Wedneday: 7 More Weeks!

7 weeks from today, will mark the start of the 2014-15 NHL season! All teams begin the season with a shot at the Cup, and fans all over the world believe that this will be their team's year.

Meanwhile, HJC has a lot going on to allow you to get your hockey fix in the longest months of the year. Entries for the Grand Rapid Griffins competition are due on the 31st. In addition, you can vote for your favorite NHL team, as well as your least favorite team. Most importantly, don't forget to vote for the COTW!

COTW Aug 11-17 vote (ends Friday @ 11:59pm Eastern)

Grand Rapids Griffins Jersey Competition (ends August 31st, 2014)

Favourite NHL Team Vote (ends Saturday @ 11:59pm Eastern)

For those that are familiar with my posts, I like to try something new from time to time. Since there are only a couple concepts in today's post, I'm going to try something a bit different than my normal format. On a scale of 1-10, I'll give creativity points as well as classic points. Classic points will be an assessment of how likely a concept is to become a classic uniform. Following the new scores, I will finish each concept with the usual execution score of the concept.

Christian L. - New York Rangers Concept

Creativity Points: 9 - The Rangers have worn diagonal text on the front of their uniforms for all but 3 seasons in their entire history. Two of those seasons, the team wore their crest. This concept uses a diagonal stripe and a crest, which really mixes some eras in Rangers history. New York has also never worn a red based uniform.
  
Classic Points: 1 - A classic score of 1 isn't a bad thing at all. Any given Stadium Series uniform would have gotten a 2 at best (except the Devils). The uniform does use the Rangers unique number font.
    
Score: 7/10 - I like the radical diversion from the classic Rangers concept, but I think that the front and back of the concept should be mirrors. In other words, the stripe should meet on the right shoulder and at the left side of the torso. The striping in its current placement would abruptly end at the seams of the front and back of the uniform.
    
 
TG - London Knights Concept

Creativity Points: 6 - The London Knights are a non-NHL team that has fallen prisoner to the Reebok Edge template. TG has said "enough is enough" and completely redesigns this uniform. The piping is gone, and striping is all over! This is a much better look for the Knights.
  
Classic Points: 8 - TG's use of chest and arm striping reminds me a lot of the Toronto St. Pats uniforms from the 1920's. I love the look, and I wish more teams would De-Edge.
    
Score: 8/10 - This is one of my favorite concepts of the day. I love every detail, right down to the CCM logo being placed where the Reebok logo is usually placed on OHL uniforms.


Phil B. - Edmonton Oilers Concept

Creativity Points: 8 - The basis of Phi's Oilers concept looks to be an inverse of the team's home uniform, giving the Oilers their first orange base. From what I see, the striping looks to be very much inspired by the structure of oil towers.
  
Classic Points: 6 - I really like how this concept uses an inspiration for its striping, but take the white pattern away, the base jersey is a classic template that the Oilers have used pretty much forever.
    
Score: 7.5/10 - This is a very cool looking concept! I'm surprised that we haven't seen more concepts with this general idea.


Alan H. - Toronto 228th Battalion Concept

Creativity Points: 8 - The Toronto 228th Battalion was an NHA team comprised entirely of troops in the Canadian Army unit of the same name. The uniform clearly represents the military background of the team by including chevrons, which is a very cool detail.
  
Classic Points: 4 - This uniform should score a high number in this category, but the modern number style really takes away from the sharp angles that really make this jersey look like it is from the NHA era.
    
Score: 6.5/10 - My biggest complaint about this concept is the number of different sized chevrons. I would need to see this concept on a player to be sure, but I think the inconsistency brings this concept down.


Jack D. - Hartford Whalers Concept

Creativity Points: 6 - Jack's striping pattern is very similar to the Whalers' 1991-92 uniforms, but the real creativity comes from adding a yoke to the Whalers for the first time in their short history. Jack could have taken the easy route and added a classic yoke, but the yoke on this concept is the same design that the Boston Bruins use.
  
Classic Points: 7 - The mix of a new yoke and the old striping doesn't sit very well with me, so I don't think this jersey is bound to be one for the history books.
    
Score: 6/10 - This concept suffers a very major execution error. The crest on the white jersey has a white rectangle around it. Removing a logo from its background is something that can really take a concept to the next level.
 
 
Matt M. - HC Dynamo Moscow Concept

Creativity Points: 8 - HC Dynamo's current uniforms are not much different from the Maple Leafs current uniforms. Matt recreates their uniforms to give them an identity of their own, and the design is completely original. The wavy sock striping is different, but not Islanders fish sticks uniform crazy.
  
Classic Points: 4 - The HC Dynamo crest is a classic in itself, and the number font is there to match, but aside from that there isn't a whole lot of classic here.
    
Score: 9/10 - This concept is awesome! This is my COTW Nomination for the day.


So that's the Wednesday post! Let me know what you think of the format, and don't forget to vote!