Monday: Last Semester Concepts

This week begins the last of high school for me, and the excitement is growing...for 5 minutes. I have plans for graduation involving a Jets Jersey and wearing one after receiving my diploma, none the less, times are a changing.

The trade deadline is just over a month away and if you want your team to make the right move, whether it be trading a bad contract or getting that one player to squeak into the playoffs, we all are looking for our team's management to make the call. If you want to help your team make the right call, you can make the right call by voting for COTW and the Flames Redesign Contest, couldn't hurt right?

COTW Jan 27 - Feb 2 vote (ends Friday @ 11:59pm Eastern)

Calgary Flames Top 5 vote (ends Friday @ 11:59pm Eastern)

With last week's numbers so high, why not keep them high and vote!

Reader Poll: Despite having a 59 save performance by their goaltender, the Oilers are horrible and after 3 straight first overall picks and years of re-building, many fans are wondering how the Oil Slick will end. On the flip side, the Panthers have trouble with attendance, even from snowbirds (Noun: a Canadian who lives in Florida during the grueling winter months). Even counting their division winning performance a few seasons ago, the Panthers are per-annual bottom dwellers of the Eastern Conference. Which team is worse, and how can each of them get better?

If you don't have proper software to make concepts and want to give artists an idea for concepts, HJC's Leave a Concept Idea page is now open! Check the page out to read the rules on its use and how you can list ideas for the artists of HJC by clicking on the Leave a Concept Idea on the right hand tab section underneither the voting lists.

On to the Concepts...but first...

Let's say hi to one of our HJC Artists who sent in a Concept Artist Card:

Hi Jeff! 

Okay, now on to the concepts:

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Winter Classic 1985 Concept (By: Jordan R.)

Looks like we have a series! Since Saturday's post featured Winter Classic 1984, today we have the next two fictional games of the past from JCR. Both of these jerseys are vintage but don't have any of the modern elements that would be featured today, nice work replicating the era. The Flyers jersey screams 20's/30's while the Sabres jersey is actually replicated off of a 30's jersey, they compliment each other very well. The really stand out of this concept is the goalie models and the gear, right down to Pelle Lindbergh's famous mask, details like that make a concept. (9/10)

Winter Classic 1986 Concept (By: Jordan R.)

The Whalers and Bruins, the New England Classic, why didn't this happen? Anywho, a great throwback none the less and both jerseys reflect the early days of each franchise. The Whalers jersey resembles the first New England Whalers jerseys, with the monochromatic colour scheme and gotta love Mike Luit's classic white mask in that jersey! The Bruins jersey, is a yellow version of their 40's jerseys and wow does it work! Overall, I like the jerseys more on this concept than in 85, but that's preference, great job on both, JCR. (9.25/10) COTW Nom. from me!

Montreal Canadiens Concept (By: Dylan W.)

Back to modern times and..um..okay, are we in the distant future where this design is common, or is Dylan getting experimental, most likely the later, but this concept is meant to shock. Unfortunately, it doesn't shock me, I actually like it a fair bit. It shows a jersey with one colour on one side and another colour on the other can work if the colours are simple and there are only 3, which Dylan has done. The colours are balanced really well, and I like how the blue looks with the red, especially on the back! That being said, the double sided colours are still too "modern" for me, the effort does show and that's what it should be critiqued on, the most classic NHL team in the ugliest jersey in the NHL. (8.5/10)

Winnipeg Jets Concept (By: Woody)

Staying modern, Woody adapts the Ice Caps current and awesome alternate jersey onto the Jets scheme and yeah, this should be a thing. The off gray or beige goes with the Jets's current colour scheme, especially the lighter blue, which white wouldn't do imo. The only problem is the pixelation of the shoulder patches, which, if you use word or a better design program, can be fixed, but paint is not good for shrinking things down. Also, the Reebok logo would look better in regular gray or light blue, more visible. (8/10)

Team Germany Concept (By: Viktor B.)

I'll admit, Germany's Olympic jerseys did not wow me, but the lack of white really proved it is not needed for every team, especially one which doesn't have white on its flag. Viktor give us two jerseys, a set I presume, a yellow classic jersey and a blackout jersey, I call it that because of the modern elements and the lack of red or light colours, even the yellow. The yellow jersey, simple, classic, and would fit Germany any year, but the blackout seems more Nike. I like how the eagle shield and reflective numbers look. Execution issue: The logos are about 15% too small, simple fix. (8.25/10)

Minnesota Wild Concept (By: Dylan W.)

Ha ha, Pomincity..anyways, back across the pond, Dylan redesigns Minnesota's new road jerseys, which look great, into something more reminicent of their original jerseys, but keeping most of the current elements. The striping pattern is unique, I've never seen anything like it, and I like the empty space in between the stripes. The red numbers are name are nice and vibrant, and that's the one word I could use to describe this jersey, vibrant. Everything stands out and all the colours are crisp and would be a unique entry in the NHL. (9/10)

Minnesota Wild Concept (By: Dallas K.)

