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Best and worst sweaters of all-time: Colorado Avalanche

Colorado Avalanche v Los Angeles Kings

LOS ANGELES, CA- DECEMBER 9: Joe Sakic #19 of the Colorado Avalanche takes a shot against the Los Angeles Kings on December 9, 2006 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Noah Graham/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Joe Sakic

Getty Images

When you relocate a franchise, coming up with a new look can be a perilous thing. For the Colorado Avalanche, having to come up with something to replace the iconic look the Quebec Nordiques ran with was a tall order. They did the best they could though and carved out an identity of their own.

Best: Avalanche sweaters are an acquired taste. Some adore the logo, the colors, and the look of the whole thing with burgundy and baby blue being big factors of it all. Others find the whole thing to be foul and look at it like a demented Baskin Robbins uniform. That’s a bit harsh, but their original home sweaters really make for a great look. With the huge crest on the front, the burgundy and white sleeves and the Bigfoot foot print secondary logo on the shoulders, it’s a look that Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg made stylish.

Worst: Depending on your opinion of the Avalanche’s look already, there’s almost no argument that their most recent third sweater is an abomination. The Avs took inspiration from their original third that was an all-burgundy affair that had “COLORADO” written diagonally down across the front. The new one, however, took that look and turned it blue with a burgundy shoulder yoke. Vomit city.

I’d rather look like a chocolate bar than a blueberry, personally. Perhaps Willy Wonka was part of the creative process for the Avalanche’s third sweaters. At least that would explain a few things. What I’m left wondering about is why they haven’t done anything with the Bigfoot foot print secondary logo. That’s instantly a winner.

Old-Timey Goodness: While the Avalanche won’t really recognize it, their past in Quebec City as the Nordiques is one that left behind a legacy of sweater beauty. The Nordiques sky blue road sweater is one that goes down in history as one of the all-time best. The funky logo on a background of blue and white with the fleur-de-lis adorning the entire sweater is a look that could not be topped. For the Avalanche when they relocated from Quebec City, they had a really high bar to reach in order to keep up fashion-wise. They did their best but nothing tops the Nordiques. Consider this the same problem the Hurricanes had in changing locations from Hartford and ditching the Whalers moniker.

Assessment: All told, the Avs current sweaters are average. Their original look was solid but with the RBK Edge system taking over after the lockout, the old design just couldn’t keep up with the new “technological marvel” that was the Edge sweater. If your sarcasm detector went off reading that, congratulations it’s in working order. The Avs home and away set is helped out by looking like a work of art in comparison to their nightmarish third. Consider it a moral victory.