Top 10 NHL Logos of All Time
Monday · Dec 17 · 2012 | 2:03 AM PSTSo. A handful of ancient cultures tell us the world ends on Friday. Guess there's no better time than now to quantify the history of hockey logos — since obviously there won't be anymore to come. Ever.
Before we start, understand this is just me picking my favorites. Yours may differ wildly. And if we all survive December 21, you'll get your chance to vote in a new sort of logo tournament after the new year. Now let's go. Clock's ticking.
1. Hartford Whalers
Its perfection lies in its subtlety. The use of negative space has a lot to do with the brilliance of the Whalers' logo. Often the H in the middle is what catches people off guard. They say, "how could I have missed that?" When a designer is able to incorporate every inch of their design into important symbolism, they've struck gold. Peter Good is responsible for this logo and even though it was retired in 1997 with the relocation of the Whalers, hockey is better off for having had it.
2. Minnesota Wild
It was hard not to place this logo at No. 1. I think the Whalers logo only got it because of longevity. It happened to come first. But if the world weren't ending, I'd say this logo will be around for a long time as well. Imagine being told to design a logo for a team called the Minnesota Wild. What does that mean? And yet this mark so perfectly captures the wilderness the team is named for. You can see something new every time you look at it. The trees and setting sun are perhaps most obvious. Then there's the shooting star, flowing river and distant hills. It all comes together in the shape of a wild animal's head. Some people see a wolf. I see a bear. It's a remarkable symbol that I hope survives the apocalypse.
3. Montreal Canadiens
No list of this sort would be complete without this juggernaut toward the top. Montreal's classic CH has survivedin some form for more than a century. It's lived through wars, depressions and even lockouts. So what's a little armageddon? Long live the CH. And just so it's being said here, the H does not stand for Habs, but rather simply, "hockey" as the organization's official name is le Club de hockey Canadien.
4. Colorado Avalanche
It may seem blasphemous to put so many logos created in the last two decades so high on this list, but I wouldn't do it if they weren't awesome. The Avalanche logo is another that approaches perfection. Created by Adrenalin in 1995 after the sudden relocation of the Quebec Nordiques, this logo is striking. It conveys motion splendidly with a color palette found nowhere else in sports. A logo this good. There's no way it could wait to hoist the Stanley Cup.
5. St. Louis Blues
The Blue Note originated in 1967 when the NHL expanded beyond the Original Six. Over the years it's been upgraded and revised. The mark we see today is beautifully balanced and it almost makes you hear music in your head when you look at it. There's no better symbol for a team named the Blues. They got it right the first time. They were smart to stick with it.
6. New Jersey Devils
Clearly this isn't a list of my favorite teams. And for as much as I may dislike the Devils, they have a superb logo. It's no wonder they don't have any secondary or alternate logos. Just this one. The only difference you'll find in the history books is that green replaced black at the beginning when the team arrived in New Jersey in 1982. (By the way, Wikipedia would have us believe that the logo was designed by the wife of the owner at the time of the team's move. But I can't find any corroborating evidence for that.)
7. Boston Bruins
The spoked-B has always been in league with Montreal's CH in my book. I don't mean that literally. Of course they are both members of the NHL and have been since the early days. But the idea of logos so simple, I think, is beyond what would be considered good sports logos these days. When was the last time a new team sprang up with nothing but a letter as its primary symbol? Over the years, the Bruins' logo has been upgraded and refined, each time for the better. It's one of those great, recognizable marks.
8. Chicago Blackhawks
No doubt many of you will complain this logo wasn't higher on the list. But you've heard my position before. I don't think it's a bad logo. I just don't think it's the best the way so many other people do. I've never understood that. Still, it certainly has a place on my Top 10. Only the Blackhawks could pull off such great use of color. (There are 8!) It's another one that's been around for a long time and seen a lot of refinements. But it's old and it shows. For a logo, there's no better compliment.
9. Colorado Rockies
Yep, the Rocky Mountain State shows up twice on my list with two different teams. In 1976, the Kansas City Scouts moved to Denver and became the Colorado Rockies (the original ones!). Their logo struck the ideal balance between a team's nickname and its location. It was only a shame they left town in 1982. I always hoped the Avalanche would get a chance to wear this mark in a Winter Classic or something. But with the Four Horsemen supposedly on their way, I guess that's out of the question.
10. Philadelphia Flyers
How does anyone finish a Top 10 list? It's so difficult. And so final. Here I've decided to go back to the first expansion again. Some logos are just so instantly identifiable, that you'd only need to see them for a fraction of a second. The Flyers logo is one of them. Like the Devils, I can't stand the team. It's ingrained in me. But when I look at their mark, I can't deny a fantastic design.
