The New Jersey Devils have a new alternate jersey, and I think it’s a winner. The NHL has lagged behind its other major sports league when it comes to marketing apparel, but it is trying to catch up in a hurry.

This week, the league released 31 alternate jerseys called “Retro Reverse.” Adidas, working with the teams, designed alternate jerseys for each club that in some way pays homage to their history. For the Devils, that meant going back to 1982 when they first moved to New Jersey.

Early fans will remember that the original accent color was green, not the black that we’re used to seeing (which they switched to in 1992) to go along with the dominant color of red. For the Devils’ retro jersey, Adidas flipped the original color scheme (hence the “reverse” part of retro reverse) and made the sweater’s main color green, and I think it looks awesome. According to the team, the green is meant to pay tribute to the greenery of the Pine Barrens, the home of New Jersey’s mythical devil. The original green accents on the team’s first jersey were intended to honor New Jersey’s status as the Garden State. The Devils plan on wearing the retro jerseys four times during the upcoming season (assuming there is one).

According to the team’s press release, “In the coming months, we look forward to bringing the storied first decade of our franchise to life through storytelling, unique immersive experiences, and fan-centric promotions tied to this jersey and the games in which we will wear it." You can buy your own retro-reverse jersey starting on Dec. 1 in the Devils’ online store.

If you have a few minutes, check out some of the other alternate jerseys. You can see some old favorites like the Rangers’ “Liberty” sweater and the Anaheim Mighty Ducks old cartoon duck, or a couple of real throwbacks - a Hartford Whalers jersey (now the Carolina Hurricanes) and an old Quebec Nordiques version (before they moved to Denver and became the Avalanche).

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Doyle. Any opinions expressed are Bill Doyle's own.

The Top Ten Christmas Songs People Want Banned

More From New Jersey 101.5 FM