Attack, Blaze Unveil New Looks

A minor league and a junior league team have unveiled new identities for the 2011-12 season this week.

On Wednesday afternoon, the OHL's Owen Sound Attack held a press conference to show off their updated logo and new uniforms.

The revised primary mark consists of a new text element plus a simplified version of the ferocious bear featured in the logo the Attack had used since 2000. The broken stick and the rest of the creature's hulking body have been discarded leaving us with just the growling head.

They're following the trend we've been seeing throughout hockey branding lately... simplify. They haven't gone out and rebranded from the ground up. They've merely removed the extraneous elements of the existing brand.

Owen Sound Attack unveil new sweaters / AttackEven the jerseys are highly simplified — going for the Blackhawks-style stripes instead of the claw-shaped design that was previously featured.

The release on their website is poorly written, but includes this quote from forward Daniel Zweep:

“A bunch of us saw the new design halfway through last season and we loved it,” said Zweep. “It’s definitely a lot cleaner and more traditional. We can’t wait to throw them on and get back out on that ice.”

All right, something tells me that may not be a direct quote but I digress. For better or worse, traditional is indeed the trend of late.

Is the new logo an improvement? I'd call it more of a lateral move. The old one certainly had that late 90s look about it. This one just looks like any other simplified 90s logo. No better, no worse.

The only thing that bugs me about these jerseys is really a construct of the Reebok Edge template... that silly shoulder piping. If you're going to do the piping, it only makes sense for the shoulder yoke to be a different color. And even then, I'd do away with it.

You can read fan reaction to the new look on the Attack's Facebook page.

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In the minors, the Central Hockey League's Bloomington Blaze unveiled their logo and uniforms on Tuesday, just a couple weeks after announcing their existence.

The CHL welcomed the team from Bloomington, Ill. in mid-July as a replacement for the Bloomington PrairieThunder. The Blaze will have the same general manager, coach, arena, and probably players as the PrairieThunder. However, since there's new ownership, I'm not sure the Blaze continues the PrairieThunder lineage. It's a little confusing.

The Pantagraph, a central Illinois newspaper, reported the logo was designed by "Skye Design Studios in New England." And while a Google search turns up a variety of companies (and individuals) under that name, none seem to be based in New England. I'd be curious to see what other work they've done.

The black burning "B" is not a bad logo. Bold and simple; and it manages to avoid looking like the Calgary Flames for the most part. I kind of like it. But here's where things get interesting. The jerseys...

CHL Bloomington Blaze jerseys / BlazeThis week we got our first look at the Ottawa Senators' new Heritage Jersey. We could finally put the crazy-striped third jersey out of our minds. And then the Blaze came along.

Indeed, that is the "SENS" jersey template you see there (right) with the new Blaze logo plastered on the front. That sweater will not die. I suppose the good news here is that we get to see what it would look like in white.

Guess it's time for a confession. I never really hated the Sens' third jersey. I just hated that it said "SENS" on the front instead of bearing, you know, an actual logo. It may be a little odd-looking, but you can't deny this is a killer jersey. And honestly, it seems to work with the Blaze logo.

So all in all, I don't truly have anything bad to say about the Blaze's identity. All I will say to their marketing people is this: Get your website up already! (Not that it matters anymore. The logo and jerseys have been documented now.)

If you're so inclined, you can find commentary on their logo and uniforms from fans on their Facebook page — their only online existence at the moment.

Between the Senators, Attack and Blaze, that's a lot of red and black this week. But there's going to be more. The Sens are holding a press conference to announce 20th anniversary details on Thursday afternoon. Maybe we'll get to see the new jersey in color? Or perhaps in a photograph? Stay tuned to Icethetics.

QMJHL Adds Armada

The QMJHL team that didn't really have a name has been rebranded — and now it doesn't really have colors. The Montreal Junior Hockey Club moved about 20 miles northwest and are now the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.

The new name, logo and uniforms were officially unveiled today at a press conference at team's arena in Boisbriand. The bland palette is black and white with what appears to be an inkling of silver as a trim color — a lot like the Los Angeles Kings' depressing new look.

Despite its unfortunate lack of color, I like the design of the primary logo. It's very clean and bold. And it looks like every element of the mark was carefully positioned. You'd think that'd be a given in logo design these days — but then you saw the WHL's Victoria Royals logo, right?

The sweaters are simple, but they almost feel like an afterthought. Here's a look from the QMJHL's website:

Blainville-Boisbriand Armada jersey design unveiled / QMJHL

One thing I will say about this branding is it's definitely not targeting children with bright colors and cartoon creatures. This is an all-out effort to create a professional look for a junior hockey club. I give it a tenuous thumbs-up overall. A solid effort in design but sorely lacking in personality.

Victoria Royals Unveil Logo, Jersey

Victoria Royals logo and jersey / RoyalsTwo months ago today, the WHL's Chilliwack Bruins announced their relocation to Victoria. Now, the club finally has a new name and logo.

On Monday, the Victoria Royals revealed their colors, logo and dark jersey (right) — all of which will be used when they hit the ice to start the 2011-12 WHL season this fall.

