"Free the Skate": The Canucks can and should choose the flying skate as its playoff home jersey

[spook007]

Not sure what to do really.

The skate jersey is one of the coolest most fashionable iconic jerseys ever made. 
If they were reintroduced, you'd see them everywhere, but.....

You have a generation of 'youngsters', who has grown up with the Orca, and for them a break will like feel as weird/hard as it did for the Skate generation. 
Its actually a strange thing this total colour change of jerseys. 
If you tried to do that in a football (soccer) club, you'd probably have to go into hiding. 
Imagine United playing in blue or yellow as their main jersey... or Glasgow Celtic dropping their hoops...

I'm not sure the fans in Boston, N.Y. Or Toronto would be too understanding should Bruins, Rangers or Laughs totally change their colours and designs of their main jerseys. 
 

Hence as much as I love the skate jersey (to me the coolest jersey Canucks have ever had), I think they have to stick with their colours as the main jersey. 
If not, it makes the franchise look like a carneval going to the highest bidder. 
Its either a franchise with roots, or it is not... 

Franchise/Club colours/designs matter...

 

So for me, after thinking about this for some time, the Skate jersey is/would be a cool alternate jersey, but the orca should remain the main jersey. 
 

That's my 5 cents. 
 

[IBatch]

1 hour ago, wai_lai416 said:

not unless they rebrand the ice and images around the stadium... most of the other teams alternative at the very least have the same logo.. or don't have a logo in some cases.. the canucks have a completely different logo the vibe in the arena is just different.. going into a home game with fans wearing different logo jerseys etc.. just doesn't feel right..and for those that were born outside of the skate jersey period.. they have like 0 attachment to that logo/jersey

Do they?   You'd be surprised, a lot of the players who weren't around don't seem to mind the skate.  JT Miller, why would he have any sort of allegiances.   US,  maybe EP has some Orca stuff going on hard to tell.  Given the Sedins played, but would think he wasn't thinking at all about Vancouver growing up, just his own fate and hockey in Sweden mostly.   It's not a hard jersey to like.   And was way ahead of its time colour wise.    Garish.   Even offensive to some.   It was our teams colours for a couple decades though.   And every single team tried to steal that from us in the late 90's practically.   Dallas.  Buffalo.  Even ourselves lol.   What's with the purple!  Ugh.  The first Orca also was branded by a US owner with intentions to bring the team to Seattle.   And even wanted to change the name to the Orca's.   We owe Pat Quin a lot, despite being the overseer of changing things up.   And back then, personally, was very open to it, and tried my best to like it ... Toed the line as a fan, but it felt dirty, had an open mind.. man it wasn't easy though so get those who haven't had to go through that before, that it's not easy.    If I was to bring the Skate back, something that every fan poll has asked for the past couple decades, id wait until the Sedins retired, and the next core was emerging, bring it in as a 3rd a lot more then a 3rd usually gets in a season...and then make a decision.   Planned or not, it's all Aces's so far. 

 

Once they changed the colours, back to the originals, they got something right.    Aside from that, it was an unmitigated disaster.  

 

Why?  Because fans old and new like the Skate.   Sometimes, analog is better, and you should just stick to what works.   They did a better job then expected, if they could just replace that TD logo, and add a black, red and gold/yellow shoulder patch of the Orca, think that we'd have the perfect blend of both the past, recent past and future.  

Edited January 15 by IBatch

[Miss Korea]

1 hour ago, wai_lai416 said:

not unless they rebrand the ice and images around the stadium... most of the other teams alternative at the very least have the same logo.. or don't have a logo in some cases.. the canucks have a completely different logo the vibe in the arena is just different.. going into a home game with fans wearing different logo jerseys etc.. just doesn't feel right..and for those that were born outside of the skate jersey period.. they have like 0 attachment to that logo/jersey

 

28 minutes ago, spook007 said:

Not sure what to do really.

The skate jersey is one of the coolest most fashionable iconic jerseys ever made. 
If they were reintroduced, you'd see them everywhere, but.....

