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NHL style power rankings: Socks, ties and eccentric suits steal the show

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To wear socks or not to wear socks? That was the question with this week’s style ranking. There were eye-catching ties and even more head-turning suits worn the last two weeks of the NHL season.

Patrik Laine is not playing fair with the rest of the field. He can’t win every week, but he sure does make a good case. We had players using their surroundings to enhance their runway photos, while others leaned into a little holiday cheer.

So did Laine maintain his top spot, or did someone new usurp the previous winner of the ranking?

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10. Bo Horvat

It’s not very often that I see someone with a specialized suit jacket — in this case, a double-blue pinstripe — and they decide not to wear the pants to match. But that’s exactly what the Vancouver Canucks’ center (right) opted for Wednesday when he paired his jacket with dark blue, possibly black, trousers. Because of the black bag and shoes, there’s a part of me that’s convinced the pants are black, which I think differentiates this outfit even more. If one does decide to go down this road, typically, I see the opposite garment in the same color family.

Did someone call for rain with a chance for drip? The Tampa Bay Lightning center and captain (bottom left) walked into Tuesday’s game with a pinched-in, plaid gray suit and added a little excitement with his burgundy tie. What really makes this particular photo cold is the blacked-out Bentley truck behind Stamkos. That’s how you roll up in style.


(Courtesy of Pittsburgh Penguins)

“@pojoseph wins just because of the socks,” his brother, Mathieu Joseph of the Ottawa Senators, said, and who am I to argue with someone as stylish as him? I mean, have you all seen his Instagram? He clearly knows what he’s talking about. You can’t lose wearing waffle socks, people! Yes, the brown-plaid suit, the brown tie with polka dots and the brown shoes are a top-tier display of wearing different variations of the same color, but stay focused. We’re here for the waffle socks — and the confidence to break those bad boys out!

Shout out to the Toronto Maple Leafs’ team photographer for getting a shot of these beauties on the left winger. The suit itself is straightforward in both a traditional color and the black tie to match, but Bunting shows a little personality by throwing in these fantastic socks. My lone question is, what does the fox actually say? I couldn’t resist bringing up the trendy song from nearly a decade ago.

I warned you all two weeks ago that my affinity for blue suits would pop up every now and then. The Lightning’s defenseman (bottom right) gave me all the excuse I needed to dive into his deep-ocean blue suit. I would’ve preferred brown shoes to really set this fit completely off, but that’s just me being nitpicky and traditional. What landed Sergachev in this week’s style rankings, however, is his tie. He let everyone who saw him walking in know that he was going into the game with the eye of the tiger behind him.

Instead of going with a traditional suit to match his fit, the Ottawa Senators’ defenseman (bottom left) decided to swap that out with a gray coat. I love the minor tweaks. It’s incredibly easy to just throw on the suit jacket and call it a day. Especially when the pants are plaid, and that doesn’t just go with anything. Not with this guy, though. Bernard-Docker substituted in a jacket to match the gray color in his pants, then threw in a steel grayish-blue tie to give this outfit another dimension. And looking at the shirt closer, it appears that’s because it has blue dots in it.

An all-black suit with texture to give it a pinch of razzle dazzle? Sign me up for that. The Washington Capitals defenseman (right) shows the lads how to get off a monochromatic outfit with a little pizzazz. It’s tailored exquisitely, and Irwin’s barber made sure not a single hair was out of place ahead of seeing the cameras, too.

This combination gets a standing ovation from me. Do you all know how many times I’ve seen someone marry a dark-blue suit with a cream shirt or turtleneck? Too many times to count. Here, the Detroit Red Wings’ defenseman (far right) not only eschews a collared or light-colored shirt, but instead doubles down on the dark blue with a turtleneck to match the color of his pinstriped suit. Bold choice, but he sticks the landing fabulously. I also peep the double-breasted vest, making this three-piece suit a true head-turner.

2. Patrik Laine

Mama, there goes that man again! Since returning from his elbow injury, Laine has stepped onto the runway seen with a vengeance and making up for lost time. He continues to break out suits that would, deservedly, put him in the No. 1 spot week to week. I appreciate his creativity and boldness as he lands this blue-and-brown suit with ease. I do think the blues between the suit and hat are different, but I also acknowledge there are probably very few hats that would’ve matched the fit here. Not everyone is willing to be as adventurous as the Columbus Blue Jackets’ winger, which is why it will take a lot to push him off the top. A lot of people work hard, but Laine’s stylist clearly works harder.


Cole Caufield (Francois Lacasse / NHLI via Getty Images)

With this marvelous burgundy plaid suit, bright green pocket square and no socks to match, the Montreal Canadiens right winger’s suit fits him like a dream, which is obvious, because look at the smile on Caufield’s face. That guy knows he is stylin’ and profilin’. The double-breasted suit is a show stopper, even though he opted for a simple white shirt with a black tie — I would’ve loved a burgundy tie here. But you know what pushed Caufield just over the edge for me? This suit gives me a Christmas vibe, sort of like a luxury wrapping paper deal. His suit is the gift that keeps on giving, which is what narrowly gave him the edge over Laine for this week’s top spot.

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