Before I share my thoughts, got to tip my hat to Chris Creamer at SportsLogos.net for being the first to show the logo to us. He tracked it down in a trademark search a couple weeks ago.

Now the logo. I'm surprised by it. This may be junior hockey, but in Canada that's no excuse for having a below average logo. Nothing really stands out about it, except for the red maple leaf which looks tacked on.

In fairness to the designer, by no means is it on the level of the Connecticut Whale or anything. I was just expecting something more along the lines of fellow WHL clubs like the Giants, Rebels or Silvertips — not the Ice or Rockets.

The Province, in Vancouver, talked to artist Brent Lynch about the design.

The logo is a stylized, heraldic lion designed by Vancouver Island artist Brent Lynch of Nanoose Bay, who designed the Vancouver Canucks’ orca logo and the logo for the WHL’s Vancouver Giants.

“It’s a contemporary look that has a bit of an edge to it,” said Lynch. “It’s cool for the kids, and adults can relate to it, too.”

I'm not so sure. But then there's the jersey. Clearly, it's the Tampa Bay Lightning's blue third jersey with the new Royals logo on it.

The Vancouver Sun said this has to do with the quick turnaround time.

The franchise had to go with an existing colour template. Reebok didn’t have enough time to customize a colour scheme because the relocation of the Chilliwack Bruins to Victoria was only made official in April.

This explains why the jersey itself lacks one of the club's colors — red. No other team wears that color combination — blue, red, silver and black. A white jersey will be unveiled later this summer.

Now it's time for you to weigh in. What are your thoughts on the new Victoria Royals and their branding efforts? Am I missing the mark with my assessment or do you agree with it?

Loose Threads: Red and the Rest

Obviously the big news yesterday was the announcement of the sale and intent to relocate the Atlanta Thrashers. But that's not all that went down yesterday. Here's a quick run-through.

Panthers Bringing Back the Red

Panthers 1993-2007 / from Getty ImagesAccording to Miami Herald beat writer George Richards, the Florida Panthers are revisiting the past with new red sweaters starting in the 2011-12 season.

I highly recommend reading his latest On Frozen Pond blog post. But if you can't be bothered, here's some of what he wrote on the subject.

The Panthers are shifting their marketing focus this summer to coincide with their return to their orginal look.

A restyled red jersey will become Florida's primary jersey this season — the first time the red will be the team's primary home jersey since the early 2000s when it was relegated to alternate thirds and then dropped during the Reebok restyle in 2007. I was told Alan Cohen hated the red look, and for parts of his ownership, the team only wore that color on weekends.

I have seen mockups with the new circle logo — which debuted on the Tampa Bay JetBlue thirds — on them although I have been told it will be the leaping cat on the front. Sans stick.

No word on whether the JetBlues will return as the alternate for a third season. Florida may keep the home blue jerseys it has worn since the 2007-08 season as the alternate. When I find out about the thirds, will let you know.

He says the secondary logo — sun with crossed hockey stick and palm tree — will remain on the new sweater, which will be unveiled at the 2011 NHL Entry Draft on June 24. The new draftees will be the first to sport the new design.

So look for lots more red from the Panthers this summer. Personally, I think this is great. Always like the Panthers better in red than navy.

Moves Around the Minors

The rest of this post can be done with bullet points and, since I'm up against the clock, that's a good thing.

• The Telegram in St. John's is reporting that a deal has been reached to relocate the AHL's now homeless Manitoba Moose to Newfoundland for the start of the 2011-12 season. With the acquisition of the Thrashers, True North was obviously eager to unload the minor league franchise that filled Winnipeg's NHL gap for the last 15 years. No word yet on what the team's new name will be. full story
• Chicago Express jerseys unveiled / ExpressThe ECHL's newest expansion team, the Chicago Express is set to begin play in the 2011-12 season. So yesterday, they unveiled the jerseys they'll wear. Unsurprisingly, they're based on the Blackhawks' uniform design in the Express' blue and silver color scheme. They grey third jersey steps outside the box a little bit, but overall an unimpressive set. full story
• In other ECHL news, the league approved the membership of the Colorado Eagles, formerly of the Central Hockey League. With the folding of the Victoria Salmon Kings and the addition of the Express and Eagles, the ECHL will begin play with 20 teams this fall. full story
• Joining Victoria and Atlanta in losing hockey teams this summer is Lewiston, Maine. The QMJHL's Lewiston MAINEiacs have folded and the league announced that in 2012, it will expand to Sherbrooke, Quebec — which is actually where the MAINEiacs relocated from in 2003. Ouch. full story

That's all I have for now. Be sure to follow @icethetics on Twitter or keep an eye on the feed in the sidebar for the latest updates. I intend to have more updates on these stories throughout the summer or, at the very least, full coverage in the 2011 Icethetics Season Preview in September.

Loose Threads: Kings of All Kinds

Haven't done one of these in a while but there's a laundry list of things I need to get on the blog sooner rather than later. I'll try to keep it brief, but no promises.

