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Ranking Canada's best and worst Olympic hockey jerseys

On Wednesday, Hockey Canada released the sweaters the Canadians will wear at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

Canada will have three unis, with white, red, and black serving as the primary colours for each sweater.

I'll be honest, these jerseys are certainly not my favourite from the long line of Canadian sweaters worn at the Olympics, with the weirdly-designed maple leaf logos being my main issue with these fits. Looking at these did get me pondering about some of the classic looks Canada has donned at the Games before, however.

Here are my definitive rankings of Canada's Olympic hockey uniforms.

14. Albertville 1992

23 Feb 1992:  General view of the players in action during the Ice Hockey match between Canada and France at the 1992 Winter Olympic Games in Albertville, France. Canada won the match 3-2. \ Mandatory Credit: Rick  Stewart/Allsport
(Credit: Rick Stewart/Allsport) (Rick Stewart via Getty Images)

These are by far the worst uniforms Canada has worn at the Olympics. To this day, I still don't understand why someone wanted them to wear all that blue. Also, those arms are way too busy. I wasn't alive when this tournament happened, so can someone please tell me, what the heck is on both Canada and France's sleeves?

Canada won silver at the 1992 Games, losing gold to the Unified Team which consisted of Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Uzbekistan, and Armenia.

13. Lake Placid 1932

An American hockey play attempts to sweep the puck away from a Canadian in a match between their two countries in the 1932 Lake Placid Olympics, early February, 1932. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
(Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (Hulton Archive via Getty Images)

The Winnipeg Hockey Club represented Canada at the 1932 Olympics and won gold.

The only thing I could find from those Games was this drawn photo, and if I'm not mistaken, Canada's showing a little skin with those low-cut socks and thigh-cut pants?

If not, let's pretend they are!

12. Antwerp 1920

Canadian PM Martin, Icelandic PM Asgrimsson, and Manitoba Premier Doer try on Winnipeg Falcon jerseys in Winnipeg.  (L-R) Canada's Prime Minister Paul Martin, Iceland's Prime Minister Halldor Asgrimsson and Manitoba Premier Gary Doer try on Winnipeg Falcon jerseys while visiting an exhibit in Winnipeg July 29, 2005. The Winnipeg Falcons hockey team won the gold medal at the 1920 Olympic games and was made up of many second generation Icelanders. REUTERS/Fred Greenslade
(REUTERS/Fred Greenslade) (Reuters Photographer / reuters)

Again, I'm strongly against sweaters that primarily incorporate colours that are not included in the country's flag (with the exception of black). The Winnipeg Falcons wore these at the 1920 Games and won gold, although Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin, Iceland Prime Minister Halldor Asgrimsson, and Manitoba Premier Gary Doer are the ones pictured above in 2005 wearing the retro uni.

Yellow on a Canadian jersey doesn't make sense to me.

11. Lillehammer 1994

25 FEB 1994:  CANADA 5 VS'' FINLAND 3.  K. LOVIN OF CANADA AND M. MAEKELAE OF FINLAND IN ACTION AT THE 1994 LILLEHAMMER WINTER OLYMPICS.  Mandatory Credit: Pascal Rondeau/ALLSPORT
(Credit: Pascal Rondeau/ALLSPORT) (Pascal Rondeau via Getty Images)

Team Canada presented by Reebok should've been the name Canada entered this tournament with. How can you look anywhere other than the massive Reebok logo featured on the shoulder?

Once you get past it, the rest of the look isn't that bad. I like the red leaf and lines inside the white maple leaf, and the red pants and red socks go well.

Canada took home silver in Albertville.

10. St. Moritz 1948

Players of the Ottawa RCAF Flyers, in the Canadian national kit, who represented Canada at the 1948 Winter Olympics, at the St Moritz Olympic Ice Rink in St Moritz, Switzerland, 1948. (Photo by FPG/Archive Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
(Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (FPG via Getty Images)

Ok, so this look is nice, but I have to stay true to my grading system and criticize the 1948 Olympic design for heavily incorporating the colour blue. I know it's hard to tell because the photo is in black and white, but this entire jersey was blue except for the red maple leaf in the middle, the white circle around it, and a few red stripes.

The Ottawa RCAF Flyers, who represented Canada at the event, won gold.

9. Beijing 2022

Let's be honest, these sweaters will be pretty forgettable when the 2022 Games are all said and done.

The striping on the shoulders and sleeves are fine, but the robo maple leaf emblem is horrible. Maybe it'll grow on me a bit, but as of right now, it doesn't sit well with me.

8. PyeongChang 2018

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea - FEBRUARY 22: Canada Women's Hockey defender Lauriane Rougeau (5) blocks a hard shot with her body as U.S. Women's Hockey forward Dani Cameranesi (24) from Plymouth, MN and Canada Women's Hockey goalie Shannon Szabados (1) look on during the women's gold medal hockey game with the  U.S.A. defeating Canada 3-2 in a shootout during the 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Hockey Center on February 22, 2018 in PyeongChang, South Korea. (Photo by Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

I don't like the dimples inside the red maple leaf. There's something about the simplicity of the maple leaf on its own that just looks so good, and this look really gets away from it.

The arms also look clunky to me, as there's tiger stripes on the bottom of the sleeve and then that red Michelin-man looking design at the top.

The men's team won bronze while the women took home silver at the 2018 Games.

