NHL Draft Yields Anniversary Logos
The 2013 NHL Draft was held this afternoon in Newark, N.J. and it treated us to a few new uniform decorations for the 2013-14 season. By that I mean it was positively lousy with special anniversary patches. I'll review those and some other items, team-by-team, in the order it all happened.
Photos from Florida Panthers
With the second overall selection, the Florida Panthers took Aleksander Barkov. They handed him a red jersey featuring the new 20th anniversary patch on the chest. This wasn't our first time seeing the logo, but it was the first time in patch form on a sweater.
Photos from Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes picked fifth, nabbing Elias Lindholm, giving us another opportunity to see the new threads. I'm still not a fan. Where's the originality of days gone by? Not to mention, the poor kid looks pregnant wearing that.
Photos from Yahoo! Sports
With a pair of first round selections, the Dallas Stars decided to get creative with their new sweaters — handing out one of each. At No. 10, Valeri Nichushkin got the green home jersey while Jason Dickinson got the white one at 29th overall. And the uniforms still look amazing.
Photos from Yahoo! Sports
Skipping ahead to the 18th selection, we find the San Jose Sharks avoiding the jersey redesign question by letting Mirco Mueller have the black alternate. Look at his face. He sees what they did there.
While we're on the third jersey subject, the Minnesota Wild also kept to their tradition of making green the first thing their greenhorns get to wear. Pictured above is Dylan Labbe, taken 107th overall. That brings us to the third and final team to hand out a third jersey today.
At No. 26 were the Anaheim Ducks, who are about to mark two decades in existence. They selected Shea Theodore of the Seattle Thunderbirds. His alternate jersey featured the Ducks' new anniversary logo, which got its official unveiling with today's festivities.
Photos from Anaheim Ducks
I won't lie. I'm disappointed. It's a rehash of the Ottawa Senators' 20th anniversary logo from two years ago. It doesn't tie in to any existing Ducks branding — apart from the D stuck on it like a game of pin the tail on the donkey. It's all set in the stale Bank Gothic font every other sports team has used at some point. And it's packed with lazy gradients. My favorite.
The Ducks unveiled the logo via Twitter this afternoon following Theodore's selection. They also posted this press release to their website, detailing plans for their 20th anniversary season. One interesting note is a "Throwback Night" set to take place "near the start of the 2013-14 regular season, paying homage to the inaugural 1993-94 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim season."
Does this foreshadow an eggplant-and-jade specialty jersey? One can dream. The release says more details will be announced at a later date.
Photo from Boston Bruins (via Instagram)
The Boston Bruins didn't get their first crack at the draft pool until the end of the second round, 60th overall to be precise. But they did have jerseys on hand for the later picks featuring their 90th anniversary patch. It was revealed via their Instagram account during the draft. (Also a couple of photos on Twitter.)
I've yet to see it in any digital art, but it looks all right. It's the standard giant number above a ribbon with the team's logo tacked on the middle. It resembles the club's 80th anniversary logo more than its 75th — which is a good thing. And while it conforms to the dull conventions of an anniversary logo, it's unique enough to be a solid logo as far as I'm concerned.
(And for the record, I think Icethetics concept artist Justin Nahhas is somewhat psychic. Compare this logo to a design he created almost two years ago.)
One final note. I did a tally of all the jerseys handed out to draftees today. Out of 30 teams, 25 used their dark home jersey, three went with a third jersey (read above) and three used white road sweaters, including Colorado, Winnipeg and double-dipping Dallas.
That's it as far as jerseys are concerned. But there's one more item. We learned at last year's draft that Philadelphia will take on hosting duties in 2014. But we didn't get the full version of the logo until today.
I love the bell shape of the shield for this one. Just outstanding execution of what can be a tired concept. The Liberty Bell is in Philly, we get it. But this is a neat logo!
What do you think of all the new stuff we got to see today? Hit or miss on the anniversary logos?
Chris
Photos from Yahoo! Sports
Two more things I almost forgot to mention from the draft. Noticeably absent from the Nashville Predators' jersey, including this one given to Seth Jones, was any sign of the 15th anniversary logo we saw earlier in the week.
Also, the Phoenix Coyotes' picks had me wondering if this could be the last time we ever see this jersey in any official NHL capacity. Depending on what happens Tuesday, the Coyotes could be on their way out of Arizona. Just something to think about.
Chris
One more update. Looks like the Hurricanes joined the Stars in giving out both of their new sweaters today. Above you saw Elias Lindholm in red. But here's third-round pick Brett Pesce in white.
Photos from Carolina Hurricanes (via Instagram)
I still like the white a little better than the red, but I still don't think it's an improvement on what they used to wear. Who knows. Maybe I'll change my mind in time.
