Ranking Bruins Jerseys: Worst To Best

There’s been a lot of conversation regarding retro jerseys returning to the NHL. Earlier this week, Icethetics tweeted possible concepts for some “Reverse Retro” sweaters.

More 4th jersey leaks? Here’s what to expect for the @GoldenKnights and @AnaheimDucks when the Reverse Retro series becomes official. Details on the blog.https://t.co/btEIDG89P7

— icethetics (@icethetics) October 21, 2020

When the news came out, Bruins fans immediately started debating which jersey should make a comeback. One of the frontrunners is the “Pooh Bear” jersey which we will get to shortly. I, for one, absolutely despise that ugly thing. So, I thought it might be fun to give my opinions on the worst to best Bruins jerseys in history, in that order.

1995-2006 Third Jersey (The Pooh Bear)

This jersey is so hideous that even Patrice Bergeron can’t pull it off… and that says a lot. You either love or hate this look, and I am the latter. The coloring is putrid, and the bear looks like a stuffed animal. Most people love this jersey because it’s nostalgic, which is fine, but you can’t pretend it actually looks good. The worst part about it? The zig-zag trim. It screams “1990s”, which was a fantastic era, but it’s best that we leave it there.

1940-1944 Alternate Jersey

This one doesn’t even look like a jersey, it looks like a long-sleeved vintage shirt you could buy from the NHL shop. The black shoulder patches really ruin it and the overall yellow color is not appealing.

1955-1967 Home Jersey

I’m clearly not a fan of when they overdo it with yellow, because while this one is not the worst, it’s definitely not pleasing to look at. It’s boring with not much detail and the thin stripes at the waist look silly. The spoked B looks flat and lifeless considering that should be the most prominent part of the jersey, in my opinion.

2008-2016 Third Jersey

I used to have a love-hate relationship with this jersey, but I’ve grown to love it. One of the main reasons myself and other B’s fans disliked it was because it seemed to be bad luck. The Bruins would usually wear this jersey during matinee games which they often lost. People would joke that they were cursed. Now, since they aren’t worn anymore, I realize I never appreciated them like I should’ve. The spoked B is still represented on the shoulder patches which is a great look. The bear on the front is prominent enough on top of spelling out “Bruins” with “Boston” written underneath.

2019-Present Third Jersey

While some argue that this jersey is a little boring, I really enjoy the clean-cut aesthetic of it as well as the giant B on the chest. I like that they shied away from using the spoked B because even though it’s iconic, third/alternate jerseys should be something different and stand out. It has a vintage edge to it while also being modern enough to rock it stylishly, thanks to Adidas.

2019 Winter Classic Jersey

These are beautiful. From the brown and gold stripes to the shamrock shoulder patch that reads “2019 Winter Classic”, it is easily one of my favorite designs. I love the throwback feel and the way the numbers on the back match the “B” exactly.

2007-Present Home & Away Jersey

All Original Six NHL jerseys are beloved and recognizable, but few top the classic home and away black and golds. Even the less colorful away jersey is a league staple that fans continue to buy and wear proudly. I love that they have the third jersey bear logo as the shoulder patches for these, too.

2016 Winter Classic Jersey

I almost made this number one, but I still think there’s one better. This jersey is gorgeous and the bear on the front even has textured “fur” to make it pop! The lettering is classic and the colors mesh so well together. It’s the perfect ratio of black and gold without overdoing anything. The Winter Classic shoulder patch reads “2016 Winter Classic Foxboro” to represent Gillette Stadium, where it was played. The stripes are also perfectly placed. It’s a flawless adaption of the Bruins’ 1920s jerseys.

2010 Winter Classic Jersey

This one takes the cake for (arguably) the best Bruins sweater in history. The jersey is just as memorable as the actual 2010 Winter Classic game itself. I really like that they put the patch on the chest rather than the shoulder. The coloring and stripes work well overall and the “B” is a unique rounded out style that was originally worn in the late 1940s.

I did not cover every single Bruins jersey in history – these are just the ones that stand out to me the most. You can see we definitely have much better options than “Pooh Bear” as a retro jersey style. Just for fun, here’s a concept I think is pretty awesome that I wish the Bruins would incorporate:

#Bruins concept. This one featuring an awesome concept logo by @BENKSY_1. Brought back brown which I personally think would look 100x better pic.twitter.com/CHSr1k1BA5

— Dylan Nowak (@DylanNowak) September 3, 2017

– Caylee Allard (@2kaRask)