Colorado Avalanche players showed off their sartorial successes throughout the season with their choices in the suits they wore to games.
The Colorado Avalanche, as all NHL players do, must wear suits to games. This includes onto the plane as they travel for road games. (My understanding is that many of them change into sweat suits once they’re on the plane itself.)
Now, before I got into Colorado’s sartorial success, I’d like to address this custom of wearing suits. I don’t believe it’s in their contracts. I don’t think they could be fined or benched for not wearing a suit. If one of the veterans wanted to go all Dustin Byfugilen and throw the unsuitable clothing into the showers, that would be up to him.
However, I don’t think it’s a hard and fast rule. I believe it’s an expectation — a custom.
That said, the suggestion has been for the NHL to go with no dress code:
I don’t think it will ever happen, but I’d love to see the NHL go no dress code. 99% of guys will still wear suits but you’d get some young guys who would show off their personality. Whether that’s streetwear or high fashion, it would add a fun element and appeal to a new crowd.
— Shawn McKenzie (@ShawnMcKenzieSN) April 25, 2018
It’s even been said that the players spend so much of their time in workout gear, they should be allowed to show up for games that way. Well, that’s exactly what I think will happen. 99% of the players will not continue to wear suits. And very few of them will wear any kind of fashion apparel. I imagine they’ll either show up in workout gear or in the jeans and T-shirts they wear to practices. (The exception to that is the Europeans — they may favor their fashion.)
Here’s how the prosepcts arrived to an intra-squad scrimmage:
📍 Fort Collins#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/qxXRR4be8G
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) July 1, 2018
That’s fine for prospects in the middle of summer, but it’s not a greatly respectful look for veterans.
It’s a matter of respect for what you’re doing. There’s no reason a banker can’t negotiate a deal in sweat pants. However, the accepted dress code is a suit. When the players show up for games in suits, they’re showing a measure of respect for the building, the game and the fans.
Anyway, moving on to Avalanche players specifically. I realize I’m biased, but they show mad suit game. Indeed, I follow some other team accounts, and the Avs one of the best-dressed teams around.
Here’s an example of rookies and veterans showing up for games all kitted out in very handsome suits:
Back (to back) business. #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/bzpqRfLaAU
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) February 10, 2018
Defenseman Tyson Barrie has a very nice wool coal with some great variegation in color. And Erik Johnson apparently favors Hugo Boss:
There are two kinds of defenseman...#GoAvsGo https://t.co/CJJWIb5s0O
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) February 7, 2018
I have it from a Nordstrom’s suit seller that Hugo Boss is, indeed, very popular among the suit-wearing set.
By the way, Erik Johnson should love the camera, because the camera certainly loves him:
Except for THIS ONE TIME!!
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) May 3, 2018
(We cherish this video.) #GoAvsGo https://t.co/bQfUMMsok0
Even though they’re North Americans, Quebecois always seem to have the panache of the French. Last season, goalie Jonathan Bernier was a great example:
Jonathan just might be the best-dressed guy on the squad.#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/pRDiqxtnyh
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) May 18, 2018
Indeed, J. Bern’s suit game was almost model-like. Let’s just take a moment to celebrate his scarf game:
✈️ Winnipeg #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/BQJVoDRVnx
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) February 15, 2018
So sophisticated. For matters sartorial, Bernier even brought Sam Girard into the fold:
We’re here.#BeatTheBlues #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/eoyfDNpp5q
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) April 7, 2018
Tyson Jost also showed a level of sophistication with his blue suit. In fact, as the season wore on, I became very impressed with Jost’s suit game. Check out this light gray number:
Back at home.
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) February 6, 2018
Back to business.#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/6nkpnWrbuB
Let’s face it, Alexander Kerfoot was also on point with that periwinkle blue tie.
Fellow rookie J.T. Compher wasn’t about to be left out in the suit game:
Sometimes it’s in the details — this is an upscale shirt for JT C ompher. (Props also to Matt Nieto on the very stylish checks.)