Reader Comments (19)
Ducks anniversary patch is WEAK. And Carolina's toilet bowl logo needs to be moved DOWN not that that would fix their horrible jerseys. And i know i'm in the minority but the yotes jersey looks sharp IMO.
@Frank. Everyone thinks the Yotes jersey looks sharp
I don't understand how you bash on the Anaheim's anniversary logo and say that you are "disappointed".. then turn to a review of Boston's patch and call it "alright" and just call it "the standard giant number above a ribbon with the team's logo tacked on the middle". Isn't that the same exact thing as the Duck's logo? You make no sense.
@ Frank, I like the Yotes jersey before the RBK Edge garbage! Same concept as they wear now except it had waist stripes....that jersey was sharp/classic looking
Still cannot understand why the Wild continue to give out their 3rd Jersey. They have one of the best logos in sports and one of the best home jerseys in the league. Yet every single time, seemingly without exception, they are on national television they wear their overrated 3rds. Makes me want to get center ice just to see the home jerseys.
As a Ducks fan I'm really disappointed with that anniversary logo. Talk about a lack of imagination.
I don't understand how you can criticize the Ducks anni logo but then (softly) praise the Bruins anni logo.
They themselves are almost identical in style and theme (close than Boston 90th is to its 80th or to Justin's IMO).
And if anything the Ducks is better. Boston's looks dated already - like a 90's patch, not a 90th patch.
Folks, if you only want to read bits and pieces of what I write, why expend the energy on a comment? Have to laugh at some of you guys sometimes. I think I was pretty clear that while Anaheim and Boston basically conform to the same conventions of anniversary logos, the Bruins did it a little better. That's all I was saying. They're both disappointing, but one less so.
I understand it's easier to just look at the pictures and cherry pick words and phrases, but if you're not reading and comprehending, how can you involve yourself in the discussion? Sorry to be blunt about it. Just noticing it happening more and more lately.
I agree that most of these logos are bland and boring but these are only going to last for one season then you will never see them again. These logos are not worth getting angry over. I could see people being frustrated if these logos ended up being used for at least a couple seasons like the Carolina Hurricanes' new lifeless uniforms but these are just temporary patches. I think we should just be happy that teams like the Stars are finally starting to smarten up with their uniforms instead of sweating the small stuff over a few anniversary logos.
The anniversary logos are bland because they are celebrating too many and running out of ideas. (30 teams x every five years/seasons = ...)
They should only celebrate 10 and then on the 25's. (10, 25, 50, 75, 100,...)
Also, they should pick a standard to celebrate. Years or seasons. I propose seasons. Easier to track, especially with hockey season spanning one year into the next. Also, it would compensate for missing seasons because of labour strife.
One minor detail you didn't mention on the Bruins' logo: the six stars underneath the ribbons representing their six Stanley Cups, borrowing from the European football tradition. Very small touch, but worth noting.
Look at how high up and floaty the Hurricanes logo is on the white jersey! It's terrible!
If the Ducks have the nerve to advertise a throwback night to celebrate the Mighty Ducks and DON'T wear Jade and Eggplant, I'll be PO'd. I swear on me mum.
Well that Bruins logo made laugh! Who knows, maybe they'll pull out a brown jersey similar to the concept to go with it as well? One could hope.
Minnesota's third jersey looks like a bland baseball jersey. I wish they wore their home more often - it's the best jersey in the league IMO.
I still don't understand why you like Dallas. It's so juvenile, and totally lacks creativity and originality. With you on the Canes, big disappointment there.
Lightning still need to being back victory stripes!
There's two key differences between the Boston and Anaheim anniversary logos that make Boston's better...
The number font used for the "90" is the team's uniform number font, so that ties in. Anaheim's "20" does not match their uniform numbers. Second, there's six stars on Boston's logo, paying tribute to the team's six Stanley Cup championships...a small touch, but it's something that shows a little more effort when into it's production.
I thought the six stars was a tribute to being an original six team. Maybe a tie in for both.
@Chris
My biggest confusion is how you thought the Boston was better than Anaheim's. It looks so dated and clunky and cheap. At least Anaheim's is a little more modern.
And we're not nitpicking words. You said you were "disappointed. It's a rehash..." and the logo was "like a game of pin the tail on the donkey".
You then went on to say Boston's was "all right", "a solid logo", and it had "the standard giant number above a ribbon with the team's logo tacked on the middle" which is what you just criticized Anaheim for having. There is no way it is "unique".
Don't get me wrong, I love the site. I've been following since 2007, NHL Tournament of Logos, and show the site off to fellow jersey enthusiasts when I can, but if you're going to be writing articles and pieces containing your opinion ("I think I was pretty clear that while Anaheim and Boston basically conform to the same conventions of anniversary logos, the Bruins did it a little better." - very subjective and obviously I and a couple others disagree), you have to be open to some criticism and disagreement! :P
Either way, keep up the good work!