Monday: G-Flames

Welcome to another Monday post on HJC!

RIP Alaska Aces (1989- 2017), Boomer the Polar Bear will be missed...also where will Scott Gomez play next lockout?! I'd image they will return when the Alaska economy recovers but it's a shame.

Other  League Roundup

Did you know England has a decently successful top European hockey league? Well they do, and while they don't compete against the top Swedish and Finnish teams, they do compete against tier 2 teams from Russia, Finland, Sweden, and top tier teams from the Alps legaue, Norway etc. Last year they announced they'd allow they'd add the Milton Keynes Lightning in 2017, but now they've also announced the Guildford Flames will be promoted too. Wonder what the Flames look like?! Well...it's exactly what you're thinking.

Photo from EIHL Official Twitter

It's not quite original, but to be fair it looks pretty solid. The colour scheme is different enough (there is actually some light purple near the yellow outline) I could tell them apart. It's nice to see the Flames '89 script (famous for the trainer sweaters in the team photo) being used by someone. For a league thats logos look more like pub logos most of the time (or do a similar thing this logo does with the Flames to Buffalo's goat head logo), I can dig it.

Rating: 7.5/10 

Now their jerseys are also familiar, though these haven't been used by the Jets since they were in Atlanta and looked a lot worse. 

Photo from EIHL Official Twitter

So a Flames copy team wears Thrashers jerseys that match their colour scheme better than the Thrashers away jerseys ever did from 2007-11? Yes this is the case. The jerseys even have the triangle pattern on the collar if you look carefully. I mean to be fair, considering their logo fits so well, it's almost as if they were gifted these! 

Rating: 8/10

The Allen Americans put their name to good use by sporting jerseys so patriotic I thought Captain America was going to come onto the ice on a bald eagle carrying a Chevy. 

Photo from Allen Americans Official Twitter

These not only work as patriotic jerseys, but just jerseys in general. The colour balancing on this jersey is surprisingly done well considering what is being attempted. The logo is absolutely gorgeous, so much so I'd like to see that use more often. the choice of red gear, including helmets, was a good one as it makes the stars on the yoke stand out more. Maybe one change I would make would be a block font but I'm impressed with how Allen remains one of minor hockey's best. 

Rating: 9/10 

Moving to the American major junior scene, the Green Bay Gamblers played on the cheese thing the Packers (and Wisconsin in general) has with these cheesy jerseys 

Photo from Green Bay Gamblers Twitter 

I'm not sure is Cheese is a colour now, but taking the Bruins alternate and making it look like a brick of cheese is...interesting. It's obviously and unapologetically a gimmick but a fun one at that. It isn't like they just make their logo look cheesy or but a cheese hat on the leopard, no they put effort into this. The shoulder patches only add to this! Writing Cheese as the primary logo thought is a bit much, and takes away from this as a Gamblers and just....an advert for cheese?! 

Rating; 8.5/10

 

Got a team outside of the NHL who's unveiled a jersey a jersey? Want it reviewed? Post a link in the comments and I'll see what I can do!

Reminders

Pairs competition due date is coming up! Entries are due Friday @ Noon EST. I can safely say this will be entertaining as any of the other ones we've held. Stay tuned on the design blog starting next week for presentations and previews. 

COTW resets for the week, go click the poll on the blog! 

COTW Feb 17-23 vote (Due Friday @ Noon EST)
Pairs Comp entries (Due March 3 @ Noon EST

On with today's 5 concepts! 

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Vegas Golden Knights Concepts (By: Lucas D.)

+ Subtle V on the arms and hem look excellent

+ Aside from the missing red (which is lateral) it's nice to see the 3 logo colours this way, particularly on the white jersey

+ Something about the WHA style WIN/EDM collar looks pretty nice in gold and black

+ Good execution 

- Where is the shoulder patch?

- Grey jersey needs white on it to balance the occurs more

- Gloves are too plain 

Rating: 8.5/10

Minnesota Wild Concept (By: Tyler M.S.)

+ The Minnesota white jersey seems to be a point of contention between two schools of thought: both agree the current is amazing, but is it better than what they once had? I think yes but there are a lot of fans of the first Edge white jerseys. this This is a very nice compromise

+ You've managed to make white and wheat work together with some well placed arm stripes

+ Love the Northstars striping 

+ Good execution

- One thing I might have changed is the collar to how the original had, or at least make the insert wheat since it would never touch the white

- The biggest flaw with this jersey is the lack of a shoulder patch, Minnesota has a few logos to chose from, one would work 

Rating: 8.75/10

St. Louis Blues Concepts (By: Ryan C.)

+ While it did eventually grow stale, for a period the Blues had the best jersey in the NHL with that roundel logo front and centre, along with navy blue being the primary colour

+ Striping is simple enough, it's nothing too special but I like how the white and blue look together on the home

+ Decent execution 

- The biggest slaw with his cocnept is how simple it is. The upper jersey, particularly the white jersey's have nothing but a smaller shoulder patch. The pants are plain, the gloves are plain, the collar is even plain, adding a yoke to the white jersey, a more interesting collar and maybe some yoke stripes or colour on the pants would help spice things up

- The shedding on the jersey looks off. Shading should be a darker version of the the colour of the  jersey, so the blue jersey should have darker navy shadows, not grey, on top of that the grey not eh white jersey is too dark except for the socks 

- No front numbers on the helmet 

Rating: 5.5/10 

Philadelphia Flyers Concept (By: Taylor R.)

+ The striping..I mean...wow...that's gorgeous...I mean New York does the whole 4 stripe thing...but the Flyers can do that and add tail flares...I like them

+ Colours are balanced well, orange numbers might be a bit much for some but I really like them

+ Shoulder yokes are aces

+ Prefect execution 

- The arm stripes could use the tail flair in it too

- You know, a black helmet would look great 

Rating: 9.5/10 COTW Nom from me!

Team Japan EA Sports NHL Concepts (By: Mike F.)

+ Japan is a fun team to make concepts for. The lack of a traditional logo and having to use the rising sun as a logo forces one to be creative and rely on striping. These aren't an exception. The arm striping is a rising sun! 

+ Vintage jerseys continue to be excellent from Mike, particularly that yellow jersey 

+ These would look amazing in an NHL game, since Japan has been featured in every game I've bene remember (Wakabayashi)

+ Great execution

- The flag patches aren't necessary, but I've come to realize they're there because of the games using them as filler 

- I should like to see some blue or black in the home and road (similar to the international football team does

Rating: 9/10

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