The New Jersey Devils revealed their first-ever alternate sweater a few seasons ago. They shared the honor of never having one with the Detroit Red Wings, so this was a move that the organization had never made before. There were plenty of retro sweaters that they had over the years, but never a true alternate.
For years, fans were begging for a black sweater to be thrown into the mix. Their wishes were granted when the Devils revealed the “Jersey jersey”. Of course, this black alternate had the cursive “Jersey” on the crest rather than the Devils logo that’s been on every other sweater that they’ve had.
When the Devils first announced this thread, there were a lot of negative reactions. That was mostly because it wasn't what most were hoping to see from a black alternate sweater.
Over time, however, the reception to it grew. The team helped push it forward by marketing other collectables around it, like the "hat hat" or the "pin pin".
The Devils, although it may not feel like it, took a step forward as an organization with these sweaters in rotation. Guys like Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt became superstars in the NHL and had some big moments while wearing them.
New Jersey never wore them in the playoffs, but they were certainly a big part of two years that ended in the postseason, including the one that saw them win a series against the New York Rangers.
Another positive to these sweaters is that they can be a building block for a better future. There is room for improvement, and these jerseys can be a great baseline. A black sweater, as mentioned before, with the red Devils logo as the crest, would do numbers.
There is also some truth to the idea that fans will love whatever the team wears as long as they win while wearing it. In that sense, again, there is an up and down history with these. May the next ones have a .700 winning percentage.