“P” is for Patches & Primary Logos
Wednesday · Aug 18 · 2010 | 7:43 AM PDTSo it's been a good seven days since the last blog update. I feel really bad about that, but then I was on a cruise for at least four of them — so, I don't feel that bad. But I do have a bunch of updates to get through now — dealing with all three NHL teams whose names start with "P." Total coincidence!
Penguins Put Out New Arena Patch
Pens' new commemorative patchOver the weekend, the Pittsburgh Penguins started selling a new jersey patch that commemorates the inaugural season of the team's new arena.
Season ticket holders got their first look at the patch and the new CONSOL Energy Center at an open house event this past Saturday.
I don't have any information as to whether the patch will be worn on the uniforms, but why wouldn't they be? If you're wondering what that might look like, Steve Z. has been kind enough to share a photo. Though my guess is we'll see it on the front rather than the shoulder, if it's used on the sweater at all.
Also special thanks to Jeff S. for the above photo of the patch itself. Got lots of emails about this while I was gone. Thanks to all of you!
And if you're in Pittsburgh and dying to see the new building for yourself, here's a useful link.
Panthers Mulling a Reduction of Red?
Miami Herald writer and Florida Panthers blogger George Richards posted an article on Monday mulling the possibility that the team may drop the red, not this season, but the next.
He says the Panthers are considering using their new third jersey design as a base for new home and road sweaters, while keeping the same leaping panther primary logo. But he says it more colorfully:
Word on the street is the Panthers are likely going to keep the leaping Panther as their primary logo in 2011-12 while changing the team's colors from the H. Wayne picked blue-gold-red to the Tampa Bay Rays scheme we saw last year.
The blue-on-blue color scheme (what do we call it? The JetBlues? The Sunrise Rays?) apparently will be the Panthers uniform look by that season.
In 2011-12, the current thirds would become the home jersey with a new white/blue/light blue coming for the road. The third jersey — if the stick breaking panther is indeed the primary logo — could incorporate the head crest. If there is a third jersey. Probably won't [be] for the first few years of the redesign.
I'm sure there are people hard at work on this as we speak. Here's hoping they fix the dopey FLA logo... And leave the palm tree/hockey stick shoulder patch alone...
There's a lot more to the article, very much worth reading, but I don't want to copy it all here. Richards does say that he has yet to confirm these "plans" with team brass and that the stick-biting panther is the "logo of the future."
Meanwhile, the team's official website was recently redesigned to highlight the two-tone blue and gold color scheme. Red is still a key accent color, but it does appear the Cats are headed in a new direction with their marketing efforts. We'll keep an eye on all this.
Related: Panthers Reworking Primary Logo?
Predators Sending Out Mixed Messages
Taking bets now. Which logo will the Predators use this fall?
In the spring, it was all but confirmed by Reebok that the Nashville Predators would have new home and road jerseys for the 2010-11 season. The assumption being that the Preds would give the spotlight to their third jersey — along with a white version of it.
Lately, we've heard lots of reports from Nashville-area hockey retailers that nothing is changing with regard to the Predators uniforms. But at the same time, notice the redesign of the team's website to accentuate the dark blue and silver — the colors of the logo on the alternate sweater.
New Logo on Social LinksCheck out the graphics they use to link fans to their Twitter and Facebook pages right there on the home page! Where's the orange and gold? Gone, that's where!
I know it's getting late in the summer, but the Sabres are waiting until the start of the preseason before they give up their new look. Who's to say the Predators aren't doing the same? — just much more quietly.
In fact, if you remember back to the draft a couple months ago, the Predators only handed out hats with the recolored primary logo. Then again, they've still been handing out the current jerseys all summer.
When Shea Weber was announced as captain, he got one. As did the club's new bosses just last week. So I don't know.
It seems like an obvious choice, but we'll really just have to wait and see. The suspense is just killing you, I know.
Reader Comments (12)
All these teams could use a jersey update. Predators are in my opinion the worst in the NHL together with the Sabres buffaslug (but it seems like he's going anyways).
I've never really liked floridas either. I don't think the colours match properly. And I for one don't like the logo, even though I find the name "Florida Panthers" hilarious.
Penguins are ok, but boring. Their uniforms, and Ottawas, seem so... empty somehow.
Think The Oilers should redo their uniforms to. Do what the Islanders did. The Oilers retro third is really nice. (I did like the Islanders first edge uniforms thou)
The Preds mascot is wearing alternate jersey, but the "customize your Predators jersey" link still features the old jerseys.
On the bright side, it looks like the Panthers will ditch the awful Reebok piping which is slowly leaving the NHL. Unfortunately the are ditching the red that has been a part of the team's identity for years. I'm not a Florida fan, but I'm sure their supporters won't be too pleased about this. Got to agree with Richards about ditching the FLA logo, that was absolutely "dopey".
Hopefully if there is a third jersey it will be red.
Am I the only one thinking that the Preds are only going to simplify their logo, and keep the jerseys the same?
I noticed too last time I was at Bridgestone Arena it looked like all the yellow and orange was off the walls .
The people who do jersey customization at the Bridgestone Arena's pro shop have stopped using the old letter and number styles and have switched solely to the numbers and letters used on the current third jerseys. They have also stated that the Preds will be using the third as the new primary and getting a road white to match. Also, many shops around the Nashville area have heavily discounted their road white jerseys.
I like the idea of a simplfied Preds logo, just not THAT simplified. Keep some yellow.
Wow, more blue, how exciting.
As a Panthers fan, I HATE this switch, even if I saw it coming. Red is a Panthers color, and for a team with next-to-zero tradition, it's all we've got. Red and white (with minimal navy blue) were the colors we last did anything with, not only should they be ditching the thirds and the terrible new logos (that new Panther head is nearly as bad as the FLA), but we need a RED JERSEY and a "RETURN TO RED" slogan and attitude. See Red, Be Red. Jeez, why aren't I in the Panthers' marketing department?
Also, PHILBAOGE, what about the name is "hilarious"? The Florida Panther is a real animal, and is native to the area that the Panthers play in (though not anymore thanks to the expansion into the Florida Everglades, but that's a different story), AND is the state animal of Florida. The name "Florida Panthers" is among the most fitting in the NHL (when was the last time you saw a Penguin in Pittsburgh or a "Ranger" in New York City or a King in Los Angeles or ...) and is certainly a fitting name: fierce when they do something, but extremely endangered. I don't get what's so "hilarious" about the name...
I was on Shop.NHL.com the other day, and I saw that the teams who are switching their jerseys (like the Sabres or Islanders) have their old jerseys marked down to like $80. But, when I went to Nashville's page, their jerseys aren't discounted at all. Interesting that yellow and orange seems to be disappearing, except on their own online store.
P.S. @Drew: exactly what i was thinking :)
Drew//
I think the Panthers is a great name for Florida.
But mostly because Florida is know as a "retirement" state. Many old folks moving there after retiring, and I don't know about you in the US but here across the pond we sometimes refer to old ladies as "Panthers" or "Cougars". As an example, the show about for older ladies living in Miami called "The Golden Girls" is in Sweden, where I live called "Panther Ladies".
That's why I find the name hilarious.
Sure everyone should just wear blue. why wouldn't the panthers concentrate on red and gold ? my issue with their jersey has always been the navy blue that isn't what i think of when i think florida. nobody in the league has a red and gold colour scheme. damn the penguins and their winter classic jersey(which i love but don't need to see on every team in the league) and nhl owners in crappy markets having to follow colour trends to sell jerseys it's a joke. blue is the new red and black.