Crest Beginning with the second year, the Avalanche went to
a slightly larger crest. The larger crest measures 12" from the
top of the "A", straight down to the bottom-most portion of
the puck.
Custom
Sleeve Sizing Beginning in 96-97, the
jerseys had custom sleeve measurements from the factory. Instead of
a standard 7-8" cuff width, some players (not just goalies) were
wearing jerseys with factory sleeves as wide as 11". The jerseys
could also be ordered with sleeves in varying lengths. These numbers
are all contained in the hem tag, however to my knowledge no one has
completely figured out the numbering system. Additionally, some players
began having their sleeves altered with the addition of a panel sewn
into the underarm seam, creating huge sleeves.
Nameplates The letters measure 4".
The letters are sewn to a nameplate, which is sewn to the jersey. Beginning
in 96-97, the letters on the nameplates are uniform in their stroke
width. The letters are not stylized as in 95-96. The curvature of the
name varies greatly in 96-97, with shorter names being very curved and
longer names being almost flat.
Recycled Nameplates - a few 96-97
jerseys show nameplate changes, and/or a re-attached nameplate taken
from a 95-96 jersey. Probably only on preseason jerseys, however.
About the letter "G" -
In 96-97, the letter "G" gained a foot on it that was missing
in the inaugural year version.
Numbers 96-97 is the last year the Avalanche used the larger
back numbers. The back numbers measure 12.75 inches, while the sleeve
numbers measure 4.5 inches. After 96-97, the back numbers were reduced
in size to approximately 12".
In 96-97, a new inlaid number layering
was phased in, in which the layering was reversed. Instead of the traditional
top-to-bottom layering, the new construction featured the main portion
of the number on the bottom, with the outer two colors raised even with
each other, for an inlaid effect. Any particular jersey from this year
could have inlaid numbers on the sleeves only, on the back only, on
both, or not at all.
One particular curiosity has to do with
the number "2". For most of the first two seasons, the tail
of the "2" was pointed. Beginning with the 96-97 playoff set,
the 2's tail became flattened, no more point, and has remained that
way. This is a good way to distinguish between a playoff and a regular
season jersey, if you have a jersey with a "2".
Outer
hem logo The Starter and NHL logos
are now separate. This is also the only year the
Starter logo contains both the logo and the name "Starter"
together.
Set
Markings Any set marks appear as hand-marked
numbers on one of the collar tags. They do not always appear on the
same tag, and many are smudged almost beyond recognition. The set numbers
I have seen are "1", "2", and "P"(for
playoff?). I have seen a few shirts that have no set number, which could
mean they were used in the preseason or just didn't get marked.
Shrinkage The jerseys from this season seemed
to have a shrinkage problem. While the jersey itself looks normal, it
is not uncommmon for a 96-97 jersey to have the crest or numbers puckered
out. The crest will also sometimes show excessive wrinkling because
of this. This occurs to some degree in any of the shirts, but it seems
to be worse in the 96-97's.
Size tag Unique to this year is location
of the size tag in the hem. The tag contains not only the jersey size,
but also numbers pertaining to the sleeve configuration.
The numbers are screened on, with the tag sewn into the jersey.
Washing
Tags The washing
tags are located inside the jersey, stitched into the side seam. Most,
but not all of the jerseys carry two tags. One tag is a soft cloth tag
with the washing instructions embroidered on it. The other tag, which
is placed right next to the first tag, is the "Ripon Athletic"
tag. Unlike the inaugural year, however, most jerseys carrying the dual
tag have the "Ripon" tag carefully cut out, with the remnant
remaining in the seam. The cloth tags normally don't carry the Starter
logo like the first year. Please note: though
few, there are variations of these tags:
