The Orca Debate
Thursday · Dec 3 · 2009 | 10:26 AM PSTI don't mean to dwell on a topic born out of speculation, but after Tuesday's post regarding the possibility of the orca logo going the way of the dodo, my inbox was inundated. And I feel like this is the kind of subject matter that we'll hear an awful lot of different opinions on. So here are some more of them.
Hey Chris! I do believe the Orca in Canucks nation is endangered and becoming extinct, but the logo that I believe that will take its place as the primary will be the Johnny Canuck V logo, not the stick in rink.
The licensing agreement for the Orca logo is almost over, not sure exactly when, but possibly in time for next season, and the clues of the Johnny Canuck V logo becoming the primary are all over the Canucks website as well as on merchandise. I've attached a few pics to this email which lends me to believe this is true.
Matt
;)
;)
That's an interesting notion. A free Johnny Canuck t-shirt along with your orca jersey, perhaps so that when the orca is phased out you won't be completely left without a current Canucks logo? Just a hunch.
Here's another email regarding new upcoming merchandise.
I work at a sports store and we get all the merch catalogues early. I never thought much of it until I read the article. But after reading that I do notice that the Canucks stuff (hats, shirts, mini-sticks, etc.) has changed.
There is still stuff designed with the current logo but the new catalogues compared to the old ones do have a lot more of the non-orca logos. The stick-in-rink logo is used the most and the Johnny V and Johnny Canuck logos are popping up all over the new stuff.
There is also a lot more of the green being used as well. Not sure if this is really an indicator of a change or just a money grab though.
Adam
The money-grab idea does make sense. But is that really all it is?
This last email may just be silly, but it's worth the read nevertheless.
Take it for what it's worth, but while working a concert at the Commodore Ballroom a couple months back, a gentleman presented the local band that was on stage with a maroon Vancouver Millionaires jersey and proceeded to claim that this was going to be new third jersey for the Canucks next year — which coincidentally is the 40th anniversary.
At first I brushed it off, but now I'm starting to see these great vintage maroon jerseys in local hockey shops. I, for one, would love to see the Canucks playing in the only Cup-winning sweaters this city has seen.
It looked great on the Giants when they wore it and I believe it'll look fantastic on the Canucks if they do as well. Hopefully this does indeed become reality.
Michael
Ridiculous? Maybe. But the Canucks never cease to surprise us with their new sweater choices — however usually for the worse.
Feel free to add to the discussion in the comments. I'm going to put it to bed as far as new posts go — at least until we start getting some concrete information. But we can bet that won't happen until at least the summer.
By the way, big day in Montreal tomorrow! A century in the making.
Reader Comments (40)
I liek the Orca, but I undersrtand that its time is most likely up. I hate the stick-in-the-rink logo and can really find very few redeeming qualities for it. My fingers are crossed that Johnny Canuck makes his triumphant return! See JC on the front of the jersey would be more retro-awesome than anything else in the NHL.
I'm hip on either a green home or alt jersey too. I had hoped that the current third stick jersey would have been green. I hate when alts are the same color as the primary...
I really hope they are not going toward that idea.. There have been too many logo changes in the past and stick with the Orca for good!
First off, the Canucks have the best branding in the NHL. The website is top notch and the ad campaign is so stylish and fitting for a hockey team.
The Millionaires jerseys are awesome. I've played against a team wearing them. They look beautiful. Would love to see this as a 40th anniversary jersey like what the Canadiens are doing.
Lastly, I hope they change to two different sweaters for home and away. I hated the Canucks wordmark on the jersey at first, but I've adapted to liking it. I've never cared for the Orca much so it can be gone. Even though the Canucks have tweaked their jersey the past few years, I like the consistency in color and overall design. Again, great job branding. Just make the new "V" logo use the current 3rd jersey striping. Its got better line weight than the home/away.
That ''V'' jersey was worn by the Vancouver Giants of the WHL sometime last season.. I highly doubt it will be making an appearance in the NHL... A jersey with the V Johnny Canuck head logo is more probable. IF they decide to make a 3rd jersey. They're only trying to get rid of the BLUE orca jerseys, so it would make sense that their current 3rd with the stick/rink would become the home jersey, the white orca would be the away jersey, and a new 3rd may appear.
Just makes sense to me.. BUT.. nothing the Canucks ever do jersey-wise makes sense to me.. So who knows!!
the last one is a little too ridiculous for me... i would definitly buy and support the stick and rink though, always thought that was the coolest... and always thought the first nations orca is pretty lame
I must say, as a Montreal Canadiens fan I loved the ''Ultra Vintage'' looks they wore this season and I wouldn't mind seeing Vancouver in that maroon jersey, along with retro gloves it could look pretty good !
...But they must stick with one design for more than 2 years, it's getting ridiculous now !
I think everyone was pretty sure the plan was to ditch the Orca with the Vancouver text after the Olympics.
Everyone clearly loves the stick in rink logo, and fans have always wanted a Johnny Canuck logo to figure prominently in the team's design.
I've always figured that the current stick in rink design will become the standard jerseys, with a predominantly green Johnny Canuck logo'd jersey becoming the new third.
