine.
Come on people, don't get that exited, and just wrote what you think about that jersey, as Chris did. There is a counter for voting also.
I think that the Rangers deserve a 4/5, because their look is the look of the Rangers. No more no less.
The third jersy will probably offer the lady liberty, and that is cool.
Me too I don't always agree with Chris. For example, he gave a 4/5 for the capitals, the best jersey of the new RBK era. It's just his opinion. And mine. That is what a blog is. Comments from people in random order about a subject.
And if Chris comments are making people react, aren't what they are for?
I don't want to live in a place where we can't speak our own. Liberty of expression is a value that I will gladly die for.
Before telling someone to stop writing his ideas, think twice please.
Alright doug, here's why the Original 6 teams shouldn't change the jerseys; the fans love them! That's really what counts. If the majority of the fans from the team likes the jerseys why change? I know I look at my Wings and I feel we have the best looking jersey in the league. Its also comforting knowing that every 5 years a new jersey won't be on its way. Why mess with something that isn't broken? Third jerseys should be reserved for experimenting with other looks, but fans really love the current look of the Original 6 teams. The biggest thing to owners is sales; if people continue buying Original 6 jerseys, why would they change them? The Original 6 fans have been loyal fans, and continue purchasing the merchandise of their teams; a change isn't needed if jerseys are still sold. The NHL is a league of traditions (whether you like that or not), but when it comes to jersey changes, a lot of that has to do with selling more jerseys. Original 6 teams don't have too many problems with that.
As for the comment made about the divisions named after people you don't know? Yeah, they need to return to that!
"I come to this site to see jerseys and logos, not to see what someone thinks of them"
Look then...don't read - And to dog the dude who's posting this fine blog...good move
This is a great blog and one of a very few that I've really thrown myself into...Great work Chris!
I want prince of wales and clarence cambell back me too
Brandon, I know the basis of the original names however, I would find it interesting if someone went around to the various arenas across NA and asked a random gathering of 100 people from each location who the people were that the old way was named after.
It would be like an NHL version of "Jay-Walking" from Leno. But I would bet you that you would be LUCKY to find that 45% knew the answer.
There is already a generation attending games that weren't alive, or were too young to remember, when we used those names.
What's funny about this whole "Orignal 6" vs. "Updated Designs" is that I have yet to hear a single valid argument as to WHY you do not change one of the "Original 6" logos/jerseys.
Everyone puts way too much weight on everything being "classic" in the NHL. Well if that's the case, let's change the following back to the way "it used to be":
• Goalies are not to wear face masks anymore.
• All players are to stop wearing helmets and go back to the "original" pad styles.
• Bring back the 2 line pass penalty.
• From now on we are going to name the different divisions after people that the majority of the populous don't even know who they are anymore.
• To honor tradition we are going to put 7 men on the ice to pay tribute to how certain leagues were set up at the turn of the century.
I thought this was about UNIFORMS. Don't back up your "valid argument" talking about rule changes.
looking at your logo/icon you come off as anything but an expert.
doug, I'll agree that most would not know where the names originated, but that isn't an excuse to change the names of the divisions! Change the Stanley Cup because people don't know where the name came from? No, it doesn't matter! But, as far as a lack of people knowing; I'll agree whole-heartedly. This strays from the initial argument though (I just threw that in as a side note).
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