7. Chamonix 1924

The Canadian ice hockey team (from left: Canadian ice hockey player Harry Watson (1898-1957), Canadian ice hockey player Bert McCaffrey (1893-1955), Canadian ice hockey player Harold McMunn (1902-1964), Canadian ice hockey player Beattie Ramsey (1895-1952), Canadian ice hockey player Cyril Slater (1897-1969), Canadian ice hockey player Dunc Munro (1901-1958), Canadian ice hockey player Hooley Smith (1903-1963), and Canadian ice hockey player Jack Cameron (1900-1981)), after their victory (winning the final 6-1) over the United States in the final of the men's ice hockey event of the 1924 Winter Olympics, at the Stade Olympique de Chamonix in Chamonix, France, 3rd February 1924. Canada was represented by amateur ice hockey team Toronto Granites at the Games. (Photo by Topical Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
(Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (Topical Press Agency via Getty Images)

I did say I like simple, but these are maybe a little too simple? I can work with the crest, and I like that guy on the right's hat, but having nothing on the shoulders or sleeves is a little too basic for me.

The Toronto Granites, who represented Canada at the 1924 Games, won gold.

6. Turin 2006

Turin, ITALY:  Canadians hockey players pose with their gold medals at the end of the ice hockey women's gold medal game Sweden vs Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics, 20 February 2006 at the Palasport Olimpico in Turin.    AFP PHOTO DON EMMERT  (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP via Getty Images)
(DON EMMERT/AFP via Getty Images) (DON EMMERT via Getty Images)

I like having the Hockey Canada logo on the Canadian uniforms and I think these are a sharp look from the jerseys to the pants to the socks. The only criticism I do have about the 2006 sweaters is the stripes on the arm and underarm, which is enough to knock it down a couple of spots in the rankings.

The Canadian women won gold in Turin while the Canadian men finished seventh — which remains the worst performance by a Canadian hockey team at the Winter Games.

5. Cortina d'Ampezzo 1956

26th January 1956:  Denis Brodeur, the first line goalkeeper of Canada's ice hockey team during a practice match. The team are in training to defend their title against Russia in the Winter Olympics at Cortina D'Ampezzo, Italy.  (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)
(Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images) (Fox Photos via Getty Images)

These are cool in the sense that I'd actually wear these on a pretty regular basis. They are genuinely a sweater, which I think is such a nice vintage look. I'm fine with the stemmed maple leaf and the Olympic Games emblem inside of it. I'd wear this out no questions asked if I had one in my closet.

The Canadians took home bronze at the 1956 Games.

4. Sochi 2014

SOCHI, RUSSIA - FEBRUARY 20:  (L-R) Gold medalists Hayley Wickenheiser #22, Natalie Spooner #24, Tara Watchorn #27 and Marie-Philip Poulin #29 of Canada celebrate during the flower ceremony for the Ice Hockey Women's Gold Medal Game on day 13 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Bolshoy Ice Dome on February 20, 2014 in Sochi, Russia.  (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) (Doug Pensinger via Getty Images)

This is another great jersey. I like the sideways Canadian flag design, and the gold trim around the maple leaf is a subtle reminder to all that Canada is a gold-medal factory at the Games.

The maple leafs around the collar are nice as well, and it's just an all-around clean look.

The Canadian women and men both left the Sochi Games with gold medals.

3. Nagano 1998

Wayne Gretsky #99 of Canada controls the puck during the Group D game against the United States in the Men's Ice Hockey tournament on 16 February 1998 during the XVIII Olympic Winter Games at the The Big Hat Arena, Nagano, Japan. (Photo by Elsa Hasch/Allsport/Getty Images)
(Photo by Elsa Hasch/Allsport/Getty Images) (Elsa via Getty Images)

After the atrocities Canada dawned through the early portion of the 1990s, it's nice to see the country cleaned itself up as the millennium neared its close. These jerseys were a crisp look and even though there's a decent amount of silver, I actually don't hate it when used sparingly like this.

Despite having a veteran Wayne Gretzky on the squad, Canada's men couldn't capture a medal at the Nagano Games, but the women earned silver.

2. Salt Lake City 2002

24 Feb 2002:  Joe Sakic #91 of Canada celebrates after scoring the team's fifth goal against the USA during the men's ice hockey gold medal game of the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games at the E Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit:  Al Bello/Getty Images
(Al Bello/Getty Images (Al Bello via Getty Images)

Call me old fashioned, but these things are absolutely gorgeous. There's not much to them, but that's just fine with me. The stripes on the bottom of the torso and sleeves are excellent and, as stated above, I really like that Hockey Canada emblem.

Sometimes less is more, and with Canada hockey jerseys, I think that's the case.

Both the men and women triumphantly won gold on American soil in 2002.

1. 2010 Vancouver

VANCOUVER, BC - FEBRUARY 28: Canada's Rick Nash and Canada's Sidney Crosby check out their medals.  Canada beats USA 3-2 in overtime for the gold.  Canadian Men's hockey team today played the USA at the Canada Hockey Place in Vancouver in the gold medal match-up.  This is the last competition of the Olympic games.        (Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
(Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images) (Richard Lautens via Getty Images)

There are just too many good emotions attached to these sweaters that I can't rank them anywhere else other than No. 1.

Mainly red and white with the exception of a little bit of gold trim, these sweaters were the perfect design for the 2010 Games which were played on Canadian ice. The maple leaf features a West Coast First Nations design on the inside, which was excellent in making sure the whole country was being represented during the Games.

Both the Canadian men's and women's team skated away with gold medals in Vancouver.

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