Saturday: More Stadium Series jerseys!

Hello everyone, and welcome to another HJC Saturday post! 

In jersey news, we were treated to two more Stadium Series jersey unveilings yesterday! First, let's look at the New York Rangers jersey:

(photo credits: New York Rangers)

I think this is one of the better Stadium Series jerseys, but as some people have pointed out, this does look similar to what the Hartford Wolf Pack wears. The Rangers missed a golden opportunity to bring back the Lady Liberty logo. Considering the widespread popularity of those jerseys, the omission baffles me. If they had done that, this jersey would have been my favorite of the Stadium Series jerseys unveiled thus far.

The second jersey unveiled was from the Chicago Blackhawks, and because the rumors of what this jersey would look like had been out for awhile, the design came as little surprise:

 (photo credits: Chicago Blackhawks)

First, could Chicago really not put Andrew Shaw/Patrick Sharp's name and numbers on the jerseys? It does look good, though. Is it better than the original third jersey? No, but that's due to the limitations of this template, and that chrome crest. I'm actually liking the elongated numbers on these jerseys. I just can't get over how cheap that chrome crest looks. This jersey looks like a counterfeit of the old third.

I'm interested to see what you all think of these jerseys. What are your favorite elements, and what would you change? To me, it seems that one team (New York) cooperated with the template, while the other (Chicago) resisted. Which do you prefer?

Indy Fuel - Kaner88

What I like: With a logo like the Fuel have, you need to have striping and other details in the jersey that convey the same sense of motion that the logo does. Here, Kaner88 does just that with the hem striping and name/number font.

What I dislike: Take out the gray side panels. No need for those. Arm striping thickness varies, and is a little too conservative in comparison to the rest of the jersey. You need to take off the NHL shield when doing a concept for a different league, such as the ECHL logo (which should be on this jersey somewhere). There are some loose pixels around the collar as well. The jersey needs TV numbers as well. Also, the logo needs be a little higher up on the jersey.

Overall: Although this could be headed in the right direction, execution errors and some stylistic issues take it off track (4/10)

Winnipeg Jets concept - Kaner88

What I like: Had the original Winnipeg Jets still been in existence when Reebok took over NHL jerseys, I think the striping would have been similar to what has been shown here.

What I dislike: The logo has what looks like lens flare on it. This isn't a J.J. Abrams movie, so I'm wondering why it's here. The font used is too unique to the Rangers to fit here, especially in these colors. There's also a lot of pixelation, which makes it difficult to see the details involved here. There seems to be some stitching missing, and the jersey needs TV numbers. The gray area in the collar makes it seem like you forgot to color it in.

Overall: Boldly going where none have gone before, but execution errors some stylistic issues take this to a final destination of (4/10)

Florida Panthers concept - Matt Mc.

What I like: I am very much in favor of the Panthers going back to a look more reminiscent of their original set. The striping pattern looks really good. Execution and presentation are pristine. 

What I don't like: I would prefer a more traditional athletic gold here, instead of a more sandy gold. I prefer the leaping Panther to the roundel logo, even though it does look cleaner. I would take off the lace-ups as well. I think the collar Matt uses on the Kings concept below would fit better with the Panthers. I know it's a small thing, but I tend to prefer the stitching to go under the striping.

Overall: Wonderfully executed concept, but there are a few design elements I would change (8/10)

Los Angeles Kings concept - Matt Mc.

What I like: I really like the colors here. The Kings current set is so drab and dark. Purple is an underutilized color in the NHL, and the Kings could take ownership of it if they chose to use it again. The collar looks good here, too. Execution and presentation are great as well.

What I dislike: The gold/purple set combination could make match ups with teams like the Predators and awkward situation, though if the purple jersey is the away, that could fix it. I would like to see what it would look like without the arm piping.

Overall: A great set, that would get a COTW nomination from me, if it weren't for the concept below...(8.8/10)

Minnesota Wild concept - Matt Mc.

What I like: This set looks great. This is what the Wild need to do to bring some consistency to their look. Execution and presentation are as good as his other concepts today. The jerseys are not the exact same, yet they fit so well. No more script and roundel logos. That bear head is all you need.

What I dislike: Again, I do prefer the stitching under the striping. I would like to see what it would look like if you used a green yoke on the away jersey, as the current away does.

Overall: If the Wild used this, they would have one of the better sets in the NHL. COTW nomination from me. (9/10) 

Detroit Red Wings concept - Torader

What I like: The red and wheat colors look great together. The logo is an interesting idea, combining the old 'D' monogram with the winged wheel. I would be interested to know if Torader did this design himself. If so, feel free to take credit for it on the concept. Nothing wrong with drawing a little attention to your own work.

What I dislike: The striping is a bit bland, and it could use a hem stripe. The logo is perhaps too wide. I imagine that it would be uncomfortable to wear as a fan or a player (One of my complaints about the old Pred Head was that it was too wide on the jersey, and would bend at the ends over time). The newer Reebok logo should be used on the back of the jersey. Some of the stitching is missing as well.

Overall: Some very interesting ideas here, but there are some minor execution errors and aesthetic changes to make (7/10)

Spokane Chiefs concept - Ryan D.

What I like: I appreciate the work you put in to add TV numbers to the jersey. So many designers fail to do that because they are either too lazy to put it on, or too lazy to learn how. Either way, it's laziness.

