Thursday: Mr.I

Hello everyone, welcome back!

First let's cover a tiny piece of news that Phil missed yesterday, involving the Detroit Red Wings.

After Mike Ilitch's passing last week, the Red Wings decided to honor the former owner with a shoulder patch.

Photo via Detroit Free Press

As you can see the shoulder patch takes on the same design as the Gordie Howe 9 patch they've been wearing all season. Aesthetics wise it creates a few boxy looking patches on the jersey, and I think a different design would fit a lot better.

The Wings also honored Mr. I with an on ice tribute.

Photo via nhl.com

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This week in voting we have the COTW January vote, and the regular COTW vote. The pairs competition entries are also due March 3 by 12:00 EST, and make sure to declare your partnership/entry if you have not yet!

COTW-January vote (ends Friday @ noon Eastern)

COTW Feb 3-9 vote (ends Friday @ noon Eastern)

Pairs Competition entries (due March 3rd @ noon Eastern)

 

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Lucas D. - New York Rangers

+Gray is an interesting choice...I actually think it kinda works.

+Good color balance.

-I think there's a tad bit of color blending, though, mainly with the red and blue together.

+The blue on this concept really looks good and really pops.

+Simple striping works best for the Rangers.

-It might be a good idea to keep the pants consistent with the jersey.

+The logo works pretty well here instead of the script, especially since this is so innovative, but I do wonder what the script would look like too.

Overall: 8/10

Mike F. - Norway (NHL 17)

+Continuing on with the NHL series, Mike brings us another design that looks like it belongs right in NHL 17.

+/- In general I'm not a fan of the primary 2 jerseys, they look dated, but like I said they fit perfect for NHL 17.

-The red and blue don't contrast well enough when they're touching.

+The first alternate jersey has a more modern look to it, and again fits well in NHL 17.

-Bit I'm not sure if it would look better to have the same pattern on the hems as on the arms.

+The vintage one reminds me of the old Jets, I love it.

-Again, the blue and red don't contrast well enough, though.

Overall: 7.5/10

Noah B. - Team Belarus

+I like the idea behind this one, the flag pattern gives them a unique look.

+The red jersey looks really nice, the colors contrast well, the color balance is good, and the striping is somehow not too busy.

-The white jersey's color balance could be improved. The red and green fight for dominance (after white)

-The hem striping should curve to somewhat match the curve of the jersey.

+That logo looks nice. I wasn't sure what it was at first, but it looks to be the hem/flag pattern at a different perspective.

-This isn't about the design itself, but I'd recommend putting a solid background on the image; you currently have it as a transparent PNG.

Overall: 8.5/10

Ryan C. - Laval Rocket

+A simple, traditional look is definitely the way to go with Laval.

+/- Moving the chest stripe down to the hem isn't a bad look, but I prefer the chest stripe. It just connects better with the Habs' identity, without copying them.

+The shoulder patch placement looks really nice, and works well going inside the stripe.

-I'd color it red on the white jersey though, so it's the same color as the stripe like it is on the red jersey.

-I think your color balance is off. On the red jersey the white and blue fight for dominance, and on the white jersey it's the red and blue. Just change the yokes to match the striping color and it'll look much better, and avoid color balance issues.

+That font fits well for the Rocket, and I'm glad you got rid of the absurd number of patches on the jersey.

Overall: 8/10

Tyler M-S. - Ottawa Senators

+This one here is a nice combination of historical and modern, using the Sens' original striping with an upper arm color and the modern side-facing logo.

+I think the Sens' original jerseys are the best they've ever worn (excluding alternates), so I love a concept based on that.

-While you're making changes in the first place, I think you should change the hem to match the arms. The consistency there would really improve this look.

-If you are going to leave it like it is, at least switch the red and black, so they match the original design and looks much more historical. I think I understand why you swapped them, but I still prefer the reverse.

+I really like the pants stripes on this one, and they're subtle enough to not be overbearing.

Overall: 8.5/10 and my COTW nomination

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That's all for today! I hope you enjoyed the post, thanks for reading, and I'll see you all again next week.