Hawks Plan New Third
Thursday · Jan 22 · 2009 | 9:42 AM PSTAt last I have something nice to say about the Chicago Blackhawks. According to the Daily Herald, the Hawks will join the Penguins when they put their 2009 Winter Classic throwback sweater into regular third jersey rotation beginning next fall.
Back in black: If you liked those throwback jerseys the Hawks wore in the Winter Classic, you're in luck. Those will become the Hawks' new third jersey next season, replacing the current black sweater that is identical to the home red and road white. The only addition to the jersey the Hawks wore at Wrigley Field will be tomahawks on the shoulders.
This is what I've been saying. A third jersey should be something different. It'll be wonderful to see it on the ice throughout the 2009-10 season and beyond. A Blackhawks jersey I can truly get behind. If you need a refresher, here's a photo. Just try to imagine it with those tomahawks on the shoulders.
My question to you is this: Should the Detroit Red Wings follow suit and add their Winter Classic sweater as a third jersey to be worn at, say, 5 or 6 games a year?
Reader Comments (126)
If there is no news to report would this not be a great time to clean up all the unfinished business on the site? This has gone past needing a break, this is time for something else.
I feel bad for the ones that made a donation. Not for the money but for the lack of what they were expecting in return.
No news = time for concept art post. If you crave concept art or want to show people some of yours just contact me and I'll tell you the blog to go to. I want to have a team running a hockey art blog so we can ensure of constant activity and posting. I want 2 other people to help me in running the blog with enough time (1 that favors traditional sports logos and 1 that favors new sports logos) to post regularly about their concepts, others concepts, jersey/logo news, and hockey equipment news. E-mail me if anyone is interested in keeping the graphic art community of hockey alive at RBKoho@gmail.com.
You know, it doesn't get much lower than what you're doing KOHO. Look to other places to generate interest, without purposely trying to pry visitors away from Icethetics. It will lend you a lot more credibility.
Uhh I'm actually only doing it until Chris comes back if you read my post above. Once he disappears again I will start again. I'm not purposely doing anything because I posted no direct link only said if you want to see concept art e-mail me for the link I'll give it to you for some concept art while chis is on his break. If you want to sit around and keep visiting a site that hasn't updated be my guest, but once it is updated the website I started for concepts while we wait for chris to come back will say to go back here. I'm giving other people admin to post on the site as well
I'm not prying any visitors away at all, only offering people concepts to look at (if they want to) while Chris takes another one of his long breaks again. When Chris comes back I stop, when he goes I'll start. If that is low, then by your logic Chris taking long breaks is even lower.
I don't see anything "low" about what Chris has been doing. This is a free service for your, and other peoples, enjoyment. Taking time here and there to deal with life in the real world is fine. He doesn't owe you a certain number of posts a month, there's no contractual obligation here. So I honestly don't understand the point to those of you who complain. But to each his own.
There's a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes right now that will be brought to the public soon enough. If you are all too impatient than there's nothing we can do, it is what it is. But rest assured however that just because there is no posts that that doesn't mean someone isn't working on something to improve this site at any given time during the day. Just sit back and be patient, you will be rewarded.
Since we reached a second page of comments, I noticed something. Toew's eyes in that picture really creep me out....
"Since we reached a second page of comments, I noticed something. Toew's eyes in that picture really creep me out...."
Ya its creeping me out too. Actually they both really look weird and out of place, I have a hard time returning here seeing both of them on the first article....they're giving me the creeps.
I think its just some really bad green screen/photo shop work in play in that photo. I know in the original they were not out front of the Wrigley Field. But knowing that, it still lends an eerie feel to the entire picture.
