Flyers Go Back To The ‘90s (Sort Of) With New Jerseys

For the first time in well over a decade, the Philadelphia Flyers are overhauling their home and road sweaters... kind of... a little bit.

The Broad Street Bullies unveiled their new duds on Tuesday morning and there's a definite Lindros-era flavor to them.

The biggest change is that the Flyers are switching their shade of orange. They will go back to the burnt orange they used in the 1980s and '90s.

“These burnt orange sweaters are one of the most iconic symbols of Flyers hockey,” Flyers President of Hockey Operations and Alternate Governor Keith Jones said in a press release. “There’s no doubt that this look is known throughout the NHL and uniquely beloved by our fans because it brings to life one of the most important parts of our rebuild – it honours our past while we continue to forge a new path forward.”

This new set isn't an exact replica of the jerseys from that era, but it does borrow the wider sleeve stripes and the black stripe on the hem from the sweaters worn by franchise greats like Mark Howe, Ron Hextall, Eric Lindros, and John LeClair.

Some touches serve as nods to other eras of the team's history. These include single-color numbers on the sleeves which were used in the late '60s. Meanwhile, the contrasting nameplates were a hallmark of the team's most recent set.

Flyers Have A Solid New Jersey Set... If You Ignore That Ad

This will likely be one of the last jersey sets Adidas produces before they turn the keys over to Fanatics. I think they've done a great job over the years and this is another solid set.

The Flyers have an iconic look, and you don't want to mess with it too much. As a fan, I'm digging these. I especially like the new/old shade of orange and how the single-color numbers sit on the wider sleeve stripe.

Now.... let's address the elephant in the room: for the first time in franchise history, the Flyers have a jersey sponsor. And it's big and blue.

The new home jersey and the returning black alternate jersey will feature patches advertising Philadelphia-based insurance company Independence Blue Cross.

I get that jersey ads are an inevitability, one that the Flyers managed to avoid longer than others. I just wish that the colors were reversed and the bulk of the ad was white so it didn't pop out so much. Although, I'm aware that that's the point of an ad.

The Flyers are entering a new (desperately needed) chapter in franchise history. So this is a good time to switch things up.

The Flyers have a new GM in Daniel Briere. He takes over after the team failed to make the playoffs for the third straight year, head coach John Tortorella's first season behind the bench.

Follow on Twitter: @Matt_Reigle