Thursday: Change In Canuckland
Hello everyone, welcome to another exciting Thursday!
And by exciting, I mean... well, there's no contests going on this week, nothing more to vote for besides COTW, no jersey news (besides the Calgary Hitmen news as seen on Tuesday's post), so there isn't much in the way of news to talk about this week.
However, I have been having some aesthetically-minded thoughts the last few days, and would like to share them, and see how you feel about it.
The Vancouver Canucks have lost Luongo, lost their GM, will likely lose Kesler at the end of the season, as well as possibly some other key players in order to be set for a rebuild. You'll also likely see the emergence of a new, young core of Canucks players start to shine, including Lack, Jensen, Schroeder, Tanev, Horvat, and Shinkaruk. As we'll find out sometime soon, it's possible names like Trevor Linden and Marcus Naslund will be part of the organization again in the front office. (We now know that Linden is the new President of the organization).
What am I getting at? Well, the identity of the Canucks is changing, and fan support of the team is starting to sink. Wouldn't this be a great time to refresh the look of the Canucks, and roll out a new uniform set?
Woah, calm down. I know that Canuck fans love the look they have now, and it is still relatively new. But the Canucks doing complete identity overhauls isn't a new concept, and I think this would be a good way to press the all-mighty reset button on the Canucks franchise.
Does it have to be a total makeover? Not necessarily. I'd be happy to see any sort of throwback-revival look, including their previous jerseys with the same logo (sans word mark) in the dark blue/light blue/red/white colours. Or they could do something totally different. Maybe they could make green the main colour, and make Johnny Canuck the main logo.
Anyway, just some thoughts I thought I'd throw out there. Let me know what you think!
.png)
Yay: We'll start today with Garrett's concept for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL. I don't really know what their regular jerseys look like, since their store, the store background, and a quick glance at Google Images all brought up different looks. Being a traditionalist, I like the look of this design. The colours look great, and the design isn't anywhere close to ripping off the Penguins, which is a good thing.
Nay: First, always put some sort of name or ID on the concept. And no, the jersey name and number doesn't count. I really don't have much to complain about with this concept, besides the main number on the back being quite large.
Overall: This concept doesn't have a big "wow-factor", but it is a very solid look. 7.8/10
New Jersey Devils Concept - Stuart R.
Yay: And now for something completely different. Stuart brings us this really interesting Devils alternate. This jersey is about as unique as you'd ever see for the NHL. I really like the idea of the Devils in black, and I think those...fiery...line...things look wicked! The "Jersey's Team" patch is pretty cool, but...
Nay: I'd place that patch on the yoke, and move everything else down the arm a bit. On all of those fiery things, the outline looks really choppy and distorted in places. The problem is that the outline is too thin, but the design is so compact that there isn't any room for a good outline. You also need to make the outline of the name thinner, and do something different with the socks. Even a single thick red stripe with white outline would work better.
Overall: Docked for execution, but I love the risk that was taken with this design. Very interesting concept. 7.3/10
Anaheim Ducks Concept - Daniel L.
Yay: This concept by Daniel is based on a part of Ducks merchandise. Personally, I could see this as a simple, but respectable Stadium Series uniform, or even a simplification of their main set with the secondary logo. If that was the case, I'll take it! The striping pattern is kept, but is less flamboyant, and still just as interesting. The equipment is well designed and matches the jersey beautifully too. Great concept!
Nay: There isn't too much that I don't like about this concept. The name and number on the back of the jersey definitely could be bigger. I'd also straighten up the stripes on the pants, so they just run straight down the sides. The only other advise I can give is with presentation. The jersey should be the focal point of the image, but you leave lots of white space, which doesn't look as nice.
Overall: I love it! Still needs a bit of work, but still a solid concept as is. 7.9/10
Columbus Blue Jackets Concept - Christian L.
.png)
Yay: Christian shows us his Columbus "Throwback" concept. The only throwback elements are the logos on the front and shoulders, the rest are pretty modern looking, but fantastic. Besides their current 3rd, I find all Blue Jackets jerseys boring. This is definitely patriotic, flashy, and perfect for an alternate Columbus jersey.
