Friday: It's a Rebuilding Year

Hey y'all, and welcome to another Friday post here at HJC.  With the trade deadline coming at the end of the month, rumors have been flying about impending moves and the future of many clubs.  One team that unequivocally set the record straight about their intentions for the looming deadline is my dearly beloved New York Rangers.  In the wake of a losing streak that is just the latest entry in a disappointing season, President Glenn Sather and General Manager Jeff Gorton released an open letter to fans yesterday stating their plan for the team going forward.  As a Rangers fan, I'm conflicted about this decision.  On the one hand, I appreciate management being straightforward with the fans about their intentions, and it almost softens the blow to get a bit of warning to expect trades to be made.  On the other hand, it's disheartening to hear that some familiar faces are on their way out.  After spending years rooting for a player that has become a main staple of your favorite team, it's always sad to see them in another uniform.  While you recognize that sometimes a team needs a fresh start, and there's no doubt that the Rangers are in need of some revitalization, it's bittersweet that the cost of that success comes at the loss of some old friends.  As a fan of the Rangers, I'm sad that this message had to come, but as a sports fan I'm happy to see the Rangers take a step that I hope other teams may soon adopt, as transparency between the fans and the front office is something I think should be an integral part of running a team.

In voting news, we have the regular COTW vote for February 2-8, the COTW January vote, and the Season Week 2 vote, all of which end Friday at noon EST. 

COTW Feb 2-8 vote (ends Friday @ noon EST)

COTW January vote (ends Friday @ noon EST)

The Season Week 2 vote (ends Friday @ noon EST)

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Now on to today's concepts!

Dylan T.- Team Canada

Our first concept of the day is Dylan T.'s design for Team Canada.  I really like the contrasting upper arm that matches the stripe, it works especially well on the Nike template.  The contrasting hem combines well with the upper arm to help out the color balance.  I was never a big fan of this logo, but if you must use it I would recommend using the version with the gold outline, as the silver here just blends into the white.  I would have liked to have seen some sort of patch on the arm to add to the design, as well as the numbers.  They font choice can really make or break a set (looking at you, Caps).  Beyond that, a look at the gear would have been nice, especially since you seem to have mainly eliminated black from the color scheme.  Final verdict: a good design, but it's missing some extras that would really help to sell it.  7.5/10

Harry B.- Minnesota Vikings

Next up is Harry B.'s design that appears to have been made using NHL18.  Beyond the obvious copyright infringement, I'm not opposed to another Nordic themed team in the State of Hockey.  I like the color scheme, purple and gold work really well together.  The simple striping works well here, but it bothers me that the striping on the breezers doesn't match.  The logo is pretty run of the mill for generic sports game logos, but you did a good job of working the color scheme into it.  I really like the black alternate, but I cant really tell what the logo on it is.  It's obviously the outline of Minnesota, but then it sort of looks like a purple and gold duck, which doesn't really fit the team name.  In terms of execution, I'm not a huge fan of submissions from video games, as it really limits the creativity of what you can achieve.  I also would prefer a screenshot rather than pictures of the TV, as electronic images do not photograph well.  Final verdict: not a bad design, but nothing exceptional, and execution leaves much to be desired.  5/10

Noah K.- Concord Blue Devils

Our next concept is Noah K.'s design for the Blue Devils, a marching band associated with Drum Corps International.  I commend you for your inspiration, I can honestly say I've never reviewed a drum corps uniform in my time here at HJC.  The striping pattern intrigues me, I've seen fading sublimated patterns before, but never with the little line in the middle.  I like the logo, but it's a little blurry when compared to the rest of the concept.  The striping on the breezers is a bold choice, but I don't think it pays off here.  Finally, you need a helmet to go with the dark uniform.  Final verdict: an intriguing design for certain, but I don't think it's quite there.  6.5/10

Ryan H.- New York Rangers

Next up is our supreme overlord Ryan's design for a third set for my beloved Rangers.  I really like the striping pattern here, it's similar to the Rangers' regular striping while also being distinct enough to be entirely its own.  While I wasn't a fan of the hem striping when I first saw this design, it's grown on me every time I've looked it over since, and now I think that not matching the arm striping was the right call here.  As a Rangers fan, I am outraged at the logo choice, we prefer not to speak about that logo in the hopes that it will be rightfully lost to time.  If it must be used, I would recommend using the Lady Liberty logo as the main crest and move the future shield to the shoulder, which would also help add something to the top half of the jersey, which looks fairly empty with the blue collar.  While I do like the use of the Rangers' traditional drop shadow numbering, the silver gets lost in the white, so I would have just stuck with white and red.  Final verdict: a great looking alternate for the Blueshirts, but the logo choice really kills this design for me.  8.5/10

Taylor R.- American International Yellow Jackets

Our final entry of the day is Taylor R.'s design for the AIU Yellow Jackets, and I must say it's a beauty.  I love the full length yoke that turns into a contrasting cuff, it's a sharp look when it's done properly.  I also love the striping pattern, it fits in well with the Yellow Jackets' identity.  The cont choice here is perfect, it's reminiscent of a yellow jacket's stinger, which is a nice touch.  I really like the use of the hockey-specific logo, even though it's based on the old logo and hasn't been updated to match the new one.  My only issue with this concept is the name plate that stretches onto the sleeves on the back, just make the name smaller.  Final verdict: a great looking set for AIU that I would definitely like to see take the ice.  9.5/10 and my COTW NOMINEE!!!!!

That's all for me this week, see y'all next Friday!