Winter Classic Logo Finally Unveiled!

Earlier today, the Detroit Red Wings unveiled the newest NHL Winter Classic logo via Instagram. And I can't help but notice how this one doesn't have a year on it.

On one hand, I was thinking this unveiling is a good sign for the season. The higher-ups must have hope they'll reach a deal that won't create an extended work stoppage. On the other hand, if they were so confident, why wouldn't they put the year on the logo — just like it has been for every other Winter Classic?

So I'm still not sure what to think. You guys have any thoughts on this?

If the season goes as planned, the Red Wings will host the Toronto Maple Leafs at Michigan Standium (also known as The Big House) in Ann Arbor on January 1, 2013. It'll be the sixth such event and the first to feature a Canadian club.

Still waiting on jerseys, though recent reports suggest the Leafs will sport replicas of their 1927 blue sweaters while the Wings will wear some of that trendy vintage white. The current standard in the NHL is for the home team to wear its dark jersey while the road club wears white. Been that way since 2003. The Winter Classics have followed suit except for the first one in 2008, hosted by the Sabres, who wore a white throwback uniform.

Wings and Leafs to Meet Outdoors in 2013

The rumors are true. The Detroit Red Wings will host the Toronto Maple Leafs at Michigan Stadium — known as The Big House — in the 2013 NHL Winter Classic. There's no logo yet, but the graphic above was provided by the league and used during today's announcement.

The game returns to New Year's Day — January 1 — which will fall on a Tuesday next season. The event will also mark a couple firsts. It's the first time a Canadian team will be involved in what has traditionally been a TV event between popular American-based franchises. It's also the first time Winter Classic opponents have been from different conferences.

In addition, the Winter Classic event itself will actually be much bigger than it's been before — requiring two separate venues for all of the planned festivities. Comerica Park (home of the MLB's Detroit Tigers) will host the alumni game and more ahead of the Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium (home of the University of Michigan's Wolverines football team).

In the NHL's press release there was no specific mention of the specialty uniforms for the big game. And as you can see, the current primary logos for both teams were on display. But it's still early. We'll keep an eye on it. Perhaps we'll get a summer press conference to unveil the jerseys.

But then, predicting when the NHL will make announcements about the Winter Classic has become difficult lately. Here's how the timing has worked out in the past.

• 2008 Sabres/Penguins: Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo — Game announced Sept. 17, 2007. Jerseys for both teams unveiled in early November.
• 2009 Blackhawks/Red Wings: Wrigley Field, Chicago — Game announced July 16, 2008. Jerseys for both teams unveiled Oct. 25, 2008.
• 2010 Bruins/Flyers: Fenway Park, Boston — Game announced July 15, 2009. Flyers jerseys unveiled Sept. 11, 2009; Bruins jerseys unveiled Sept. 17, 2009.
• 2011 Penguins/Capitals: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh — Game announced July 27, 2010. Capitals jerseys unveiled Oct. 2, 2010; Penguins jerseys unveiled Oct. 28, 2010.
• 2012 Flyers/Rangers: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia — Game announced Sept. 26, 2011. Flyers jerseys unveiled Nov. 21, 2011; Rangers jerseys unveiled Nov. 28, 2011.
• 2013 Red Wings/Maple Leafs: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor — Game announced Feb. 9, 2012. Jerseys to be announced.

So basically, until this season, we could expect the game to be announced in the summer (July) followed by jerseys in the fall, right before the season or just after the start of it. With the Flyers/Rangers game, everything got pushed back. Today's announcement threw everything off again. So, while we can presume the jerseys will still have to wait for the fall, it's really anyone's guess. 

The Postseason Push in Logo Form

With just nine days until the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin, no one is interested in hockey uniforms or logos anymore. I can tell because since the news has dried up, most of you have checked out. But that's all right. I'm just as guilty. Would much rather watch my Bolts shut out the defending champs than write a blog post.

