The Definitive Ranking of Third Jerseys in the Edge Era (Pt. 5)

Hello again, and welcome to the final entry in my Definitive Ranking of Third Jerseys in the Edge Era.  For those of you who missed previous entries, parts one, two, three, and four, click on the links to get caught up.  Today we crack the top five third jerseys of the Edge era, the real cream of the crop.  This list has been a constant struggle for me, I found myself tweaking the rankings on a daily basis, but it's been a pleasure to write.  As always, if you disagree with me on any of the rankings, feel free to let me know in the comments section below.  With that, let's finish off this list, starting with number five.

5.- Columbus Blue Jackets 2010-2017

Pinterest

Coming in at number five is Columbus' only entry on our list, their fauxback alternate worn from 2010-2017.  I've never been a fan of the Blue Jackets' uniforms, but this one really blew me out of the water.  The double blue color scheme and cream yoke work fantastically, it's a combination of two of my biggest weaknesses when it comes to jersey design.  While I'm not usually a fan of roundel logos, the cannon works so much better than CBJ's current logo, and the banner around it changes between the light and dark blue based on the way the light hits it.  It's a small detail, but it really adds a lot for me.  I like the simplistic striping pattern, but the grey is a little too close to the cream and ends up getting lost when seen from afar.  The thing that really keeps this jersey from falling higher up on the list (besides the strength of the other designs) is the horrible font that Columbus uses.  I've never liked it, and it's almost more disappointing here than on their primary set because it's such a great jersey otherwise.  In spite of the font choice, this is still one of my favorite third jerseys from this era, and remains one that I desperately want to add to my collection. 

4.- St. Louis Blues 2008-2016

TheShield

The next entry on our list is one of the more modern third jersey designs of the Edge era, the St. Louis Blues' navy alternate.  I love the navy base for this jersey, it's the obvious choice for a Blues alternate, and yet this has been their only attempt at it.  While I'm usually a sucker for a double blue color scheme, the Blues' color choices never did it for me, so I actually approve of the elimination of the lighter blue in this set.  The new alternate logo looks great, and the arch in the background does a great job of tying in the city's identity.  The arched striping looks great and ties in with the logo quite nicely.  The white cuffs do a good job of breaking up the navy, and I kind of wish they'd done the same on the hem, but it still looks good how it is.  The navy shoulder patch on the navy jersey is a questionable choice, but I think the white and yellow outlines help it pop just enough to work.  Overall, I love the look of this jersey and honestly think it was the strongest design that the Blues had in their repertoire during this time.  

3.- Buffalo Sabres 2010-2012

TwointheBox

Next up is the Sabres with a design far superior to their previous entry on this list.  This design is a fantastic fauxback that pays tribute to Buffalo's hockey history, both before and after the arrival of the Sabres in 1970.  The script used on the chest is based off of the logo for the Buffalo Bisons, an AHL team that played in Buffalo from 1940-1970.  The striping pattern seems to be based off of the sock striping that the Sabres used on their dark set from 1978-1980, but it works great on this jersey to create a fauxback feel.  What really cements the old school look of this design is the use of a contrasting nameplate and stitching on the numbers, a classic look that makes it seem like a sweater straight out of the early 1900s.  The attention to detail as well as the nods to Buffalo's hockey history makes this one of the best fauxback designs that I've seen in the NHL.  

2.- Minnesota Wild 2009-2017

WJON

Coming in at number two on our list is the Wild's green alternate.  I was never on board with the Wild's red jerseys, so I was excited to see the return of a green jersey.  The script on the chest is probably the best script design I've ever seen in the NHL, it really gives the Wild a great looking identity that they have adopted on their new uniforms.  The simple striping pattern works great for a fauxback design like this, and the tie down collar, albeit a more modern take on it in the later years, helps the old school aesthetic.  My only issue with this design is the phantom yoke, but with the lack of a shoulder patch I think it can be excused, as it keeps the shoulder area from looking too bare.  Even with the phantom yoke, this design remains one of my favorite designs from the Edge era, third or otherwise, and is made even better by the fact that it paved the way for a phenomenal home jersey.  

1.- Ottawa Senators 2011-2017

Icethetics

Was there really any question?  Taking the top spot of our ranking is the Sens' fauxback design worn from 2011-2017.  Much like the Sabres' fauxback that came in at number three, this design takes cues from the hockey history of Ottawa.  Essentially, this design is a simplification of the barber pole jerseys that the original Senators franchise wore.  This design streamlines the striping pattern, giving it a sleeker, more modern look.  The "O" logo is a direct carryover from the original franchise, and the shoulder patches are based on the World Champions patch that the team wore during the 1923-1924 season.  The chest stripe looks fantastic with the "O" logo, and the hem stripe is executed fantastically.  This design proved to be so popular that they used it as the blueprint for their 2014 Heritage Classic jersey, which looks just as good in white as it does in black.    This design does exactly what it should, updating an old, historical design to give it a fresh new look that works just as well today as it would have back then.  When a third design is so popular that it has spurred a large grassroots campaign calling for it to replace the primary set, it really shows the strength of the jersey, and really leaves me with no other choice for the top spot on this countdown.  

Thus ends our countdown of the third jerseys of the Edge era.  As I said before, it's been a series I've struggled with, but it's been just as much fun as it has been stressful.  If you still haven't gotten enough of a hockey design fix, check out the stories section of our website, which has many more articles like this one.  Thanks for reading, and be sure to come back every day for our daily concepts posts.