Wednesday: The Home Stretch

As we finish the last week of the season, we see a whole bunch of clinching going on. As of Tuesday night, only 3 spots are still available. Yet while most playoff spots are confirmed, the match-ups are far from it. So while your NCAA Basketball bracket is done (although it was probably done two weeks ago like mine was), your NHL Stanley Cup Brackets are just beginning! And the best part is that we have a bracket competition here! That's right! As soon as everything is set, Ryan will post something here and you can pick the Islanders to crash and burn in the first round, as usual.

Speaking of which, WE HAVE CLINCHED! And who hasn't and won't clinch? Every single Canadian team. So here's to another year of the Cup in the States. And one more time President Obama can rub it in to Prime Minister Trudeau.

No jersey news to report but an interesting question for you: With the playoffs approaching, NHL rules forbid the use of three jerseys for each team. Only two contrasting jerseys must be used, meaning that an alternate may be promoted to primary status for the playoffs as Minnesota has done year after year. Do they continue that tradition of the green alternates at home?

(Credit: NHL)

Does Washington use their throwback jersey at home after using the white ones on the road in the past?

(Credit: SB Nation's "Russian Machine Never Breaks")

Do the Islanders do the unthinkable and got to black for the first NHL playoff series in Brooklyn?

(Credit: Newsday)

My guesses would be yes, yes and please God no by all means possible. What do you think?

Voting is going on for the Pairs Competition. 3 Intermediate division entries and 5 Advanced division entries. Only 2 winners. Well 4 if you go by artists instead of by teams. But who will they be? You decide!

Mixing and matching artists away from their current teams is prohibited, so vote for a team and not an artist.

We have EIGHT, count 'em, EIGHT nominees for Concept of the Week. Ryan is trying something out so go see his experiment through. It could help you out long term in case you and seven other artists are nominated for COTW...

COTW Mar 27-Apr 2 vote (ends Friday @ 11:59pm Eastern)

Pairs Competition vote (ends Friday @ 10:59pm Eastern)

ON TO THE NEXT ONE, I mean on to the concepts! (Link NSFW: language)


Alan H: Nashville Predators Concept

Lets see, old style jersey, new style font, Nashville gold, checkerboard, gold AND blue helmets. What isn't to like about this? Two things: The lack of guitar strings on the back number and the triangle. Triangle doesn't help the jersey, despite the throwback element. The hem stripe definitely works better than what they had earlier. White on gold is fine here because of how much the gold stands out.

You've struck gold: 93%


Alan H: Nashville Predators Alternate Concept

Same commentary as above but we have a blue base color here. Again, add guitar strings to the back number and ditch the triangle and we have a winner.

I'll loop this with the previous: 93%


Hayden D: Ottawa Senators Concept

Hayden free's the side-profile Senator from the laurel that encircles it. Bad move. I know the idea here is simplicity, based on the stripes, but it doesn't look good without it. I like sublimating the Adidas stripes on the side like the New York Red Bulls did in 2006. But the overlapping of the hem striping on the template makes this look slightly careless. I wish you had some equipment. Are the Sens going all red? Are they keeping black equipment? How would the socks look?

Slight back up to the fork in the road and continue down the other path: 67%


Lucas D: Toronto Maple Leafs Concept

We still don't know how the new logo will look on a jersey, and Lucas tries his shot at it. The problem is that I'm not quite sure where that arm striping is going. The hem pattern is nice and classy, like their current alternate. I just wish it were consistent with the arms somehow. I like the number outlines here to help with the hem striping. I also like the slightly lighter shade of blue here, as I feel it adds a classiness to the jersey.

Needs some polishing: 77%


Ryan C: Adirondack Thunder (ECHL) Concept

Ryan Removes the Calgary yellow and replaces it with a better looking silver. This look is a simple, clean version of their prior ECHL look back in Stockton. The numbers are appropriate for a team named "Thunder", based on the concept of Thor. I do feel that their full primary logo is a better look on the front than on the shoulder, yet the front logo used here works just as well on the front. maybe no shoulder patches? Color balance seems off here.

Thunderstruck: 80%


Ryan C: Manitoba Moose (AHL) Concept

The Moose are back but with antlers only in the logo. The antler-themed numbers have become a trademark in Winnipeg, so I would've liked to see them here. Double blue has now become synonymous with hockey in Winnipeg too, now that the Jets have returned. And it's beautiful here. The head itself instead of the full logo is a good choice on the jersey, but the colored nameplate is not. So close yet so much to go.

Grab the Moose by its antlers: 79%


Tyler K: Niagara Ice Dogs (OHL) Concept

The one thing I hoped you would do on this concept, since the fauxback is perfect, is to have the arms match the hem and socks. Red underneath the black would balance things better here. Personally I'm not a fan of the white and black separated by red on the away jersey, however it's simply a personal preference. I want to see some equipment here to complete the look. 

Your score isn't falling in Niagara: 82%

The winner of my COTW Nomination is  ALAN H'S NASHVILLE PREDATORS CONCEPT! 

That wraps up another Wednesday post as I head up to Hartford for some soccer. Do me a favor and make the comments section a fun read for the ride home. Podcast questions, nominations, playoff predictions and general buffoonery are all welcome. See you next week!