May Minor League Report

All this work on the IceHL's 13 Weeks of R&R project has kept from doing my real job on Icethetics — updating the blog with actual news. In other words, there's a lot to catch up on.

Hartford Wolf Pack officially return to AHL

Well that didn't take long. After playing parts of three seasons as the Connecticut Whale, the Hartford Wolf Pack identity has made a glorious comeback — thanks to their NHL parent club, the New York Rangers.

The Wolf Pack were established in 1997 when the Binghamton Rangers moved to Hartford. Then in 2010, Howard Baldwin happened. His effort to recapture Hartford Whalers failed miserably with the rebranding of the franchise as the Connecticut Whale.

Connecticut Whale, 2010—2013

We applauded the judicious use of green but not the name or the terrible logo. Within two years, Baldwin was gone — which probably says more about his management style than his taste in sports branding. But we're all grateful nonetheless that the Pack is back.

And not for nothing, but the New York Rangers' AHL affiliate is now operated by the parent company of the Philadelphia Flyers, is it not? Global Spectrum is running things these days and it would seem they have two masters. Interesting.

The Rivermen are dead, long live the Rivermen

Speaking of the AHL, some craziness took place on Monday. The Vancouver Canucks who recently acquired the Peoria Rivermen franchise from the St. Louis Blues, announced the team would not operate out of Illinois next season. They don't know where exactly yet. Just not Peoria.

So it seemed the end of a brand that has existed for nearly 30 years. But the Rivermen are plucky. They won't go quietly. After 12 years in the IHL between 1984 and 1996, the franchise transferred to the ECHL for about a decade. Then in 2005, they got the upgrade to the AHL. In 2013, they move down — way down — to the SPHL, that's the Southern Professional Hockey League. (It exists!)

The SPHL is home to teams like the equally plucky Columbus Cottonmouths and the Pensacola Ice Flyers. And now it's also home to...

Bloomington Blaze switch from CHL to SPHL

The Bloomington Blaze are jumping the sinking ship that is the Central Hockey League for the equally crummy SPHL. A lateral move at best. But one they apparently feel is necessary.

The Blaze were founded just two years ago after the folding of the IHL's Bloomington PrairieThunder. (All these minor leagues you've probably never heard of.) They begin play in their new league this fall.

Now that we're on the CHL, we might as well talk about their newest expansion team.

Brampton gets Beast to replace lost OHL team

Earlier this year when we learned the OHL's Brampton Battalion were moving to North Bay, Ontario, it seemed like the good people of Brampton would be without a team. But that's when the Central Hockey League jumped in, expanding into Canada for the first time.

On April 27, the Brampton Beast were revealed to the world. Along with a very vanilla CHL-like logo. I won't pass judgment too hard since somebody was obviously trying. (I just don't know what they were trying for.) In any case, the Beast begin play in the fall. Like Peoria, hockey fans of Brampton won't miss a beat.

For the record, the North Bay Battlion also begin play in the OHL this fall. They will keep the same logo they had in Brampton.

Confirmed: Wolf Pack Coming Back

It was first speculated two months ago. Now multiple sources are reporting that the AHL's Connecticut Whale will once again become the Hartford Wolf Pack next season.

The news turned up online Tuesday morning, via WTIC's Scott Gray, who cited team sources saying the league has approved the name change. Later, the Hartford Courant said Connecticut Wolf Pack was a possibility for the club's rebranding, but the Bridgeport Sound Tigers didn't like the idea.

Apparently an official announcement could be coming within a week.

Neither report was clear on whether they'd also go back to the old Wolf Pack logo, created in 1997 with the team's arrival from Binghamton, New York. But if you ask me, they'd be insane not to. (It was on my list of the best AHL logos last year.)

What do you think of the imminent return of the Wolf Pack?

Connecticut Whale to Be No More?

Silly name and logo could soon be gone

It sounds too good to be true, but just three years after the Connecticut Whale brand was introduced, it may be disappearing, according to the Hartford Courant.