Still, it's coming up on two weeks since I freshened up this page and heck, I've actually manufactured some content today. Fans of playoff-bound teams may have noticed new temporary logos popping up around the arena as well as team websites. Postseason marketing is in high gear!

Almost a dozen teams have special playoff-promoting logos and I'm going to give into homerism by starting with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

As with all of the Bolts' current marketing, it's nothing but blue and white featuring the new logo and the "All In" slogan. It's very simple, just like the team's new look — which doesn't actually take effect on the ice until the fall.  Of course the club's newfound fetish for blue makes one wonder whether they plan to use the blue BOLTS jersey for home games this postseason rather than the blacks.

The NHL permits teams to use only two sweaters during the playoffs, but does allows dark alternates to stand in for dark home uniforms. The Kings have taken advantage of that in recent years. It would be a good opportunity for the Lightning, who have only worn the sweater for Saturday home games during the season.

The Boston Bruins have a simple 2011 playoffs logo which takes advantage of the bear in the secondary mark. It's a great looking drawing that should get used more. Glad to see it here.

Of course the nice thing about this logo is that it's evergreen in that it doesn't include a year. So it's possible it's been used before this season. I'll be honest in saying that I've never really paid attention before. (I just needed blog filler today.)

If you check out the Bruins' splash page, you'll notice David Krejci next to this logo sporting his third jersey. A subtle hint that the B's may be among those clubs donning alternates in these playoffs?

The Anaheim Ducks appear to have put the most effort into their 2011 postseason logo.

The "webbed D" is used in place of the 0 in 2011. Clever customization. They've also put the NHL's Stanley Cup logo into use here.

Nothing crazy but then the Ducks haven't exactly nailed down that playoff berth yet, have they? They sit at 7th in the West with three different teams nipping at their heels.

Speaking of which, the Dallas Stars are one of those heel-nipping teams. Despite sitting in 10th place, their playoff logo encourages fans to believe that the postseason is possible.

And really, it's not out of the question as they're only three points out of that final spot. I'm enjoying watching the Western Conference playoff race, but that's only because my team is in the East — and has already clinched. Less stress that way.

Still, I pity the West team that ends up in 8th because I get the feeling it'll be a short ride for them. Then again, the Canucks did just get whomped by the last-place Oilers over the weekend.

There were no graphic artists straining themselves on this one. The New York Rangers are employing the simplest of 2011 playoff logos with a simple "just add text" directive.

Simplicity aside, the mark is nicely assembled. Getting that spacing just right can be a great irritation on any design project. And the Rangers are one of two teams with a corporate sponsorship for the their playoff run.

I'm not certain this counts as a logo exactly, but it's a well-designed playoff slogan anyway. (I think I just like the font.)

It's the Countdown to the Playoffs for the Montreal Canadiens, who also have yet to clinch, technically.

The other team with a sponsored playoff run would be the San Jose Sharks. Of course they don't exactly have a special logo for the playoffs. Really, it's just an opportunity to use another one of their half-dozen 20th anniversary logos.

What slipped under my radar until I was researching for this article was the fact that the Sharks have only missed the playoffs five times in their 20 NHL seasons. That's impressive. Other expansion teams haven't been quite so lucky.

But speaking of 20 years, it should come as a surprise to no one that the Detroit Red Wings are touting their 20th consecutive playoff appearance. They've been ridiculously good for a lot of years now and have a decent amount of hardware to show for it.

I was trying to remember the last time the Wings weren't in the playoffs and the problem was they've never missed them since I've been a hockey fan. They last time they missed was 1990. And they've only missed twice since 1984. Though again, I'm sure no one is surprised by those numbers.

One question though: What happened in 2003? Should it count as a playoff appearance if you get swept in the first round by the 7th seed?

And not to leave out all the teams that didn't qualify, the Florida Panthers, for example, have not qualified for postseason play since 2000 when they were swept by the Devils in the quarterfinals. The Cats haven't won a playoff game since 1997 and even then they only got the one. And that was only a year after their Stanley Cup Final appearance — in which they were swept.

