Review: New Star Rising, Part 3
Tuesday · Jun 11 · 2013 | 1:34 PM PDT
Photo from Dallas Stars (via Facebook)
First, my apologies for the delay. I know you were expecting this review Monday (probably because I told you to) but events conspired to keep me busy elsewhere. Not only did I have 11 pages worth of polls to post (IceHL logo voting!) but there's also that pesky day job of mine.
The Dallas Stars unveiled their new logos and uniforms at an event last Tuesday. Let's pick things up at the end of that event, when I got some close-up, hands-on time with the two new sweaters.
After the fans departed the Winspear Opera House, the media mob of which I was now a member crowded around three men up on the stage. Jamie Benn, Mike Modano and Stars owner Tom Gaglardi had a lot of microphones and cameras pointed at them, mine included.
But to be perfectly honest, I didn't care what Benn and Modano were saying. I wasn't there to cover hockey operations. I was there to cover the new branding. So while the "real" reporters were squeezing in for questions about offseason training habits and plans for next season, I was squeezing in for photos of the brand new threads.
Initial Reactions
The first thing I noticed when Benn and Modano stepped out onto the stage, this is a very striking green. Truthfully, I took a moment to consider whether I was even awake. Here I am sitting in Dallas watching the Stars unveil new logos and uniforms — and it turns out they're the greatest shade of green I could imagine — something I've been pushing hard for over the past six years. Was it really real?
But a dream it was not. Or if it was, it had come true in that moment. The Stars' new look feels like one of the better designs we might see on the Concepts page — where many readers would undoubtedly declare it would never come to fruition. But this one did.
As we get started, the one thing I have to tell you is that photos simply don't do this color justice. If you get an opportunity to go see the Stars next season, I highly recommend it if only to see this green I'm so nuts about.
The Home Uniform
Unfortunately, I haven't seen any great photos of the full uniform on a player like we got from the Hurricanes. While this graphic shows all the important details of the look, it's sterile and detached. You don't get the same impressions as when it's being worn over full gear.
The Stars have gone back to a classic, retro style, following the trend in hockey uniforms of late. The simple, traditional striping cleverly draws the eye straight to the sharp new crest. The one-color numbers and letters are subdued yet unique. And while back in Raleigh the Hurricanes opted for a less sparkly silver in their crest, the Stars have fully embraced it.
Up close, the detail is stunning. This is going to be a great hockey uniform and should be around for a lot of years. The Stars were part of the NHL's first expansion in 1967. And somehow this logos feels like it could've been introduced back then only to be updated now, 46 years later. Even the green feels like an update to what the North Stars originally wore.
I think what I might be happiest to see is that for the first time in two decades, the Stars aren't wearing a wordmark on their chest. That's been my biggest pet peeve with them over the years. It's the reason their uniforms have always been at the bottom of my list. Now suddenly they find themselves at the top.
One Reebok trend I actually like is the "Hanger Effect," as they're calling it, where some sort of design detail is incorporated into the inside of the collar. That means it's only visible on a hanger, so you have to own the jersey to be able to appreciate it.
On the green jersey, it reads STARS in the collar. Meanwhile, as you'll see below, it reads DALLAS in the collar of the white jersey. It may not be as cool as Nashville's piano keys or Carolina's storm flags, but it's a nice detail to include in the design.
So what is there not to like about this jersey? A few things, actually. I mentioned that I liked the traditional striping style. But it runs into a problem similar to Carolina's in that it isn't strictly unique. I know positioning stripes on a sweater in a unique but traditional way is a difficult task, but the sleeves are straight off a Chicago Blackhawks jersey.
However, the matching waist stripe is where the jersey differs from Chicago's and helps the whole look stand on its own. Gaglardi said he wanted the colors of the team to be green, black and white. This accomplishes that and makes me wish the Lightning had considered keeping black two years ago.
There's another great story about Gaglardi and his stripes. After the event, I spoke with Jason Walsh, the Stars' VP of production and entertainment — the man who ushered the rebranding process. He explained how involved Gaglardi was. Multiple times a week they met to look at new designs. And when one of the final prototypes came in from Reebok, Gaglardi glanced at it for a moment and immediatley asked for a ruler.