I'm sure a number of you will find fault with my ranking, but that's what the comments are for. How did I do? Any serious oversights? Any big blunders? I'd love to see your Top 10s.
Check back on Thursday for my Top 10 worst NHL logos. Tuesday and Wednesday will be dedicated to the minor leagues — AHL and ECHL.
Reader Comments (74)
Solid choices, with one omission: Skating Penguin. That is all.
Story that I read somewhere was that the original logo for the Devils was done by the owner's wife. Then they got a graphic designer involved and the output was the icon we have today. Not true corroboration but...
http://www.sportslogos.net/logos/view/zaz8yx9isu9zhsx1sdw2f1day/New_Jersey_Devils/1983/Unused_Logo
Can't argue too much with your list, though maybe would put the Red Wings logo somewhere in there.
Also, from what I understand, the star in the Wild logo was a nod to the North Stars.
Keep up the good work - until the end of the week, anyway........
Nice picks Chris, I really hate everything to do with the Whalers, but your reasoning makes me maybe not hate them as much. I knew about the H with the W, but I just can't stand anything else about them. Here are my 10.
1 Wild
2 Blues
3 Avs (partly because they are my favourite team, but they do really have a great logo)
4 Bruins
5 Canucks (stick in rink)
6 Rangers
7 Stars
8 Canadiens
9 Preds
10 Leafs (1964 version)
Avalanche and Wild over Red Wings? Disagree.
It's a good list. I'd only argue with the two Colorado selections. The Avalanche logo looks very '90s XTREME!!! era to me. I do like the color scheme, but something about the logo in its entirety just doesn't work for me. I also just don't generally like hockey logos that include sticks, pucks or skates. (The Canucks stick-in-rink and to a lesser degree, the Sharks crests being my only exceptions.)
The Rockies logo just bothers me from top to bottom. The primary color scheme is ugly, the image is too on-the-nose, and it looks like it was designed on late-'80s print shop software.
My Top 10:
1. Hartford Whalers
2. Minnesota Wild
3. Chicago Blackhawks
4. Minnesota North Stars
5. Montreal Canadiens
6. Toronto Maple Leafs
7. Philadelphia Flyers
8. Vancouver Canucks (Stick-in-Rink)
9. Detroit Red Wings
10. New Jersey Devils
I was about to make a list of 10 worst, but there are just too many to list. Suffice to say, Anaheim tops my list hands down. Everything they've ever done has been awful.
No love for the Sabres? Not even a little bit?
1. Hartford Whalers
2. Minnesota Wild
3. St Louis Blues
4. Philadelphia Flyers
5. Montreal Canadiens
6. Detroit Red Wings
7. Atlanta Flames
8. Chicago Blackhawks
9. New Jersey Devils
10. Toronto Maple Leafs (63-67)
solid enough list. not sure i agree with the order, but you did pick some great logos. (don't know if i would have included the rockies in there.) surprised not to see the red wings logo, as that probably won't have made my top 10 list.
Even Though I don't agree with most of your choices (i hate the Avalanche logo with a passion), I'm completely in awe of the quality of your logos and textures. Could you someday write a post on how you achieve such graphic perfection.
I still use the one you made a few yeras ago about the fabric effect you applied to the IceHL designs and I would love to learn some new tricks from a craftsman as gifted as you are.
I like all of those picks but there's no way the Wild beat out the Redwings or Rangers. I get the subtleties in the wild logo but I just can't see it coming in over all the original 6 teams.
Replace the Avalanche with the Winged Wheel and you've got a list here.
After thinking about it some more, here is my Top 10:
T-1. Boston Bruins
T-1, Detroit Red Wings
T-1, St. Louis Blues
(had a hard time deciding, since all three are good and I love them all)
4. Chicago Blackhawks
5. Winnipeg Jets (2.0)
6. Quebec Nordiques
7. New York Rangers
8. Montreal Canadiens
9. Atlanta Flames
10. Minnesota North Stars (1979-1990)
Mighty Ducks?
The Wild logo is a bear. Wolves have pointed ears.
I had a great time with this list. It is different from a lot the others I see. The Hockey News did a voting system to determine the best logo of all time and apparently the Rimouski Oceanic won. The best NHL logo turned out to be the Chicago Blackhawks. You might want to check me on those. The reason I enjoyed this list so much is because it looked only at the logos and not the history of the team. THN's voting had the original six teams dominating the voting only because of the historical nature of the team. Although my Flyers aren't higher on the list, I'm still glad you had the wherewithal to put a rival on the best logos of all time. Thanks for doing this. It was a great idea and brightened my day.
Keep up the good work on a website that looks great with the new design.
I always remembered when I was a kid, I thought the best logos were the ones I could draw on my books. Also they had to be recognizable as the logo and not something else.