Nay: I actually kind of like the front logo, but I know most disagree. I'd keep this logo, but change the shoulder patch to the current Blue Jackets logo. We've already established that this isn't much of a throwback, so might as well use the better logos you have. I guess the cannon logo would work too. The shoulder patches as seen here also look a little lopsided.
Overall: This jersey screams americana, but ditch the "throwback" theme and change the shoulder logos, and this would be perfect. 8/10
Boston Bruins vs New York Rangers Concept - Stephen T.
.png)
Yay: Here is the 1st of 3 "Stadium Series" concepts by Stephen T. This first one is for Boston vs NYR, an obvious classic matchup. These jerseys look like a Winter Classic concept with simplified, angled striping that looks good with Stadium Series games, so its a good mix. Most of the equipment is really well done.
Nay: The part of the equipment that isn't done well is the New York pants. I've bugged Stephen to do more with his pants design before, so I appreciate the effort of his design, but there are obvious issues near the top of those pants. The New York jersey also has 2 different shades of red being used, which isn't good at all. I'm also not really a fan of the New York hem stripes, they could be thicker or more like the arms.
Overall: I'll keep the Boston uniform, but the New York uniform needs some work. 7.5/10
Detroit Red Wings vs Chicago Blackhawks Concept - Stephen T.
.png)
Yay: Stephen's 2nd attempt pits together a very familiar jersey matchup, as seen in the 2009 Winter Classic. The only major difference is Detroit going with a red uniform instead of white, which still works. Detroit also goes with a more curvy font similar to the Detroit jersey from this year's WC. The arm stripes for both are also at an angle, which helps create the Stadium Series look.
Nay: The only noticeable change in the Chicago uniform is the placement in the TV numbers, which works for SS games, but personally I'd keep them inside the arm stripe. The collars on the Chicago jersey are different on the front and back; an execution no-no. For Detroit, I'm never a fan of arched names.
Overall: The problem with the concept is that its too similar to what has already happened, and any of the changes don't help the cause. Execution for the most part was good, and the effort was definitely there, so its still good work. 7.2/10
Washington Capitals vs Pittsburgh Penguins Concept - Stephen T.
Yay: Now we're talking. The jersey matchup that I'm sure everyone wants to see at the 2015 Winter Classic. Sadly, the teams have already played in a WC together, so it likely won't happen. This would be a great matchup for Caps merchandise, because while fans got to see Ovechkin in the white version of these, the blue version was replaced nearly 15 years ago. There's also been a push lately to bring back these Penguins jerseys, so this would be a win-win for everyone.
Nay: There's really nothing original here. It's a good concept based on the idea, but the jerseys offer up nothing new. I notice that the number on Washington's jersey is off-centered a little. I'd rather see it centred, with it crossing over the stripes, or the stripes appearing lower on the jersey. The best way to do this and make it "yours" is to make your own WC patch, and slap it on the jersey. That simple thing would make a huge difference.
Overall: I really want to see this happen, as do many people, but I'd like to see more originality in these concepts, even if its just a new logo patch. 6.8/10
Drummondville Roadrunners Concept - Taylor R.
.png)
Yay: Taylor shows us his Roadrunners concept, bringing his team to Drummondville and appropriately associating them with the nearby Canadiens. The logo used here translates well on both jerseys by changing the colours a little bit. I'd normally say the hem/cuff pattern should be the same on both jerseys, but both styles look great. I definitely see the connection to the classic Habs look, and overall this classic looking set is great.
Nay: Accuracy wise, I'd really like to see the ECHL patch where the NHL patch is instead. The front of the jersey is looking a little cramped, and I think moving the hem stripes down a little would solve that issue.
Overall: If looks translate to franchise success, then I think the Roadrunners found a permanent home. 8.2/10
Team Gryffindor Concept - David P.
.png)
Yay: I was excited earlier this week when I seen the first batch of these concepts, and found out I ended up with Gryffindor, the best house of them all. I like how the colours look on the uniform, but my Flames bias may be at play there. The classic striping is definitely the way to go, contrasting with the Slytherin jerseys perfectly. Overall, I love the originality of this series.