With Howard Baldwin no longer at the helm and new ownership in the picture, there's the possibility the franchise could revert to its previous (better) identity — the Hartford Wolf Pack. The article isn't specific about when the change would happen, but I'm hoping they don't do another midseason rebranding.

Evidence indicates return of Hartford Wolf Pack brand

Here's some of what writer Paul Doyle had to say on the matter — and why he thinks the Wolf Pack could be staging a comeback:

The Connecticut Whale brand was created by Howard Baldwin's Whalers Sports & Entertainment in 2010 and that company no longer runs the business side of the franchise, although it allowed current XL Center operator AEG to use the name and logo this season. The franchise is owned by MSG, but Global will run the team's day-to-day operation in Hartford and handle the marketing.

Unless MSG and Global decide to work out an agreement with WSE, the team's name will likely change. The team could return to the Hartford Wolf Pack, the name of the franchise from 1997 until it was re-branded in 2010. MSG has kept the brand alive by retaining uniforms and has even renewed the hartfordwolfpack.com domain name, updating data base information on the domain name Saturday.

Another possibility is to simply call the team the Rangers — Hartford or Connecticut preceding the name — although that could be a public relations risk. Returning to the Wolf Pack would be simple, especially with the still visible around the team and the XL Center.

The activity with the domain name is interesting. Why keep it if you have no intention of using it again? Plus, we all know the Connecticut Whale name and logo are just dumb.

I'm rooting for the Wolf Pack!

Rangers Unveil Heritage Jersey!

New York Rangers Drury and Lundqvist sport the new sweaters

The New York Rangers officially unveiled their new Heritage Jersey tonight in front of fans gathered at Rockefeller Center.

Rangers unveil Heritage JerseyThe retro look comes as no surprise to anyone who saw the photo Sean Avery posted on his website in September, but we got a much better look during tonight's unveiling, as seen in above photo of Chris Drury and Henrik Lundqvist.

The new sweater, dubbed the Heritage Blueshirt by team marketing gurus, features darker and more subdued colors than the Rangers' standard palette. The blue is darker, the red is duller and the white is more... vintage.

Across the front reads NEW YORK in red, but in a font more typical of 1920s sweaters and different from what the team currently uses. The right shoulder features the 85th anniversary patch being used on the home and road uniforms this season — but in the "Heritage" color palette.

The surname runs straight across the shoulders, not arched, and the Rangers' retired sweaters numbers are stitched onto the inside hem in the back.

If you'd like to see the full photo gallery on the Rangers' website, here's a handy link. And another. Their website is filled to the brim with all sorts of pictures and other features relating to Heritage Week, which officially kicked off tonight.

I haven't managed to track down any details on whether this sweater will only be used this season or if it will be the new third jersey indefinitely. Also I don't believe a schedule has been released at this point. To be fair, I haven't looked very hard either.

One more note somewhat related to the Rangers.

Their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack will officially transition to the Connecticut Whale moniker effective Nov. 17. The team is promoting Saturday's game as the Wolf Pack's "last." Last we heard, the change was to happen between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Looks like they got things in order a bit early. Thanks to Alan H. for the tip!

Around the AHL

Another Sunday brings another massive American Hockey League post. This particular article has been in the pipeline all week.

And I would like to start by thanking all the great readers who have contributed tips and links, as I am not the greatest at keeping track of the minor leagues on my own. But there really is a lot to get to so I'll move it along.

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Photo credit: Derek PhilipponThe Portland Pirates sported their cancer-fighting pink jerseys last night.

They did so to the tune of a 2-1 victory over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. For a good cause and win. Who could complain?

The sweater was unveiled last month. I mentioned it on the blog because I thought the crest was a bit clever, playing on the Pirates' own throwback logo along with that of their NHL affiliates, the Sabres.

For another look at the jersey in action on goalie David Leggio, go the Pirates' website. For details on how to bid on one, also go the Pirates' website.

And my thanks to Phil K. for sending along this photo too.

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Whale Pack gets web revampThe Hartford Wolf Pack started implementing their new brand by recently revamping their website.

