Wednesday: I'm Not Eklund, I Swear

As we get to the end of the Stanley Cup Final (aka tomorrow, because San Jose looks dead in the water, pun totally intended), it is time to look to next year. And if you start looking to next year by the day of this post or the end of the Final, then you're already late. Florida has already unveiled new logos and uniforms that aren't as good as they could've been. Rumors are swirling that the Hurricanes may relocate to Las Vegas, and if not, expansion will happen there anyway, possibly in addition to Quebec City.

And I'll add some tentative news that I have heard. I do not know how reliable this source is, but the news I heard is that for the 100th Anniversary of the NHL, there will be heritage jerseys for EVERY team. Initially I had heard that it would be the Islanders getting one, but it seems like every team will get one. The Islanders jersey(s) rumored are either the Easter Epic jerseys (similar to the Cup-winner jerseys but a different font) and/or the fisherman jersey. I do not know what the other teams will have, but I suspect its something similar to what we saw with the throwbacks from the past couple of years (i.e.: Ducks eggplant and jade, original teal Sharks jersey, black flying skate, cubist Coyotes, etc.) It would be a one night thing, and not be in the full rotation. It would be similar to what the NHL did in 1993 with the Original 6 throwback jerseys, but with every team.

So there is your bombshell from a news standpoint. You can take it with a grain of salt if you want, since I cannot confirm if this is 100% happening, but if this happens, this will be very exciting. If this doesn't happen, please do not come after Ryan, because he didn't say it. I did.

I'll keep the intro short because we have a lot to get to today beyond the huge news. We have logos for the HJC Open!

Ricky M:

Get yours sent in by Friday at noon! Also vote for COTW before then! No superdelegates necessary for that vote!

COTW May 27 - June 2 vote (ends Friday @ noon Eastern)

HJC Open Logo entries (due Friday @ noon Eastern) 

ON TO THE CONCEPTS!


Ben S: St. Louis Blues Alternate Concept

Blue is nice. Double Blue is nicer. TRIPLE BLUE?? It can work, and it does work here but there are some things I would not have done. While we have seen the Blues name arched over the logo before, there's a reason they got rid of it. The font used looks like it belongs on a street sign, not a hockey jersey. Traditional block lettering and numbering would suffice here. Also the numbers are too dark. If you wanted to keep the blue theme, maybe a dark blue outline with light blue numbers? The white adds enough of a trim to not make this look like a smurf's jersey. I also promise you that last line was not a Rangers joke.

True Blue: 70%


Jack S: Tulane Green Wave (NCAA) Concept

Good font choice here as it parallels the logo, though I would at least make it a little more straight around the corners. Move it down too so it doesn't touch the yoke. Also add it to the sleeves. They are bare enough as is (wrong move) that TV numbers would at least do something. I like the double green, but you have to include that light green elsewhere too, and maybe use the blue as a yoke outline. But for a team called the Green Wave, for all I care make a wave for the striping pattern! Be creative. Other execution note: the center logo is in two different places on each jersey, both too low.

Wipe out: 45%


Jay S: Adler Mannheim (DEL) Concept

What do you get when you combine inspiration from the Bruins and the Rangers and the autobahn? THIS! A unique enough look on the shoulders to differentiate itself from the NHL teams I mentioned. While this is an improvement from their current look (advertisement central), I think it's a tad too traditional, considering the logo. A logo that could use a white outline on the blue jersey.

Simple and classy: 78%


Jay S: Sherbrooke Phoenix (QMJHL) Concept

For a team with this kind of logo, a more traditional look helps, and what's more traditional looking than a chest stripe. I like the color inversion between the two jerseys, but the name is a little too high up on the jersey. The thickness of the outline is perfect for the back, but while on the subject of numbers, the sleeve numbers disappear from view. No outline needed there, just numbers of contrasting color to the body of the jersey. Maybe a double outline would work. CHL branding is perfect, execution-wise. Interesting shoulder logo, but there's a second shade of blue there that's out of place. I don't think a shoulder logo is necessary.

Rising from the ashes: 80%


Jordan R: NHL All-Star Game Concept

Not a bad look, with the exception of the wordmark and number look, a trend I hope dies a merciless death (looking at you NCAA). It does get the point across for which divisions are what, but try designing your own logo, even if its a three letter abbreviation in the NHL shield. The jersey designs are all the same, expected for an ASG, but all different colors which helps distinguish divisions and doesn't require changing anything. The colors look fantastic here, but with one exception: the Metro. When I saw this, I immediately thought of the San Diego Padres. Either that or a bathroom. I've personally never been a fan of the combination of yellow and brown (which is why I was happy the Bruins wore black at Gillette Stadium), and the orange doesn't help. It's unique for sure, but practically I don't see it standing well against the Atlantic jerseys. Maybe try a lighter shade of blue, just for practicality?