Nay: I agree with the others saying the Reebok patch above the crest can go. I also don't really like the cuffs on the white and orange jerseys. A traditional, thin cuff would be perfect. The stripes should have a wider gap, or no gap at all, because it just looks messy as is. For this and the previous Slytherin concept, I wish the 3rd jerseys had a different look other than just a recolouring of the main set.
Overall: The execution could be better, but I absolutely love this series! 7.5 points to Gryffindor!
Montreal Canadiens Concept - Tristan M.
.png)
Yay: We end today with a blue Montreal Canadiens jersey. Everybody take a deep breath, calm down, and take a serious look at this, because I think this is awesome. The Canadiens have never had an alternate sweater that wasn't just a throwback, and only one was mainly blue (and they didn't have the blue of the Maple Leafs to compete with). I think this uniform keeps the classic Montreal look, and has enough red to prevent it from looking like a Toronto uniform. Mission accomplished.
Nay: I don't really like the hem stripes as is. I'm not sure what to do instead, but I think it just looks weird. The name text could definitely be larger. I'd also go with a red collar instead of a white, but that isn't totally necessary, just personal preference.
Overall: I love this look. I know a Montreal Canadiens 3rd is a strange concept, but I think this is the best way to do it. 8.5/10
And by exciting, I mean... well, there's no contests going on this week, nothing more to vote for besides COTW, no jersey news (besides the Calgary Hitmen news as seen on Tuesday's post), so there isn't much in the way of news to talk about this week.
However, I have been having some aesthetically-minded thoughts the last few days, and would like to share them, and see how you feel about it.
The Vancouver Canucks have lost Luongo, lost their GM, will likely lose Kesler at the end of the season, as well as possibly some other key players in order to be set for a rebuild. You'll also likely see the emergence of a new, young core of Canucks players start to shine, including Lack, Jensen, Schroeder, Tanev, Horvat, and Shinkaruk. As we'll find out sometime soon, it's possible names like Trevor Linden and Marcus Naslund will be part of the organization again in the front office. (We now know that Linden is the new President of the organization).
What am I getting at? Well, the identity of the Canucks is changing, and fan support of the team is starting to sink. Wouldn't this be a great time to refresh the look of the Canucks, and roll out a new uniform set?
Woah, calm down. I know that Canuck fans love the look they have now, and it is still relatively new. But the Canucks doing complete identity overhauls isn't a new concept, and I think this would be a good way to press the all-mighty reset button on the Canucks franchise.
Does it have to be a total makeover? Not necessarily. I'd be happy to see any sort of throwback-revival look, including their previous jerseys with the same logo (sans word mark) in the dark blue/light blue/red/white colours. Or they could do something totally different. Maybe they could make green the main colour, and make Johnny Canuck the main logo.
Anyway, just some thoughts I thought I'd throw out there. Let me know what you think!
************************************
COTY-March vote (ends Friday @ 11:59pm Eastern)
COTW Mar 31-Apr 6 vote (ends Friday @ 11:59pm Eastern)
************************************
Muskegon Lumberjacks Concept - Garrett F.
Yay: We'll start today with Garrett's concept for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL. I don't really know what their regular jerseys look like, since their store, the store background, and a quick glance at Google Images all brought up different looks. Being a traditionalist, I like the look of this design. The colours look great, and the design isn't anywhere close to ripping off the Penguins, which is a good thing.
Nay: First, always put some sort of name or ID on the concept. And no, the jersey name and number doesn't count. I really don't have much to complain about with this concept, besides the main number on the back being quite large.
Overall: This concept doesn't have a big "wow-factor", but it is a very solid look. 7.8/10
New Jersey Devils Concept - Stuart R.
Yay: And now for something completely different. Stuart brings us this really interesting Devils alternate. This jersey is about as unique as you'd ever see for the NHL. I really like the idea of the Devils in black, and I think those...fiery...line...things look wicked! The "Jersey's Team" patch is pretty cool, but...
Nay: I'd place that patch on the yoke, and move everything else down the arm a bit. On all of those fiery things, the outline looks really choppy and distorted in places. The problem is that the outline is too thin, but the design is so compact that there isn't any room for a good outline. You also need to make the outline of the name thinner, and do something different with the socks. Even a single thick red stripe with white outline would work better.
Overall: Docked for execution, but I love the risk that was taken with this design. Very interesting concept. 7.3/10
Anaheim Ducks Concept - Daniel L.
