Monday: Czech Marks the Spot

Bad puns aside, welcome to the Monday post.

Let's start with jersey news, as the Regina Pats have unveiled new jerseys which may look familiar to two fan bases.

Photo from: globalnews.ca regina

The blue jersey looks like the beautiful Rangers NY alternate, and the white jersey looks like an updated 1990-1996 Jets home jersey. Both jerseys are beautiful and the darker colours look much more mature than the primary colours. The shoulder patches are nice and I'm glad they're moving towards a military theme and away from the ugly dog logo. I do agree that the primary logo is not the greatest but it's a staple of WHL and I wouldn't wanna see it go away, especially for the dog logo.

Rating: 8/10

In keeping with what William did yesterday, I'll begin my own CHL super ratingathon, although we'll start in the QMJHL and move west since I live in a QMJHL city, then to the OHL and finally to the WHL. We'll also include the jerseys because, as we'll see, a mediocre logo can be saved by good jerseys and vice versa 

18. Charlottetown Islanders

For a team that so many people were looking forward to seeing, after years of the less than great P.E.I. Rockets, what we got was terrible. The logo is good, so why not put it on the jersey? Why use a Rangers like script and mix the Pens with the Blues/Preds? Why. The jerseys look like practice jerseys or awful alternates, but no, this is what the Islanders wear every game.

17. Val D'Or Foreurs

Photo from LMJHQ.qc.ca

The logo hasn't been actually updated in the team's history, yes they look better than when they wore AWFUL Nashville copies but the current jerseys still look like Tampa clones. However, the biggest problem is the logo, and something less clearly 1990 CHL would bring this team well away from the bottom.

16. Baie Comeau Drakkar 

Photo from ici.radio-canada.ca

Now granted, I don't hate the team's white jerseys, which use the old Thrashers away template decently, but the red and black jersey are awful. The colours coulee be much better balanced and the whole template doesn't support that. Make the jerseys match the white jersey and the team would be top 10. The logo also needs an update, which hasn't been touched since 1997 

15. Gatineau Olympique 

Photo from lapresse.ca

Talk about a team ruined by copycatting! The Olympique used to have a vibrant colour scheme and while their jerseys would be gaudy to some, they were an identity in the Q that was easily recognizable. Now, if the jersey was facing away from you, ti would look like a Kings jersey to the untrained eye. I wouldn't mind them template if they team wore their old black, purple and orange. But right now, they are bland and uninspired, especially for a team named Olympique 

14. St. John Sea Dogs 

Photo from stationnation.blogspot.com

While the Sea Dogs are not the worst use of the Buffaslug, the template is too busy. The black arms look great but on the ice a lot of the silver and white become a blur. The logo also needs work, looking less like a bad motorcycle decal and like a...Sea Dog...also this horrendous alternate.

13. Victoriaville Tigres 

Boston colours on a Buffalo jersey....not much else to say. The jersey really does look like a buffalo jersey. Dalhousie wears the exact same thing except with an even more out of date logo. The team hasn't really had the best of jerseys in any phase of their history, mostly coping existing teams (Bruins), but the yellow Sens/Pens templates  at least were there own thing. The best thing this team could do would be go back to the 80's Bruins jerseys in edge cut.

12. Shawinigan Cataractes 

Photo from www.lhebdodustmaurice.com

The Cataractes may be inadvertently named after bad vision, but prior to this jersey, I really liked their look. A solid logo and they were making good use of the Ottawa Sens black jersey template...then this thing comes out. It seriously looks like a European team's jersey, I mean come on man! The team ditched their beautiful navy jersey, made their home jersey yellow instead of their away and went with this crap. Yes, one jersey sent a possible top 5 team lower, but it angers me so much when teams ditch a good ting for something awful.

11. Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

Photo from lmjhq.qc.ca

Beautiful primary logo and a risky move in using gradient that does pay off. The Huskies had excellent pre-edge jerseys, and their current away isn't the bad either, but the giant red arms on the black jersey look really tacky with the piping and red lace. Make those arms black and ditch the lace and you're good.

10. Cape Breton Screaming Eagles

photo from gracefellowshipc.blogspot.com

While I'm no fan of the team, it's hard to deny they look good. They've made the black yellow, a well-used colour scheme, it still is their own look. The logo isn't amazing but it goes with the jerseys. A logo update and maybe dropping the Screaming from the name would make the team look better. Obvious terrible alternate found here.

9. Moncton Wildcats

Photo from hockeysfuture.com

The Wildcats look pretty snazzy, despite having an outdated logo, though one thing has always bugged me about their jerseys, they look like team Russia. Perhaps taking away yoke away or something  but they've certainly improved since the days of their horrible black jerseys (That's a theme in the CHL. 

8. Acadie Bathurst Titans

Photo from ca.sports.yahoo.com

Talk about night and day with this team! Le Titans had one of the most mediocre looks in hockey history, have now got a fresh Spartan upgrade. The colour scheme is regal and the gold helmets are a nice touch. The jerseys however, are copies of the Jets, and not amazing ones at that. Still, a good looking team

7. Drummondville Voltigeurs 

Photo from journalexpress.ca

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, and the Voltigeurs followed that mantra when they switched to edge. The team was a Blackhawks rip off until 2005, when they made their own look, a solid logo set, and a template only they could pull off. I do think the yoke has too much black and red would look better, but I really appreciate they have a unique look.