The three sleeve stripes were supposed to each be the same width. But the the black one happened to be 1/8 inch too big. He spotted the problem that quickly. That's how dedicated this man was to the details. That's how much he wanted to get this right.
The other thing that bugged me was the placement of this alternate logo. The Stars came up with a new Texas-shaped mark only to bury it on the pants. I think I would've like to see it on the shoulders — as its predecessor had been in years past.
But in fairness, Walsh told me that idea was among the 236 variations the team looked at during the process. And he said it just didn't look right. I understand the state of Texas has an odd shape, but I'm just not thrilled about the outbreak of circular logos.
As circular logos go, this isn't a bad one, but I don't feel like it brings anything to the overall identity. It's a wordmark surrounded the D-star of the primary logo. That said, I think it serves its purpose, which is to have a shoulder patch. Carolina went without them and I do think that was a mistake.
I don't mean to keep bringing up the Hurricanes but they're fresh on my mind because both unveilings happened on the same day. And there are plenty of comparisons to draw anyway, with both teams going the traditional route with their new looks.
The Road Uniform
Moving on to the white jersey it's clear we're looking at a brand new template from Reebok. Every since the launch of the Edge jersey in 2007, fans have bemoaned the lack of variation in the uniform designs. But with the Stars' rebrand, a new one was certainly added to the mix.
The first thing that stuck out to me, in fact, was the shoulder yoke. It's not simply rounded as is typical with hockey sweaters. But it's not square either, like the new design we saw from Carolina. It's a neat touch that makes this jersey unique among not just NHL clubs but all Reebok-clad teams.
Mike Modano sure does wear it well. It's just a shame we'll never see him in action in it. But it is nice in the transition to get to see the new jersey with No. 9 on the back — since it will be the last time. As we learned Tuesday, it gets raised to the rafters next spring.
While we're looking at these photos, let's talk striping. It's still a three-stripe design like the green uniform, but it's not quite an inverse. And also like the green one, as some fans have noted, the striping isn't exactly novel. In fact, it's a lot like what the University of North Dakota has worn (both the green and white jerseys for that matter).
But despite that, both jerseys retain a feel that's uniquely Stars, and indeed unique in the NHL.
The crest varies slightly depending on the jersey. As we saw on the green sweater, the D-star is outlined in silver. Here on the white uniform it's green. It's the only green in the primary logo, in fact. But it's all you need. You don't want the logo be primarily green if that's the color you want for your sweaters.
As I mentioned before, both jerseys have Reebok's Hanger Effect. You can see the DALLAS wordmark inside the collar of the away jersey. And also noticeable here is the lace-up collar. It's featured on both sweaters and it's one of those things you add to a jersey when you're going for that traditional appeal.
Just from an aesthetic standpoint, I like it. And I probably wouldn't mind if every NHL team did it. Is it functional? No. But it is a treatment that is unique to hockey sweaters. You wouldn't find it a football or baseball jersey. For that reason alone, I like it. But I can't give you a good reason for why I think it works. It's just something that appeals to my design sense.
I have to squeeze in one more close-up of the shoulder yoke. I really like the idea of the Stars differentiating their look this way. Could any other team have tried this? Sure. But the Stars did it first so now they get to own it. It's one of those details taht makes me love this sweater.
And it's also why I'll have a difficult choice to make in the fall. Do I buy the green one or the white one? Maybe both.
If you'll permit me to compare/contrast the Stars and Hurricanes once more, the biggest point I have to make is how each franchise approached its identity. I wrote that I felt like Carolina lost what made it unique. On the other hand, the Stars have gone out of their way to create a look that is both unique and beautiful.
In a nutshell...
I'll wrap this up with a summary of my thoughts.
The Good:
- GREEN! (Again!)
- Unique shoulder yoke
- Wordmark gone from the crest
The Bad:
- Striping, while fitting, is somewhat unoriginal
- The circular logo on the shoulders is a bit tired
So you've heard my take. What's yours?
Reader Comments (36)
I think it has been mentioned here before, but the placement of the D on the pants logo bothers me. It is nowhere close to where Dallas is within the state of Texas. I would have been in favor of modifying the previous Texas logo. Other than that, love the set!
Wasn't a huge fan of the jersey at first, but it's definitely starting to grow on me. Especially that shade of green. Infinitely better than the Hurricanes' new threads.
whenever I see these new dallas jerseys all I think of is the blackhawks' st. patricks day jerseys. the striping is pretty similar.