Yay: This concept by Daniel is based on a part of Ducks merchandise. Personally, I could see this as a simple, but respectable Stadium Series uniform, or even a simplification of their main set with the secondary logo. If that was the case, I'll take it! The striping pattern is kept, but is less flamboyant, and still just as interesting. The equipment is well designed and matches the jersey beautifully too. Great concept!
Nay: There isn't too much that I don't like about this concept. The name and number on the back of the jersey definitely could be bigger. I'd also straighten up the stripes on the pants, so they just run straight down the sides. The only other advise I can give is with presentation. The jersey should be the focal point of the image, but you leave lots of white space, which doesn't look as nice.
Overall: I love it! Still needs a bit of work, but still a solid concept as is. 7.9/10
Columbus Blue Jackets Concept - Christian L.
Yay: Christian shows us his Columbus "Throwback" concept. The only throwback elements are the logos on the front and shoulders, the rest are pretty modern looking, but fantastic. Besides their current 3rd, I find all Blue Jackets jerseys boring. This is definitely patriotic, flashy, and perfect for an alternate Columbus jersey.
Nay: I actually kind of like the front logo, but I know most disagree. I'd keep this logo, but change the shoulder patch to the current Blue Jackets logo. We've already established that this isn't much of a throwback, so might as well use the better logos you have. I guess the cannon logo would work too. The shoulder patches as seen here also look a little lopsided.
Overall: This jersey screams americana, but ditch the "throwback" theme and change the shoulder logos, and this would be perfect. 8/10
Boston Bruins vs New York Rangers Concept - Stephen T.
Yay: Here is the 1st of 3 "Stadium Series" concepts by Stephen T. This first one is for Boston vs NYR, an obvious classic matchup. These jerseys look like a Winter Classic concept with simplified, angled striping that looks good with Stadium Series games, so its a good mix. Most of the equipment is really well done.
Nay: The part of the equipment that isn't done well is the New York pants. I've bugged Stephen to do more with his pants design before, so I appreciate the effort of his design, but there are obvious issues near the top of those pants. The New York jersey also has 2 different shades of red being used, which isn't good at all. I'm also not really a fan of the New York hem stripes, they could be thicker or more like the arms.
Overall: I'll keep the Boston uniform, but the New York uniform needs some work. 7.5/10
Detroit Red Wings vs Chicago Blackhawks Concept - Stephen T.
Yay: Stephen's 2nd attempt pits together a very familiar jersey matchup, as seen in the 2009 Winter Classic. The only major difference is Detroit going with a red uniform instead of white, which still works. Detroit also goes with a more curvy font similar to the Detroit jersey from this year's WC. The arm stripes for both are also at an angle, which helps create the Stadium Series look.
Nay: The only noticeable change in the Chicago uniform is the placement in the TV numbers, which works for SS games, but personally I'd keep them inside the arm stripe. The collars on the Chicago jersey are different on the front and back; an execution no-no. For Detroit, I'm never a fan of arched names.
Overall: The problem with the concept is that its too similar to what has already happened, and any of the changes don't help the cause. Execution for the most part was good, and the effort was definitely there, so its still good work. 7.2/10
Washington Capitals vs Pittsburgh Penguins Concept - Stephen T.
Yay: Now we're talking. The jersey matchup that I'm sure everyone wants to see at the 2015 Winter Classic. Sadly, the teams have already played in a WC together, so it likely won't happen. This would be a great matchup for Caps merchandise, because while fans got to see Ovechkin in the white version of these, the blue version was replaced nearly 15 years ago. There's also been a push lately to bring back these Penguins jerseys, so this would be a win-win for everyone.
Nay: There's really nothing original here. It's a good concept based on the idea, but the jerseys offer up nothing new. I notice that the number on Washington's jersey is off-centered a little. I'd rather see it centred, with it crossing over the stripes, or the stripes appearing lower on the jersey. The best way to do this and make it "yours" is to make your own WC patch, and slap it on the jersey. That simple thing would make a huge difference.
Overall: I really want to see this happen, as do many people, but I'd like to see more originality in these concepts, even if its just a new logo patch. 6.8/10
Drummondville Roadrunners Concept - Taylor R.