You have a generation of 'youngsters', who has grown up with the Orca, and for them a break will like feel as weird/hard as it did for the Skate generation. 
Its actually a strange thing this total colour change of jerseys. 
If you tried to do that in a football (soccer) club, you'd probably have to go into hiding. 
Imagine United playing in blue or yellow as their main jersey... or Glasgow Celtic dropping their hoops...

I'm not sure the fans in Boston, N.Y. Or Toronto would be too understanding should Bruins, Rangers or Laughs totally change their colours and designs of their main jerseys. 
 

Hence as much as I love the skate jersey (to me the coolest jersey Canucks have ever had), I think they have to stick with their colours as the main jersey. 
If not, it makes the franchise look like a carneval going to the highest bidder. 
Its either a franchise with roots, or it is not... 

Franchise/Club colours/designs matter...

 

So for me, after thinking about this for some time, the Skate jersey is/would be a cool alternate jersey, but the orca should remain the main jersey. 
 

That's my 5 cents. 
 

 

You folks must not live in the area.  Young Canucks fans (ages 15-25) are all buying up skate jerseys.  They're like the Nike Dunks of hockey jerseys right now.  And they all grew up with the orca.  I grew up with the orca - I'm too young to remember the 94 final.  Doesn't matter.  That skate jersey looks fantastic.  Probably gonna be my next Canucks purchase.

Edited January 15 by Miss Korea

[IBatch]

30 minutes ago, spook007 said:

Not sure what to do really.

The skate jersey is one of the coolest most fashionable iconic jerseys ever made. 
If they were reintroduced, you'd see them everywhere, but.....

You have a generation of 'youngsters', who has grown up with the Orca, and for them a break will like feel as weird/hard as it did for the Skate generation. 
Its actually a strange thing this total colour change of jerseys. 
If you tried to do that in a football (soccer) club, you'd probably have to go into hiding. 
Imagine United playing in blue or yellow as their main jersey... or Glasgow Celtic dropping their hoops...

I'm not sure the fans in Boston, N.Y. Or Toronto would be too understanding should Bruins, Rangers or Laughs totally change their colours and designs of their main jerseys. 
 

Hence as much as I love the skate jersey (to me the coolest jersey Canucks have ever had), I think they have to stick with their colours as the main jersey. 
If not, it makes the franchise look like a carneval going to the highest bidder. 
Its either a franchise with roots, or it is not... 

Franchise/Club colours/designs matter...

 

So for me, after thinking about this for some time, the Skate jersey is/would be a cool alternate jersey, but the orca should remain the main jersey. 
 

That's my 5 cents. 
 

It's all true.   Maybe leave the pain of changing in the past.   

 

Or fix a wrong.    Both stances have a solid footing.    Personally lost hope we'd ever see the Skate again years ago.   The Orca was shoved down our throats with a huge campaign.    Came with one of the most hated players in our franchise history, despite Captaining our team.     A long time has passed, and it's still brought up.   So it's in the fibre of the next generations already.   

 

Bringing the Skate back, was like opening a pretty big  wound to heal.  This likely won't go away, for a couple more decades.   Something i've said several times before.   Agree you shouldn't do this to a fanbase.    Sometimes though, if the bone doesn't set right, break it again, and let the body heal with a better surgeon.    

 

Not going to get my hopes up, and also would be a little sad to see the Orca go to pasture.   Like it was when the Sedins retired sort of way, you know it's time to let a new era start.     
 

If it was 100% up to me, i'd let the coaching staff and the players vote on it (one vote each).   And be happy with whatever they come up with.   It's them we are cheering for.  Sucks that a lot of fans were abused back then.   I don't think it would be as tough or rough for the fans today to adapt though.   They grew up with stories of Bure, Linden etc.   Also likely got to see Linden way past his prime too.   Score on Turco. 