We've become so bored, we're talking about players eyes now?? Lets get back to uniform and logo talk. Do we need Chris to do everything for us? I tried to start a WC post on Jan.1....
it lasted a bit until the Hawks new 3rd's were revealed for next year. When can we discuss some vintage teams and get off all this 3rd jersey mayhem? Reebok blows. Lets talk CCM and Koho jerseys, when hockey had a nice following!
umm... Reebok owns CCM and Koho so by saying Reebok blows, your saying CCM and Koho blow also
And Adidas owns Reebok, but RBK is a separate company underneath adidas. it's like Canada's soverignty under the United Kingdom. Not to mention, CCM and Koho weren't always owned by RBK...
Thank you John... at least YOU saw the point of my post. Looking at all these newfangled RBK jerseys with piping everywhere, no more horizontal stripes @ bottom, underarm patches, and ugly shirt tails is enough to make your eyes hurt!
hey, the edge jerseys aren't bad. They give a cool twist to the the vintage jerseys with the nhl logo at the neck. Lets talk about Canada's jerseys for 2010 olympics (which im going to). Im voting for the third jerseys they wore at the world juniors, which are like modified Canada cup era jerseys. and put the logo that they used to wear on their black thirds in the nike swift era on the shoulders. What do you think? Also, russia should make a soviet union modified jersey with CCCP across the front.
Connor, you picked one element that wasn't even mentioned in the prior post. seriously, the collars are the least of everyone's worries, even though the laceup goes from rather pointless to completely pointless. Other than that, there is nothing good about them. Shoulder yokes are smaller than they used to be, stripes at the bottom of jerseys are few and far between, rounded hemlines make jersey bottom stripes look terrible for the few who stayed traditional, vertical stripes look terrible (if you want to see one of the better designs screwed up, check out Sacred Heart University's men's jerseys), random piping is godawful in the apron style (florida) or just dumb (carolina), the Reebox where the rbk logo is highlighted by the absence of striping (st louis and florida) is marketing bullcrap, and the tightness is the worst part. there is nothing positive i can say about these jerseys and mean it. AND that's aside from the major cash-grab being perpetrated because no jersey design has changed because a fabric changed. I hope and pray that the jerseys die after 2010, even though edmonton has already complained about their design, and the islanders aren't being allowed to change to their 3rd jerseys full time.
I hate these jerseys, and every traditionalist out there feels the same way. Viva La Resistance!
Bravo Mr. Baranowski. You said it like it is. Most of this jersey changing nonsense was for the almighty dollar. Well you know what.... they'd have a LOT MORE of the traditionalists money if they'd do away with these silly uni's and give us back the look we've grown to love for decades on end. Aside from the weird 'tight look' and ugly hem, my Rangers still look like the Rangers I rooted for as a kid! We need more than just the original '6' to keep the old look alive!
Players seem to like the fit and feel of the new jerseys, so that has to count for something.
Plain and simple though, things change. I'm sure there were some upset folks when players stopped wearing sweaters and switched over to jerseys. I figure that the people that really don't like the new jerseys will either get to used them, have their spirits broken, or die. Yeah, this is a hockey art site, but I think we can all agree that game is the game no matter what the jerseys looks like.
I agree Link.....and for you guys above that...speak for yourselves....I love the new RBK Edge look, I don't like what some teams have done with their jerseys but the overall RBK Edge look is AWESOME!!!
Link, you miss something very vital in that though. fabrics change all the time, from wool to durene to air-knit with many variations in between. I have never been opposed to that, in fact, i'm not a huge fan of air-knit. but NEVER has a jerseys' design changed because the fabric changed. No team redesigned their sweater when wool was dropped. I have examples of the same jersey in two different fabrics, the design didn't change, not one bit.
what RBK did was force every team to redesign their jerseys, many had a heavy influence from reebok itself (don't blame just the teams, the Rochester Americans came out and said that RBK forced them to eliminate their hemline stripes). This redesign was made so that people would buy the new jerseys simply because they were current, and ended up getting many people to re-buy crosby and ovechkin jerseys as a result. This was a cash grab, and no matter what you think of the look, i refuse to participate in that on that basis alone.
