The skate jersey is coming back.
The Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»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.