Edited January 15 by IBatch

[IBatch]

4 minutes ago, Miss Korea said:

 

You must not live in the area.  Young Canucks fans (ages 15-25) are all buying up skate jerseys.  They're like the Nike Dunks of hockey jerseys right now.  And they all grew up with the orca.  I grew up with the orca - I'm too young to remember the 94 final.  Doesn't matter.  That skate jersey looks fantastic.  Probably gonna be my next Canucks purchase.

Yep.   When I walk around seeing folks that age wearing those jerseys at the Sens arena (this year!), you know they'd be open for change. 

[Alflives]

Colours of our city are the blue oven, the green hills, and the snow capped mountains. The skate jersey is cool but none of its colours represent our city. Black, yellow, and red are not Vancouver. 

[Miss Korea]

33 minutes ago, IBatch said:

Do they?   You'd be surprised, a lot of the players who weren't around don't seem to mind the skate.  JT Miller, why would he have any sort of allegiances.   US,  maybe EP has some Orca stuff going on hard to tell.  Given the Sedins played, but would think he wasn't thinking at all about Vancouver growing up, just his own fate and hockey in Sweden mostly.   It's not a hard jersey to like.   And was way ahead of its time colour wise.    Garish.   Even offensive to some.   It was our teams colours for a couple decades though.   And every single team tried to steal that from us in the late 90's practically.   Dallas.  Buffalo.  Even ourselves lol.   What's with the purple!  Ugh.  The first Orca also was branded by a US owner with intentions to bring the team to Seattle.   And even wanted to change the name to the Orca's.   We owe Pat Quin a lot, despite being the overseer of changing things up.   And back then, personally, was very open to it, and tried my best to like it ... Toed the line as a fan, but it felt dirty, had an open mind.. man it wasn't easy though so get those who haven't had to go through that before, that it's not easy.    If I was to bring the Skate back, something that every fan poll has asked for the past couple decades, id wait until the Sedins retired, and the next core was emerging, bring it in as a 3rd a lot more then a 3rd usually gets in a season...and then make a decision.   Planned or not, it's all Aces's so far. 

 

Once they changed the colours, back to the originals, they got something right.    Aside from that, it was an unmitigated disaster.  

 

Why?  Because fans old and new like the Skate.   Sometimes, analog is better, and you should just stick to what works.   They did a better job then expected, if they could just replace that TD logo, and add a black, red and gold/yellow shoulder patch of the Orca, think that we'd have the perfect blend of both the past, recent past and future.  

 

Sedins, eh?

 

 

And of course, Markus wore it too:

 

 

 

Come to think of it, I think the only notable Canuck captains not to wear the jersey are Luongo (who loves it), Messier (who hates it), and Orland Kurtenbach (who is ancient and just happy to show up once in a while).

Edited January 15 by Miss Korea

[wai_lai416]

12 minutes ago, Miss Korea said:

 

 

You folks must not live in the area.  Young Canucks fans (ages 15-25) are all buying up skate jerseys.  They're like the Nike Dunks of hockey jerseys right now.  And they all grew up with the orca.  I grew up with the orca - I'm too young to remember the 94 final.  Doesn't matter.  That skate jersey looks fantastic.  Probably gonna be my next Canucks purchase.

i lived here long enough and was here for the 94 playoff run. the jersey is fantastic and i like it way more than the current one, but unless they rebrand the entire arena and marketing poster outside, the middle ice logo.. it simply doesn't feel like a home game. with 80% of the fans wearing colors and logo that's completely irrelevant to the skate jersey.

[IBatch]

13 minutes ago, wai_lai416 said:

i lived here long enough and was here for the 94 playoff run. the jersey is fantastic and i like it way more than the current one, but unless they rebrand the entire arena and marketing poster outside, the middle ice logo.. it simply doesn't feel like a home game. with 80% of the fans wearing colors and logo that's completely irrelevant to the skate jersey.

Yes they'd have to have a clean break.   And do it right this time.   Keep Fin.     Wouldn't worry about the fans, that won't take long to change.   Funny though, you won't watch a game, without seeing a lot of Skate jerseys.    

