Tucson Roadrunners unveil new Kachina alternate jersey

Introducing our new black Kachina jerseys 🔥

The new official third jersey, effective next season. pic.twitter.com/cwxoSmYmuh

— Tucson Roadrunners (@RoadrunnersAHL) March 18, 2019

The Tucson Roadrunners are taking after their NHL affiliate, adopting an alternate jersey reminiscent of the Kachina sweaters the Phoenix Coyotes wore long ago.

The now-Arizona Coyotes introduced Kachina Saturdays this season, wearing an alternate throwback jersey for every Saturday home game. But on the Monday, the Roadrunners of the American Hockey League unveiled a throwback jersey of their own, one very similar to that of the Coyotes.

The jersey is different from the Coyotes’ one in a few ways. First, the logo on the front of the jersey has the head of a roadrunner, not a coyote, and the logo on the animal’s jersey is a desert-themed emblem, not a crescent moon.

Second, the color scheme is slightly different, as the Roadrunners’ jersey incorporates purple into the sleeves and bottom of the torso.

Here is the Coyotes’ jersey to compare:

This is the only Saturday of the year you'll see us in our traditional home jersey.

Because starting 10/6, Kachina is back every Saturday. 😍 pic.twitter.com/sjefFWZUA0

— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) September 23, 2018

The jersey was unveiled Monday at the home of the Roadrunners, the Tucson Convention Center, with captain Dakota Mermis modeling the new sweater. In a social media post, the team said the sweaters would be used next season — so you’ll have to wait until next fall to go see them in use on the ice.

“We’re very excited to be extending our brand here in Tucson with our very first official third jersey,” said Roadrunners President Bob Hoffman. “The Kachina style has become synonymous with the Arizona Coyotes in the sport of hockey and we are confident that our fans and players both enjoy our version here in the Old Pueblo.”

The Coyotes wore the Kachina sweaters from 1996 — their first year in the desert — to 2003, when the team adopted a primarily red color scheme.