John Carlson swapped out his usual practice jersey for something special after the Washington Capitals’ informal skate on Monday.
The veteran defenseman served as a model for what appears to be a Capitals-Nationals crossover jersey in honor of the Nationals’ 20th anniversary season. Carlson posed in the jersey as the Capitals’ Taryn Bray snapped some photos of the sweater.
The crossover jersey, yet to be officially announced, features a nod to the Nationals’ past, incorporating the gold beveling that the franchise once used to accent their typical red, white, and blue. After six seasons (2005-2010) using the gold accents, the team dropped them completely in 2011, only temporarily bringing them back for the 2020 season in honor of winning the 2019 World Series.
Carlson’s jersey number, 74, appears not only in its usual spot on the back of the sweater but also on the front, which is common with baseball jerseys but not hockey jerseys. Across the chest of the jersey is a bold typeface “WASHINGTON,” which the Nationals wore on their road jerseys for their first four seasons (2005-2008) before moving to a script font and their signature “curly W” in 2009.
A look back at the Washington Nationals road jersey history, the new design is the third since the club moved from Montreal in 2005.
More on the 2024 changes here: https://t.co/fxr9m3T7ob pic.twitter.com/DrrAe6zqrH
— Chris Creamer | SportsLogos.net (@sportslogosnet) January 26, 2024
The Capitals’ usual Weagle patch logo is located on the left shoulder of the jersey, while the Nationals’ 20th anniversary commemorative logo adorns the right shoulder.
The Nationals unveiled the anniversary logo last November in preparation for their 20th season in DC after relocating from Montreal in 2005. In the logo, the Washington, DC skyline is in navy blue, including the Washington Monument and Capitol Dome, and the team’s home stadium, Nationals Park, is in the foreground.
The Nationals have just 20 games remaining in their anniversary season, and it’s another campaign they’ll likely want to forget. After finishing with the sixth-worst record in baseball last season (71-91), the Nationals are currently the third-worst club this year with their 58-84 record.
In July, the team fired long-time general manager Mike Rizzo and their World Series-winning manager, Davey Martinez.