and skizzymcb, whatever that name is, because it's not the name you're supposed to sign in with, go stare at a pre-edge montreal canadiens sweater until you realize what a hockey jersey is meant to look like
Time for me to chime in on RBK Edge. For the most part, while the basic design of most aren't so awful, the imposed system with formulaic templates, overdone RBK branding, the new fabric, etc. are. The Panthers, Predators, Thrashers, Ducks, Flames, Hurricanes, Islanders, Sabres, and Blues are the ones that most got screwed over by RBK, in my opinion. Wow, that's 9 teams. There were some good things (Blue Jackets, Bruins, Canucks, Capitals, Coyotes, Sharks, and Wild all had decent redesigns) but for the most part the negatives outweigh the positives in my opinion. Pointless piping, rounded hemlines (?), lack of horizontal stripes; all those kinda ruined the basic look of the NHL. I will now step down from the podium before I start a lengthy rant about the Thrashers thirds.
@ Julian Grant
Don't even get me started on the Thrasher's third... that is where the vertical piping goes way too far, those are the biggest pile of shit jerseys i have ever seen in my life. I mean all you have to do is take off the sleeves and you have a basketball uniform
John,
Pre-Edge Montreal canadians jerseys suck, not to be mean but they do,
I think the reebok system of jerseys was a way for the nhl to keep up with modern times. Including jersey changes in the AHL, NLL,and also yes......the NBA. All the jerseys in these leagues have become much more "modern". Especially with the NLL, which if you read has shown that they are taking some of the NHL's Fans due to low ticket prices and more exciting higher sscoring games. I have season tix to both the Buffalo sabres and the Buffalo Bandits, I can pay up to 1000 dollars for my sabres tix, But 123 dollars for my season tix for the bandits, THREE ROWSS FROM THE GLASS. This is the NHL's attempt to keep the fans by giving them something new. ALSO THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY THE NHL BROUGHT IN WITH THE NEW JERSEYS AROUND THE LEAGUE. FANS ENJOY THE NEW JERSEYS THEY LIKE BUYING THEM, THEY LIKE WEARING THEM. They are not goin anywhere so i think everyone should jus suck it up. Just be happy some teams improved there mistakes with their 3rds.
Ok Nick... You think the rbk system of jerseys was a way to keep up with modern times. All the jersey's in these leagues have become much more modern.... exactly. And who outfits the nfl as well? You guessed it - Reebok! Anyone who doesn't see this move by Reebok as a way to camaflouge a 'modern look' as simply a way to CASH IN huge bucks, is simply blind i.m.o.! John is exactly correct in every post he's made. So you're gonna tell me that players prefer wearing a 'tight' jersey while skating and hitting and sweating, as opposed to a loose comfortable fit that's been around for 30+ yrs? I had no idea this was a fashion show. John's also correct in that fabrics change all the time... that's not the beef here.
Anyone fan who'd rather watch NLL as opposed to NHL games because of higher scoring, doesn't really know the game. Some of your best games have been low scoring. How many true baseball fans enjoy a 17-16 slugfest? One in a while is ok, but too often it'll become tiresome. You stated that they wanted to 'keep the fans' by giving them something new. Well how about all the darn rule changes in the game? Wasn't that enough? You can't even come near an opposing player without having a penaly called nowadays! Goalies are so protected now, 2 line passes omitted, checking is now 'boarding', and shootouts were added. (good idea). Reebok could've easily changed the nfl and nhl jersey's without changing their classic look, but instead went the way of greed, while upsetting tons of traditionalists without a care in the world. Thank God they still produce the Vintage jerseys.... cause that's all I'll ever buy... no matter what the sport.
Five teams out of thirty completely redesigned their uniforms. Two adopted their third jerseys prior to RBK's edge system. Twenty-three teams made minor or moderate alterations to their existing style. It also wasn't just the fabric that changed, it was the cut and build of the jerseys all together. The Preds uniform would have look horrific if they kept the pre-Edge designs. They had to make changes to work with the new system. Its silly for me to argue with you because you're obviously a long time hockey fan set in your ways, which is fine.
