Friday: DRAFT DAY!

TGIF, welcome to the Friday post!

Today is draft day, one of the most exciting day of the NHL calendar, and what makes this draft even more exciting is the amount of trade rumours swirling around high impact players. Cam Talbot, Jeff Skinner, Phil Kessel, the #3 overall pick in the draft, Eddie Läck/Jakob Markstrom and many other players are all available. The first domino has already fallen with David Legwand & Robin Lehner are now Sabres (a moment of silence for them) and the Sens getting a first round draft pick. So it's not long before we get more trades, probably on the draft floor. Later today, the Bruins traded Dougie Hamilton to the Flames for 2 second round picks, Hamilton was the 2nd of the two 1st round picks the Leafs sent to the Bruins for Kessel.

The Coyotes are unveiling their new jersey tonight at the draft, and if you read Brendan's post last night (which you should have already....just scroll down), I'm looking forward to it. The team may not wear it long, but it's nice to see black and white being used and not a mess of brick and sand and white without a hem stripe and one shoulder patch. Looking forward to that being unveiled, along with what other jersey news awaits us

Of course, the Draft isn't the only thing that starts tonight, the HJC Open starts tonight at Midnight! Get your entires ready and check out the HJC Design Blog and HJC Open page once that is made.

Don't think that the HJC and Draft excuse you from not voting if you haven't already! Jack & Dylan A. voted while they were hungover on morning alcoholic beverages and victory, what's your excuse? Giving birth? Then make the new bundle of joy vote too!

COTW & 2 Colour Redesign votes BOTH end tonight, so while your team drafts, get your vote in!


On to the 7 concepts for today!

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Ste Sault Marie Greyhounds OHL Concepts (By: Brandon C.)

+ The G-Hounds wear Gretzky era edge jerseys now, and they look okay, but I always thought they looked best with black and silver, but not overwhelmingly 

+ Lots of stars on the jersey and gear 

+ The striping itself is great, and looks great both as a yoke and striping

+ Solid execution, and good layout

- The OHL logo switcher problem exists again, it's not a huge problem, but noticeable 

- Some grey and black on the pants would look fantastic

Rating: 8.75/10

2017 Stadium Series Concept (By: Taylor R. & J3)

+....That Pens jersey though, it matches the logo so well and really would  have been perfect in say 1995 as an alternate, all the way down to the pants. I can see the NHL2000 logo on it already 

+ Not to over shadow the Blues jersey, a much brighter version of their former alternate that was very well received 

+ Love the shoulder patch on the Blues jersey, that trumpet needs to come back 

+ As expected from two of HJC's top artists, great execution 

- It's not a horrible logo, but the white Blues note is a logo I've never been fond of, the Navy note would look just fine

- Despite how much I love the Pens jersey, the original Pens logo is not a good shoulder patch

Rating: 9.25/10 

Tampa By Lightning Concept (By: Lucas D.)

+ No Bolts script or template striping

+ Like the idea of lightning shaped striping, but not a cut out shape of lightning like the logo 

+ There's just enough blue to work (not including the outline)

- Lucas is relatively new to HJC, and execution will come with time, so I'll just outline some problems

- No tv numbers or shoulder patches

- Stitching should stop at the hem stripe, even if it is angled 

- The arm stripes are too high on the arm 

Rating: 4/10- keep practicing and sending in concepts and taking advice from all the writers and you'll be getting higher numbers in no time! 

New York Islanders Concept (By: Mike S.)

+ If the Islanders Cup winning teams has jerseys that matched without the cuffs, this is what I'd expect 

+ With that said, this looks fantastic, the white jersey looks very different and open without the cuffs, they look solid 

- The white jersey does look plain, if the stripes there was a yoke instead of cuffs or some sorta shoulder patch

- The NOB is much too small 

- The logo on the white jersey needs an outline to match the logo on the blue jersey

Rating: 7/10

Miami Heat Crossover Concepts (By: Taylor R.)

+ Taylor has done a really good job transferring NBA jerseys to NHL templates, and this is exactly how I'd picture the Heat to look as an NHL team 

+ Red, Orange, Black and white all meld really nicely on the striping

+ Nice to see the MH logo on the yoke and classic Heat script on helmet 

+ It's a small detail but the numbers on the back are such a part of the Heats look it'd be wrong not to have it on there

- The Black yoke is unnecessary  on the white jersey, and would match the NBA jersey bette without it 

Rating: 9.5/10 COTW Nom. from me! 

Milwaukee Bucks Crossover Concepts (By: Taylor R.)

+ The new Buck jerseys with their side panels isn't easy to do on a hockey jersey, but Taylor has made it work! 

+ The pants look fantastic and match the shorts in the NBA

+ Like the Heat concept, it matches the basketball perfectly, numbers, tag on the bottom of the jersey, panels and even on the arms too 

+ The two shoulder patches are perfectly chosen 

- The socks could use some blue and black 

- Not sure how I feel about the Bettman apron but it should work without it

Rating: 9.25/10

2017 NHL All Star Concepts (By: Taylor R & J3)

+ Orange, Black & White will always be my favourite All Star game colours, and it'd be nice for them to come back

+ While the jersey is retro inspired, it certainly has modern elements and it all blends together nicely 

+ There's a perfect about of stars

- Making the stars and numbers lack on the white jersey black would match the script and black jersey 

- Socks and gloves are pain

Rating: 9/10 

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That's the post folk!

Remember to vote for COTW & 2 Colour Redesign 

Watch the draft! 

Have a great weekend