Edited January 15 by IBatch

[IBatch]

14 minutes ago, Miss Korea said:

 

Sedins, eh?

 

 

And of course, Markus wore it too:

 

 

 

Come to think of it, I think the only notable Canuck captains not to wear the jersey are Luongo (who loves it), Messier (who hates it), and Orland Kurtenbach (who is ancient and just happy to show up once in a while).

I don't re-call, the Sedins, ever playing a game in those jerseys.  Did I miss something?  

[IBatch]

23 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Colours of our city are the blue oven, the green hills, and the snow capped mountains. The skate jersey is cool but none of its colours represent our city. Black, yellow, and red are not Vancouver. 

Get this part of the debate too.   If we went there, half the jerseys in the NHL would have blue and green in it wouldn't they?   

[Miss Korea]

12 minutes ago, wai_lai416 said:

i lived here long enough and was here for the 94 playoff run. the jersey is fantastic and i like it way more than the current one, but unless they rebrand the entire arena and marketing poster outside, the middle ice logo.. it simply doesn't feel like a home game. with 80% of the fans wearing colors and logo that's completely irrelevant to the skate jersey.

 

So those handful games - they don't feel like home games to you?  Hmm.  That's one way of looking at it.

 

Think of it this way.  We should be used to clean breaks at this point.  The flying V was a crazy choice and a complete break from the old blue.  Then it slowly transitioned to the skate.  And then abother clean break to the orca as @IBatch explained.  Then yet another clean break back to the old blue and slapped the orca on it.  

 

When I was young, I remembered a lot of fans with what I thought were outdated skate jerseys.  They were relics to me.  And yet I never felt they weren't part of the crowd.  Same for when we went back to blue and so many fans still had the old orca colours.

 

I can't understate the level of hype surrounding the jersey.  Old people love it for the nostalgia.  Young people love it because it just looks cool.  Unlike that deep blue, pure black works with anything. 

 

And anyone who thinks younger fans will find the change jarring... they need to realize something.  Teenage Canuck fans today do not remember the 2011 final.  They were too young.  I had to explain the riots to some high schoolers.  All the orca represents to them is years of shit.  Ironically, the few teens who do follow hockey watch games across the league and are very educated (unbiased).  But this team right now is an absolute bandwagon.  There is still a ton of space for new fans to hop aboard.  This is the perfect chance to pilot a re-brand in the playoffs.

[Miss Korea]

26 minutes ago, IBatch said:

I don't re-call, the Sedins, ever playing a game in those jerseys.  Did I miss something?  

 

 I guess you did!

 

 

 

 

 

You obviously just erased this from your memory because we got pumped by Toronto.

Edited January 15 by Miss Korea

[IBatch]

23 minutes ago, Miss Korea said:

 

So those handful games - they don't feel like home games to you?  Hmm.  That's one way of looking at it.

 

Think of it this way.  We should be used to clean breaks at this point.  The flying V was a crazy choice and a complete break from the old blue.  Then it slowly transitioned to the skate.  And then abother clean break to the orca as @IBatch explained.  Then yet another clean break back to the old blue and slapped the orca on it.  

 

When I was young, I remembered a lot of fans with what I thought were outdated skate jerseys.  They were relics to me.  And yet I never felt they weren't part of the crowd.  Same for when we went back to blue and so many fans still had the old orca colours.

 

I can't understate the level of hype surrounding the jersey.  Old people love it for the nostalgia.  Young people love it because it just looks cool.  Unlike that deep blue, pure black works with anything. 

 

And anyone who thinks younger fans will find the change jarring... they need to realize something.  Teenage Canuck fans today do not remember the 2011 final.  They were too young.  I had to explain the riots to some high schoolers.  All the orca represents to them is years of shit.  Ironically, the few teens who do follow hockey watch games across the league and are very educated (unbiased).  But this team right now is an absolute bandwagon.  There is still a ton of space for new fans to hop aboard.  This is the perfect chance to pilot a re-brand in the playoffs.