Kings Dropping Hints About New Road Jersey?

Since being eliminated from the playoffs, the Los Angeles Kings have been getting their website in shape for next season. As mentioned over the weekend, the purple has been removed, leaving just the black and white logos.

Frozen Fury promo graphic / KingsThey're now starting to promote the 2011 preseason, which includes the annual Frozen Fury event — which usually pits the Kings against the Avalanche at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

A cursory glance at this home page promotional graphic (right) might have you thinking you're looking at a new jersey! The team's "Insider" blogger has indeed said a white version of the current third jersey will become the new road uniform.

In reality, however, it's just the black jersey with a little color inversion magic via Photoshop. But might that be what the new sweater will look like? Will they wear it for the Frozen Fury game?

LA Kings Hockey Fest logo / KingsBut wait, there's more. A few weeks ago, the club announced this year's LA Kings Hockey Fest will be held on Sept. 11. It's one of those fan-centric events every team holds in late summer to get folks jazzed up about the new season.

Why do we care? Well, for one you have a new logo there. But more importantly, I try to keep tabs on these events because teams tend to use them to unveil new jerseys to fans.

With that new road uniform expected from the Kings for the 2011-12 season, it might not be a bad idea to keep an eye out. I've added the event to the Icethetics calendar (sidebar).

In the meantime, I'll continue to watch for an official unveiling date or event. Until then, this is probably our best bet to see it before the regular season begins.

NHL Premiere: 4 teams, 3 countries

As has become tradition, the NHL will open the 2011-12 regular season with a handful of games in front of European crowds in an event called NHL Premiere. Four games will take place over two days amongst four different teams in three different cities. Did you follow that?

The NHL made the announcement a month ago and, since then, some logos have been trickling out. They're basically the same as the NHL Premiere logos used in 2010, customized for next season.

That graphic should quickly explain who's playing who in which cities and when. So you're welcome. But just for the sake of having it in text form: Helsinki, Finland hosts the Ducks and Sabres on Oct. 7. Stockholm, Sweden will see the Rangers play the Kings (10/7) and Ducks (10/8). And for the first time, the NHL will play a regular season game in Germany as Berlin hosts the Kings and Sabres on Oct. 8. 

NHL Premiere 2011 generic logo / KingsFor what it's worth, this generic logo (right) has been featured on the Los Angeles Kings' website as they try to sell tickets to fans eager to make the journey to watch their team open the season on the other side of the world.

As for the logos above, it's clear they're all built on a standard template that varies based on location. The city name, national flag and dates are customized for each event.

Teams playing in these games have customarily worn the logos as jersey patches to recognize which one they're playing in. Only difference is the sponsor logo at the top is replaced by the NHL shield and the date is moved below the circle. Click here to see an example from 2010.

R.I.P.: Victoria Salmon Kings (2004—2011)

As Victoria, B.C. prepares to welcome WHL hockey, they said goodbye to the ECHL on Friday with the folding of the Victoria Salmon Kings franchise — one of the league's originals. (And really, that title should read 1988—2011. I'll explain shortly.)

For now, I throw it to our friend Woody Wommack who covers the ECHL for the Naples Daily News in Southwest Florida. He writes about the Victoria club's sudden demise:

The Victoria Salmon Kings are no longer a part of the ECHL. The team announced Friday that requested and was granted a withdrawal from the league by the league's board of governors.

From the team's official Facebook page: "The Salmon Kings have officially announced today that the team has withdrawn from the ECHL wit h the unanimous approval from the league's Board of Governors."

Victoria isn't leaving for financial reasons, but rather because the team's owners recently purchased a WHL franchise with the intent of moving the team to Victoria next season. The Salmon Kings didn't have a place to play and therefore don't have a franchise.

Rumors continue to swirl about the possibility of the ECHL adding one or more teams to the Western Conference for next season. With the loss of Victoria, the Western Conference only has seven teams.

Now I have a little history lesson which explains how this is like the NHL losing an Original Six franchise. 

When the ECHL launched in 1988, it was called the East Coast Hockey League and made up of just five franchises. In the 23 years since, all of them have either relocated or folded. And believe it or not, the Salmon Kings are the second to hang 'em up for good.

The Erie Panthers were a founding franchise in 1988. They had one good season in 1989-90 but lost a lot more than they won. In 1996, they left Pennsylvania and moved to Louisiana to become the Baton Rouge Kingfish in an ECHL now made up of 21 teams.

But the losing didn't stop in the new city and people don't usually like to pay for hockey tickets to see the other team win. The Kingfish suspended operations in 2003. By this time, the ECHL had a new name and was expanding west with the demise of the West Coast Hockey League. In 2004, a new arena in Victoria was begging for a hockey team. They got the Kingfish and renamed them the Salmon Kings.

Despite spending the last five straight seasons in the playoffs, no deal could be worked out to keep the team together in a new market when the WHL's Chilliwack Bruins arrived Victoria on April 20.

Victoria's new WHL team has yet to be named. But it's safe to say they're dropping the Bruins moniker.