Wednesday: I've got a Lovely Bunch of Concepts

What's up, lads and lasses?

It's your Thursday Wednesday writer, Justin.

You read that right, with Phil riding out into the sunset, we've got some schedule shifting going on here at HJC. I'll be writing you on Wednesdays, Sean (Jets96) will be taking Thursdays, and Friend of the Show BPoe will be managing Mondays as we deliberate on the next full time writer to join the HJC team.

Fortunately, not everything has changed, so be sure to get those COTW votes in before their regular Friday deadline and keep an eye opened and an ear tuned for this week's Jersey Nerd's Podcast covering last week's news week. That right, new Shark Erik Karlsson, fresh captains OEL and Justin Williams, and third jerseys galore. Be sure to give here a listen.

Designers: Don't forget about our Utah Grizzlies ECHL design competition currently still going on. Be sure to get those entries in before Friday's noon deadline.

REMINDERS:

COTW Sept 7-13 vote (ends Friday @ noon ET)

Utah Grizzlies ReDesign entries (due Friday @ noon ET)

Jersey Nerds Podcast (new episode every Tuesday!)

On to the concepts!

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Adam G.- Dallas Mavericks (NBA)

Our first two concepts of a packed day come from the blue and black teams of the NBA. First off, Adam takes us to my home town of Dallas for his take on the Mavericks. The identical pattern works really well here to balance colors and create a distinctive look on each set, with the home taking a more traditional pattern and the away jumping on the recent upper-arm fill bandwagon. This does leave the hem of the away pretty black heavy unfortunately. I know it's a bit to ask, but I'd also love to see the basketball in the logo redone to be a hockey puck, just for the added taste a realism. It's something I would've never though of changing in a crossover concept, but now that I've seen it done elsewhere, a crossover seems incomplete without it

Overall Rating: 8.0/10

A solid three-pointer, but not a slam dunk by any means.

Adam G.- Orlando Magic (NBA)

For the magic, we get a little more personality and an alternate added to the mix. The primaries are quite unique with traditional striping paired with some Magic trademark pinstripes on the cuffs. The away poses a color balance issue given its promotion of black over the home's primary blue. I'd consider swapping the blue and black to remedy this. Although it's a beautiful color combo and the blue really pops of the black, I can't help but see it as a BFBS alternate that really isn't needed in conjunction with the main set. Same comment goes on the basketballs in the logo. Swap those for a puck and the attention to detail will boost you at least a ratings point from me

Overall Rating: 8.5/10

And the game winning three bounces off the rim! Close, but no cigar.

Brooks F.- Hartford Whalers

From Black for Black's sake to Grey for Grey's sake, Brooks gives us a look at his modernized take on the Whalers. While I love the road and alternate, the home just pains me in its prevalence of grey. The road shows how beautiful this design can work for a navy-green-white pallet, but in the home we get a big old bucket of grey. In my mind either matching the home and away arms exactly (a la Pittsburgh) or simply swapping the grey for white on the current arms (to create an inverse of the away) would both improve this concept mightily and promote it into a sure position as my COTW Nomination.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10

Ha, GREEEEEEEEEY.

Lucas D.- Colorado Rockies (MLB)

For the second (of four, spoiler alert) times today, we get to see one of my favourite design trends highlighted; identical home and road patterns. Both jerseys look really solid, however I'm not sold on the white background for the logo on the home jersey. I'm not sure if there's a better way to do it, but i's left looking sloppy currently. Colors are balanced quite well on both the home and road and the purple really pops. I do think a shoulder logo would go a long way though, with both jerseys effectively bare north of the TV numbers. Adam, take note, Lucas subs out the baseball for a hockey puck here, Me likey.

Overall Rating: 8.5/10

A mile high look that needs just a touch more to take it a mile higher.

TC Moore.- Buffalo Bills (NFL)

Identical striping take three. If the Bills aren't going to play good, the might as well look good, right? Fortunately, TC's here to say the day (on at least one of those). Really like all three looks here. The hefty amount of white works really well on both the home and road. To be entirely honest, it's been awhile since I've seen a road with that much white, but I absolutely love it (I'd even consider doubling down with some white gloves, a la VGK). The alt is a beautiful all-red look, too. But I'd love to see you take the identical striping one step further and remove the outer blue stripes to create a completely consistent pattern across all three sets. 

Overall Rating: 9.5/10

Who needs to win the game when you can win the jersey game? Great work, TC.

TC Moore.- Dallas Cowboys (NFL)

Again we go to my hometown and again we see an identical striping pattern on the primary sets. TC gives us a solid look, but I'm led to think of Winnipeg more than I am of Dallas. Even in cowboys colors, the traditional home that morphs into a stripe-interrupted full-length yoke just screams Jets to me. Don't get me wrong, it's a good look, just something I unfortunately can't seem to get past. Really like the grey alternate and shrouding the white in blue on that really helps it pop to create a beautiful contrast with the grey.

Overall Rating: 8.5/10

A star that just doesn't shine quite as bright as the rest in the constellation.

That's all for today folks. 

This week's COTW Nomination heads to  TC's Buffalo Bills Concept

Like what you see? Hate what you see? Want to see something different?

Let us know in the comments and be sure to shoot your designs to concepts@hockeyjerseyconcepts.com to make your mark on our daily posts.

We'll see you all next week!

Got Questions? Send 'em our way by stuffing the HJC Mailbag.