Excellent post.    Yes there will be a certain demographic that will be sad to see the Orca be put to pasture more then any other for sure.    It's not very big though,  compared to the majority, and one thing that unites us all, is QHs doing his Micheal Myers impression lol.   Korea we haven't always met in the middle on things, this is one thing, that makes a lot of sense right now.   The Orca, for folks who now in their 20's even late 20's, means nothing but some sort of heart break from hype they caught into around grade 4-6, went away and died.   The folks that find the most meaning in the Orca, are likely in their 30's, maybe early 40's even. 

 

Best part, agree,  i'm happy to see ANY Canuck jersey.   And like that we have several to choose from.   It's fun to see the diversity of the crowds.   Older people wearing the Blue and Green Orca, or younger folks wearing a "relic".   

Edited January 15 by IBatch

[IBatch]

18 minutes ago, Miss Korea said:

 

 I guess you did!

 

 

 

 

 

You obviously just erased this from your memory because we got pumped by Toronto.

Thanks.   Don't know how I missed this (or forgot) but did!   They look great though. 

Edited January 15 by IBatch

[wai_lai416]

38 minutes ago, Miss Korea said:

 

So those handful games - they don't feel like home games to you?  Hmm.  That's one way of looking at it.

 

Think of it this way.  We should be used to clean breaks at this point.  The flying V was a crazy choice and a complete break from the old blue.  Then it slowly transitioned to the skate.  And then abother clean break to the orca as @IBatch explained.  Then yet another clean break back to the old blue and slapped the orca on it.  

 

When I was young, I remembered a lot of fans with what I thought were outdated skate jerseys.  They were relics to me.  And yet I never felt they weren't part of the crowd.  Same for when we went back to blue and so many fans still had the old orca colours.

 

I can't understate the level of hype surrounding the jersey.  Old people love it for the nostalgia.  Young people love it because it just looks cool.  Unlike that deep blue, pure black works with anything. 

 

And anyone who thinks younger fans will find the change jarring... they need to realize something.  Teenage Canuck fans today do not remember the 2011 final.  They were too young.  I had to explain the riots to some high schoolers.  All the orca represents to them is years of shit.  Ironically, the few teens who do follow hockey watch games across the league and are very educated (unbiased).  But this team right now is an absolute bandwagon.  There is still a ton of space for new fans to hop aboard.  This is the perfect chance to pilot a re-brand in the playoffs.

the odd game here and there is fine. we are talking about an entire playoff run. tbh we are one of the few home arena in the league that is not intimidating in the playoffs.. we have the towels.. so does every other team that copied it.. that's about it.. even the coyote have a whiteout during their playoff.. calgary they have a sea of red.. vancouver?? fan wear different color jerseys different logo it's all over the place. looks even worse when the team is wearing 1 logo but majority of the fans is wear another.. for playoff runs i rather them stick to something majority of the fans are wearing for some cohesion unless they plan on handing out t-shirts and redo the logo at center ice etc for every playoff game

Edited January 15 by wai_lai416

[D.B Cooper]

11 hours ago, Jim McMahon said:

It would be nice if they re branded. But we all know how cheap the Aquilinis are. 

Yup.  Super cheap.  Cheap enough to spend to the cap every year knowing the team is going to suck.  
Cheap enough to just sign huge cheques for players to go away. 
Cheap enough to buy their own AHL team and move them down the block for their NHL team.    
Sleep doctors, upgraded dressing room and staff facilities. 
 

Yeah.  They are certainly cheap.  

Hahahah

[spook007]

2 hours ago, Miss Korea said:

 

 

You folks must not live in the area.  Young Canucks fans (ages 15-25) are all buying up skate jerseys.  They're like the Nike Dunks of hockey jerseys right now.  And they all grew up with the orca.  I grew up with the orca - I'm too young to remember the 94 final.  Doesn't matter.  That skate jersey looks fantastic.  Probably gonna be my next Canucks purchase.

