The American Hockey League’s Springfield Thunderbirds are bringing back a long-running tribute to The Simpsons, complete with eeexcellent new jerseys.
On Saturday, February 10, the Thunderbirds will once again rebrand as the Springfield Ice-O-Topes for their game against the defending Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears. The team has been playing up their city having the same name as the one the fictional family lives in since 2020. (The Thunderbirds are based in Massachusetts, in case you were wondering.)
This year’s jerseys are neon green and feature a Simpson-ified version of the Thunderbirds’ primary logo on the front, complete with three eyes (thanks to contamination from Mr. Burns’ nuclear power plant), a navy blue thunderbolt and wispy Homer-esque hairs on the top and side of its head.
The jerseys have a navy blue collar and side panels, plus narrow navy blue and white striping around the around the hem and cuffs. The sleeves fade from neon green to navy blue down the arm. A navy blue and neon green Ice-O-Topes patch adorns each shoulder.
Based on graphics posted to the Thunderbirds’ social media accounts, the numbers on the sleeves and back, along with the C and the As worn by captains and assistants, appear to be white with navy blue outlines and set in the iconic Simpsons font.
The jersey will be paired with navy blue pants and gloves. The socks are neon green with white and navy blue stripes around the shins.
This is the fourth installment of Ice-O-Topes Night for the Thunderbirds. Here’s a look at previous Simpsons-themed jerseys:
With Springfield’s unveiling, it’s possible the “A” in AHL could stand for “animation.” Last week, the Providence Bruins unveiled Family Guy-themed jerseys that they’ll wear as part of Rhode Island Comic Con Weekend on February 16 and 18.
The jerseys include a rooster on the front in the style of the chicken Peter Griffin has fought multiple times on the show, and a shoulder patch with a bear’s head styled like that of Stewie Griffin’s trusty teddy, Rupert.
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