*resists urge for bathroom joke*: 78%


Jordan R: Philadelphia Flyers Concept

The only jersey I can truly rate here is the 4th jersey, because the others are all Edge cuts of the jerseys in the Eric Lindros era in Flyers history. It's a nice retro look (good job on the logo BTW) that the inclusion of white is unnecessary. I just wish you did a little more on the main jerseys besides sock striping.

Modern and historic: 73%


Josiah B: Calgary Flames vs San Jose Sharks (Winter Classic) Concept

It's hard for me to look at this and think that the Sharks aren't playing the Red Wings in your picture. Throw some yellow into there. It's a beautiful look but its suffering from an identity crisis. The four thin stripes work well because of the logo you are using, in addition to the one thick stripe. As for the Sharks, of course I have to be the one to review this after coming out for Team Orange over Team Silver. I do think the current logo looks better than the previous one (could use an outline though), and if the Sharks do want to go silver over orange than this is the way to go. But without the orange, the logo loses its pop. It's a never ending debate that Reebok started when the Edge system started.

Color choices matter: 80%


Lucas D: Chicago Blackhawks Concept

For the red jersey, many of us think that the Hawks need to have identical striping on the arms and hem, myself included. He does that and takes it one step further, by going Winnipeg Jets style on the road jersey and having a full sleeve yoke matched up with the existing striping of the darker jersey. I like it except for one problem: under the red. the bottom half of the sleeve as pictured looks like two plain black stripes. I love how it looks on the top, but I don't think it works as well on the bottom. Same with the hem, where you have simply a template line separating white from... white. I do like that there is more red on the away jersey, but not sure if this is the way to do it.

Not sure about this one: 79%


Lucas D: Montreal Canadiens Concept

For this one Lucas decides that one set of stripes is enough and it belongs around the chest. The bottom of the jerseys are now a single color instead of two thin stripes. To match it all around, white sleeve cuffs are present, though you made it too thin on the back of the white jersey, as an execution note, because the others are all thicker, so it should be consistent all around. I don't mind the size as long as it's consistent. People are always trying to come up with a way to add a chest stripe to the white jersey and I think you did it the best way possible. The big trick is how do we make the jersey white with substantial amounts of red and use blue as a tertiary color? Keeping the red and blue equal on the striping while having red dominant elsewhere does the trick. Only thing I might do is some sort of blue outline on the back numbers, either in place of or in addition to the white outline present (the latter used obviously to separate the numbers from the chest stripes).

Allez Montreal: 89%


Noah B: Team Finland (World Cup) Concept

Noah I haven't seen you submit anything in a while so welcome back to the art game! I do see though that you try to put the Finnish flag on the sleeves as striping, which isn't a bad look until you see that from the sides it looks like this:

And that is a bit of a problem, unless you have meaning for an H on the sleeves. I had a similar idea last year, and I implemented the flag by putting blue right up against the template line. Everything else is fine. I like the white yoke (under-used in hockey IMO), no outline needed, and the logo is ok, considering it's the World Cup. I do like the IIHF logo better but that's not on you.

Finnish the job right: 60%


Ryan C: Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) Concept

Grand Rapids ditching blue for black was a mistake, so Ryan makes amends while using a different logo than what they had originally, or what they have now. Execution is fine until... my what big shoulder patches you have! The better to show off logos, my dear? I don't like the red equipment but I blame the Red Wings for that and not you. Speaking of equipment, Ryan has gone full wise guy here. I ask for full equipment and he gives me it, plus goalie gear. So thank you for that. But you forgot the dark helmet, unless they are wearing white helmets with dark jerseys like Team USA (another design idea that needs to die a slow and painful death). The jersey itself is classy, just like the Wings, but adds its own flair with the jersey font.

Execution killed the Griffin: 79 %


Ryan C: San Antonio (AHL) Concept

Much better, execution wise, but that dark helmet is still needed. I'm not sure how I feel about the Rampage adopting the parent club's identity, sans black, in regards to color and font. Much better than the Avs current set and San Antonio's for that matter. Though there is something lovable about the Buffa-slug template, I don't know if the Rampage need to be the ones using it. At the same time, I don't know if something like this is too tame for the Rampage. No problem if they would turn to this.

Practical: 83%


TODAY'S NOMINATION FOR CONCEPT OF THE WEEK:

LUCAS D:

MONTREAL CANADIENS CONCEPT

I'll do my best to fill in more details for the heritage jersey program. I'll keep you posted as more news rolls in. I expect to hear more after the Cup has been awarded to Pittsburgh. See you next week!

Well I won't actually see you, but you get the point.