EDMONTON, AB – MARCH 12: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers looks during a break in play against the Montreal Canadiens on March 12, 2017 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)

The Edmonton Oilers are moving on from their iconic blue jerseys in favor of something a bit brighter. As the NHL moves on from Reebox and towards Adidas as their official supplier/manufacturer of NHL uniforms, the league is forcing teams to abandon their alternate looks for 2017-18. That means that all teams are being forced to choose one home and one road look and that means a significant change for the Oilers.

The Oilers will adopt their orange sweaters as their official home look beginning with the playoffs this season. They will then keep the orange look to go along with their white road jerseys for 2017-18. That’s a pretty significant change as the Oilers have had an official blue jersey ever since they debuted in the NHL back in 1979.

Here’s a look at the team’s blue color scheme which will soon be a thing of the past.

(Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)

The new orange uniform isn’t a huge departure from their familiar blue, but it’s certainly noticeable – especially if you left your sunglasses at home.

So, why are the Oilers going orange? Simply, the team is focusing on a new era.

Bob Nicholson, Oilers Entertainment Group vice-chairman, says that while honoring tradition and history is important, the Oilers are looking ahead to a brighter future.

Via The Score:

“I want to touch and respect the past, but we’re in a new building. We’re in a new era. We have a new leader in Connor McDavid. We have a team that is building their identity for today.”

That new identity has already resulted in a playoff berth – the first for the Oilers since 2006 – and it’s clear the future is bright. With new stars, a new building and new hope for the future, perhaps a new look at home makes sense.

Nicholson added:

“It’s great to talk about playoff memories from the past and 2006 (trip to Stanley Cup Final), but this is a new era. We will go orange for the playoffs with the jerseys. Next year, we are mandated by the NHL to go to two uniforms without a third jersey. We will have two new uniforms, one orange and one white.”

Orange isn’t a bad look for the Oilers. Their new look with orange as the dominant color is just a twist on their previous scheme where blue was the dominant player. With expectations rising, moving away from jerseys linked to years of disappointment might be a wise decision.

About David Rogers

Editor for The Comeback and Contributing Editor for Awful Announcing. Lover of hockey, soccer and all things pop culture.