In alphabetical order
Boston
Calgary
Edmonton
Hartford
Minnesota North Stars
Montreal
New Jersey
Philadelphia
St Louis
Winnipeg (old logo)
The Flyers and Blues (especially) ripped off the Red Wings, huge negative points for that.
The Whale logo is amazing. I would put the Flyers a little higher and I would definitely add the Red Wings. I am not a big fan of the Avs logo either.
I would also throw the Sabres in the list and pull out the Bruins.
Matt - yes, the Jason-mask Mighty Ducks logo was great. I am glad they changed their name just before they won the Cup - sacrilege to have the words "Mighty Ducks" on the Cup.
1. Whalers
2. Blues
3. Flyers
4. Bruins
5. Canadiens
6. Nordiques
7. North Stars
8. Wild
9. Devils
10. Red Wings
Great list. I agree with 70% of it.
-Subtract Colorado Rockies
-Subtract New Jersey Devils
-Subtract Minnesota Wild (a little too much stuff going on for my taste)
-Add Minnesota North Stars; specifically the one inside the circle from 1967.
-Add the new Tampa Bay logo... (yeah I know... a million reasons to hate this one but I love its simplicity).
-Add the Pittsburgh Penguins. It's not without flaws and some cheesiness but it really represents: a skating penguin with a triangle for Pittsburgh.
The best thing about the Whalers logo was its versatility. Longtime AHL fans will remember when Binghamton, N.Y., was Hartford's top minor-league affiliate, and the logo was rotated to make a 'B' for Binghamton Whalers. Here's a photo from that era: http://www.gamewornauctions.net/products/Early_1980_s_Dave_McDonald_Binghamton_Whalers_Game_Worn_Jersey-51-42.html
Good list but the Red Wings should be on it somewhere (Top five I think)
But...
Instead of the Rockies and Avalanche may I suggest the best logo not currently worn by a pro team the Colorado Rockalanche logo.
Colorado, are you kidding me?
Top ten current primary NHL logos according to thier ratings on sportslogos.net
1. Chicago (8.7/10)
2. Minnesota (8.4/10)
2. New Jersey (8.4/10)
4. Detroit (8.3/10)
5. Buffalo (8.2/10)
6. San Jose (8.1/10)
7. Boston (7.9/10)
7. Edmonton (7.9/10)
9. Montreal (7.8/10)
10. St. Louis (7.7/10)
Philadelphia is tied with Calgary and Nashville for 11th with 7.5. Colorado is 15th with 7.2
Hartford has 8.6. Rockies have 7.1
Disclaimer: some logos have a small number of votes, so their scores may not accurately reflect popular opinion.
Forgot to mention, you should probably order them from 10 to 1 next time to create a build-up to #1.
1. Red Wings
2. Bruins
3. Penguins 93
4 Whalers
5 Canucks (stick in rink)
6. Habs
7. Blackhawks
8. Flyers
9. Flyers
10. Leafs 1967
Based strictly on logo alone.
1.Habs
2.Whalers
3.Canucks (current) i know, i know everyone and their mother seems to hate this logo.
4.Blackhawks
5.Leafs (63-67)
6.Devils- red and green
7.Detroit
8.North Stars
9.Calgary (original)
10.Philly
all good choices, however, as a canadian, albeit far from a Canadiens fan, i do believe that the H in the Habs logo actually stands for the french word "Habitant" which of course shortens to "Habs". I havent gone looking for sources or proof, but im sure there is some out there if you want to find it.
I've been a hockey logo fanatic since I first started collecting hockey cards way back in 1989-90, and my list of top logos really hasn't change much at all since then. Nowadays I am far past the logo fanatic faze, and quite deep into the logo obsessed stage thanks to sites like yours Chris, and a special shout out to Sportslogos.net as well.
1- Hartford Whalers
2- Boston Bruins
3- St Louis Blues
4- Detroit Red Wings
5- Minnesota Wild
6- New Jersey Devils
7- Chicago Blackhawks
8- Winnipeg Jets ('90's logo)
9- Edmonton Oilers
10- New York Rangers
So many people talk about how "great" the Canucks' "stick-in-rink" logo is... WHY??? What is so good about it? It's a rectangle with curved corners (I'm sure there's a geometric term for that shape, but who cares?" with a line through the middle. What is so special about it?
Can somebody please answer?
Why does a "B" in a circle with spokes get so much love when a bruin could have so many options? And why is a buffalo always metioned when the team's mascot is a sword? Old doesn't always equal classic.
No Buffalo Sabres!? You have got to be kidding me? It is the only logo in the NHL that explains the city and its nickname without even saying them.
