Tuesday: Mic Test

Welcome to HJC for your ordinary Tuesday post, but not your ordinary Tuesday. That's because tonight, ladies and gentlemen, is our special LIVE podcast for the NHL Playoffs Preview! Join us at 10:00 PM EST while we break down the chase for the Cup.

In voting, the Color Swatch competition is almost over. Ending at the same time is is Concept of the Week, and Concept of the Month.

COTW-March vote (ends Friday @ noon ET)

COTW March 30 - April 5 vote (ends Friday @ noon ET)

Colour Swatch vote (ends Friday @ noon ET)

Brooks F.- Virden Oil Capitals

Designing jerseys can be a fun hobby, but seeing them on the ice is something many of us will never experience. But for Brooks, wearing it in real life is just the icing on the cake. (You can read the article explaining the theme night in detail here.) Brooks built the theme of the whole set around a wheat-grain pattern. I don't come across many roundel logos I like, but framing the harvester around the wheat wreath with the wordmark ribbon is a classy look to honor industry. As well as the pattern works for a hockey jersey, it's quite overbearing on the hem, and starts coming across as maybe too tacky. Something more subtle, like the socks, would have done the trick. The secondary logo used for the team's booster club works surprisingly well as a shoulder patch. The colors work well, with the introduced shade of gold pairing with the Caps' dark red, black, and white accents. This fantastic tribute is capped off by an unabashed show of gratitude to the farmers on the back.

Grade: B+

Lucas D.- Buffalo Sabres

The first of two from Lucas today, he starts with the Buffalo Sabres. The bold, solid stripes set this design apart from the team's history, while loosely calling back to last year's Winter Classic, removing a stripe from the hem. Keeping the yellow stripes on fields of blue not only avoided the dreaded yellow-on-white syndrome, but stylistically plays well in the design. It's a traditional look that works for team that's ever gradually leaning towards return to its original set, but I'm not fully on board. The logo is driven by stick-thin elements with the sabers and roundel stripes, and the stripes are overwhelming. The blue yoke sticks out awkwardly without a yellow element within it. Along those lines, the solid blue collar is draining life out of the yoke, keeping it bland. Lastly, the return to royal blue is a move you really can't go wrong with in Buffalo.

Grade: C+

Lucas D.- Carolina Hurricanes

Lucas's second concept heads south to Raleigh. The warning flag woven in as a pattern is always a winning choice, though on concepts it's often too ornate to match the rest of the design. Lucas makes it work by taking the grey, which doesn't stand out too far from the black or grey. The color balancing works here, using black and white to accent the red base, and the red helmet adds to that effect. Where this design isn't meshing is between the yoke and the hem. The sharp step-down in the yoke doesn't fit anything else in the striping. I can see some resemblance to the logo, but it's still not quite there because the logo is wavy while the stripe isn't. The font is great for the 'Canes, but the nameplate is too close to the yoke. Adidas collars are tough to make work, but Lucas manages to make the best of them by dousing color on them similar to the yoke stripes.

Grade: B-

Noah B.- Charlotte Checkers

Moving down to the 'Canes' AHL club, Noah sends in a full 4-uniform set for the Checkers. Special patterns seem to be the theme of the day, and this is another great example. The off-color shoulders coupled with the checkered stripe is a classic look with a modern flair. The only drawback I see from the design is that the thin, grey stripes aren't visible enough, and doesn't create the buffer it wants to have. Like Carolina, red bases with black and white accents fits the bill for color balancing. The black helmet works on the red because it matches the shoulders well. The crest logo is looks fine on the crest, but the shoulder patch is a bit much on the primary sets because of the colorful shoulders. I would suggest moving it to the helmet, since the "CC" logo is weak. I'm not sure why the AHL logo isn't on the alternates while it's on the collar of the main set. Practically, it may not be the most realistic set, with the alternates so close it style to the main set. However, as good looking as they are, I don't know if anyone would complain.

Grade: B+

Steve M.- Boise State University Broncos

Sunday writer Steve closes out today's post with new jerseys for the Boise State Broncos. Another classic striping style, this falls a little flat. The "outline" stripes (the blue stripes) aren't thick enough to separate the orange from the white. The phantom yoke is a trend that Rebirth is fond of, but no one on this blog seems to be, and I must admit, I fall in with the blog. It creates an unnecessary distinction between too similar parts of the jersey. Also on the white jersey, the roundel logo isn't strong enough for the crest. The B doesn't deserve to be called out by the frame of the logo, especially since the Bronco is much stronger. I like that the nameplate is the same on both jerseys, and Rebirth would appreciate the simplicity of constructing it, though the name itself is a bit small. The blue jersey is the strong of the two; the Bronco looks great as a crest, and the yoke pairs with it well as if the mane of the bronco.

Grade: C-

My COTW nomination goes to Brooks F's Virden Oil Capitals. That's all I have for now. Join me again tonight for the Playoffs Preview podcast. Until then, keep your stick on the ice.