Also, I've been hearing a ton from fans about Reebok forcing teams to do what not with their uniforms, but I can't find any credited information in regards to the redesign. Any information that you could provide, John, I'd be very grateful. I'm interested in the subject, and the lack of sources leaves me skeptical to Reebok's influence over the teams.
Heh, John and Ronald are now the founding members of the "Get Off My Darn Lawn!" club. Stupid kids and their loud rock music.
You got it Link! I'd have the cops here in a second...that we can agree on.
'Stupid kids and their loud rock music'! Although a quality of life issue....it would be nothing compared to today's deliquents who carry guns, tint their windows, hate the law, emulate thugs, and invent their own language!
How did Clint say it in 'Gran Torino'? GET OFF MY DARN LAWN!!
I like the rbk jersey cuts, fit, and almost all designs. I like the sabres slug logo. I love the sabres normal home/away and 3rd...
I hate Detroits look. red and white monochrome hurts the eyes.
I apologize for not liking something only because it was there for a long time. Ok now go ahead and bash me because i have my own opinion.
no ziplock, i'll bash you because you're attacking something that has been counted among the greatest jerseys in sports, not just hockey. Detroit began wearing that in 1932 and it has stood the test of time beautifully. If you like the slug, then i pity you, because it shows a sabre in no way, shape, or form. And if you like the edge jerseys, especially buffalo's, then you don't like hockey jerseys, you like whatever rbk has packaged up and thrown at you.
Nick, you're attacking a jersey design that has gone essentially unchanged in 90 years. I don't know that any other team anywhere can say that. It works for a reason.
an article was published sometime in early october last year about how RBK told the Rochester Americans to remove the stripes from the hemlines of their jerseys, even though the team didn't want to. The team listened to RBK. If anyone can find it, please let me know, but i think it's been long removed.
i DID find a comment from october 13 on NHLToL, saying this:
Charlie said...
I realize it will be a long haul but I don't want people to forget that RBK popped their cherry with the Sabres and Ducks redesign and sent this whole uniform system debacle into motion.
We have the Rochester Amerks team president quoting that RBK wished to phase out horizontal stripes and most of the aesthetics except the logo was NOT done by the suggestion of the team.
October 13, 2007 12:18 PM
"Detroit began wearing that in 1932 and it has stood the test of time beautifully" oh look, you like it because its been there for a long time.
and yes, there is a sabre down the body of the slug. so theres a buffalo and a sabre in that logo? well then why not hate detroits because its not only a wing, theres also a wheel.
This has gotten silly.
John, neither of those snippets you posted have sources or give me any real information. Currently its just hearsay.
Also, its not hard to mess up the Red Wings jerseys. They are red with some white stripes, or they are white with some red stripes. Yes, it works for them and its classic and sharp looking, but there isn't anything to them.
Everyone is also ignoring that somehow the Devils managed to not change their uniforms one little bit. Why would so many teams be forced to kowtow to Reebok while the Devils kept their yokes, didn't change a single horizontal stripes, and added no pipping. This round of thirds has also seen a noticeable increase in horizontal stripes in general.
I was just thinking about a comment about how a team wasn't allowed to make their third a primary. Well, obviously not! If for no other reason then they would no longer have a third jersey to hock to the fans. What happens on the ice is about the game, what the front office does is all about money. We all know that, you just have to decide if you're ok with it or not.
Wow I never knew how pretentious traditionalist jersey/logo fans are. Sorry but after wearing the old jerseys and the new RBK edges as a player, I prefer to wear the edge. They are not at all tight feeling and they are much more easier to move in than the old looser sweaters which got in the way when you have to move around a lot.
