5 Noteworthy Items From the 2014 NHL Draft
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If you remember five things from the 2014 NHL Draft, this is what they should be.
1. Ducks debuted new primary jerseys
Hours after revealing their new uniform designs on Twitter, the Anaheim Ducks made Nicholas Ritchie the first player to wear it. The poor kid couldn't look more deer-in-headlights in his draft portraits, but he was the only one to sport the white sweater this weekend. Later round picks on Saturday were given the new black jersey.
PHOTOS: Arizona Coyotes
2. Coyotes changed name, shoulder patch
The Arizona Coyotes name was officially introduced at the draft, making Brendan Perlini the first member of the franchise in the post-Phoenix era. Note the new "AZ" shoulder patch on the jersey. The same logo is also featured on Perlini's hat.
PHOTOS: Columbus Blue Jackets
3. Blue Jackets tried All-Star Game patch again
Under the theory, "if at first you don't succeed..." the Columbus Blue Jackets gave to their draftees jerseys emblazoned with the 2015 All-Star Game patch — just as they did in 2012, when they were scheduled to host in 2013. It should take this time, though.
PHOTOS: St. Louis Blues
4. Blues brought only their third jersey
Every year there are a handful of drafted players that simply cannot take a good photo. This year, Robert Fabbri was a standout in that area. All I wanted was to point out that the St. Louis Blues — who will be launching new primary jerseys this summer — used their alternate at the draft. But all you'll be able to look at are Fabbri's weird faces.
PHOTOS: Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Colorado Avalanche
5. Only a few teams handed out white sweaters
It's common for teams to give out their colorful home jerseys at the draft — as evidenced by the fact that 27 of them did. But there are always some outliers, including four teams this year. The Buffalo Sabres and Colorado Avalanche were among them — as were the Minnesota Wild, who just introduced that white jersey late last summer. And of course the Ducks debuted their new road design as mentioned in No. 1 above. Full circle.
For now, I'll leave you with a look at all 31 jerseys from the 2014 NHL Draft.
PHOTOS: NHL, ESPN
By the way, the 2015 NHL Draft will be held in South Florida at the BB&T Center. We're still waiting on a logo, but as soon as I see one, look for it here.