Good Morning, Islanders Country.
In 1995, the Islanders tried to reinvent themselves with a new logo: a grizzled fisherman, a mix of Stan Fischler and the Gorton Fisherman, gripping a hockey stick. It lasted two seasons. For a generation of fans, it became shorthand for the franchise's darkest stretch. There was no coming back to the days of ‘Fishsticks.’
Thirty-one years later, the Fisherman is back… again.
And this time, (some) people seem to like it.
On Monday, the NHL and Fanatics unveiled Hometown Remix jerseys for all 32 teams, and the Islanders’ version confirmed what months of leaks had already suggested. It’s a white Fisherman sweater with navy shoulders, lighthouse patches, and the familiar teal-and-orange wave striping along the bottom.
The reaction has been a far cry from 1995.
The Big Lead ranked it among the league's three best designs. “Once mocked across the league, the design has aged surprisingly well. Its clean colors and 1990s-inspired appearance make this a perfect opportunity to bring back one of hockey’s most recognizable throwback looks,” they wrote.
The Athletic ranked it 5th of 32 teams, with one contributor stating, “Tired of people disrespecting the Fisherman logo. It’s an iconic logo that deserves more love,” and another declaring, “I absolutely love this jersey. It’s creative, it’s vintage-inspired, it’s perfectly Long Island.”
Meanwhile, senior writer Mark Lazerus, who grew up on Long Island, shared a sentiment that is common among his generation. ‘I don’t understand why the Islanders keep on dredging up the traumatic childhood memories of their fan base. It’s mean. Stop. Stop trying to make fishsticks happen. It’s not kitsch. It’s not retro cool. It’s just terrible.”
That split of opinion is part of the fun. The Fisherman has gone from punchline to throwback to, maybe, a genuine fan favorite. It showed up as the second Reverse Retro. It even reached the final eight of the team’s fan-designed jersey contest before being voted out. And now it gets 11 games on NHL ice.
For over three decades, you’ve either loved it or hated it, but for the first time it feels like even those that loathe it are accepting that it has a place in history, and revisiting that history doesn’t have to carry all the baggage from that era.
