Not all doom and gloom…
Anyway, now for the upside. As I mentioned earlier, at the absolute least, the respective teams would need to agree to such radical and even polarizing redesigns. So of course, Terry and Kim Pegula could just say, “No thank-you, Nike.”
Or, Nike could convince ownership to, “Just try it.” And the next thing you know, a snowball effect occurs. Again, cringe-worthy when you own one of the league’s most iconic logo and uniform sets. Yeah, if you’re the Vegas Golden Knights or the Seattle Kraken, go as uniform crazy as you want. Even if you expanded into the NHL in the 1990s. It may be worth it.
But older, classic, timeless looks like those the Sabres wear and have worn should not be subjected to Nike’s uniform approach. Or goodness, at least run it by the fans first. And if the fans do want something drastic, I can at least sleep at night knowing it was their decision and not ultimately Nike’s and the Pegulas’.
Anyway, you can disagree with everything I have written and embrace something Nike’s drastic designs. But since the Buffalo Sabres have pulled off a timeless thing of beauty with their uniforms, twice, as I have stated multiple times in this article, there is no way I would endorse something so polarizing that Nike has become famous, or infamous, for. Depending on how you feel.
We will see what the NHL decides to do in the near future. Until then, I will enjoy some of the fine alternate uniforms the Buffalo Sabres have worn, like the Reverse Retros and Heritage Classic looks.
Article Sources: Adidas won’t seek to renew NHL uniform and apparel deal after 2023-24 season, league says by Greg Wyshynski
Report: Adidas Exiting NHL Uni Deal After 2023-24 by Paul Lukas