Playoff disappointment banner / On Frozen PondSo Miami Herald writer George Richards, via his blog On Frozen Pond, asked Panthers' fan(s) to channel their decade of disappointment into a work of art.

You know, every year teams raise banners to the rafters commemorating divisional, conference and of course Stanley Cup championships. Richards held a contest amongst his readers for a banner commemorating 10 seasons of futility.

The winning entry, Richards said, wouldn't fly as a uniform patch. The runner-up (right) was really quite brilliant, however.

Anyway, did I miss any legitimate logos? My research wasn't exhaustive but it gives us something look at for the next week or so while we wait for the playoffs to begin.

Update on Monday · Apr 4 · 2011 | 11:27 AM PDT by Chris

A couple of readers pointed out that I overlooked a pseudo-logo for the Vancouver Canucks' 2011 playoff run.

Of course like a handful of the teams previously mentioned above, it's not really a logo, but specialized marketing. And like the Sharks and Rangers, the Canucks have a sponsor.

Thanks to those of you who mentioned this item.

Also, if only because it's related to the Canucks, I have to point out something that Bob McKenzie tweeted this morning about the Canucks' Stanley Cup odds. I'm fascinated by stats like this:

• In 1976, Montreal hosted the Olympics. In 1977, the Canadiens won the Presidents' Trophy and subsequently the Stanley Cup.
• In 1988, Calgary hosted the Olympics. In 1989, the Flames won the Presidents' Trophy and subsequently the Stanley Cup.
• In 2010, Vancouver hosted the Olympics. In 2011, the Canucks won the Presidents' Trophy and... well we'll wait and see what comes next.

And for the record, it's not like any stats are being left out here. These are the only three times Canada has hosted the Olympic Games. McKenzie attributes the research to Nate Jones at ESPN.

Update on Tuesday · Apr 12 · 2011 | 10:49 AM PDT by Chris

Needed to wrap up this post with one more update. A few Icethetics readers noticed some playoff logos/marketing that I didn't include earlier. They are as follows.

The Philadelphia Flyers are using a rather basic logo which contains the slogan "With All of Our Will... We Will." Oddly similar to Tampa's 2009-10 season slogan of "Together We Will."

Damn sentence fragments.

And like the Rangers and Sharks above, the Flyers are getting sponsor money just for making the postseason, thanks to Xfinity WiFi.

The Los Angeles Kings are going with the "Back in Black" motto again this year, which is what makes me think they'll be sporting their third jerseys at home once again, just like last year.

The design contains one of the league's standard Stanley Cup Playoffs logos but the Kings are using the version without the actual Cup in it. Don't know if that's superstition or an aesthetic choice.

The Phoenix Coyotes will be doing the whole White Out thing again where they get all the fans to wear white... because I guess that distracts the opponent? My question is: How is your own team immune from the so-called distraction?

And enjoy it while you can. If this is the final season of the team in Glendale, that will be sad. Of course it will probably make a lot of Canadians happy.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are whiting out for home playoff games but they don't really have a special logo for it the way the Coyotes do.

And the Buffalo Sabres used this March to the Playoffs logo during the final weeks of the regular season. Now that the march is over and they're actually in the playoffs, they went with something a little more on the nose.

I'm guessing this is the standard logo that the league probably offers to every team. Very easy to swap out any team logo on the left there.

Surprisingly, I haven't seen any other teams using it. Or maybe that's not a surprise as everyone else is taking the opportunity to get creative. No offense to the Sabres. They are the only ones doing it after all.

So there it is. I just did one more quick scan of the playoff teams' websites to make sure I didn't miss anything else. We're covered. This post is officially wrapped up.

Preseason Update

I'm taking a one-night detour from the Icethetics Season Preview to catch up on some news from around the NHL.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have a third jersey in the works, according to the Columbus Dispatch. Initially reported an online chat last Thursday, further confirmation came today via another session with beat writer Aaron Portzline.

