Fresh Threads on Ice: A Deep Dive into Two New NHL Jerseys
This week, two separate NHL jerseys have been announced by two different NHL teams. The Carolina Hurricanes announced their newest road jersey on Wednesday. The day after, perhaps in anticipation of a competition, the Seattle Kraken announced a new alternate jersey that glows in the dark. Carolina makes a callback to the 2023 Stadium Series, which they hosted and won. The deep and beautiful seas inspire Seattle. These jerseys are excellent in their own ways and deserve a deep dive, plus a closer look.
Hurricanes Make a Callback to 2023 Stadium Series
Carolina’s new road jerseys are heavily inspired by their appearance in the 2023 Stadium Series, a keynote game of any NHL season. The game took place on February 18th of that year, seeing the Hurricanes win against the Washington Capitals by a score of four goals to one. Hosted by the Hurricanes in Raleigh’s own Carter-Finley Stadium, it was originally supposed to take place in 2021. The pandemic, however, had other plans. The 2021 Stadium Series was therefore delayed to 2023 to ensure safety and maximum attendance. Nearly 57,000 people were in attendance as Carolina donned a special uniform during the annual occasion.
The jersey of the night was black with a large patch of red on the sleeves. The patch had black jersey lettering, with the jersey number of the respective player wearing it. The logo, front and center, replaced Carolina’s usual white swirls with red swirls and replaced the black and red sides of the logo with all-black. These road jerseys, though, are largely white but still contain the same red patch, black lettering, and special logo. It also adds a black number-less patch under the red patch on each sleeve. Ultimately, this is an excellent addition to the Hurricanes jersey collection, celebrating success despite the many obstacles of life.
Seattle Shines In Darkness
The Seattle Kraken, following the trend of glow-in-the-dark jerseys set by the Vegas Golden Knights and the Dallas Stars, has added an alternate jersey to its lineup for the upcoming 2025-26 season. Kraken captain Jordan Eberle showed off the Kraken glow-up on social media on Thursday. The jerseys, inspired by “the haunting beauty of deep Pacific Northwest waters,” have various red and ice-blue waves and stripes that replicate sonar pings. This is especially true on the jersey sleeves and matching socks. These ice-blue waves and stripes glow in the darkness, along with the special logo, jersey number, and any captain or alternate captain’s lettering. The glowing features, also a Muckleshoot tribe patch, are a nod to bioluminescence. The emission of light by a living organism through chemical reactions is common in sea creatures. The jerseys will debut on November 1st, when the Kraken host the New York Rangers, and are scheduled to be worn 12 times this season.
Both the Hurricanes and the Kraken have made bold statements with their newest jersey designs, and each represents more than just a uniform. Carolina’s look ties directly to a moment of triumph in their recent history, celebrating perseverance and victory in front of a record crowd. Seattle, on the other hand, leans into creativity and identity, blending culture, science, and the mystique of the deep sea to deliver something truly unique. While the two jerseys are very different, they both succeed in energizing their fan bases and adding something fresh to the NHL’s ever-growing catalog. Whether it’s Carolina’s nod to the past or Seattle’s glow-in-the-dark future, fans can look forward to seeing these jerseys shine brightly under the arena lights and, in Seattle’s case, even after they’ve been turned off.
