TAMPA, Fla. — You may notice something a little different about the Bolts when they hit the ice for Thursday night's game.
The Tampa Bay Lightning will be debuting new jerseys against the Colorado Avalanche tonight at Amalie Arena.
The new uniform system pays homage to the Lightning's legacy with a combination of historical features and modern elements.
The throwback black sweater is a nod to the team's traditional color scheme. The logo that currently sits as a shoulder patch on the blue and white jerseys takes center stage in this new uniform iteration as the crest on the front of the jersey.
And the stripes on the sleeves and socks aren't just for flair — they're emblematic of the "victory stripes" that were part of the team's original uniforms that took the ice on Oct. 7, 1992. The stripes were originally placed under the arm so they could only be seen during celebrations after a player scored.
Additional legacy features include the lace-up collar, featured on the team's blue jerseys that debuted in 2011, and the 3D numbers, inspired by the franchise's earliest uniforms. The inside of the collar also shows the Lightning's three Stanley Cup championship years.
New Tampa Bay Lightning jersey features
Lightning fans can look forward to seeing more of these new uniforms; they'll be added to the rotation as a third jersey along with the classic white and blue ones. The team will wear the black jerseys a total of seven times throughout the remainder of the season.
“We worked hard to develop a jersey that represents the fans and our brand while celebrating our franchise’s history and growth within the NHL.” Lightning chief venue officer Kevin Preast said. "Fan feedback was an essential part of the process of the creation of the jersey. We feel strongly our fans will be proud to show off the victory stripes to honor the organization’s legacy."
Fans can also score merch with the new uniform look at TampaBaySports.com.