The report include anything about elements of the design, just that it will make its debut for 2010-11 — meaning Icethetics is apparently not yet finished following third jersey news after this season.

First, the question posed to Portzline on Thursday, September 17.

[bucknuts07] Any word on the Jackets unveiling a third Jersey anytime soon?

[Portzline] It won't happen this season. But it's already in the works, I'm told, and it'll be out next season. They really like the current look and want to let it develop roots in the marketplace, which makes good sense to me. 

Also makes sense to me. But that didn't stop the Sharks, Lightning, Senators, Bruins or Canucks — all of whom introduced new logos in 2007 only to immediately launch new third jerseys the following season.

But everybody's trying to make a buck, as Portzline pointed out in Wednesday's chat.

[Moe Bartoli's Ghost] I would love to see the Jackets wear their white jerseys at home in order to see all the other teams colors, sort of like the Browns do. Any chance of suggesting this?

[Portzline] The NHL is always looking for ways to sell sweaters. (By the way, the Blue Jackets will have a third sweater next season, it looks like.) I don't know about always wearing the whites at home. I prefer the blues. As for the Browns ... those brown pants should be put away forever. 

I also agree with not wearing whites at home. Best move the NHL has made in the last several years. Why would you want your team to blend into the ice? Anyway, it's not even that great for most fans since the majority of teams wear red, dark blue or black at home.

It'll be nice to see the Flyers finally make that switch to orange this year. Lucky Wild fans will be treated to green sweaters for a handful of games this season. Unfortunately, there's not much else to look forward to until the Winter Classic — unless the Panthers whip out a yellow alternate.

Now onto our next subject. I get scores of emails every year during the preseason from irate Red Wings fans wanting to know why they've ditched the classic arched lettering style on the back of the jerseys.

The emails are already starting to come in again this year so I thought I'd head them off but informing the Icethetics public. First, see the following photo from Tuesday's game between Detroit and Philadelphia.

Chris Osgood in his preseason only sweater

So what's with the nameplate? It's the wrong font and it's not arched! Fear not, Wings fans. It will only last as long as the preseason. Once the regular season hits, everything will go back to normal. They do it every year.

Why? Glad you asked. First, think about what it takes to make an arched nameplate. Every letter has to be set and cut individually. An L in the middle of the name would be shaped differently from one on one of the ends. This requires extra time and energy on the part of the person in charge of that.

Now think about how many players see action during the preseason — certainly more than the 25 or 30 that may play during the regular season. As many as 50 or 60 guys can dress over the two-week span. And since the preseason doesn't really count anyway, why the hassle? 

They use a simple, straight nameplate to get through the September matches and the guys who actually make the team are treated to the fancy arched surnames in October.

I'm sure there was more I meant to write about tonight, but I cannot think of anything. If you've got any related questions, I'll expand this post tomorrow. Meantime, Part 4 of the Icethetics Season Preview will slide to Friday and Part 5 will go up on Saturday. Finally, a reason for you to visit Icethetics on the weekend!

Alternate Expectations

The most important events of the off-season calendar are behind us. The Stanley Cup has been awarded. The prospects drafted. And now the biggest day of free agency is at an end with players like Mattias Ohlund, Nikolai Khabibulin, Marian Hossa, Dwayne Roloson and Marian Gaborik finding new teams.

Now more than three months away from the new season's debut in Europe, what does that leave us to look forward to this summer? New third jerseys, of course. I have to be honest and up front when I say that this post isn't so much about disseminating new information as it is creating a reference for what's to coming in the next several months.

Ever since the revival of Icethetics, I get emails every day from folks asking if a certain team will be getting a new third jersey this year. This post will contain all the information I have and any predictions or expectations I'm willing to share — presented alphabetically.

Calgary Flames. The days of the flaming horse head are clearly behind them, however that very design does indicate a willingness on the Flames' part to experiment with alternate logos. If you remember, last September I wrote about this very subject.

