Rangers Jersey: The Evolution of the Iconic Shield and Diagonal Lettering

The striping pattern of the jersey is inspired by the iconic lights of Madison Square Garden, the constant flow of New York City traffic, and the city’s vibrant energy. Inside the back collar, a subway tile motif features the word “Blueshirts,” paying homage to New York’s famous transit system.

It’s uncommon for the Rangers to feature their shield logo on the front of their jerseys. Traditionally, the team name appears diagonally across the chest.

The shield logo made a rare appearance on both the home and road jerseys during the 1976-77 and 1977-78 seasons when John Ferguson was the general manager. However, when Fred Shero took over as GM and coach on June 2, 1978, one of his first changes was to bring back the diagonal “Rangers” on the home jerseys and “New York” on the road. The diagonal “Rangers” also returned to the road jerseys in 1987.

The shield logo resurfaced in the early 2000s as part of the NHL’s Vintage Uniform program and again for the 2012 Winter Classic, when the Rangers faced off against the Philadelphia Flyers.