Wednesday: T-9 minutes and holding

JERSEY NEWS RIGHT OFF THE BAT: We need to talk about Laval. Yes, Chase mentioned it yesterday but we need to hold things up before we countdown to launch.

ICYMI: Here's the new look for the St. John's IceCaps for when they move to Laval, Quebec to become the Rocket. Not Rockets, but Rocket:

(images via the official website of the Montreal Canadiens)

That logo is interesting. Not the best design, especially since there are no design elements related to a rocket. However as we all should know this team is named not for an actual rocket but rather THE Rocket, Maurice Richard. As such this look should be vintage, which the logo does accomplish. Paired with the chest stripe and it starts to look good despite having no red anywhere in the logo. The way the numbers on the back match the logo is genius. The little flame beneath the number is a nice touch. That's where the good stops. Shoulder logos are a wordmark, a look I have criticized multiple times here and have no intention of stopping with. There's a second alternate logo which is a boring shield with "LE ROC KET" and that flame pattern. That would work decently on the shoulders but nope. It's below the TV numbers (at least they're in a good spot). And below that is a THIRD alternate logo. The number 9 with a flame below it, a tribute to Maurice Richard (I would not be surprised if Laval players will be forbidden from wearing number 9). But that logo needs to go on the basis that there are now two different numbers on the sleeves. Too minimalist of a logo to exist alongside another number which ID's the player. Oh and if the logos weren't already overused, there's a flame on the back of the sock underneath the stripe, and the wordmark of LAVAL in the collar inset. This is awful and overkill.

Rating: 45%

COMPETITIONS: St. Louis Eagles are being resurrected, as many teams are here at HJC. Make a new set for them and get it in by Friday.

ENTRIES SO FAR:

...Buehler?

Hopefully we'll have more in the next couple of days, especially with the advice a few weeks ago about being patient and sending it in later on. Just don't make it too late now.

VOTES: Concept of the Week as usual, but on top of that.....

IT'S FINALLY HERE! It's the vote we've all been waiting for, CONCEPT OF THE YEAR!!! THE FINAL SHOWDOWN!! OTHER EXCITING TAGLINE!

But Avi and Matt will battle it out one last time to determine the best concept of 2016. You decide who takes how that plaque. 

REMINDERS

2016 COTY Final vote (ends Friday @ noon Eastern)

COTW Jan 20-26 vote (ends Friday @ noon Eastern)

ST. Louis Eagles entries (due Friday @ noon Eastern)

ON TO THE CONCEPTS!

Jay S: KalPa (SM Liiga) Concept

Probably the most dynamic and untraditional concept today, Jay brings us a concept for KalPa of SM Liiga. KalPa has a decent set, one yellow and one black jersey, but it's spoiled with advertisements as you would expect in the Finnish league the team boasts several NHL alumni such as Olli Jokinen, Kimmo Timonen and Islanders LEGEND Miko Koskinen (sarcasm). This striping is incredible but it makes no sense. That may be a good thing aesthetically though, as it crowds out any potential advertisements. However for a team that was established in 1929, it may not be the best idea to go this route. It's a tough decision. It looks good, a little out there, though the yoke on the yellow jersey helps out. Execution: Sock stripes are way too high if you only have two sets of black and white stripes.

Rating: 80%


Jay S: HC Dinamo Minsk (KHL) Concept

I'm a little more familiar with KHL teams, as Jay and Dan joked about doing KHL highlight packages during the 2012-13 lockout on their podcast during their time at TSN. I love the chest stripe being paired with this roundel logo. It's also a very nice chest stripe pattern, matched on the arms and almost matched on the shoulders, which I would prefer to be matched exactly. The double blue is nice but I'm not sure exactly sure if the light blue is light enough to contrast well against the navy. Ad on the bottom is expected and thus ignored, but it's weird to see you put effort in to add the ad (sorry) and not any KHL branding beyond the jersey manufacturer.

Rating: 82%


Lucas D: Buffalo Sabres Concept

Clean. That's the theme around this jersey as Lucas brings back the stabbed-B logo (only way I can describe the logo simply). You also put the modernized crossed swords logo as an alternate logo found on the shoulders and pants. Not having an outline here I would have to assume that a matching white jersey would have a blue outline on the logo. The curved sleeves are a nice touch alongside the modern number font, originally found on, well, THAT jersey that we want to forget about, and I don't mean the Buffa-slug. Simple works. Back side? Also from a presentation standpoint, the logo sublimated in the back is extremely pixelated.

Rating: 91%


Matt G: Vancouver Canucks Blackout Alternate Concept

This is a great idea for a fan jersey. Not sure how it would work as an on-ice jersey. The white from the logo looks out-of place with the rest of the jersey maybe just have outlines of green around those areas? Sock and pant striping doesn't match the jersey. But the main key here is the on-ice practicality, which I don't think exists. People would buy this. The team would not wear it.

Rating: 78%


Tyler M-S: Vancouver Canucks Road Alternate Concept

This is a little more reasonable as an on-ice look, even though I hate this template. One inconsistency bothers me here. Look at the hem striping and the logo. Now compare that to the number outlines on the back of the jersey and the arm striping. They both can use some white to separate the green and blue. Especially because the color balance of this jersey doesn't work well, as the green and blue clash against each other in several aspects. Logo is a little small.

Rating: 73%


Zack H: New York Islanders Concept

The Islanders current jerseys are the best home and away set they have ever had. But there's always room for improvement and Zack tries that a little bit by adding a shoulder yoke. I'll admit I'm a sucker for white yokes on dark jerseys, but this one doesn't do it for me and some of that is because of the shape of the yoke. Also the orange yoke doesn't work well because despite orange being the bottom color in the striping pattern, it's not the color of the numbers. On the blue jersey it works because of the fact that white is the color of the numbers, yoke and bottom striping. One aspect I do like but don't think is quite finished is the socks. The Islanders do not have sock striping that matches their jersey, yet the Sound Tigers, the Isles minor league affiliate do on the home whites. Fill in the bottom portion of your socks.

Rating: 77%


The WINNER of my Concept of the Week Nomination is:

 LUCAS D 

 BUFFALO SABRES CONCEPT 

Another week in and another week out. Next week I'll congratulate the winner of the hardest competition here at HJC and continue my design rants within your reviews. Keep sending in concepts and I'll keep writing for you.

Personal note, my trip to Philadelphia will unfortunately not be happening due to my class schedule. However Carolina WILL be happening, the flight and hotel are booked (the hotel is next door to Waffle House so I'm set) and I'll be at PNC Arena March 14th. See you next week!