I like the design of almost every RBK edge jersey. The argument that RBK is trying to get rid of horizontal striping is total bs since before the edge jerseys the sharks had no horizontal striping and now they do on their RBKs. Devils are also evidence of this. If anything its the teams trying to cash in that changed their jerseys more than Reebok. Plus the slug is better than the sheep head logo for buffalo, plus their original logo is nothing spectacular more than another circular logo so stop crying that it went away for a little while it'll be back from all the fan whining. Edge had a much more positive affect than negative.
anyone see the canadians in their beauty barberpole sweaters they looked sick
r.i.p. icethetics. it was fun while it lasted...
Its not the scoring its the high speed excitment
Icethetics aint dead.......Look at the comments, He dont need to post shit when we have sustained 83 comments on the same topic be patient.. Jesus, Chris I dont know how you deal with people who dont appreciate what your doin.....
First off, let me second what KOHO said because i also prefer wearing the edge jersey because of the slimmer cut as opposed to the traditional jersey that tends to be a bit baggy and heavy... and i play Junior B. so I'm not just a sunday skater.
Secondly, KOHO you beat me to it... the so called traditionalists out there complaining about the Edge jerseys and Reebok's influence on jersey design straying from the traditional hockey sweater look, are forgetting about the teams that not only kept their same jersey design (Rangers, Devils, Bruins, Blackhawks, Red Wings, and Canadiens) but also San Jose who changed from a non traditional sweater to having a shoulder yoke, hand horizontal stripes on the sleeves and hemline.
As a whole i think that the positives of the Edge Sweaters definitely outweigh the negatives (which i will admit there are some, one being the overwhelming piping on a few of the jerseys) I mean piping isn't bad as an accent but too much gets to be a bit overwhelming on a jersey.
As for those "traditionalists" who have overlooked the positives of the Edge jerseys and jumped right in on harping on the negatives, i sincerely hope you reconsider your opinion, especially about Reebok's supposed influence on the design because if they were trying to eliminate horizontal striping then why would they let San Jose get away with adding them to their uniform.
And Nick May, you are 100% correct about the high speed aspect of the game being the reason for attracting fans not the high scoring games.
@David
It was kind of painful to watch them skating around. I understand the 100 years celebration and all, but I can't imagine anyone thinking those uniforms looked good on the ice. Well, I'm sure some folks liked them, but still.
Also, I wonder how Chris will react when he comes back to see the huge number of comments left under his last post. It could be kinda of amusing.
The Montreal Canadiens wore their barber pole jerseys today against the bruins so maybe chris will be posting about that later on.
I liked the Canadiens "barber pole" jerseys. Something different. But what do I know, I'm just a hockey fan.
Koho... you make a weak point about rbk not trying to rid the jersey of horizontal striping at the hem. Total bs? The sharks had no horizontal striping before the rbk's? That's funny... cause I'm staring at my pro early 90's teal jersey, and they sure look like black & white stripes to me! Then you name the Devils as an example. EVERYONE in the hockey world knows Lamarillo will never change the Devs look, he's stated it numerous times. Buffalo's original logo is nothing spectacular?? Wow. The slug looks like it was designed in 4th gr. art class.And btw... the original logo IS back....on the new 3rd's, and they found a way to botch that too.
And Nick.... you honestly think you need tons of goals for 'high speed excitement' in a hockey game? You probably enjoy the nhl's 12-11 All Star games, right?
I'll come back for you Mr Lamoreaux from Junior B hockey.
Jesus Marc... I don't know where to start. You say - 'The so-called traditionalists out there complaining about the Edge jerseys & RBK's influence on design straying from the traditional sweater look, are forgetting about teams that kept their same design'.... WHAAAT? You just named 5 of the original 6 teams!! Of course they're not gonna change their traditional look!!