I think most people will be happy to see the Orca go.
those maroon jerseys are absolutely awesome! i would love to see the canucks with johnny canuck on their crest and the maroon ones as a third. even though i hate the 'nucks, i love a good uniform
Thise maroon vintage V jerseys were worn last year a couple times by the Vancouver Giants, so I doubt they will have anything to do with the Canucks. There's a web site you can buy those off of.
I honestly would have to lose all attachment to the Canucks if they started wearing that Johnny Canuck V on their jerseys full time. As a Winnipeg resident and a giant Moose fan that would say a whole lot, half that team is former Moose, so to lose my loyalty takes a lot.
However that logo would do it. I don't know what people on this site see in it, but it would be one of the worst logos in pro-sports if it were a primary. I would want to call them the Lumberjacks for wearing a bearded man in a touque on their chest.
Orca, stick in rink, flying spaghetti/the planet saturn, any one of them would be better than that disaster.
The only thing I want to see on a new canucks jersey is the skate/sun logo from the 90s.
Nice ! I'd love to see the Millionaires jersey as a third jersey. I loved the blue sweater for the Canadiens (In fact I'd hope they make it their third jersey) and color changes don't bother me that much as long as it's for a third jersey. Making the current third jersey their first would be a great thing in my opinion (it's much nice than the orca if you ask me)
And yeah, big day tomorrow. I live in Montreal and really should've bought tickets for tomorrow's game. I though about getting some in September but I was short on money and they costed like 100$ each to be in the nosebleeds. Now those same tickets are selling about double (so me and a friend could've bought 4 and sell 2 to go to the game for free) and to be in the middle section near center ice it's about 500$ a pair depending on where you buy them. Crazy stuff.
Awesome I really disliked the Orca and I think the new Johnny Canuck logos are a hit. However I would think twice about the Vancouver Millonare Jersey.If they should have any retro jerseys next year they should go back with those ugly "V" Jerseys. lol
The Vancouver Millionares jersey was worn by the Vancouver Giants of the WHL, and not my knowledge will not be worn by the Canucks.
That Millionaires jersey is hideous yet cool. Hard to say if would fly or not, but I like it. As for the stick in the rink logo, it's as lame as it gets, can't imagine why they would move to that, though I do think the Johnny Canuck character might be a good idea.
Speculation is good. So is this topic. I love it!
I commented in the earlier post that Vancouver probably has the worst logo history of the league and that certainly holds true when Johnny Canuck is added into the mix.
First of all, how many lumberjacks run around in V-neck sweaters? It's the same story as with the Orca C. Desperately trying to do something clever with a letter.
Second, what is he looking at? Is a tree about to fall on him or what? You have your logo looking straight forward or in profile, not turning his head and looking up.
Vancouver would be better off looking through the submissions for the
Vancouver Lumberjacks of the IceHL.
That maroon sweater is beautiful and would go with the long standing vancouver tradition of not have an established identity.
Having the Millionaires uniforms as a third would be excellent and would bring back the memories of Vancouver's only Cup-winning team. This begs the question though, of what would happen to the updated stick in the rink jerseys. Would they be axed in favour of Johnny Canuck uniforms and a Millionaires third? Or would they remain on as the full-time uniforms? At this point everything is speculation.
You can make anything sound stupid and corny by simplifying it. The Bruins logo is a B stuck in front of a wagon wheel? What does a wagon wheel have to do with a bear?? The maple leafs is just a boring leaf with a misspelled word in it!! My team, the Canadiens, is just a c with an h in it, and if you turn it 90 degrees to the left it looks like a weird smiley face. The calgary flames have a flaming c. what do flames have to do with calgary?? They don't, the franchise was just too lazy to change their name when they moved from atlanta. and so on and so on....
That maroon sweater is beautiful and would go with the long standing vancouver tradition of not have an established identity.- Eric R
BURN. the canucks are reminding me more and more of the leafs. exploiting their blind faith fans so blatantly. is there another pro sports team with this many different jerseys? whores of the league. whores of the league.
Notice how the Johnny Canuck phase of the tradition-less Canucks only started after Luongo got there and stuck him on his helmet? Maybe the Flames should change to a fiery skull in favor of Kipper's mask in the same fashion.
To Evan.... I sure hope Neil is right when speculating that the Canucks should use the 'stick in rink' as their primary, and make the Johnny Canuck a green 3rd.
The Orca logo was their worst choice behind the Lost In Space V jersey. When the colors went back to green & blue, Orca wasn't so bad...... but time to put it to rest.
I don't think the Canucks are going to change their logo again. They just spent millions of dollars renovating their dressing room, notably with a large orca logo on the dressing room floor and another sliding orca door.
Ian, I know it would be ridiculous to have a lumberjack as the Canucks' primary but the fact is, Johnny Canuck is behind the namesake of the team. I agree with you on your point but I'm sure anyone could tolerate a JC third jersey being worn for a minimal amount of games or at the very least, the logo on the shoulders (as the current stick in the rink third does). If you read up on JC, he is more than just a bearded cartoon lumberjack, he was an important Canadian symbol, especially during WWII.
