Why the Canadiens’ “Barber Pole” jersey went from NHL laughingstock to collector’s item
When you look up the worst jerseys in NHL history, one Montreal Canadiens sweater is regularly featured on those lists. Without naming the jersey, many will figure out which one it is just by that clue. The Canadiens “Barber Pole” jersey was originally used during the 1912-13 season, five years before the NHL even began. Most people probably would have never known about the jersey until the Canadiens brought it back during their centennial season in 2009. The jersey strays from the iconic CH logo for a maple leaf with CAC inside, and alternates blue, white, and red colours, which has a striking resemblance to a barbershop pole. The “Barber Pole” jersey did not have rave reviews. Many considered it an eyesore. However, nearly 20 years after the Canadiens brought the jersey back, it has become a sought-after collector’s item.
History behind the famous “Barber Pole” jersey
To discuss the Canadiens’ “Barber Pole” jersey, first we have to talk about the logo. For over 100 years, the only logo most Canadiens have ever seen is the one you see today. The CH logo is an icon in hockey. The most historic franchise in the NHL has never deviated from that logo since it was first introduced before the 1917-18 season. Before then, the Canadiens logo was C or CA, which was seen during the team’s centennial in 2009, when they were used as alternate jerseys throughout the season. However, for the “Barber Pole” jersey, they used CAC letters inside of a maple leaf. CAC stood for Club Athlétique Canadien, which they were known as at the time, switching to Club de hockey Canadien in 1916, where the iconic CH comes from.
For as much hate as the “Barber Pole” jersey gets, it was one of the franchise’s first jerseys to feature the name staples of a Canadiens jersey. The famous bleu, blanc, et rouge colourway. The first iteration of a Canadiens jersey did not feature red at all. Instead, their franchise’s first jersey used a blue and white colour scheme. The second iteration introduced the team’s red colour, but replaced the blue with green. The first time the Canadiens used the blue, white, and red colour pattern was in 1911. It was a mainly white jersey with blue and red highlights. Then came the “Barber Pole” jersey, the first Canadiens jersey to fully incorporate all the colours, though they might have missed the mark on the design.
The ridicule that came with wearing the “Barber Pole” jersey
When the Canadiens first introduced the jersey in 1912, it was met with the same response as when the team unveiled it in 2009. The jersey only lasted one season, and there were plenty of reasons why. The original Ottawa Senators franchise had a very similar striped jersey, and when they played each other, not only did the referees have trouble distinguishing which team was which, but the players did as well. The Senators even complained to the league that the two jerseys were too confusing during a high-paced game. However, the biggest problem with the jerseys was the fact that they made fans and opposing players dizzy. This was still an issue when the Canadiens brought back the jerseys during their centennial season.
It became more of an issue for opposing teams than it did for the Canadiens. “I was really concerned about it in warmup. When there were 23 guys skating around, I was dizzy and I didn’t know if I got enough sleep or what. It wasn’t as bad once there were five guys out there,” said Boston Bruins enforcer Shawn Thornton. The jerseys were hard on the eyes. That is clear, and fans could not help themselves from making comparisons to “Where’s Waldo” or something out of the Wonka factory. While some fans disliked the jersey, there were some who loved it. It is like bad movies that have a cult following. If you are looking to get your hands on the jersey today, it could easily set you back over $1000. From “get that jersey off my screen” to “how can I get my hands on one of those,” it has easily become one of the Canadiens’ most iconic jerseys, not because of its beauty, but because of how much it stands out from the rest.
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