The skate jersey is coming back.
The Vancouver Canucks haven't made any official announcement yet about when the beloved skate jersey will return but Canucks players have been spotted at practice breaking in some new gear in a familiar colour scheme: black, yellow, and orange.
The Canucks wore the black skate jerseys four times during the 2019-20 season to celebrate their 50th anniversary. It was a massive hit with fans, to the point that they added an extra game with the jersey — they originally planned to wear it just three times. It didn't hurt that they played well in them, going 3-0-1 in the four games with the skate jersey.
The 2020-21 season saw the introduction of the "reverse retro" jerseys, so the skate jersey was set aside but it will be returning this season.
According to a source, the Canucks will be wearing the classic skate jersey for their home game on February 24 against the Calgary Flames. It's possible that it might become a permanent fixture next season as well, replacing the stick-in-rink as the team's official third jersey.
For most players, a special jersey night just means breaking in some black gloves. For a goaltender, however, they have a whole new set of gear to break in. Thatcher Demko debuted his skate jersey look at Sunday's practice and it's a throwback to a Canucks great: Kirk McLean.
While it clashes with the blue practice jersey, that's going to look gorgeous with the black skate.
One-time PITB contributor Lachlan Irvine spotted the tribute right away.
The attention to detail is great: the multi-hued glove with the white mesh is spot on. While it lacks the rubber marks, the blocker has the great detail of the brand in a black line across the bottom.
But the best part is the mask, which is a dead ringer for McLean's mask.
As an added bonus, Demko has something else inscribed on the back of the mask — the iconic photo of an exhausted and bloodied Trevor Linden leaning on Kirk McLean after Game 6 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Final.
That's such a fantastic set of gear that it would be an utter shame for Demko to only wear it once.
It's safe to say that Demko has McLean's approval.
