(Photo Credit: Adidas Hockey)

By: Theo Lander | Follow me on Twitter @lander_theo

The Boston Bruins released their second installment of the Adidas “Reverse Retro” jersey series Thursday morning. The new sweater dons an old Bruins classic; the notorious “Pooh Bear” logo has returned as the primary logo of this jersey. While that logo initially appeared on a yellow jersey with black trim, the new version will be on a white jersey with an identical trim.

Available on November 15th, Bruins fans will have the chance to sport the same logo that has been missing from action since 2006. The team wore this logo for ten years, and Bergeron will be the sole player to wear the Pooh Bear for the second time in his career. David Krejci is the only other current Bruin who was on the team back then, spending most of that season with the Providence Bruins.

This polarizing logo has caused some divide among the bruins fan base for years. In 2019, Bruins Team President Cam Neely voiced his negative opinions on the pooh bear and his lack of desire for it to return.

Even Patrice Bergeron has his concerns about the logo. Ty Anderson of 98.5 the Sports Hub reported that same year that Patrice found the original pooh bear jersey to be “a little loud” and mentioned, “we can do better”:

“I don’t have anything bad to say about it, but it was a little loud. Even the colors were a little… loud. I didn’t really care to be honest with you, I was happy to be there. I was wearing it with a lot of pride, but I don’t know about bringing it back. We can do better [than the Pooh Bear jersey], probably, with the history. There’s so many great jerseys that have been here, so I would probably bring another era back.”

Patrice Bergeron

While many will have their nose in the air at this news, I think the Bruins nailed it here. The Pooh Bear’s original rendition was also excellent, but I agree with Bergeron’s point that it was too loud. I think replacing the yellow with the white makes it look a bit cleaner, a more mature version. The shoulder patches are brash, as is the trim, which is presumably what the designers were going for in an attempt to embody the spirit of this franchise. 

“The Reverse Retro 2022 program, our latest collaboration with Adidas and all 32 teams, celebrates the intersection of lifestyle, culture, and of course, hockey with a youthful, fan-forward focus,” said Brian Jennings, NHL Chief Brand Officer, and Senior Executive Vice President. “Each design captures the team’s unique spirit that connects the past with the future. We look forward to rekindling the passionate discussion and debate among team fanbases that this simultaneous launch of all 32 designs is sure to generate.”

“A youthful, fan-forward focus” is something the NHL should be keen on, and they absolutely delivered here. Some people need reminding that it’s okay just to have fun with hockey. The more personality teams, players, and fans are allowed to show, the more this sport will continue to grow—A+ effort from the NHL and Adidas here.