At that time, Flames president Ken King said the sweater design was being finalized and that there would be a departure from the Flaming C. What sort of a departure remains to be seen. He also hints that the jersey will be black, but that's no surprise considering the team already wears red and white.

King was confident fans will embrace the alternate look and I'm sure I speak for most of us here when I say I can't wait to find out.

Chicago Blackhawks. As previously reported, the 'Hawks have said their Winter Classic sweater will be used in games with roofs beginning in 2009-10 as it takes on the new role of third jersey — banishing the old black one.

For the first time, I will have absolutely nothing bad to say about a Blackhawks uniform. I'm sure many of you will appreciate that.

Colorado Avalanche. Icethetics last reported on a future Avs third jersey back in December when a Denver Post writer indicated the team's plans. The article didn't go into detail about the design, but rather expressed a hope that it would include some sort of Quebec connection. Not a bad idea now that the Avalanche are playing more like the Nordiques.

But I digress. I would expect to see a burgundy alternate much like what the Avs wore until the Age of Reebok. However, I'm not sure how well the diagonal text would work after the issues the Rangers had with the EDGE cut. And personally, I'd rather see Colorado go in a different direction. Pun.

Florida Panthers. We have little information on the Panthers, but they are expected to be one of a handful of teams to debut new thirds in the fall. I fully expect more of the same from the Cats. In other words, a red sweater with the logo that features a stick-biting panther.

If the Panthers were to try to exceed my expectations, they might try something completely different. Perhaps a new logo featuring the profile of a big cat on a red jersey with a unique design. But I think we all know not to set our goals too high.

Minnesota Wild. Green will make its glorious return! Gone for just a couple of seasons, it's my understanding that the Wild will use this opportunity to relaunch the green sweaters for their 10th anniversary season.

I imagine design will be much like the current road uniform. And despite that, I hope it doesn't overtake their red one anytime soon. Despite its ubiquitous color, it's got that classic hockey feel that we just don't get to see much of anymore.

Nashville Predators. The Preds officially announced plans to release a third sweater back in March during my leave of absence. So I'm telling you about it now. The article tells us that the old "mustard jersey" it describes as both "revered and reviled" will not be back. (Between us, I think they were playing it fast and loose with the definition of one of those words.)

Then Preds Business Ops President Ed Lang started speaking incoherently. "I don’t want to give too much away," he teases, "but ours will be kind of a mix between a traditional and a retro look." If anyone knows what that means, you know how to get in touch.

It's almost like he said it's going to be cobalt crossed with denim. Why don't we just call it "faded blue"? Speaking of which, that brings up an important question. If mustard is out, what color will this new sweater be? Grey can be done right if done carefully.

We're told to expect the debut of the new threads prior to Christmas. Hint, hint. You can even get one for free if you're willing to shell out for season tickets.

Those are the only teams who have talked officially about bringing third jerseys into the mix this year. I've said it before, but I'm really hoping the Rangers and Capitals get on board. We could use a blue Weagle sweater and Lady Liberty needs to be free again. But that's just my two cents.

However, you may recall the Detroit Red Wings recycled their Winter Classic jerseys for their final game last season against the Chicago Blackhawks. Icethetics reader Bill writes in wondering if this could be an indication from the club that they are in fact open to an alternate sweater.

I sure wouldn't mind seeing it on the ice more. The Wings have said nothing publicly about this so as always, we'll just have to play that wait-and-see game.

What's left? The New Jersey Devils, who have never worn a third jersey, the Anaheim Ducks and Columbus Blue Jackets have announced no sweater-adding plans. The Montreal Canadiens still have a couple more 100th anniversary throwbacks to debut this season.

You are now up to date on what to expect in terms of third jerseys as we press on this summer. And of course, keep checking back for the latest news and updates.

By the way, if you haven't been by lately, check out NHLUniforms.com, which is now called the Hockey Uniform Database. It has recently been given a facelift and is cooler than ever.