Throwback uniforms National Hockey League . Throwbacks were first introduced in the National Hockey League in their 75th anniversary season of 1991 – 92 . At the time , only the Original Six teams wore throwbacks , although they were also used in the All - Star game . While the NHL had long since replaced the heavy wool sweaters with more modern air - knit jerseys , the patterns for the 75th anniversary throwbacks were consistent with the original versions , with a few exceptions ( as noted below ) . Player surnames were worn on the back of the throwback jerseys , even though this wasn ' t originally the case ( the NHL did not require names on the jerseys until 1977 ) . The Original Six teams ' throwbacks included the following modifications : The Bruins ' colours were brown and gold during this era , but the throwback jerseys use a " basic black " scheme with a small amount of white and gold trim , with the " shield logo " on the front of the jersey , and the " spoked - B " modern day regular logo placed on the jersey shoulders . For the Winter Classic that they will host at Fenway Park on January 1 , 2010 , they are planning to wear bastardized replicas of the first " Spoked B " logo from 1947 - 48 on the 1955 - 58 gold jerseys . The Blackhawks ' " barber pole design was used one more time , in a game against Detroit at Chicago Stadium in January 1994 . A circa - 1936 design , featuring beige in the colour scheme , was used in the 2009 NHL Winter Classic on January 1 , 2009 at Chicago ' s Wrigley Field ; it would become the team ' s third jersey for the 2009 - 10 season . At the time the design was originally worn , the Red Wings were known as the Cougars . They wore their throwbacks again in the aforementioned game at Chicago Stadium in 1994 . ( The design was also used by Wayne Gretzky ' s team of All - Stars that toured Europe during the 1994 – 95 NHL lockout , and by the Adirondack Red Wings as a third jersey . For the Winter Classic in 2009 , the Wings donned a modified version of their inaugural 1926 sweater , which featured a single red stripe across the chest with a stylized " D " in the centre , along with the current winged wheel logo to the shoulders . The Canadiens ' red jerseys have changed very little . The differences between the throwback and their current jersey were the crew collar and the duplicate Canadiens logo on the left sleeve . Three " retro " jersey designs from the Canadiens ' past were authorized as part of the team ' s centennial celebration in 2009 . This jersey was notable because it was of the style the Rangers wore when they had last won the Stanley Cup . ( They won the cup again two years later . ) The two - stripe design was used for many years by the Maple Leafs , and after over two decades of the single - stripe design , the Leafs adopted a new version of the two - stripe design the following season . The stripes running down the sleeves of the All - Star jerseys were wider than those on the original versions . As other leagues began using throwbacks , interest in retro jerseys increased within the NHL . To celebrate new ownership , the New York Islanders wore a modified throwback design for one game in 1998 . The Buffalo Sabres pulled a similar stunt for a game in 2003 . The Toronto Maple Leafs also brought back a 1960s - era jersey as a third jersey beginning in 1998 – 99 . In 2003 – 04 , the NHL implemented a Vintage program , allowing several teams to wear throwback uniforms that were specially branded with a vintage " V " patch . The following teams were among those that participated in the program : These were notable as the Bobby Orr - era uniforms . The black throwbacks would replace the gold third jerseys in 2006 . The current Oilers only wore the white uniforms once , for the Heritage Classic . The Oilers alumni wore the blue version for the preceding MegaStars game . For 2008 - 09 , this uniform served as the Oilers ' third jersey and became the team ' s primary jersey in 2009 - 10 . The white throwbacks , similar in design to the red jersey with its blue - and - white stripe across the chest , continued to be worn as an alternate jersey in subsequent seasons . The red throwbacks featured a tie - up collar , a design feature that has seen a comeback in recent years , although it ' s there strictly for aesthetic purposes . This uniform , from the team ' s first season featured orange numbers on white trim against a royal blue background , serving as the 2008 - 09 third jersey , was elevated to their full - time home uniform in 2009 - 10 . This uniform featured the team ' s shield logo instead of " RANGERS " written diagonally across the chest . Ironically , these throwback jerseys were actually newer in design than their regular jerseys . Their then - current uniforms , introduced in 1998 , were at least partially inspired by these uniforms . The blue throwbacks would replace their screen - printed red / blue alternate in 2006 . These throwbacks served as the basis for Vancouver ' s new uniforms in 2007 . The first two times the Flyers wore these jerseys , the numbers were the same as the old ones . The numbers on the throwbacks worn in 2008 - 09 are the same as the numbers on their current road and third jerseys . These will serve as the Flyers ' primary home jerseys for the 2009 - 10 season ; a white version will be used for the Winter Classic at Fenway Park January 1 . A few teams also introduced " fauxback " uniform ( a term that was coined by Paul Lukas , the creator of the Uni Watch column and blog , for a faux throwback style of uniform ) designs as alternate jerseys . The Colorado Avalanche introduced burgundy third jerseys similar in design to the New York Rangers ' blue ones , while the Minnesota Wild introduced a red alternate featuring a logo encased in a circle containing the team ' s name , a feature previously used by the Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins . The 2004 National Hockey League All - Star Game also featured faux throwback designs . The Bruins , Canadiens , Maple Leafs , and Canucks used their throwbacks through 2006 – 07 . The Buffalo Sabres also wore a throwback blue - and - gold jersey for one season , bringing it back again in 2008 - 09 , and making it their 2009 - 10 home sweater . Although third jerseys were temporarily discontinued for 2007 – 08 so that teams could get used to the new Rbk Edge uniforms ( third jerseys returned for the 2008 - 09 season ) , Boston and Vancouver have adopted new uniforms that are based on their throwback designs . On January 1 , 2008 , the Sabres and the Penguins donned throwback uniforms in the AMP Energy NHL Winter Classic at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park , New York , albeit with Reebok ' s " Edge " design template . The Penguins also used the throwbacks as their third jersey for the 2008 – 09 season . And as mentioned earlier , at the 2009 NHL Winter Classic , the Blackhawks and the Red Wings wore throwback replicas at Wrigley Field and the Flyers and Bruins will don retro schemes at Fenway Park in 2010 . In recent years , CCM , now owned by Reebok , has made additional replica throwbacks available for sale , in addition to those in current use . 1992 throwbacks such as Detroit ' s and Chicago ' s were among those reissued , while others included older - era jerseys of current NHL teams the Phoenix Coyotes , the Colorado Avalanche , the Dallas Stars , and the New Jersey Devils when they had played in their former markets of ( Winnipeg , Quebec City , Bloomington , MN , and Denver ) . Regrettably , the forgettable " Flying - V " uniforms of the Vancouver Canucks were also reissued .