Seeing one of your team’s beloved NHL stars donning a different team’s uniform can be strange for fans. It’s almost like watching a lifelong friend change sides in a rivalry. This week, the Nashville Predators shared Steven Stamkos’ arrival into town and posted photos of him in a Preds uniform. It was odd, not just for Tampa Bay fans, but for NHL fans who thought he’d finish his career with the Lightning.
Stamkos didn’t want to leave Tampa, but he’s moving on and is excited about his opportunity with the Predators. “I think the more we see the colors and the jerseys and just the overall support that this team has in this city, it’s going to feel a lot like our new home pretty quickly,” he said when speaking with media on Tuesday.
This isn’t the first time a player has looked odd in a different uniform. Last season it was Patrick Kane with the Red Wings and the Rangers before that. Claude Giroux also looked strange going from a Flyers’ uniform to a Senators’ one.
In the video from The Hockey News Ken Campbell, here’s a list of players who looked simply out of place in another team’s sweater. Which players rank among the weirdest?
Strange Uniform One: Bobby Orr with the Chicago Blackhawks (1976-1978)
One of the greatest defensemen in NHL history, Bobby Orr, is synonymous with the Boston Bruins. His move to the Chicago Blackhawks in 1976 was unexpected and unfortunate. Orr played only 26 games over parts of two seasons with the Blackhawks, and the move was later revealed to be influenced by his agent, Alan Eagleson, who failed to inform Orr of the Bruins’ offer of part ownership to keep him in Boston.
This switch is widely regarded as a mistake and remains a poignant example of a player who should have never left his original team. Eagleson’s move effectively kept him out of the Hockey Hall of Fame. It was dishonest.
Strange Uniform Two: Phil Esposito with the New York Rangers (1975-1981)
Phil Esposito was a scoring machine for the Boston Bruins. However, in 1975, he was traded to the New York Rangers. The trade shocked Esposito, who had just asked not to be sent to the Rangers. Seeing him in a Rangers uniform after his stellar career with the Bruins was jarring.
Despite playing six more productive seasons in New York, Esposito never quite looked right in anything other than a Bruins sweater.
Strange Uniform Three: Martin Brodeur with the St. Louis Blues (2014-2015)
Martin Brodeur, a New Jersey Devils legend, finished his career with a brief and forgettable stint with the St. Louis Blues. He played only seven games for the Blues before retiring.
Strange Uniform Four: Grant Fuhr with the Calgary Flames (1999-2000)
Grant Fuhr, best known for his time with the Edmonton Oilers during their dynasty years, ended his career with the Calgary Flames. This move was particularly strange given the intense rivalry between the Oilers and Flames. He played for the Blue and Orange during many crucial “Battle of Alberta” matchups.
Strange Uniform Five: Borje Salming with the Detroit Red Wings (1989-1990)
Borje Salming spent all but one season of his Hall of Fame career with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He became a beloved figure in Toronto. For the 1989 season, he signed with the Detroit Red Wings, citing frustration with the Leafs’ losing ways.
Ironically, in his only season with Detroit, the Red Wings played far worse than the Maple Leafs. They missed the playoffs and won only 28 games. Salming’s move to Detroit is remembered as a sad end to an otherwise stellar career in Toronto. Ultimately, he regretted the move and wished he would have stayed a Maple Leafs player for his entire career.
