Rivermen to Sport Fan-Made 3rd Jersey

The AHL will very likely benefit from an influx of temporary new fans this season if this NHL lockout business keeps up. But the Peoria Rivermen are already benefitting from their existing fans in the form of a newly designed third jersey.

On August 27, the team unveiled this creation — the winner of a jersey design contest held over the summer. It beat out three other submissions with about 40% of some 1,400 votes cast over a three-week span.

The jerseys will be worn by the Rivermen in their game on Dec. 15 at Carver Arena against the Milwaukee Admirals. The jerseys will be auctioned off to the public following the game.

“I would like to say thank you to the Peoria Rivermen staff for creating such a unique opportunity,” said [winning designer Ryan] Malaschak. “Being a graphic artist and a passionate hockey fan my entire life, it has been a dream of mine to create a game-worn jersey at a professional level.”

The contest was opened on July 1 and these four finalists were revealed a month later.

It seems to me they were all great options. But I was partial to this one by Erik Kuhre.

Think you can do better? Submit your concept to icethetics@gmail.com and it may just show up on Concepts page someday soon.

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.

Chiefs Relocating & Other Notes

The ECHL's Johnstown Chiefs will be moving to Greenville, South Carolina beginning in the 2010-11 season. This must've slipped past our collective radar when it was announced and approved by the league last month. But I just read an interesting article yesterday on ESPN.

Basically, the Chiefs, named by fans after the iconic team from the film Slap Shot — which was shot locally — have been on their last legs. Nobody is going to games and the team is piling up losses in more than just the standings.

Now the club will head to a former ECHL city which lost its original team, the Greenville Grrrowl (yes, that's three Rs in Grrrowl), when it folded in 2006. Not sure why hockey's expected to be a better draw four years later, but that's not a question for me to ask.

The reason this is relevant to Icethetics is it means we'll be following the rebranding of a franchise. Former Chiefs minority owner Ned Nakles is retaining the name and logo which means the ECHL will add a new team name and logo next season. (Hoping it's not Grrrowl.)

Chiefs' Marine jerseyAnd finally, the Chiefs wore what will probably be their last specialty sweater over this past weekend.

The jerseys are a tribute to the U.S. Marine Corps and the design is based on their dress uniforms. The Chiefs first wore them on Friday, grabbing their first W in two weeks with a 7-4 victory of the Toledo Walleye.

Unfortunately I can't seem to track down any photos of the jersey in action. Seems the Chiefs' web guys have pretty much given up this season too. They're just recycling photos in their game recaps.

Anyway, I noticed the numbers come straight from their NHL affiliate's white jerseys — the Minnesota Wild. Anyone know if the Wild will retain their affiliation agreement with the new Greenville team?

Rivermen Revert to the Past

Rivermen dress as PrancersThe AHL's Peoria Rivermen pranced out in Peoria Prancers jerseys over the weekend, paying tribute to the 1980s.

The Prancers were founded in the International Hockey League in 1982 and became the Peoria Rivermen two years later. Then in 1996, the franchise moved to San Antonio, Texas and were renamed the Dragons.

That same year an ECHL franchise was created with the Peoria Rivermen name. No one would've noticed except that all the players and management would've changed. Same logo and colors otherwise.

Then in 2005, that team went away and the AHL's Worcester IceCats moved to Peoria — becoming the third franchise to use that Rivermen moniker. I only offer the history lesson to point out that this isn't a tribute to franchise's past so much as the town's hockey past.

Looking at this jersey, I can't imagine why they ever changed their name in 1984. If you can't get enough of it either, Central Illinois Sports Photography has posted a huge gallery from the game — which Peoria won 4-1 (video included).

Thanks to Joe for the tip on this story.

Heated Tirade

Usually my hobby (hockey blogger) and my job (TV promotions producer) never intersect. I work at a news station in Florida and hockey isn't a popular topic here for obvious reasons. But last night was the exception.

Every night, I write/produce/edit a :30 promo for our 11 PM newscast to run during primetime. And in last night's newscast, our producer included video of Jim Playfair's freak-out behind the Abbotsford Heat bench over the weekend. Naturally I had to include it in the promo. And I thought I'd share it with you guys too.

Caps vs. Pens for 2011 Winter Classic?

Canada's National Post is reporting that the Pittsburgh Penguins will host the Washington Capitals for the next Winter Classic in 2011. Word is they would use Heinz Field — home of the NFL's Steelers. But the Post doesn't cite a source for the report.

The NHL has yet to make an official statement on which teams will be involved in the next outdoor game. The Pens participated in the inaugural event in 2008 at Ralph Wilson Stadium against the Buffalo Sabres.