Capitals fans want 'Screaming Eagle' sweaters to be permanent — and they're right

The Washington Capitals heard fans clamoring for the return of the black "Screaming Eagle" alternate sweaters and they answered.

For six games only during the 2024-25 season, the team will wear the jerseys inspired by its 1995 design — repurposed for Adidas' Reverse Retro 2.0 campaign in 2022.

The team revealed the return of the fan favorites in a birthday surprise video on social media for captain Alexander Ovechkin. The now 39-year-old is a big fan of the design, similar to the one he wore when he made his league debut in 2004.

Caps fans want a permanent wardrobe change

Washington fans were elated to see the return of the "Screaming Eagle" but the fact that it's such a brief cameo — in part to comply with NHL jersey regulations — is bumming a lot of people out.

The Capitals are celebrating their 50th season in the NHL this year, and the return of the retro jerseys is likely a part of the marketing campaign. But after so many years of being voted "worst home jersey," the team needs to realize the time is ripe for a re-brand.

Washington's current home and away setup is the most boring and counter-intuitive design in hockey.

The team is called the Capitals and yet, the logo is in all lower-case letters. That mistake was made as soon as the team entered the league in 1974.

Those threads will probably make a return for the 50th season celebration, naturally, but if the team wants to step forward into a new era — one that will be post-Ovechkin come 2026 — then a re-imagining will be critical.

What better way to honor the Ovechkin legacy and let the first 50 years of the franchise rest in peace, than to return to the logos and designs that best represent the city of Washington, D.C. Not to mention the fans are literally begging for it at this point.

The team's 2020 Reverse Retro 1.0 sweaters would be a perfect combination of old and new. The red and blue of the 2008 re-brand hand-in-hand with the logos of the '90s that fans resonate most with. It just makes sense.