The NHL might be heading for a darker future, but in a good way. The league is encouraging teams to look for more opportunities to wear their dark jerseys against each other, something that has rarely happened in modern hockey.

NHL chief branding officer and senior executive vice president Brian Jennings says the idea isn’t just about trying something new. It’s backed by real numbers. Dark jerseys simply sell better, and fans clearly prefer them.

“If you look at our jersey sales, the majority of the jersey sales are dark-color jerseys,” Jennings told The Athletic.

The league has already seen a glimpse of how good these matchups can look. One of the best examples came on November 16, when the Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers both wore dark jerseys. A similar aesthetic showed up

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