Sabres Wow With Web Remake
If you've been following Icethetics on Twitter, then you know I'm tracking the league-wide web site makeovers. Teams are adopting a new template that's closer to NHL.com. This is good news because that old template really needed to go.
Today, the Buffalo Sabres became the latest team to make the transition and I can't stop looking at it. I've got a screenshot, but I highly recommend you take a trip to sabres.nhl.com on your own to fully experience it.
It's just a phenomenal look, something we're not used to seeing on NHL team sites, generally speaking. The way the vintage logo is so prominently placed in the banner certainly indicates a shift in the way this team is being marketed — to actual fans! But mostly, it's the gold sabers running up and down the page. Is there anything more attention-grabbing? I'm way impressed.
To be fair to the other teams, the Sabres aren't the only ones who got this redesign right. Seven others have already made the switch and none has disappointed. The Avalanche and Coyotes were the first. Both, solid.
The Oilers, Thrashers and Blues followed. I think one of the elements making these sites more visually appealing is the attention to detail in the background images. It goes a long way. All three of these teams, along with the Avs, rotate multiple background images, primarily featuring different players.
The Panthers too, and along with the Predators are two of the most recent members of the makeover club. The Preds make use of a really cool sweeping view of the inside of the Sommet Center on game night.
I mean that's just cool.
There are also a handful of teams who are currently in the process of making the change and I can offer you previews, courtesy of Tim. The Flames, Flyers, Stars, Kings and Bruins have redesigns in the pipeline.
For the Bruins, not a big change, although Zdeno Chara does figure in prominently. The Flyers are loading down on the orange. And the Kings still prefer black to purple. The Flames and Stars seem to be most worthy of an advanced preview.
Calgary has taken to lighting their players on fire for the sake of the internet. Even the players' equipment hasn't escaped the blaze. However, I really like the background depicting the roof the Saddledome. You get a good look at all those banners hanging from the rafters.
The Stars will offer a sneak peek into the locker room with their background image.
The thing that struck me was the ad, a version of which can be seen on their current web site. It looks to me like they've colorized the jerseys to make them green. And they look spectacular. But here's an idea: Why not actually wear green home jerseys?!
No idea when these teams will make their official switches, but I'll keep an eye on it. In fact, I think this is definitely something to watch throughout the summer as each team makes its transition to the new NHL web format. Might even be the subject of a tournament at some point in the future. Who has the best web site?
We'll see. In the meantime, what do you guys think of the new site templates being employed across the league? Like 'em? Hate 'em? Indifferent? Comment.
Chris
Got a couple of things to add tonight. As mentioned, the Flyers launched their brand new site today and were the first team to go with a three-column format. It means the rotator on the left side of the page has been shrunk greatly, reducing the aesthetic the other sites share with NHL.com.
A little disappointing but still better than it was two days ago.
I've also got a little treat — a sneak peek at the Canucks' new web site. As I've been saying it's the background images that are really making these sites something to see, and Vancouver does not dismay. Have a look.
The only unfortunate thing is that most of the logo isn't visible because the banner itself is such a small area.
Still, a great image that will really give the Canucks a unique look online. I don't know exactly when it's supposed to go live, but I would expect it within the next week.
Thoughts on either of these subjects?
Reader Comments (26)
The Sabres' design is both the most unique and most impressive.
The only problem I have with the new template is that you don't see the left and right images if you use a 1024×768 res like I do (I temporarily switched to check them all out). I wish it was more like this page, which shows a decent amount of the "background" on the sides even if you have a smaller resolution.
In honor of that SNL Digital short: I saw the new Sabres site and I J***ed in my pants.
Phenomenal!!!
awesome! the old templates were ugly
Awesome. They finally look like professional team sites rather than something a rec league would use.
Dallas should switch to green. Maybe that PhotoShop work is indicating a very well kept secret...
I gotta disagree, I do not like the Sabres at all. The color blue just reminds me of mid 90s web design and the duel swords are very distracting from the actual content.
Poor design in my opinion.
Sorry to say, but the Banners that you see on the roof of the Saddledome are mostly from the Calgary Hitmen and Calgary Roughnecks. The flames only have a handful up there, and they are slowly getting bigger and bigger to take up more space.
-Shawn (Calgary)
Flyers new website is up. Background is skated-on orange ice, and the menu buttons and most headers are black. Pretty sharp.
Sorry to double-post, but also, on the splash page, you can see what looks like blood on the ice. Classic.
The sites are pretty good, The Oilers site especially. Love those green Dallas jerseys.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't see any green in the Stars jerseys in the ad on that page. Still looks like black and white to me (unfortunately).
The Preds new site predominantly features the colors blue and grey, which are the colors rumored to be on their 3rd jersey. Looks nice.
LOVE LOVE LOVE the Sabres new site
I am pretty sure that picture on the Stars page is just a stylized picture of the normal jerseys. They've used that kind of stylized picture before. In fact, it kind of looks like they have a toned down version of the same style right now on the page on the season tickets advertisement. It would be amazing if they introduced a green jersey, though. I miss the green very much, especially since the third jersey (or rather better described as a 2.5 jersey) didn't make green any more prominent than in the other jerseys. They seriously need to drop the current alternate jersey and reintroduce a new one with green after a year.
Those are some pretty sweet looking websites. The Sabres website is pretty awesome, those Sabres are really unique, and well done. Hopefully they realized the hatred they released with the Buffaslug, and that they already had a great logo in the Buffaswords.
Can't wait to see what the 'Nucks site looks like.
I LOVE THE SABRES NEW SITE LAYOUT! slowly but surely getting rid of the buffaslug. i also went to check out the flames site, and its still the old template. anyone else notice that?
As a Canucks fan, I'm pleased with the new look, I wish I could see the logo a bit better though. I'm more anxious to see what the message board will end up like, the NHL is switching to the Kickapps format.
Haha, ask and you shall receive. That's an awesome image, totally going on my desktop.
Look at Florida's site, that "new" logo is everywhere!
Hey, I was just wondering where you got that sick background for the canucks website, email me if you have an answer would be greatly apreaciated
new stars website is up.
Looooooooooooove the Canucks one. Looks really sharp.
Definitely happy with the new Sabres website and the returned focus on the 'New' vintage logo. The symbolism with the faded out slug exists and hopefully we will now see this ridiculous logo phased out of the organization as it's primary identity.
I love that the logo is partially obscured on the canucks one - very cool look. I'm not a fan of the buffalo site tho - it's a little garish looking, too over the top. the star of the show is the content, you know? and if you don't have your browser wide enough to see ALL of the sabre, it looks particularly bad.
Greate new CDC layout
Yup, the new Canucks website looks gorgeous! much better than the preview images that were put on. I was fairly disappointed with most of the new re-designs and though that a lot more could have been done, but so far, I think the Canucks have the best site re-design, the sabres coming at a close second.
Loving the Canucks new design.