True, I don't

I'm not surprised to hear they buy it crazy, as it is really fashionable. 
However I think they'd buy any jersey that represents the Canucks, regardless of logo etc. 

That is kind of the sad part for me, as I feel the club/franchise loses its identity, when you change colours and logo of your main Jersey...

 

I'm record many time stating how much I dig the Skate jersey, so I won't be sad to see it return, but as sad as many may have been, seeing it vanish in favour of the Orca, as sad will a lot of people be seeing the Orca vanish. 
 

By all means, I'd buy the skate jersey if it becomes the main jersey, but i am just as likely to buy it should it be an alternate or third jersey for the club. 
You want a club you can relate to, you want the main colours to remain the same. 

[Jess]

12 hours ago, Jim McMahon said:

It would be nice if they re branded. But we all know how cheap the Aquilinis are. 

 

If anything, their greed would push them to make this move. Can you imagine how many jerseys would sell? If it'll make money, they'll go for it.

 

4 hours ago, IBatch said:

Think part of that, is enjoy what you grow up with.

 

Definitely some truth to this, as I started watching with the original Orca. That said, I've also always been against the constant changing of identity and felt that the uncertaintly regarding the team's logo was a weak point. I was proud to have the team stick with a logo for an extended period of time and the Orca's now been the longest lasting logo by quite a margin. 26 years if my math is correct, which is over half of our franchise's existence.

 

I will agree, that, at the very least, returning to an old logo would be less of an identity crisis than another entirely new logo.

 

Despite my desires to remain with the Orca, I feel the desire amongst fans is too strong to return to the Skate and at the end of the day, Aqua bends to the will of the fans--otherwise he can't make money. If things continue as they have, I expect the Skate to become at least our permanent home jersey in the future; maybe both home and away.

[spook007]

3 hours ago, IBatch said:

It's all true.   Maybe leave the pain of changing in the past.   

 

Or fix a wrong.    Both stances have a solid footing.    Personally lost hope we'd ever see the Skate again years ago.   The Orca was shoved down our throats with a huge campaign.    Came with one of the most hated players in our franchise history, despite Captaining our team.     A long time has passed, and it's still brought up.   So it's in the fibre of the next generations already.   

 

Bringing the Skate back, was like opening a pretty big  wound to heal.  This likely won't go away, for a couple more decades.   Something i've said several times before.   Agree you shouldn't do this to a fanbase.    Sometimes though, if the bone doesn't set right, break it again, and let the body heal with a better surgeon.    

 

Not going to get my hopes up, and also would be a little sad to see the Orca go to pasture.   Like it was when the Sedins retired sort of way, you know it's time to let a new era start.     
 

If it was 100% up to me, i'd let the coaching staff and the players vote on it (one vote each).   And be happy with whatever they come up with.   It's them we are cheering for.  Sucks that a lot of fans were abused back then.   I don't think it would be as tough or rough for the fans today to adapt though.   They grew up with stories of Bure, Linden etc.   Also likely got to see Linden way past his prime too.   Score on Turco. 

You @IBatch I think the people least concerned about the colours and logo are the players...

They change teams regularly, so it is of less Importance to them than the fans. They may not even play for the teams they supported as youngsters...

 

Anyway you may be right, that it could be correcting a wrong made years ago. It just feels 

 

Its the fans, who really associate with colours and logos... I just feel it's like a carousel ride at the carnivals... The teams and fans of the team wants the league to take them serious, but they can't even figure out amongst themselves what the jerseys should look like...

Would I survive, yes absolutely and my allegiance wouldn't change, so by all means...

[-dlc-]

I 100% support this.

[Sell.the.team]

I am burn it all down and make a new logo and colour scheme because everything we have is awful.

[EB43]

Skate for the playoffs, win the cup.  Put the Orca away for ever.

[Dumb Nuck]

I agree, kill the fish!

[gwarrior]

Hey I just bought a black skate jersey a few months ago. Reminds me of growing up in the mid 90's.