Friday: Finally Fall

Hey y'all, and welcome to another Friday post here at HJC.  As most of y'all have no doubt seen, the Pens have released their new alternate, and it's so close to being good.  A rough combination of their 1980s "Sunday Golds" and their old yellow and black Stadium Series jersey, it somehow falls short of its two inspirations.  

HJC

There are some parts of this jersey that I do like.  The golden base looks great, the solid collar is a good call, and I like the isolated penguin logo.  The black arms kind of work because it plays off of the original Sunday Golds, but it's missing the contrasting cuffs that really added some character.  Furthermore, the striping is completely inconsistent with anything the Pens have worn before, and the lack of hem stripe is atrocious.  Finally, the use of shoulder numbers rather than traditional upper arm TV numbers makes the arms look really bare.  Final verdict: it's a step in the right direction, but nothing I would pay Fanatics prices for.  6.5/10

In voting news, we have the regular COTW vote for October 5-11, as well as the COTW 3rd quarter vote, with both of those polls closing Friday at noon EDT.  We also have the Sabres Redesign Competition vote, with polls also closing Friday at noon EDT.  

COTW 3rd Quarter vote (ends Friday @ noon EDT)

COTW Oct 5-11 vote (ends Friday @ noon EDT)

Buffalo Sabres ReDesign Competition (ends Friday @ noon EDT)

Jersey Nerds Podcast (new episode every Tuesday!)

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Now on to today's concepts!

Adam G.- Michigan Wolverines

Our first concept of the day is Adam G.'s design for the Michigan Wolverines.  I like the choice of a chest stripe for the Wolverines, their logo works really well with it.  That being said, I think the the thinness of the border makes this design a prime example of the dreaded yellow-on-white-syndrome, as the thin border stripes would just bleed into the body of the jersey.  I really like logo choices, and the TV numbers in the arm striping looks great.  Hem treatment is solid, but faces the same issues as the rest of the striping, and gear looks good.  Final verdict: a good idea, but YOWS really holds this one back.  6.5/10

Chase C.- Chicago Blackhawks

Next up is a Blackhawks design from Chase C.  The primary set is exactly the same as their current set, albeit with a new collar treatment.  While it is an improvement in my book, it's not really enough of a change to warrant a rating.  The alternate, however is a pretty solid new design.  The Blackhawks love using vintage white with their alternates, and this design continues that trend quite well.  The striping pattern is a combination of the two primary striping patterns, but with vintage white instead of white, and it actually works really well here.  The red yoke does a great job of breaking up all that black, the piping around it is great for distinguishing the black from the red.  Logo choice is solid, and the gear looks great.  Final verdict: it's a great looking alternate, but the minimal work on the primaries hold this one back a bit.  7.5/10

Jay S.- Prince George Spruce Kings

Our next concept comes to us from Jay S., who has designed a set for the Prince George Spruce Kings of the BCHL.  I love the simple striping combined with the contrasting forearms, it's a great look for a more traditional looking team.  The use of the isolated crown as the main crest and the wordmark logo as a shoulder patch is probably the best use of the logo set that I can think of, and the number font looks solid.  The design on the breezers is a bit unorthodox, especially when paired with a more traditional looking jersey, but I kind of like it.  Gear looks good, and presentation is solid.  Final verdict: a great looking set that gives them a more unique identity than their current Rangers clones.  9/10 and my COTW NOMINEE!!!!!

John E.- Grand Rapids Griffins

Our final concept of the day is John E.'s design for the Grand Rapids Griffins.  Right off the bat, I commend John for creating his own logo for this design.  It's a difficult task to pull off, especially for such an odd creature, so kudos for that.  The striping pattern seems to be a combination of the Pens' 80s striping on the arms and the Mighty Ducks hem stripe, and I kind of like it.  The dispersal of color across the striping is done perfectly to break up the light and dark colors.  Font choice is great, and I love the dual colored numbers.  Final verdict: a solid alternate for the Griffins, and something I wouldn't mind seeing take the ice.  8/10

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