I love everything about their home jersey. Yeah, it feels a bit "Blackhawks". But the Blackhawks have one of the best jerseys in the NHL, so that's not a bad thing at all. And they put enough of their own identity in that jersey so that it doesn't feel like a direct copy. The shade of green and that awesome logo pop out in ways that not many jerseys in the NHL do. Really, I have nothing to complain about. And while the circular logo thing that Minnesota re-introduced back in 2003 has been copied a lot, I think it's a nice design and it's better than having no shoulder patch at all.
The Stars had the worst uniform in the league for six years. Now they have one of the best, and most importantly, have established a great identity that is going to last for many years to come.
As a lifelong Stars fan I hated this look when I first saw it. (BTW, I might be the only person in the world that liked the DALLAS word-mark, so what do I know...) These jerseys grow on you -- I love them now. I can't wait to see them in action. And I can't wait to see overly hot Texas chicks get hit on by drunk idiots wearing these jerseys at the AAC.
I love them at first I was upset about the gold being gone, but these jerseys are just beautiful. Like you said my biggest problem is do I get a green one or a white one. I really like the shoulders on the white ones. It makes me wonder, would the green ones look good with black shoulders?
i love them and I'm not a fan of copying another jersey but if you need to copy someone, why not copy from the best jersey in hockey? my one real problem is the lack of any outline on the numbers, I think a black outline would really improve the lettering and numbering but the positive is when you buy a replica you don't have to have those embarrassing printed stitching marks on your jersey!
Chris. Excellent take on the new stars jersey. I feel the same way both pro and con about the new look. Super improvement overall for the stars. And thanks again for covering the event so well. The twitter feed was great.
The home jersey styling is an exact match to the NY Rangers. Albeit unoriginal, I think the Rangers have the best looking unis in the NHL. Not exactly a big deal to me. 2 major things I would like to change:
1.) Not often do you see a re-branding with 3 brand new logos + wordmark. Put the Texas logo on the shoulders. It might have an odd shape, yes, but it never stopped them from doing it before. It always looked great to me. No need for the roundel; period. Ditch it.
2.) The logo (which I like) is a bit odd on the jersey. With the italicized nature of the logo, although centered, it looks like it is shifted slightly to the left. You can compensate to have the center of the "D" line up with the middle of the sweater, but the right point would carry over more than the left - also throwing it off. No real way to fix that.
...also... a black outline of the names and numbers wouldn't hurt.
I do like the new look - I think it suits them - just in need of a few tweaks to turn it from a home run into a grand slam.
I think the unis would probably look a little better with striping reminiscent of the 1991-99 era, which would make the stripes more unique to this franchise rather than evoking thoughts of the Blackhawks and UND.
As for the laces, that's one thing on which I won't concur with Chris. Just because it was something done in the past, when it actually was functional, doesn't mean it's something that necessarily belongs on a modern uniform. I find the look tacky, particularly with so many players leaving them loose and untied. I used to be able to take pride in the fact that the Red Wings had been the only Original Six team to never go to the laces, until the 2009 Winter Classic. Thankfully, they've only used them on the WC unis to date. Unfortunately, though, it seems too many people like them, so unless something comes up that leads the NHL to ban them outright, I don't see the laces going away anytime soon.
Overall, though pretty decent. Though the numbers look a bit plain; another element I'd resurrect from the 1991-99 era would be tri-color numbers (green, white, black).
I'm a fan of it. Until you mentioned the shoulder yoke on the white jerseys and the hanger effect, I would have never noticed either. I'm no fan of the hanger effect idea, as I feel like it's something that doesn't necessarily make me want to run out and buy that jersey, but the Stars don't do anything too flashy, which is good, as the jerseys themselves are enough to make me want to go out and get them.
Great recap as always! These jerseys starting to grow on me, though as a Minnesota homer it looks a little too much like the North Dakota Hockey Team, (aka: The Team Everyone Will Still Call The Sioux) for me.
I have little addition about your mention of the "Hanger Effect" not being used on a football or baseball jerseys. It actually was used with these Michigan State Nike ProCombat Game Jerseys in 2011. It is Ancient Greek text pronounced "Molon Labe" which translates to "Come and take them." This example basically just reiterates the fact that this Hanger Effect looks cool no matter where it's used and is a nice way of adding something unique, whether with piano keys or Ancient Greek text, without compromising the visible jersey aesthetic!