The Buffalo up top of course stands for "BUFFALO"
the crossed swords stand for "Sabres"
This is the same logo that won your TOL! Tsk Tsk.
Kevin- The Stick-in-Rink logo forms a "C". I believe it's so well received because 1.) It's somewhat clever 2.) It's very clean and simple 3.) The colours look great 4.) It's leaves many Canucks fans with feelings of nostalgia 5.) Many would argue that the team has yet to top this identity (myself included). Hope this helped.
^ i'm with you Kevin.
You used the wrong Whalers Logo, the Grey in the 90's didn't make it better, it made it worst.
Greatest NHL logo of all time, seriously? Wild #2, better than Detriot, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Montreal ??? I don't think so. Even Ottawa's it better.
Espn did a Uniform Rankings, Montreal #1, that had something to do with the logo. http://espn.go.com/espn/playbook/story/_/id/8295892/uni-watch-power-rankings-rates-nfl-mlb-nba-nhl-uniforms-1-122
The Avs logo is too 90s to be anywhere near the top 10. I'd put it in the bottom 10.
The Blues logo is good, but not that good. It doesn't even look like a music note!
The Rockies is not a top 10 logo.
Red Wings need to be in the top 5.
Flyers should be higher.
Canucks stick in rink C should crack the top 10.
Otherwise, I like the rest of the logos.
Also like: Penguins, Sabres, Flames
Boston's logo is WAY overrated. Old logo's don't always equal great designs.
Very good list. I'm kinda surprised by all of the Avs hate on here, probably Red Wing...I mean Dead Thing fans. In your face haters. The Avalanche is an awesome logo. The Canadians and Devils logos are somewhat dated looking though.
Why do people like the blackhawks logo so much? It's bizarre! Not intimidating or interesting at all. It's a smiley indian with colors that aren't even used in the jerseys. The logo is just a bunch of random shapes, no aesthetic design at all. What's up with the pointy eye?
If you have to explain what the logo represents or the items incorporated into it, you probably shouldn't have it in a top ten. The Wild logo isn't very good at all. Any list without the Red Wings isn't a list of top tens. The original North Stars logo is pretty cool as is the non red and white Sabres logo. Golden Seals anyone?
Growing up five miles from the Hartford Civic Center and being a Whalers season ticket holder, I'm 100% biased for my Hartford Whalers. However, it seems many in the hockey world share my opinion the Whalers logo is one of the best--if not the best--NHL logos of all time...or even in in all of sports.
I never would have thought about the Wild logo, but I was fascinated with your description. I never took much time to look at it, and although some people may think it's a little too busy or involved to be an NHL logo, it is quite striking and beautiful. I have to admit, I got a little rush of nostalgia when I realized the bear's eye is a nod to the North Stars. (Speaking of the North Stars, I would have a hard time leaving them out of my Top 10.)
All these logos are great, but one that I would have removed is the Colorado Rockies. They pretty much took the state flag and made it into a mountain. How long did that take to create? I never found it striking at all. It's somewhat clever to a point, but not to be in a list like this. I would replace that with the North Stars.
Another logo I love--and I seem to be in the minority because I never see it mentioned--is the Canucks skate logo. I love the design, the font, and the colors. Maybe it screams 80s, but the thing was not only slick looking, but it almost seemed like it was moving. I think it's an awesome logo.
Well done, Chris! :)
Definitely agree with Whalers, but you left Nordiques off the list. One of the best ever, love that logo.
1. Hartford Whalers (NHL)
2. Minnesota Fighting Saints (WHA, original blue/gold, 1972/73)
3. Birmingham Bulls (WHA)
4. Winnipeg Jets (original)
5. Edmonton Oilers
6. Montreal Canadians
7. Philadelphia Flyers
8. St. Louis Blues
9. New England Whalers (WHA)
10. New York Islanders (original, with the map)
Paul N, Hey, the Wild logo is awesome! Way better than red wings, north stars or sabres. Golden seals? Seriously? You have terrible taste in logos.
As a Buffalonian and Sabres fan, I'm surprised the Sabres didn't show up on the list. I don't need them to be #1, I think it's the best logo in the NHL that doesn't belong to an "Original 6" team.
Just my $.02...
you did the wrong minnesota team, also the red wings logo should reeeheeeheeeeaaaaallllly be on here.
I always thought the Sabres logo looked like the buffalo was jumping in the air, about to get sliced up by the 2 sabres. Hardly intimidating when the animal on your logo is about to be made into mincemeat.
Pretty good list, I agree with the majority of it.
The biggest omission for me is the Mighty Ducks "duck mask and crossed sticks" logo... I'm also surprised not to see the exploding "duck out of the ice" logo from their third jerseys on today's worst-of list though maybe it was never an official logo?