6. Halifax Mooseheads

Photo from thechronicleherald.ca

I rarely like when a team uses another team's jersey, though the Mooseheads pull off the Wild's red jersey...better than the Wild. Their logo is amazing, though out of date, and with the addition of a beautiful green alternate 3 seasons ago, they have a great 3 jersey set. The problems with the jersey are the same I have with the Wild(s), the jerseys need a hem stripe, and the white jersey's arms look weird with the big blotch of red. Those problems are just enough to keep my team out of the top 5, though they are the best of the Maritime division 

5. Rimouski Oceanic 

Photo from ca.sports.yahoo.com

I'd call les Oceanic the Dallas Stars of the LMJHQ, where they went from a convoluted look that didn't do much and was surprisingly dull, to a beautiful simpler look. All my problems are on the jersey, the logo is perfect, despite it being only a colour change. Why are the shoulder patches the primary logo repeated? Why are the numbers under the league logo. Little things, but annoying.

4. Sherbrooke Phoenix 

Photo from hockeyphoenix.ca

It's hard to believe a team can actually look amazing by not only using a cookie cutter template, but also using the once heavily over used wheat/vintage white as well as double blue. The Phoenix's great look comes from their perfect primary logo, and good shoulder patch, a template that works with the logo, subtle details. The stripes on the pants are gorgeous, and if the team work the stripes on the socks on their arms and hem, the team would have one of the best looks in the CHL, but as is, a great look for an expansion franchise.

3. Quebec Remparts 

Photo from ca.sports.yahoo.com

Going from a team that uses vintage white to a team who ditched it for beautiful new crisp jerseys last season. The Remparts get my award for most improved in the Q that doesn't include changing the logo. The new jerseys are clean cut, and perfect for a classic CHL team like Les Remparts. 

2. Chicoutimi Saguenéens 

Photo from hockeyprospect.com

Similar to Les Remparts, Les Saguenéens  are a staple look of the LMJHQ, but I simply prefer their double blue candy cane yoke and gorgeous logo. There's a reason why this team hasn't changed their look dramatically since 1982.

1. Blainville Boisbriand Armada

Photo from sportsnet.ca

I know what you're thinking "But Jets, you've said that going with a black and white colour scheme looks awfully boring, now a team that's only worn black and white is the best look in the QMJHL?" Yes...why? Everything about L'Armada pops, the logos are simple but not to the point they are boring. The jerseys do an excellent job displaying them but again are simple. The jerseys are crisp but despite having a simple colour scheme and logos, the team has its own identity. The Armada do what the Montreal Junior tried and failed miserably to do, a unique 2 colour scheme that was still their own.

Do you agree? Excited for what I think of the OHL/WHL? Tell me in the comments!

In the mean time, why not vote for COTW & the NY Golden Glades Redesign contest!

COTW Sept 27-Oct 3 vote (ends Friday @ 11:59pm Eastern)

Golden Blades ReDesign Top 5 vote (ends Friday @ 9:59pm Eastern)

On to our 4 concepts!!!

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New York Rangers Concept (By: David P.)

+ While I'd never want the Rangers to go full red, a half red jersey with lots of blue works very nicely

+ Usually, I don't like canvas gear, but it matches the name bar and blends nicely with the red/blue on the jersey

+ The boxed numbers are a nice idea and they work

+ Good logo choices & execution 

- The TV numbers, captain's c and numbers on the back are too small

- Don't forget helmet logos!

Rating: 8/10

HC Dynamo Czech Extraliga Concepts (By: Jake88)

+ The logo and colours are really vibrant, I love how clean and fierce the horse looks

+ The striping is simple like the logo, but not boring

+ Like the yoke patter, it looks like the hem stripe transferred as a yoke, and it works without doing an actual yoke stripe 

+ Great execution 

- The jerseys are a little plain with only one logo, perhaps some details in the cuffs or a shoulder patch would help with that. 

Rating: 8.75/10

Pittsburgh Penguins Concepts (By: Ryan C.)

+ The colours are much better laid out on this jersey than on the actual jerseys of the time, the striping and cuffs make a nice combination without being a direct throwback or a Bruins jersey 

+ Good execution 

+ Just a really solid but simple look I would want the team wearing if they wanted to go back to this colour scheme full time

- Would have chosen the robe-pen as a shoulder patch, but some sort of shoulder patch, rather that or the roundel would keep the shoulders from looking so bare

- Primary logo is too large 

Rating: 9.5/10 COTW Nom from me

North Carolina Tar Heels NCAA Concepts (By: Jan S.)

+ I like how the colours are balanced, with there being minimal navy on the white jersey, but lots on the blue jersey

+ The argyle is a give in for NC

+ Good work on the shoulder patches, that's a detail most don't get quickly 

- No tv numbers and NOB is too high/numbers too low

-Argyle on the white jersey is hard to make out because there's no navy, that would make a good outline to show off the details that otherwise blend into the white

- While the shoulder patches are done right, the logos are too large and the foot logo doesn't really work as a shoulder patch since it is very thin and would look like a blue blur across the yoke in reality 

Rating: 5.5/10- Keep practicing and work one the details and you'll be getting better ratings in no time 

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That's the post!

Don't forget to vote for COTW & the Golden Blades Comp.

Go Jets, Moose & Mooseheads!

Have an awesome week!