About midway through the season, I started getting worried for Anton Lindholm’s ankles:
We’re here to #OwnTheOnze.#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/AY9WxcsqZ5
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) January 23, 2018
Sven Andrighetto is also not a big fan of socks:
You have two tries to guess who loves pregame suit photos the most.#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/n5Iybjlh0a
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) December 29, 2017
No, really, didn’t his ankles get cold?
Same suit for Sven.
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) April 22, 2018
Why change what works?#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/IgVOeOs0rD
Sven is very, very stylish.#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/mqlDiHCRy6
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) May 5, 2018
My favorite part about the second set of photos is that all his suits seems to be shrunk too small. But that’s they way they’re cut! You can only pull off that full look when you’re European. Also, we have to take some time to fully appreciate those gray pedal-pushers with the grid pattern.
Now, if there were going to be an award for Colorado Avalanche player with the most unique suit game, it would go to Russian-born defenseman Nikita Zadorov:
No, really, he was a fashion plate:
Z’s suit game 🔥🔥🔥#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/2GKYYdbrzL
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) May 10, 2018
Nikita Zadorov also liked to show off some ankle — as well as some fancy shoes:
Suited up and seeking 11-straight home wins.#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/cngzUHaRrO
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) February 18, 2018
I don’t know why you’d want to take that out of tradition. Also, how about that green suit from Colin Wilson, not to mention the black shirt with blue suit in Blake Comeau. Neither one should have worked. Both did.
Mikko Rantanen, on the other hand, favored socks:
We miss this!#IsItOctoberYet!?#OhSnap #GoAvsGo https://t.co/dczJ5AjFGA
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) July 17, 2018
Though not always:
Rockin’ that runway ✌️✌️#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/2mwjZMnf1b
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) May 27, 2018
Now, we don’t want to get too much farther without moving on to someone you expect to be especially well-dressed — the captain. This is especially true when your captain is basically a Swedish model. However, there was that one time he went super casual.
A little casual action from our cap and his buddies on Valanetines’ Day:
Have a great day, No. 4 👊#HBD #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/qvsJerfhFk
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) July 26, 2018
Cap cleans up well, though:
The coolest Captain in the league.
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) May 26, 2018
(Yes, we’re biased, but this is just a fact.) #GoAvsGo https://t.co/gtRDKoFgpc
Those sunglasses really make the look.
Now, ties are not mandatory. As you can see in the video above, our captain wasn’t wearing a tie. However, he still looked very dapper.
Nathan MacKinnon did not wear a tie to walk the red carpet at the All Star Game. This was very disappointing. Most of the other players went all out, at least wearing the best of what they already had. Nate Dawg needed to channel his inner 50 Cent.
So many fans. So many autographs.#NHLAllStar #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/QFm8oZIoMZ
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) January 28, 2018
He did, however, wear a tie to the NHL Awards:
Happy to be here!#NHLAwards #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/C9XkshewXY
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) June 20, 2018
Everybody wants to chat with Nate.
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) June 20, 2018
(We don’t blame them.)#NHLAwards #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/CVlxSMp7Xb
SHARP.#NHLAwards #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/thRG2aUhsX
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) June 20, 2018
Speaking of ties, Rocco Grimaldi didn’t spend much time in an Avalanche uniform this year, but he did spend at least one night in this bold ensemble:
👋👋👋#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/TTBYJPaRDr
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) February 15, 2018
Props to the man for matching his tie to his red shirt!
Now, above I showed a tweet of the prospects arriving to a intra-squad game in their regular clothes. However, Sampo Ranta alone shows us we have nothing to worry about with the suit game moving forward for the Colorado Avalanche:
Sampo’s shoes 👀🔥#NHLDraft #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/Sjk3HG1Yo3
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) June 23, 2018
If the young man pays that much attention to detail in his shoes, imagine how his whole suit game will play out.
With the advent of social media, we see Colorado Avalanche — and all NHL players — in various forms of dress. While we love them in their uniform, wearing our team colors, there’s still something satisfying about seeing the players dressed up in suits. It all comes back down to tradition and respect.
And, as we saw above, players still have plenty of ways to show off their personalities.