Later this fall — right in the middle of the hockey season — the team will take on new colors and a new name when they become the Connecticut Whale, prompting the nickname Whale Pack in the interim.

The rebranding efforts have already begun online, but the new look isn't expected to hit the ice until after Thanksgiving, but certainly before Christmas — banking on holiday shoppers and their kids, no doubt.

For the record, www.connecticutwhale.com has been reserved but doesn't yet take you anywhere. On the other hand, www.ctwhale.com works. Thanks to Jeremy M. for the tip on the web revamp.

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Moose get new road lookThe Manitoba Moose debuted a new road jersey this season.

The old black jerseys have basically been swapped out with brand new green threads. In fact, that's exactly what's happened. The jersey design remains the same with the black and green swapped.

Let's be honest. If your color scheme is that good, why wouldn't you take advantage of it? It's good to see all the black jerseys starting to disappear from hockey. (I said "starting," there's still a long way to go.)

This photo comes from the weekly photo gallery on the AHL's official website. Great way to get a look at a variety AHL sweaters in action during the season.

Ian K. actually emailed me about this more than a month ago but I somehow overlooked it — even during the Season Preview. Jeremy M. reminded me in an email this week.

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Rampage don Spurs jerseysIt finally happened. A hockey team actually wore a basketball jersey in the Age of Reebok.

All right, technically the San Antonio Rampage were still wearing hockey sweaters last night, but they were wearing a basketball logo.

It was "Spurs Night at the Rampage" for the team's 2-0 win over the Houston Aeros. Rampage players were on hand prior to the NBA's San Antonio Spurs game earlier in the week, wearing their own jerseys, by the way. (And someone has to tell me who's the guy with that crazy 'stache.)

For another look at the jersey, Ryan H. emailed in the splash page promoting Spurs Night from the Rampage's official website.

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Monarchs' new uniforms unveiledThe Manchester Monarchs are rocking new home and road jerseys this season.

I've had difficulty finding any game action photos, so we'll just have to live with the terribly-lit pictures posted on the Monarchs' website when the sweaters were unveiled earlier this month.

For a side-by-side comparison of the previous set of uniforms and the new ones, I've nabbed these renderings from the AHL's online store. Thanks to Jeremy M. again for the tip.

They're affiliated with the Los Angeles Kings so I have just one question. Why in the world would they try to look like the Anaheim Ducks?! At least the old uniforms had that crown stripe on the sleeves.

Monarchs unveil specialty sweatersBy the way, that same article I linked to earlier also revealed the Monarchs' 10th anniversary logo along with a pair of specialty jerseys that will see action this season (left).

The pink one is obviously for Pink in the Rink Night. Along with the sweaters, the ice at the Verizon Wireless Arena will be painted pink. That all goes down on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2011.

As for the black and gold jersey, I'll let the team explain in a blockquote:

On Saturday, December 4, the Monarchs will be celebrating the rich hockey history in New Hampshire with their final New Hampshire Legends of Hockey specialty jersey. The team will don throwback jerseys from the 1970s original Manchester Monarchs team when they host the Springfield Falcons at the Verizon Wireless Arena that night.

To be honest, I never knew there was another Manchester Monarchs team from the 1970s. Anyone have any information they can share?

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Now we'll wrap up this epic post where it began — pink hockey sweaters.

Rivermen unveil pink jerseyThe Peoria Rivermen unveiled their Pink in the Rink Night specialty jersey this week.

In a rather appropriate twist, the Rivermen will sport their pink-infused threads the night before Halloween, next Saturday, when they host the Oklahoma City Barons.

I'm all for breast cancer awareness and I'm not bothered by one-off pink jerseys, but there are better ways of doing this. For instance, Portland got it right.

Still, it's good that they're doing this. The jerseys will be auctioned off after the game and the proceeds will benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Thanks to Drew S. for the email tip on this jersey.

By the way, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have four new jerseys this year, like the Monarchs, so rather than making this post even longer the Baby Pens will get their own post later this week.