Since All-Star Weekend, I’ve noticed a trend with NHL players. One of the old adages about fashion is that everything old becomes new again.
As a ’90s kid, I’ve seen all kinds of fashion trends make their way back in this decade. Regarding NHL players, they’ve taken it back even further with suits that look like they came straight out of the Roaring ’20s or “The Godfather” — and I am happier for it. Tech Gloves
I genuinely believe the generations before me knew what they were doing when it involved dressing to the nines. You’ll see some of that fashion sense in this edition of the NHL style power rankings. One player looks like he’s trying to begin a new trend, while two teammates went more avant-garde with their fits.
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Who knew that the Nashville Predators winger leads a double life as a superhero? I’m kidding, but the comment was laying there when Niederreiter happily decided to open up his suit jacket the way Clark Kent does before revealing he’s Superman. I love the gorgeous red-wine attire here and how enthusiastically he reps his set.
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I’m not the least bit surprised that the Toronto Maple Leafs winger is bringing the fuzzy bucket hat to the NHL runway. Nylander teased the look on his personal Instagram account before breaking it out on the catwalk — well played. I’m looking forward to this being a trend in the near future, especially as it starts getting warmer.
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Ooh! The Anaheim Ducks center is a bad man. Everyone knows my affinity for matching elements of an outfit, but Zegras (on the left) did one better by marrying his green-and-yellow checkered plaid suit with the Air Jordan 1 Low “Holiday Special.” These were teased in the fall and then released ahead of … well, the holidays.
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What a dastardly, good-looking ensemble we have here. This Bordeaux red three-piece suit is exceptional, but do I also spy speckles and texture? Outstanding. The strawberry-red tie to match his handkerchief didn’t go unnoticed, nor did the satin pink lining inside of his jacket. The details of this outfit are so well done and brought together.
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I’m curious if the Montreal Canadiens duo (Kovacevic on the left, Xhekaj on the right) collectively decided it was going to dress like men straight out of “The Godfather” movie. Trust me, if you’ve seen the movies — and shame on you, if you haven’t — that’s a serious compliment. The men in that movie dressed well. I’m especially a fan of Xhekaj’s suit, because the gold polka dots in his tie match beautifully with the gold buttons in his double-breasted suit.
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And the award for the most creative looks from the NHL’s All-Star Weekend goes to the Boston Bruins winger and goalie (Pastrňák on the left, Ullmark on the right). Pastrňák’s suit looks like a painter’s canvas, while Ullmark’s outfit deceptively looked like flowers with a quick glance. The metallic color actually is hiding a paisley design on his suit, and I appreciated that a closer look was required to see the full range of details.
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A paisley shirt and a checkered-plaid suit is not a combination I thought I’d see. When there are two loud patterns as options, one usually has to be deferred to. The Columbus Blue Jackets goalie eschews that idea and puts on a paisley shirt with a plaid suit — and voila! You have this ensemble.
Much of the reason it works well here is because the baby blues in both items are nearly identical. For my purposes, I wish Merzļikins would’ve broken out a hat to match the rest of the attire. That would’ve been the cherry on top.
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The winger joined his Canadiens comrades with an expertly tailored double-breasted suit. Pezzetta smoothly put all of the pieces together like a puzzle. The dark blue you see in his pinstripe suit and the crimson in his hat all meet in his red-and-blue diagonal tie. He completes the finishing touches with brown loafers.
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The Carolina Hurricanes showed off they could go from the links to the rinks, as the team welcomed the Washington Capitals to Carter-Finlay Stadium in Raleigh, N.C., for the NHL’s Stadium Series. The lads looked great in their newsboy caps, vintage wingtip oxford shoes and golf plus fours. Carolina played even better, as it beat the Capitals, 4-1, in the outdoor event.
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“The Godfather” reference was a little bit of foreshadowing for this week’s pièce de résistance. Enter the Los Angeles Kings winger who decided to line his All-Star Weekend suit with the cover art from my favorite movie.
The suit itself was exceptional with the diamond print, but the true work of art was revealed once he opened his jacket. I clearly wasn’t the only one who enjoyed it as Fiala received an extensive Instagram slideshow from the Kings that showed multiple angles of his fit from the red carpet.
(Photo of Michael Pezzetta: Francois Lacasse / NHLI via Getty Images)
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Hip Hop Beanie Rhiannon Walker covers Culture for The Athletic. Previously, she covered the Washington Commanders for The Athletic. She joined the company in 2018 after more than two years at ESPN’s The Undefeated, where she spent extensive time writing profiles, historical features and covering all major sports. She is a Prince George’s County native and is a proud graduate of the University of Maryland. Follow Rhiannon on Twitter @InstantRHIplay