30 best NHL jerseys of all-time

9. Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets are yet another team with a challenging mascot. Their traditional star emblem design is confusing and has little to do with the Blue Jackets at all. That other logo, which features a star with the Ohio state flag wrapped around it, is bland to say the least.

The Ohio flag is not one of most recognizable flags in the United States and the stars seemed out of place for a team named the Blue Jackets. The attempt at a patriotic design is notable, but the execution just isn’t there.

Incorporating the cannon and plainly stating “Columbus Blue Jackets” makes the jersey easier for newcomers to the game to identify and it is just plainly more aesthetically pleasing. This design makes the cannon the main focal point. That makes perfect sense because every time the Jackets score at home, a cannon goes off.

From a strategic message standpoint, it’s ingenious to tie the two elements together in one jersey. It reinforces the fact that Columbus is unique in their cannon-firing method of celebration and it further perpetuates the experience of attending a Blue Jackets home game.

Hopefully the Jackets can take a more logical and literal approach to their next design, but until then this is by far their best sweater option.