Can you say NY Yankees? And as far as the Devils.... see above post. I'm lost on yours and Koho's comments about the SJ jersey.You keep saying they changed from nontraditional. Their original uni's WERE traditional. Hem and sleeve striping, and shoulder patches.... that's it! Then they lost them.... and now they're back. Sorry boys, but I can never change my opinion that the positive outweigh the negative when it comes to todays jerseys. And I haven't 'overlooked' anything. You may be correct in stating that the jersey feels better than a looser one, but I didn't think this site was about how the jersey feels during a game.
Hey Marc...since you brought it up, and before I retire for the night, I'd like to know your opinion on the Canadiens barber pole jerseys which were worn tonight. If you don't mind.
The barbershop jerseys were interesting to watch for a game, and I actually enjoyed seeing them, but I'm glad they're just a one-time thing. The colors were messing with my brain after a period.
Ronald-
The Canadiens jerseys today were a nice jersey, i like that look (not as a primary jersey but just as it is) i also really like the old Ottawa senators sweaters that had a ton of stripes.
When the Sharks started out they had a nice clean looking traditional hockey sweater... but they changed to that goofy looking jersey and then going into the reebok edge era they went back to a traditional type of jersey. what i'm saying is when san jose first changed their jerseys it was before reebok came into the picture and then when reebok was in the picture they came out with a great looking jersey and uniform all together so if reebok was trying to get rid of the horizontal stipes then why would they let a team like san jose who was a somewhat recent expansion team go back to a traditional hockey jersey?
i do agree that the oilers, panthers, coyotes, leafs, pens, and kings got screwed by this change, especially the oilers and panther because there is absolutely no point in putting armbands on the inside of the sleeve where nobody will see them. also i don't think they should have taken the hemline stripes off of the other jerseys because they need something to anchor them, but i just haven't heard any concrete evidence that it's Reebok's fault.
Personally, I like the fact that there are teams like the Red Wings, and the others who keep their logos and jerseys classic looking.
But seriously, not every team should look like them.
If every team goes with a"traditional" look, its pretty boring.
I wish the Sharks didn't use the traditional-styled jerseys.
I absolutely loved those "goofy looking" jerseys the Sharks had in the late 90's and early 2000's.
And most Sharks fans would probably agree with me that those were the best jerseys in the league.
Give some of these non-traditional jerseys a chance. Personally, I think the Caps jerseys are beautiful. (Don't really like the wordmark logo, but the jersey itself is great). And not a horizontal stripe on it. Don't be so afraid of trying something new.
There is something really clean and fresh about the Caps new uniforms. They have that great secondary logo but it is a shame they had to sacrifice their primary logo in the transition. Though it might have looked out of place on the uniforms. I would be interested in seeing a mock-up on the Edge era Caps jersey with the pre-Edge logos.
While we're all waiting for a new post from Chris, feel free to check out my new Hockey Design website: www.PuckDrawn.com
johnny, you got a great thing going there, i passed the link around to a few of my friends who have asked me if icethetics is dead. keep up the good work, hopefully you'll get some concepts to work with.
I'd like to give you the link to my jersey collection, which i need to update really soon. http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b394/johnious/
i imagine you've heard this a lot, but with an awesome last name like Griswold, you really should include the Griswold Blackhawks jersey from National Lampoons' Christmas Vacation as part of your logo.
As an old fogey hockey fan at the age of...26...I 'd like to second Ron's appeal to have RBK 'GET OFF OUR LAWN.'
I'd hate to be lumped as "pretentious' for stating what's obvious to the eye, but for the people who enjoy the Edge:
please tell me which looks like a jersey befitting an NHL club and which looks like a white T-shirt with a logo
ok, here goes:
http://www.icejerseys.com/images/rbk_edge_replica_jerseys/mapleleafs_white_big.jpg
http://nhl.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pG01-1802167dt.jpg
Personally i like the second one but i like the Leaf's new third jersey better just because of the cut. and as mentioned above... i'm not a fan of the leafs edge jerseys
wow the 100th comment... thats gotta be some kind of Icethetics record, eh?