They say to live your life without regrets, but it’s natural to look back sometimes and wonder what might have been. But the Grand Rapids Griffins are taking one step further.
For their game tonight (Saturday, January 27) against the Belleville Senators, the American Hockey League team is hosting “What Could’ve Been Night,” where they’ll take the ice as the Grand Rapids Flying Toasters. “Flying Toasters” was one of the entries in the Griffins’ name-the-team contest way back in 1995.
The metamorphosis include a logo depicting a red toaster with a scowling face and wings that’s wearing skates and holding a hockey stick while pucks fly out of the slots on its back. “FLYING TOASTERS” is written out underneath in gold with a navy drop shadow and a red outline.
That logo will be front and center on the Flying Toasters’ jerseys, which will have a light blue base and broad red stripes bordered in white and navy blue around the waist and sleeves. The collar will red with laces in the front, and a winged-G logo will appear on both shoulders. The numbers on the sleeves (and presumably the back) will be white with red and navy outlines.
Unlike in the graphic above, game-worn jerseys had no ad on the upper back. Instead, they had a contrasting navy nameplate with white lettering outlined in red.
Game-worn Flying Toasters will be auctioned off after the game, though the Griffins didn’t specify how they’d auctioned off or where the proceeds would go. No word yet, either, on if any merchandise with the Flying Toasters logo will be available for purchase.
Puck drop between the Flying Toasters and the Senators is at 7 p.m. ET at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids.
UPDATE (January 29, 2024): Here are some photos of the Flying Toasters jerseys from Saturday night: