The Washington Capitals brought back the Screaming Eagle during the 2020-21 season. Not only did the Capitals’ Reverse Retro jersey sell out quickly, but it polled well with fans too. Now NHL players are showing the design love, too.

On Thursday, the NHLPA released a player poll where nearly 500 players from the league’s 31 teams participated. We learned earlier that Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom were voted to have the best shot and be the best passer respectively.

The players also voted the Capitals’ Reverse Retro jersey fifth-best in the league.

The Capitals’ popular sweater finished behind the Colorado Avalanche’s Quebec Nordiques tribute, which got over a quarter of the 448 votes (28.57%); the Los Angeles Kings’ gold and purple crown jerseys (10.49%); the Calgary Flames’ fire-breathing horse design (6.03%); and the Minnesota Stars’ North Stars tribute (6.03%). The Caps also tied the Anaheim Ducks’ cartoon-y Mighty Ducks sweaters and the Florida Panthers’ 1996 Stanley Cup Final inspired jerseys.

During the season, the Capitals had the top-selling Reverse Retro design in the NHL and the league’s online store sold out of Alex Ovechkin authentic jerseys in minutes when they were first released.

In an RMNB poll of 3,290 readers, the Capitals’ Reverse Retro design was voted the highest-rated alternate sweater of the Alex Ovechkin Era and the Screaming Eagle was voted the most popular logo in team history. 42 percent of readers preferred the Screaming Eagle coming back full time, replacing the team’s Capitals hockey stick wordmark.

The NHLPA poll is even more evidence that the Capitals have something special in Ovechkin’s rookie year logo.