Jersey: http://shop.msu.edu/product_p/fa-140.htm
Translation Source: http://www.spartanjerseys.com/michigan-state-football-jersey-helmet/nike-pro-combat-uniforms/
The new logo doesn't work. The back of Modano's jersey looks like a real hockey sweater with its simple, single-colour scheme for the number and name. The problem is he will inevitably turn around and I'll have to see that lopsided D-star. It makes an otherwise acceptable jersey look, I don't know, kind of juvenile. Can a grown man wear one of these?
The new look definitely grew on me; I plan on getting a green jersey even though I'm not a Stars fan per se.
On another note: is it just me, or does it seem like the embroidery is different on the NHL shield? It looks like some sort of different texture than what is usually there.
Love the green but the new logo is a major step backwards. While the old wordmark wasn't perfect, it nevertheless had it's place and gave a slight nod towards the roots of the franchise. Now it looks childish, reminds me of the hideous Alpinestar logo and due to its italic nature, looks awkwardly tilted and positioned.
Is anyone else a little bothered by the two different Hanger Effects for the uniforms?
Not really a fan of the logos in general but I love the jersey. I think if they switched the shoulder logo with the pants logo that would help a load.
Your good review has caused this uniform to grow on me. There are still aspects that I don't like, but overall it is a hit compared to Carolina's miss. The comparissons between Carolina and Dallas were completely appropriate. I'm glad you kept bringing them up. To paraphrase an old saying "You can't appreciate the sun if you don't have rain."
great recap, all 3 parts were well worth reading and i hope you get to do more of these in the future. now for the jersey, for all the comments from people about some lack of originality and other minor bad points, lets face facts people in comparison to what they had before, these new jerseys are STILL a million times better. they might not be in the top 3 best jerseys in the league, but they are in the top 10 for sure.
Great overviews of the logo, the event and the uniforms! All in all, I really like the logo and the uniforms. Obviously, with 236 different variations from which to choose, the Stars did a nice job culling them down to the final selection. I think individual taste and design choice will always lead us to like some things more than others, but as a total package, it really works. It's a classic, timeless look that gives the Stars complete ownership of green in the NHL and a standalone logo that isn't cluttered by a wordmark, which really made the previous logo look amateurish. Sure, it conveniently worked for the Stars after they moved from Minnesota, but it never really said, "This is Dallas' team", like the new logo does. The Stars really got away from what made them unique, especially by basically ditching both the green and the logo over the last several years. That was just a HUGE mistake. Now all is about to be right with the Stars' world again with a great, iconic logo and loads of that beautiful green! These colors will look spectacular when they raise the Stanley Cup next time! :-)
Being a huge Stars fan when I first saw the logo and what not, I wasn't sure what to think. Right away loved the color of green but was still meh. But seeing it all together on the jerseys and keep looking back on it, its really growing on me. Will look really sharp once Benn and the boys hit the ice with them. Now cant wait to own one myself.
Judging by many of the reviews on other sites (including the Stars site), it appears one major complaint lies with that "D" in the middle of the star. I've read plenty of comments preferring the deletion of that "D" to begin with (we won't even mention the numerous Starbucks references).
It's certainly better than that monstrosity they've been wearing the past few seasons, but let's face it -- if it weren't for that comparison, I believe there'd be an even more lukewarm response than there already is.
It's a welcomed change and the Stars almost got it right. In my view, if you switch out the black trim for gold on the jerseys, and green pants instead of black, they would have a classic. As for the crest, again, it would have been nice for the Stars to come up with something iconic (a "D" placed strategically in an outline of the state of Texas perhaps). The change is a solid "B" but I was hoping for an "A."
Why is the tail of the green jersey white and not green like the rest of the jersey? I would like to see the logo on the pants as the primary logo instead. The name and numbers would look better on the green jersey if they were outlined in black. I would leave the white jersey all white and outline the numbers in black and change the name lettering to black. I would do away with the circular shoulder patch and replace it with the primary logo. Just my opinion...........