Dallas stays in Minnesota, and gives the Wild something they haven't had in almost a decade...a matching jersey set. The striping is classic, very large centre stripe and small outer stripes fill the color palate across the jersey, even with the lack of true white on the green jersey. The white jersey stand out in the set, and I know it is hard to balance both white and wheat on a jersey, but adding a small stripe of white on the green jersey after the red stripe would balance the colours even better, and making the numbers white would do what the red numbers do on the current away, bold them. (8/10)

Anaheim Ducks Concept (By: Ben A.)

I think this is Ben's first concept I've reviewed so welcome to HJC, Ben. Keeping the ducks in orange is a move most fans would like to see soon, and Ben's concept does that. Since Ben s a relatively new artist I won't critique every mistake, as most of them can be solved by reading the HJC tutorial page and experience, but the jersey does resemble more of a fill bucket job more than a striping pattern. The numbers and Stadium Series logo are applied well, though the primary logo and chest numbers are too big. Also, the black fill in the hem  and the logo are different shades from the numbers. Keep working at it, Ben, you have some of the harder elements down, but start striping patterns and continue to improve, that's what HJC is all about. (4.5/10)

Nashville Predators Concepts (By: Felix T.)

Felix, my man, at first, I didn't know what the checkers on the yoke were, they are really small. anyways, adding double blue and a triangle around the logo are elements the original Nashville look had, and to be fair bringing them back is not a half bad idea. The striping, minus the double blue is classice and cool, though I would switch the yellow and blue on the white jersey to match the numbers. The yokes are, as I mentioned before, are grainy from a distance and the shape doesn't match the template or stitching. It's a unique idea, but the ideas attempted are maybe a little too extreme as they currently sit. (5.5/10)

New York Islanders Concept (By: Felix T.)

Felix's second concept takes us to old New York, specifically Brooklyn, rather than Long Island. The new logo and introduction a Brooklyn icon into the Islanders dated logo would be a nice update and a shout out to the Islanders future home, although the lack of the NY makes the logo look more like a shoulder patch, which it would make a good one. The striping pattern I like, but it is a little think, and the stitching on the hem should stop at the striping, not go through it.  A  nice idea, and has some good aspects, but it still needs some work. (6/10)

Dallas Stars Concept (By: Patrick E.)

The Iceborn template has been popular on HJC recently, and makes way for a lot of not only unique jerseys, but modern jerseys as well that aren't tacky.The green and black with minimal white other than to accent looks great, not a dark jersey, but no bright either, a good blend. I only have two issues with the concept, the image quality and the mesh in the underarm. Saving your images as a PNG file will give it the best quality out of the basic qualities. The mesh on the underarm should be recoloured to a slightly darker black so it barely shows up. Finally, the t.v. numbers are a fair bit big. (7/10)

New York Rangers Concept (By: Patrick E.)

Back to the Big Apple and MSG, where Patrick puts the Rangers in an even more chrome jersey than their stadium series look, and an increased use of red and silver. The jagged striping a neat idea, especially on the yoke, but on the socks and pants, looks more like a misaligned stripe in paint. The yoke looks like it would be at home on an Avs jersey, but still looks good as is. The image quality is an issue again here, but a unqiue idea none the less. (7.25/10)

Washington Capitals Concepts (By: Stephen T.)

Stephen takes us to the U.S. capital and back in black, which really doesn't fit the Caps current look, but there are some good things in this concept too. The colour scheme, I'm not a fan of, doesn't really work with the logo and the black jersey, without any white in the logo on striping looks empty. The white jersey though, I actually really like, even in the new colour scheme. The striping and colours are well done and that little hill between the wings and the chest looks awesome. It's a mixed bag, but it made me see this colour scheme as not a half bad idea, which is something I didn't think I could do. (6.5/10)

Washingto Capitals Concept (By: Tyler G.)

Tyler, haven't seen a concept from you in a while, and wow, what a concept to revisit you on. The Caps have been almost begging for a blue jersey since their classic revival in 2008. The Weagle, at least imo, wouldn't make a good primary logo, but with teh little stars and white outline, it works. The striping pattern is classic, even if it does look like the Russian flag, nothing wrong with that, but it stood out to me when I first saw it so, thought I'd mention it. I'm not a huge fan of the white numbers, but red wouldn't be a visible. (8.75/10)

That's today's post! Did you like it, the concepts, or do you disagree with my critiques? Comment as you please, discussion is a great thing. Remember to vote, and leave your ideas in the new section. Thanks for reading on this mild Monday, I'm Jets96, go Jets go, have a great week.