Logo Maps: 2011-12 Edition

Several announcements and unveilings over the past week or so have cemented up our logo maps for the 2011-12 hockey season. Specifically, I'm referring to the NHL, AHL and ECHL. The Jets and IceCaps each have logos now, and the Trenton Devils are becoming the Titans once again.

So ready your road trip plans and enjoy these maps! They're all fully interactive so feel free to zoom and pan around all you like. And be sure to note the new logos on each.

NHL Map: 2011—

What's new in 2011 on the NHL map? Well, the Lightning, Predators and Kings each have new primary logos. And of course, the Atlanta Thrashers have relocated to become the Winnipeg Jets.

View NHL Map 2011— in a larger map

I hope it doesn't clutter the map too much, but I've added division boundaries in blue and the conference boundary in red. It gives you an idea of the relative sizes of each division. Clearly the Northwest is the most spread out while the Atlantic is the most tightly-packed. (Though obviously the Southeast is the most oddly-shaped, at least for this season.)

AHL Map: 2011—

The Thrashers' move has had a ripple effect on the American Hockey League leading the Manitoba Moose to vacate their post and become the St. John's IceCaps way out in Newfoundland. This will also be the first full season of the Connecticut Whale, formerly the Hartford Wolf Pack.

View AHL Map 2011— in a larger map

You'll notice the northeast is pretty dense with AHL teams so this is one map where you'll definitely want to pan and zoom around.

ECHL Map: 2011—

Finally, the ECHL is adding two new teams while rebranding another. The Colorado Eagles join from the Central Hockey League as the expansion Chicago Express prepare to celebrate their inaugral season. Also, the Trenton Devils franchise is going back to the Trenton Titans name under new ownership.

View ECHL Map 2011— in a larger map

While the ECHL adds teams in Colorado and Chicago this season, it's lost its only Canadian team with the folding of the Victoria Salmon Kings. The Salmon Kings' demise was part of the Thrashers relocation domino effect. Decisions were made long before anything was written in stone regarding Atlanta. Here's how it went down: With the possibility of the NHL's Thrashers moving to Winnipeg, the AHL's Moose would be displaced. The WHL, which long-desired a team in Victoria, worried the AHL might beat them to the punch with the Moose and announced the Chilliwack Bruins' sale and relocation to Victoria. The new owners, who also owned the Salmon Kings, couldn't find a buyer and folded that team to focus on the WHL.

By the way, this isn't the last of the maps. I'm developing an entire section of league logo maps for as many different leagues as you can think of — and going back as far as possible for the ones we know best. I'm expecting to launch it any week now.

USHL Logo Map

View USHL Map in a larger map

Having covered a fair share of Canadian junior hockey leagues, I thought we might sneak in an American one. The United States Hockey League has 16 teams packed tightly into the Midwest, from Ohio to Nebraska. Even Fargo, North Dakota has a team!

We'd have to call Iowa the dominant state in the USHL as it has five teams, plus two more in bordering cities. But don't forget Nebraska also has three. These areas aren't loaded down with pro teams so it's cool to see they at least have some solid junior hockey.

And for those unfamiliar with the USHL, you might look at the Youngstown Phantoms logo and immediately accuse them of stealing it from the fireworks company. Ah, but that would be silly as the CEO of Phantom Fireworks also owns this team. Synergy.

For the record, some really nice logos in this league. Definitely need to do a tournament sooner than later if you ask me. As far as maps, what would you like to see next? KHL seems like a popular request. Any others?

SPHL Logo Map

View SPHL Map in a larger map

As its name would suggest, the pint-sized, 8-team Southern Professional Hockey League lives entirely in the southeastern United States. And, if I may say, the SPHL has some of the most wretched nicknames and logos in all of pro and junior hockey. FireAntz? Havoc? And I've never felt so much contempt for a logo as I do for the Pensacola Ice Flyers.

But I digress.

The Augusta River Hawks are the newest addition to the league and will begin play in the fall. Their location made me take note of something. I don't know what it is about this league — perhaps the small market nature — but it seems none of the SPHL's cities are far from a state border. Both Augusta and Columbus sit right on the edge of Georgia. Pensacola is practically on the Alabama line while the Surge and IceGators are nearly in the Gulf of Mexico. Fayetteville, N.C. is actually the farthest from a state boundary. Just an odd observation.

Thinking the USHL probably set to go next. And at some point, maybe Heritage Maps for the old IHL and other minor leagues. Certainly the WHA.

CHL Logo Map

View CHL Map in a larger map

The Central Hockey League, the other CHL, grew this summer when it merged with the flailing International Hockey League. The CHL added five IHL teams while losing two of its own — in Amarillo and Corpus Christi. There will be 18 teams competing in the CHL in 2010-11, as seen in this map.

What's funny about this league is most obvious when you layer it with the ECHL map. (Save both to My Maps in your Google account to view them together.) The CHL perfectly fills in the ECHL's geographical gaps across the United States. It's actually quite something.

Compared with similar minor hockey leagues, the CHL is rather spread out. It's stretches from the Dakotas to the north all the way to the Mexican border, and from Arizona to Ohio. No wonder the league has been so unstable for years. Travel must be a nightmare.

I'm thinking the SPHL may be the next logo map. That or the USHL. Also have the NAHL and BCHL on the short list. Stay tuned.

AJHL Logo Map

View AJHL Map in a larger map

Today we're featuring the Albert Junior Hockey League's logo map. That may seem random, but actually there's a good reason for it. Starting tomorrow, we'll begin the AJHL mini-tournament of logos.

The league has 16 teams, one of which you'll have to scroll way up for on the map. The Fort McMurray Oil Barons must have lots of long bus rides to endure. And one other note on this map, the Lloydminster Bobcats don't actually play in Alberta — their arena is in Saskatchewan!

So why an AJHL tournament? Okay, I don't have a reason for that. That was pretty much just random. But at some point we'll be getting to all of the junior leagues. Some of them have pretty awesome logos. Of course some do not.

Anyway, enjoy the AJHL map. What league should we do next? I'm thinking the Central Hockey League, which recently merged with the IHL. If you have suggestions, the comment box is just below.