I like the colors, but I still find the crest to be oversimplified, almost juvenile. There's now creativity, it's almost a copy of the Blue jackets crest. Those shoulder logos? A ripoff of the Lightning! Where's the uniqueness? The creativity?!
You nailed all the aspects of the rebrand that are really good and the not so much as well. By description it sounds like this new victory green is a stunning color live. As far as the striping I do agree with a lot of others that that aspect of the jersey immediately draws comparison to the Blackhawks or UND, but its not a deal breaker for me. Maybe because I think the Fighting Sioux have had the best unis in college hockey for more than a decade (I prefer the Parise/Toews era dazzle twill sweater, a real beaute in three color versions).
I would have preferred the tail striping to be a little more raised, leaving green on the bottom, but it isn't a deal breaker. On the white one, I would have preferred seeing a second green stripe to flank the black one (above the black one,) but again, not a deal breaker. I also would have loved to see more contrast on the green jersey (maybe a black or, gasp silver yoke.)
Shoulder yoke logo is acceptable, would have preferred the state, once viewed, but it isn't terrible.
I have a decision to make in September, green or white? This one's a tough one.
Whats lacking that would put these unis over the top are 1) The unique shoulder patches (ie. the Texas alt logo)--I kinda liked them for Tampa, but agree these roundels add nothing to the brand. 2) More contrast in the numbers--The green on white is ok, but they have black and even silver in the uniform to really give the numbers some kick (like the N Stars style in the 80s). Single color numbers run the risk of looking amateurish. 3) The D needs slight tweaks. The slant of the D is more extreme than the star which is pretty slanted and the D is also a bit offset to the left (if aligned and balanced the bottom left of the D would fall into line with that lower left arm of the star). These two traits give the logo a slightly unstable feel and I believe its why not everyone likes it at first glance.
The other elements of the rebrand counteract the unbalanced logo and the more you look at the unis the more they grow on you. I really like the two-tone stripes on the white jerseys, which can't be accomplished on the greens. The not truly round, not truly square shoulder yokes are a great design element which I hope to see used on more jerseys. The Stars big decision to return to green primary may be the only design change in recent history to be unanimously praised. Any fans prefer the all black jerseys to any of the greens past or present???
Following up on my earlier comment. For the crest, the Stars should have adopted the old AFL Dallas Texans logo.....the outline of the state of Texas with a gold star where the city of Dallas would be (I knew I had seen it before)
I absolutely love the simple one-color numbers.
But I was really hoping this article would help me decide to get the green or the white....haha. Might just have to wait to see them on the ice.
I would change a bunch of small details just to differentiate these uniforms from the Blackhawks but overall these are a home run. The Stars marketing group got it right when they figured out that "owning your colours" is the best way to position yourself amongst your competitors. Green is good and this jersey is great! Que the changes: I do like the inclusion of silver but I would have put a gold outline around the logos just to keep a little continuity with the old brand. I also would get rid of that tri colour stripe on the pants and gone with a single white stripe. Then I would have changed the bottom hem stripe to something more like the Devils template. That's it. That would set the Stars apart from the Blackhawks. I think that would be the perfect uniform.
I find it odd the logo looks updated and modern, but then the rest of the jersey is super old school. I am disappointed. They could have done more with some silver in the striping IMO
Love the new jerseys, and as a die hard Stars fan I cannot wait to own one. I still love my Kari Lehtonen "DALLAS" jersey because our goalie is the man--but overall I cant wait to buy one of these! From bottom 5 to top 12 jersey easily!
It looks like an AHL uniform. Awful.
Why does the "DALLAS" wordmark not have a notch in the "D" like in the primary logo?
The one thing I like least is the fast that the Texas state logo is half-black... on black pants. It would stand out so much better if it was all green. If they used it on the shoulders it would be half-green... on green... on both jerseys due to the green yoke on the white one. On the shoulder it would have to be all-black. And even it the background jersey/pants wasn't green or black, I'd still make the state all one color. Too busy with black, green and the silver "D". ... I also silver as a more "Texas" color than gold, what with silver star badges and silver spurs and such. That said, having both silver and gold in the jersey would be too much, IMO. (Unless one or the other replaced green as the main color, which we don't want, do we?) Oh, and I doubt we'll see #9 on this new jersey again, since some number of fans are obviously going to continue putting Modano's name and number on every new North Stars and Stars jersey they get. Anyhoo...