Yay: Taylor shows us his Roadrunners concept, bringing his team to Drummondville and appropriately associating them with the nearby Canadiens. The logo used here translates well on both jerseys by changing the colours a little bit. I'd normally say the hem/cuff pattern should be the same on both jerseys, but both styles look great. I definitely see the connection to the classic Habs look, and overall this classic looking set is great.
Nay: Accuracy wise, I'd really like to see the ECHL patch where the NHL patch is instead. The front of the jersey is looking a little cramped, and I think moving the hem stripes down a little would solve that issue.
Overall: If looks translate to franchise success, then I think the Roadrunners found a permanent home. 8.2/10
Team Gryffindor Concept - David P.
Yay: I was excited earlier this week when I seen the first batch of these concepts, and found out I ended up with Gryffindor, the best house of them all. I like how the colours look on the uniform, but my Flames bias may be at play there. The classic striping is definitely the way to go, contrasting with the Slytherin jerseys perfectly. Overall, I love the originality of this series.
Nay: I agree with the others saying the Reebok patch above the crest can go. I also don't really like the cuffs on the white and orange jerseys. A traditional, thin cuff would be perfect. The stripes should have a wider gap, or no gap at all, because it just looks messy as is. For this and the previous Slytherin concept, I wish the 3rd jerseys had a different look other than just a recolouring of the main set.
Overall: The execution could be better, but I absolutely love this series! 7.5 points to Gryffindor!
Montreal Canadiens Concept - Tristan M.
Yay: We end today with a blue Montreal Canadiens jersey. Everybody take a deep breath, calm down, and take a serious look at this, because I think this is awesome. The Canadiens have never had an alternate sweater that wasn't just a throwback, and only one was mainly blue (and they didn't have the blue of the Maple Leafs to compete with). I think this uniform keeps the classic Montreal look, and has enough red to prevent it from looking like a Toronto uniform. Mission accomplished.
Nay: I don't really like the hem stripes as is. I'm not sure what to do instead, but I think it just looks weird. The name text could definitely be larger. I'd also go with a red collar instead of a white, but that isn't totally necessary, just personal preference.
Overall: I love this look. I know a Montreal Canadiens 3rd is a strange concept, but I think this is the best way to do it. 8.5/10
************************************
My COTW nomination this week goes to Tristan's Montreal Canadiens concept. There were a few really good concepts today, and I hope you guys give them some NOMs as well.
Well that's it for me today. As always, thanks for reading and have a great last weekend of the regular season!
Thursday: Change In Canuckland
.png)
Reviewed by Unknown
on
April 10, 2014
Rating:
Reviewed by Unknown
on
April 10, 2014
Rating:
5 comments:
Thanks for the feedback on the Devils jersey. The fiery line images were made from tribal band tattoos, as I thought it was something I'd never seen used before and works with a "Devil-type" branding. I was just worried about them looking too much like a "tramp stamp" actually! Agree about outline on them and would actually make it bigger another time. I might try something similar for future jerseys with my own club as it's a bit more unique than the standard, traditional straight line bands.
Also agree about the logo - would have preferred it on the back, but was actually worried that might be criticised.
Yep, wasn't happy about the socks either. Almost stuck on as an afterthought and certainly wouldn't chose them as part of a uniform to be produced.
Cheers,
Stuart R, London, England.
I think I just realized for the first time that the CBJ logo for the Blue Jackets is also meant to resemble a blue jacket's hat. Am I wrong on that? Do other people see it?
Mother of God TG!! I just noticed that.
Hmm, I'm not seeing it. I wouldn't doubt it thought.
Well done David on your Harry Potter series. Can't say I was a fan of the movies, but I gained some points by taking my wife to every single one of them.
Anyways, nice job on finishing the series. Keep up the open mind and the creativity!
For Stephen T., your concepts dwarf everyone in quantity, but not in quality. Your MTL-TOR Stadium Series concept this week was a cool idea, but most others can be filed under the "what's the point?" category, in my opinion. Edge-ifying some retro jerseys and placing them together in an image, well anyone can do that. We can all picture it in our heads. Lets see something from the heart. Get creative and give us something to think about.
Post a Comment