@Evan
I'm well aware of Johnny Canucks significance, and I'm also well aware that the original pictures of him look nothing like the clown on the Canucks merchandise. I understand why he's important and why they use his "likeness" but please, do it right, that logo is ridiculous.
I'm one of the few that has NEVER understood the popularity of the stick in the rink logo. It's boring, and has almost NOTHING to do with the team name.
Boring in today's standard....... but classic all it's own.
I'm sure if a team conjured up that logo today, everyone would laugh.
The 'stick in rink' is just so Vancouver!
I used to work at jersey city and head office told me that the jerseys with "Vancouver" and the orca are only here until the olympics and after that they will change their primary logo .
Talk about a franchise with no identity, these guys change their logo every few years it seems.
The Orca logo is plain stupid and has to go. It has nothing to do with Vancouver or the Canucks. It was a pathetic way for Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment to market themselves. Yes, an American firm using the Canucks as a marketing tool. As a life long Canucks fan, I have never been as disappointed as I was when the Orca logo was introduced. Also, the Canucks have never been past the second round of the playoffs with that logo. Maybe if we get rid of the fish, we get rid of the "stink" in our performance.
I LOVE the thought of the Canucks ditching this horrible Orca logo. Orca Bay Entertainment doesn't own the team, so there really is no reason to keep using their logo. A return to the classic "Stick in the Rink" logo for home and away, along with a green V with Johnny Canuck 3rd jersey would be the best thing to happen to the team.
Since the Canucks aren't exactly Stanley Cup favorites every year, so it would be a disgrace to the legacy of the Vancouver Millionaires if the Canucks started wearing that sweater. Lets face it, the Canucks may all be millionaires, but they aren't THE Millionaires. Cyclone Taylor and Lester Patrick are probably rolling around in their graves right now thinking of the Canucks donning their sweaters. The Giants can wear the Millionaires sweaters and get away with it because they know what its like to actually win a championship. Plus it doesn't help that the Giants primary colors are the same as the Millionaires are, and yes this was done intentionally.
The Millionaires logo is owned by local Vancouver musician "Thor". It is an absolute certainty that the Canucks will NOT be using that logo or wearing the Millionaires jersey as a third uniform.
The Canucks should go to the skating Johnny Canuck logo full time and use the rink logo as a third. If they still want to market the orca logo they should make a navy fashion jersey.
Was in Canadian Tire today, and they were selling "Johnny Canuck" pepperettes!
My favorite of all the Canucks jerseys is the original orca jersey with the dark blue, silver and red. I'm not a Vancouver fan so I can understand their ties to the traditional Johnny Canuck and 'C' rink logos but I still think the Orca logo was their coolest looking logo.
More evidence to add weight to the original posting that got all this started: For all you Vancouver Island area readers on here, now's your chance to get your "beloved" Orca jersey at a steal of a price. Game On Sports in Woodgrove Mall, Nanaimo, is advertising both the home and road versions on sale for $40 off! You never see sales like this before Christmas. Even last year's boxing day sale only had them $10 off. This price only applies to the Orca jerseys and none of the other adult replica NHL jerseys. I know this isn't the only fan apperal retailer dumping the jerseys. So...conclude what you will but this just looks like more evidence as stores try to make way for the extinction of the Orca.
I'll never understand all the orca hate. For 40 years you guys get terrible, generic logo after terrible, generic logo, then when you finally get something that, God forbid, actually reflects some local identity, you all hate it and want another terrible, generic logo.
The reason for the Orca hatred is because of the corporate politics of the former Orca Bay ownership group and the terrible memories of its early existance. There is no question that the Orca is a symbol of Canada's west coast and BC's Haida heritage which is why I understand those who still love and cherish the current crest. Like I've mentioned in an earlier post, the passion us Canuck fans feel towards this club has never been stronger. With all the different identities the Canucks have had, fans have their own tastes on what uniform they liked the most and what uniform they disliked the most.
The bottom line is this: the Canucks, under proud passionate local ownership and knowledgable management want to establish a long-lasting winning tradition with an end to the complacent country club atmosphere that had plagued the franchise for too long. Part of that newfound respectability is going with a crest that proudly represents the history of our proud team name. Many long-time fans older than I am have always felt that Johnny Canuck should have been Vancouver's primary mark since Day One. And they are 100% right. If the Canucks are to establish a permanant identity, they need to have the correct colour scheme and more importantly, the correct crest. The former has been corrected. Now, it's time to correct the latter. And I believe the Canucks will do just that.
I'd like to see stick-in-a-ring as a home and away jersey, black with skate logo as a 3rd jersey and the Millonaires V as the vintage jersey. That would a good mixture and it would have something historical resemblance. I'd hate to see some awkward redesign.
I'm getting really sick and tired of people saying the Orca is by Orca Bay. Can't you see that in other part of the country like the USA think the Orca is perfect for Vancouver. Everyone in BC are blabbing about Orca = Orca Bay. Keep in mind other people never even heard of it. I say LEAVE the Orca alone, nothing else! I can't see how a Johnny Canucks represent BC, I see Johnny Canucks as Canada itself to Uncle Sam as America. Orca is perfect for the Native and Vancouver, very pacific northwest.