Friday: Make a Mask

Hey y'all, welcome to another Friday post!  The biggest news I've seen this past week has been Calvin Pickard's decision to let fans contribute design ideas for his new mask for the Golden Knights.  For the past four days, Pickard has been reviewing fan created designs for his new mask that have been submitted either to the Golden Knights website or via Twitter.  While some designs have been fabulously over the top, there are some that I think could look really good on the ice.  Unfortunately, the entry window closed at 3 o'clock Eastern today, so there is no chance to enter designs from here on out, but I like this idea and think it would be a great trend for other goalies to adopt.  It gets the fans more involved and excited about the team, and it gives designers an opportunity to see their creation on the biggest stage of all, an actual NHL game.  Everyone's a winner.

In terms of voting, we have the usual concept of the week vote for July 28- August 3, which ends Friday at noon EST.  Additionally, we are in the middle of the entry period for the Hockey Card Competition, with the deadline for entries also falling Friday at noon EST.

COTW July 28-August 3 vote (ends Friday @ noon EST)

Hockey Card Comp (entries due Friday @ noon EST)

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Now on to today's concepts!

Anthony C.- Vancouver Canucks

Our first concept of the day is Anthony C.'s latest design for the Vancouver Canucks.  While I do like this striping pattern for the Canucks, I'm not sure if it works as a chest stripe.  I'd probably just move it down to the hem.  I've mentioned before that I'm not a huge fan of the orca logo, but I definitely like it better with the extra green here, it really helps bring it into the Canucks identity.  I definitely prefer this font to their current one, it matches the more traditional look of the uniforms much better.  Good presentation, but the red on the skates and inside collar really threw me off on this one, maybe recolor for concepts with no red in them.  Final verdict: a good design, but I'm just not on board with the chest stripe.  7.5/10

Christian C.- Raging Waves

Our next concept comes from a first time contributor, Christian C., who has created a design for Raging Waves.  Apparently, according to the jersey logo, Raging Waves is Illinois' largest water park.  Let's start with the good: I like that you cited your sources for the images that you used.  Also, the old Manitoba Moose font used on the numbers works surprisingly well for the wave theme.  Now for the bad: the logos used are way too big on the jersey, the water park logo runs onto the side panels on the front, and the "shoulder patches" take up the entirety of the front of the upper arm.  I'm also puzzled as to why the gmail and Nascar logos were used, unless this is a horrifying premonition of teams selling out ad space on their jerseys like European teams.  The home set is just the Sabres' Edge set with different logos slapped on, so there's no real creativity there.  The red used for the name on the back clashes, just make it white like the numbers.  The light set is just the same jersey recolored, but in a completely different color scheme, which is somewhat confusing.  As for presentation, going forward you should save the images and then email us a copy of it instead of just using screenshots.  It just gives it a cleaner look.  Don't be discouraged, none of us have good first attempts.  Just use the feedback we give to start working on your designs and you'll improve.  Final verdict: a first attempt.  2/10

Justin B.- Minnesota Wild

With this concept, Justin gives us what Minnesota should have by combining design elements from the home and away uniforms to create a matching set.  Moving the chest stripe down to the hem was a good move, as it allows it to match both the arm striping and the design of the away set.  He also matches the home and away shoulder patches, something that the current set fails to do.  The striping set on the away does a great job of bringing red and beige into the design instead of the Wild's usual plain green and white.  I definitely like the beige collars better than the ones used with the new Adizero design, it pops more.  You even properly tilted the main crest to match how they are worn on the jersey.  Final verdict: a design that takes one of the best improvements of the shift to Adidas and makes it even better.  10/10 and my COTW NOMINEE!!!!!!!!!!

Noah B.- Kansas City Scouts

Our final design of the day is Noah B.'s design for the defunct Kansas City Scouts.  I really like the striping design, and praise you for not falling into the trap of trying to revive their overly complicated yoke striping.  I like the choice of  isolating the "KC" from the logo for the main crest, but I would have liked to have seen the roundel logo as a shoulder patch.  The color balance across the sets is beautiful, and I love the choice of blue breezers instead of the traditional red.  I also like that the socks match the striping on the jersey, something the original set failed to do.  Final verdict: a great set that I think is worth reviving the franchise for.  9.5/10

That's it for me today, see y'all next week!