Closet Fodder

We're a week away from beginning the month of April, and there's already chatter of new uniforms for another team in the NHL next season. We've already seen the new Tampa Bay Lightning threads that will take to the ice next season, so let's just make these uniform announcements a monthly thing. Anyway, as you can see from the logo to the left, the Los Angeles Kings are getting in on the act when it comes to new uniforms, and you don't have to worry about these jerseys making a comeback. Instead, the Kings have decided to update their look by changing things around. That's probably good for fans of the Los Angeles Kings because they won't have to restock their wardrobes with the latest and greatest from the Kings. Regardless, let's check out these changes.

According to Rich Hammond of the LA Kings Insider, the changes won't involve a new design, but we will see some significant changes. From my experience, Mr. Hammond is a very reputable reporter when it comes to the Kings, so I see no reason to question his findings.

Hammond reports that the current home uniform will now shift to the alternate role. Immediately, I was disappointed in that the Kings went with a black alternate, but it is their current home threads, so I guess I'm ok with this shift only because they didn't design a brand-new black alternate jersey. Had they done that, I might have had a minor aneurysm.

With the loss of the home uniform, there would need to some sort of match made with the current road uniform, right? Wrong. The white uniform is now being mothballed until a future date. Honestly, I much prefer the white road uniform to the black uniform, but it would present the same problem that the Dallas Stars have in that they could only wear it on the road or for games at home against divisional opponents. Maybe I'm in the minority here, but the Kings should have kept this one as their alternate.

With the alternate being bumped out by the home jersey, the Kings decided to swap the two uniforms. The Kings will go back to black-and-grey/silver at home for the 2011-12 season. While this colour scheme worked in the past for the Kings in a very good way, trying to bring back that sentiment with "updated" uniforms just seems like the Kings are grasping at memories. Why not just go back to neon yellow as uniforms? I get that John Q. Ticket-buyers in Los Angeles with the disposable income are now largely those fans who grew up through the glory of the 1990s, but I don't need anyone's hands in my pocket for my merchandise dollars. And that's what this move feels like to me.

The road uniforms will now be an opposite contrast of the former alternate jerseys as the Kings match their "new" home uniforms with a white version on the road. Not much to be excited about here as the Kings continue to scratch away at the old glory days when a Stanley Cup was a possibility.

So what of those incredible retro uniforms that the Kings played in a few times this season of which I was a huge fan? Mothballed as well. These great uniforms will find their way into Staples Center's attic as the Kings do away them for another season. Or longer. Why does it seem like Los Angeles is afraid of colour on their uniforms? It's not like Rogie Vachon looked terrible. I love this look!

Why have we not seen these beauties that Derek Forbort wore at the NHL Entry Draft last year? Why couldn't the purple jerseys be worn at home, the current white road jerseys been worn on the road, and the yellow jerseys be worn as the alternates? Anyone? Someone? Ugh.

All I know is that the Kings have many options throughout their history to pick a great combination of colour and style, and they've opted to go with two black uniforms and a white-and-black uniform. The gang colours are not cool, and the Los Angeles Kings have no relationship with the Oakland Raiders. Leave the black alternate as the alternate, and bring back some colour!

Your thoughts, readers? Are you a fan of the Kings' new uniform set for the 2011-12 season?

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!