What I dislike: First, you misspelled "Chiefs." Striping thickness seems to have been chosen at random. You should always take off the NHL shield when doing a concept for a team that is not in the NHL. The Reebok wordmark should be used instead of the old logo (or should I say vector, Tom and Jets96?). The font used on the namebar should match the number. You can some fonts that would match that number on our TEMPLATES page. There are loose pixels in several areas, especially around the logo, and it appears the logos from sportslogos.net (where I'm assuming Ryan got the Spokane Chiefs' logo) were left on the image Ryan pasted on the jersey. You should take those off.

Overall: Keep working on your execution. The designs in this series are getting better. (4/10)

Swift Current Broncos concept - Ryan D.

What I like: I like the striping here. It reminds me of the Jets new look, and it works here.

What I dislike: Almost everything I said above applies here. Although striping is of equal thickness here, it bleeds off the jersey template in several places. Ryan uses the correct Reebok wordmark here, but unfortunately doesn't color it in properly. TV numbers should be split in the middle, as they were on the Spokane concept above.

Overall: Once again, these are getting better, but execution still isn't quite there. (4/10)

Saskatoon Blades concept - Ryan D.

What I like: I like the arm striping. Make the hem match that.

What I dislike: When you make the upper arms a contrasting color, it's not a good idea to add a yoke. It creates a look that is aesthetically awkward, especially with the silver outline. Most everything I've said in the two above concepts applies here, so I'll save you the repetitious reviews. My advice is to slow down when doing your concepts. Look at your concepts down to the pixels and make sure that you tackle every detail. Don't rush yourself.

Overall: See above (4/10)

Winnipeg Jets concept - Rob C.

What I like: The striping pattern is interesting. This is the best set in Rob's series. The details and designs have gotten a lot better. I like how Rob researches the teams.

What I dislike: The concept is still really pixelated, but that's the limitation of Microsoft Paint. The striping pattern on the pants is a little busy, I would take out one of the triple stripes. The font used for the name and captain 'C' doesn't really look like it fits for athletic wear. The TEMPLATES page has an extensive collection of team fonts that I always use on my concepts. The shoulder patch is interesting, but reminds me more of the Seattle Mariners than the Jets.

Overall: The series gets better with every concept. Cleaning up the pixelation would take this to a higher level. I'm interested to see more from Rob in the future (6.7/10)

Carolina Hurricanes concept - Alan J. H.

What I like: I'm probably in the minority, but my favorite jersey in the Hurricanes' set is the black third, and I actually prefer the flag crest to the home/road primary. If they ever put two flags on it (like an actual hurricane warning flag) I would really love it. The striping pattern on the arms/hem looks great. It's an improvement over the current third. 

What I dislike: I don't like the yoke. It's just too much flag striping. I would take that off and put the hurricane crest on the shoulders. This jersey doesn't need a yoke. I would also take the flag pattern off the pants, and add it to the socks. I think that would balance the look more. A silver stripe might look good on the pants. With execution, the red on the crest and striping are two different shades.

Overall: I think this jersey has great potential. All this needs is a few tweaks to make it a great concept. (7.3/10)

Indy Fuel concept - Andrew W.

What I like: Like I said in the first concept review today, with a logo like the Fuel have, the striping neds to convey the same motion as the logo. The home/away accomplish that. I think the stars look good on the yoke.

What I dislike: The name/number font doesn't look good. You can download several great fonts on our TEMPLATES page. I do like how the 7 reflects the style of the logo, but the numbers are squashed in an odd way. Although the home/away convey motion, the alternate does not. It's pretty bland. 

Overall: Some good ideas here, if some changes were made, this could be a great set for the new Fuel. (5.8/10)

Team USA concept - Nick V.

What I like: The jerseys match each other, and the white jersey has arm striping, unlike what Nike came out with this year.

What I don't like: I actually prefer the shield crest to the logo used here. I think the collar on the white jersey should be blue and blend into the yoke. I never thought I'd say this, but the stars look better subliminated rather than standing out like the do here. I would like to see the back of the jersey.

Overall: In comparison to what Nike put out, it's a lateral move, but it could be better with a few changes. (6.8/10)

Carolina Hurricanes concept - Stephen T.

What I like: As I said with Alan's concept, I do like the Hurricanes in black. The white jersey looks good.

What I dislike: There's too much gray on that dark jersey, especially when you consider that there is almost none on the white jersey. I'm not a fan of phantom yokes. It was the worst part of the old Hurricanes jerseys. The jerseys need TV numbers and helmet logos. The crest is also really pixelated. I would change the helmet on the home jersey to black.

Overall: The white jersey is close, but the dark jersey needs work. Some execution details need to be fixed as well. (6.5/10)

Chicago Blackhawks - Stephen T.

What I like: I actually like the addition of another black stripe on the arms of the home jersey, and the black tail on the away jersey. I don't think that arm stripes always have to match the hem, but it looks good here.

What I dislike: The outline on the primary logos doesn't look good.  The color changes on the shoulder patch on the white jersey isn't an improvement (on the actual jersey, the handles are red, and the blades are green - the contrast is just better that way). The helmets could use logos as well.

Overall: Not much is changed here, but some of the tweaks are interesting. (7/10)

As always, remember to send your vote in for concepts next week! If you don't, Nickelback and Justin Bieber (thanks, Canada) will come to your house and "sing" Christmas carols, and Santa will bring you a Buffalo Sabres third jersey (which is much, much worse than coal, though both should be burned). See you all next week!