Thursday: The End is Near

Hey guys! I'm writing this post a bit earlier than usual since I'll be having a busy day tomorrow with some graduation related affairs, so I won't have any time to write this tomorrow.

I'm also excitedly nervous for game 7 tomorrow, but I'm hoping the Pens can come up clutch in these game sevens like they've always seemed to these last 2 years. Here's to hoping.

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Voting wise is pretty simple this week with the COTW vote up as always and the HJCWHJC vote. The HJC Open logo competition is also coming up as well, though there's no deadline this week so don't worry about that.

COTW May 12-18 vote (ends Friday @ noon ET)

WHJC Division Vote (ends Tuesday @ 9pm ET)

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Anthony C. - Columbus Blue Jackets

+The striping (inspired by the sock striping?) is a pretty good look.

-It's really basic though. It's similar to the Oilers' striping pattern, and that road jersey really looks like a Blackhawks jersey. 

-The road jersey also could use some more blue.

+The alternate on the other hand is going in the right direction. Unique and a good look.

+That logo fits a chest stripe well.

-I would switch the white and blue in the alt's striping in order to balance the colors better. Right now white and blue compete to be the secondary color.

-I'm just going to say this now for all the concepts of yours today...please show the back of the jersey or at least what the name and number look like. Also the TV numbers look too small on all of them.

Overall: 7/10

Anthony C. - Toronto Maple Leafs

+Throwbacks are something I really wish the Leafs did this year for their 100th anniversary. Aside from the St. Pats jersey, they really didn't bring back anything else.

-Fauxbacks aren't quite the same...but it would be better than nothing.

+All of the jerseys have a good vintage look to them.

+I like the idea of combining multiple eras on the first two designs. Take the St. Pats' striping and/or the Leafs' old striping with an Arenas logo on the one, and the St. Pats chest striping with a Leafs logo on the other.

-Aside from the striping on the Arenas and 1999 jerseys not wrapping all the way around the hem.

-I think changing the shoulder yokes to rounded yokes would fit much better for a fauxback.

-Not sure why the last jersey is called the 1999 jersey when that jersey wasn't even used in 1999 and it was actually a throwback to the 1960s.

Overall: 7/10

Anthony C. - Washington Capitals

+I'm a traditionalist, so I already like this better than what the Caps currently wear.

+Good color balance.

-I think the collars would look better if they matched the yoke's color.

-I think the weagle would look pretty good on this design.

-Vertical stitching should stop at the hem striping.

+I like that the striping appears to be inspired by the D.C. Flag, but not necessarily just pasting that striping onto a jersey. If this wasn't intentional, it's a lucky fluke.

Overall: 8.5/10

David C. - Winter Classic 2018

+I love the fauxback looks for this game.

+Adding that extra striping pattern to Buffalo actually really helps it look like an older design. Such a simple solution.

-I think it may look better if the Sabres wore the dark jersey, though, as what they have now almost looks too similar to what they wore for 2008.

+Taking the Rangers' hem stripe pattern and copying it to the arms for their fauxback look also works really well.

+I like the "shoulder" patch placement.

-I just can't seem to like that primary crest you made for the Rangers. It doesn't look great to me nor does it have a vintage charm to it. I applaud you for trying something new, but I'm just not feeling it.

-This is more speculation because I'm not sure what actually works better, but I'm wondering how good a drop shadow would look on the Rangers' numbers.

Overall: 8.5/10 and my COTW nomination

FC Macbeth - Indonesia

-Using a flag inspired striping pattern is in no way an original idea...

+But its still a pretty good idea for where to get your look from, and hard to go wrong if your flag is simple.

+One thing I do like, though, is how you used the flag design on the arms. That's a more new idea to me.

-I'm really not sure why you flipped the flag striping over on the road jersey. Just leave it the same so it matches the flag.

-I think you went black for black's sake on this concept. There were solutions that would allow you to keep the flag striping on that jersey while making the primary color red, and I think that would have been the way to go.

-I'm really nor sure what the chest logo is but I'm not a fan. I also think it should be just one color rather than reverse colors like that.

-That name font isn't great in my opinion, and that number font is really basic. Something other than arial would work better for this concept.

Overall: 6.5/10

Lucas D. - Detroit Red Wings

+Taking a very conservative approach to adding another color to Detroit is the best way to keep their classic look as intact as possible.

-Though, since this is just a concept, I also wouldn't mind seeing you go all out with the third color, but honestly both approaches do work.

+- I can't tell the upper arm fill works for Detroit on the home jersey...it looks a bit odd but it does match the road jersey.

-I would make the silver/gray stripes just a tad thicker than you have them.

Overall: 8.5/10

Noah B. - Arizona Coyodinals

+I like your idea and execution here of a city mashup series.

-I think it would be even cooler if in cases like this, you combine every team a city has to offer instead of just the NHL team and one other team. So for example you would add the Diamondbacks into this one here.

+I think you've done a solid job of adapting the Cardinals uniforms into a Coyotes style.

-I think you should have kept the arm striping the same color on both the home and road jersey though, just like the Yotes. And keep it in the colors the home jersey has it in.

-I think there should also be more black on the road jersey, and that previous comment would balance out the black a bit.

Overall: 8/10

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