New York Islanders: Remembering the Infamous Fisherman Uniforms

Many New York Islanders fans will never be able to forget the awful fisherman jerseys. Just how bad was the idea for New York?

It’s been two decades since one of the NHL’s biggest and most embarrassing mistakes. In 1995 the New York Islanders decided to do the unthinkable. Not only did they ditch their iconic uniform and logo that represented four straight Stanley Cups, but replaced this heritage with a logo that was so bad, they team changed it as quickly as they could.

The organization decided that it wanted to update the team look with not only a new uniform, but a new identity. The idea behind the fisherman logo was to identify with the rich history of the Long Island fishing industry. However, the reaction from the fanbase was so visceral, the team changed the logo as quickly as they could under the NHL guidelines.

The logo and the re-brand only lasted two seasons and as the team struggled on the ice, the uniform became synonymous with losing. What made it even worse was the fan reactions. On the road the uniforms created the chant “we want fish sticks” as fans likened the logo to the Gorton’s Fisherman. It also didn’t help when the Islander fans began their own version of the chant “No more fish sticks!”

The fisherman uniform is long gone, and while the franchise has had their fair share of bad uniforms over the years, such as the black alternates, the fisherman uniforms became one of the most hated uniforms in sports.

Next: 3 Takeaways From Islanders win vs. Rangers

The good news for Islander fans, and NHL fans, is that after years of messing around with their uniforms, the team finally has gone back their traditional uniforms that became famous for the team’s legendary Stanley Cup run.