Friday: Don't be a Loncept, Check Out These Concepts

TGIF! Welcome back to the best concept blog on the internet.

I apologize for the lack of a creative title.

Last nights, or should I say this morning (what with atlantic time), the 5th Anniversary Podcast has been recorded. Stop by tomorrow to hear it, you won't be disappointed.

Not sure if the podcast will be "returning" in the same fashion it was before, but it seems like there will be a more regular podcast. The details have yet to be ironed out but if you enjoy the podcast, please let us know! There were some ideas thrown out in the podcast that will expand the blog's variety.

Don't forget that the weekend update starts being the Saturday post tomorrow. Caz picks up the week on Sunday and the "concept week" runs Sunday to Friday rather than Monday to Saturday. Check out the previous weekend update to see how voting will change, and read the coloured bars.

Speaking of voting, COTW voting ends TONIGHT!

If you haven't already, join the COTW voting list so you get a weekly email reminder. The list has been working very well so far so don't be a hoser, join the ranks!

The CHL "Memorial Cup" phase of voting also ends tonight! Leave a comment on the page and try to get your favourite concept the concept Memorial Cup!

COTW Nov 10-16 vote (ends Friday @ 11:59pm Eastern)

CHL ReDesign Memorial Cup vote (ends Friday @ 11:59pm Eastern)

On to the Concepts!

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Winnipeg Jets Concepts (By: Zach W.)

Funny enough, I review very few Jets concepts, and I've never seen one that used black rather than double blue. I really liked William's method of reviewing yesterday, so I'l try it

+ The angled chevron style arm stripes are phenomenal. I love how they look on the blue socks. If the entire jersey was similar to the sock, it's be much better
+The increase in red in the numbers and stripes
+Jersey remains simple
+ Execution is good

- The black is unnecessary. I get dropping the double blue and increasing the red, but the black brings down the whole concept
-The pant logo is almost invisible
- Red helmet on blue jersey never goes well aside from maybe the Kitchener Rangers
- Remember the stitching stops at the hem stripe
- The varying thickness of the hem stripe between home and road jersey (go with the thinner one)

Overall: 6.25/10 A decent idea that just needs to be ironed out

Tampa Bay Lightning Football Concept (By: Timmy Q.)

+Using gray pants with the blue jersey is what I'd expect the Lightning to wear on the gridiron
+The arm striping looks solid
+Font under the collar

- Not using the paint brush numbers, or a font tampa actually used
- That shade of black does not show up against the dark blue, I'd darken the black and add some white
- The helmet logo is nearly impossible to see
-Black helmet doesn't work, when a blue helmet with the white logo would look much better and be far more true to Tampa's identity

Overall: 5.75/10 The football concepts are a neat idea, but they need work, practice with more creative ideas and remember that a crossover series should keep true to the original hockey jerseys in some way. It's not bad, and it's obviously new territory, but just keep at it and your football series may  be the next Matt Mc.'s soccer series.

Chicago Blackhawks Winter Classic Concept (By: Dylan A.)

+ The Blackhawks in almost any black jersey look fantastic (yes, even the Stadium Series jersey wasn't that bad)
+ The striping pattern is very similar to the 90's and '09 black alternate, and the colours pop
+ Keeping the font and using the vintage logo from the '57 jersey
+ C tomahawk on the arm stripes

-The Captain's C is hard to see, put it in a square patch or something along that line

Overall: 9.5/10 I'd expect nothing less from Dbro and his favourite NHL team meeting

Washington Capital Winter Classic Concept (By: Dylan A.)

+ Making blue the primary colour looks solid, red never looked bad but blue has a patriotic feel
+ The interlocking WDC logo looks solid, wish they used it on the jersey
+ Star shoulder patch
+ Simple numbers
+ Lots of stripes

- This may be just me, but I would have liked to seen on the arms and socks the blue stripes on the outer, and the two inner stripes to be red
- I'd try a double yoke outline with a white outline then a red one after it

Overall: 9/10

New York Islanders Concepts (By: CID)

+ Like the use of the old black alternate style striping
+ The light blue in the NY logo
+ The shoulder patch that references Brooklyn
+ The lack of any 4 cups symbolism

-The orange is hardly visible in the striping, which may have been the boring, but on the blue jersey, it would make a better colour for the big swooshed and the black on the little curves
- Not that the font is horrible, but I would have stuck to the Islanders current font
- The gradient affect in the arm swooshes, while unique hurts what would be a very simple design

Overall: 7.5/10 Not sure how much of CID's work I've reviews, but looking forward to more

Russia Vs. Canada Concepts (By: Stephen T.)

I don't usually review concepts in pairs, but this was meant to be a set in two different images, so it seemed more sensible to do it this way

+ Russia's arm striping have a really cool garden affect
+ Sublimated eagle on the back
+ Gold used on both jerseys
+ Using Russian on the Russian jerseys

- Canada has never looked good when black is used other than on the logo and gear, and the black over dominated the red and white, which are Canada's colours
-The numbers on the yokes look like they say 7171 and 8787, the numbers are supposed to carry over, but not by that much
- The amount of stripes on the hems of both jerseys, and the Canadian flag stripes do not work. The look blurry and unlike the Russian flag stripes, they don't have enough space between them
- The 80's Canada logo is not a logo I would use to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the summit series, and the black looks tagged on for no reason other than for the rest of the jersey
- The Pearson Banner flag on the arms and socks is a bit much
- The logos on the Russia jerseys are way too big

Overall: (5.25/10) The idea is original, as are the jerseys, but there's simply too much to handle with all the symbolism, striping and trying to combine every era into one jersey. Sometimes, simpler is much better.

That's the post everyone! Remember to vote for COTW, CHL Comp, and stay tuned tomorrow for the HJC 5th anniversary Q&A podcast and sign up for the HJC voting list.

I'm Jets96, go Jets go! Have an awesome weekend!