Around the Hockeyverse

Been following a variety of news around the Hockeyverse these days. Thought I'd take a moment to share a bit of what's been going on. (Because apparently, I can only write new posts really late at night now.)

Wild officially unveil 10th birthday logo

Since the Minnesota Wild are not in the playoffs, the big news on their website this week was the unveiling of the 10th anniversary logo.

It's not the first time we've seen it, by the way. We got a preview on a few weeks ago when it started showing up in season ticket ads on the Wild's website. Despite that, the "official" unveiling was Thursday.

The following details were included in the online press release:

The Wild's 10th anniversary mark will be worn on the right chest at all games next season except for the two contests in Finland, where it will be replaced by the NHL Premiere patch.

The mark uses a stylized Roman numeral “X” to represent the ten years of the Wild in Minnesota. The “X” has an added touch of the crossed hockey stick look connecting it back to the State of Hockey.

The mark incorporates the team colors of Minnesota Wheat, Iron Range Red and Forest Green and was developed in partnership with SME in New York.

Wild fans won't be able to miss it next season. By the way, the release also points out the the 10th anniversary celebration culminates with the club hosting the 2011 NHL Entry Draft next June.

Blue Jackets' red-and-yellow mystery

The other team ready to celebrate ten years is the Columbus Blue Jackets, who joined the NHL in 2000 with Minnesota. And like the Wild, they will be opening their 10th season overseas. And we already have a jersey mystery brewing.

Columbus Dispatch beat writer Aaron Portzline regularly updates a CBJ blog called Puck-Rakers and a recent post about a preseason game in Sweden has some of us scratching our heads.

He wrote the following last Friday (April 23):

The Blue Jackets and the Malmo/Rogle club will wear custom designed red and yellow uniforms, the colors of the province of Skane, where the game will be played.

That sort of gratuitous use of specialty jerseys sounds like something out of the minor leagues. Ah, but wait. Is that even true? The release on the Jackets' own website tells another story. Here's an excerpt from that:

The Blue Jackets will play a unified team comprised of two Swedish hockey teams – the Malmo Redhawks, who in 2009-10 played in HockeyAllsvenksan, and Rogle BK from Angelholm, who played the 2009-10 season in the Swedish elite league Eliteserien.

The best 10 skaters and one goaltender from Rogle BK will join forces with the top 10 skaters and one goalie from Malmo to square off against the Blue Jackets. Coaches from each side will lead the team. The players will be outfitted in custom-designed red and yellow uniforms, the official colors of the province of Skane.

That says that ONLY the unified Swedish team (comprised of the two aforementioned clubs) will wear custom-designed red and yellow uniforms. Obviously they couldn't wear their own jerseys as there would appear to be three separate teams on the ice.

If indeed the Blue Jackets were also meant to be wearing specially-designed jerseys for that game — and why would they? — I would expect the release to be more specific about it. But it begs the question, why would local fans want to see an American hockey team dressed in their home colors? You want to pay homage, wear a special patch.

That's my take on it. I've emailed Portzline for clarification on the subject. I'll let you know when/if I hear back. But at the moment, I would presume a miscommunication on the part of the newspaper and that the Blue Jackets will NOT be wearing anything but their own uniforms in Sweden in September.

Name Greenville's new hockey team

Name the ECHL's new Greenville teamThe new and yet unnamed Greenville ECHL hockey team, the relocated Johnstown Chiefs, is holding a name-the-team contest at HockeyGreenville.com right now. If your name is selected, you win a pair of season tickets for life. Pretty sweet deal.

Here's the actual form to fill out if you have an awesome name to submit. Entries will be accepted until Friday, May 28. And even if you don't submit your suggestions, feel free to share them here in the comments.

Greenville News says the name suggestions will be "presented to a selection committee made up of team owners, as well as area dignitaries, for final determination of the team's new name."  The newspaper also confirms that the new name, colors and logo will be unveiled on Friday, June 25.

We are tracking one other relocated minor league team this summer. The Edmonton Oilers' AHL franchise begins play once again this fall, now in Oklahoma City. The Oklahoman has a web page set up with "ongoing coverage" of hockey's return to OKC.

I'll keep an eye on it, but so far there's nothing new. No name. No colors. No logo. All we know is that there will be a hockey team in the fall. A naming contest ran Feb. 9-20 but no official announcement has been made yet.

However, some industrious fans at Copper & Blue have discovered a handful of web domains recently purchased by Prodigal Hockey, the company that will operate the new Oklahoma City AHL team. They include names like OKC Oilers, Oil Kings, Oil Barons, 89ers, Hawks, and even Roadrunners. Others that have cropped up: Tornadoes, Bison, Wildcatters, and Roughnecks.

ECHL Unveils All-Star Logo

ECHL 2011 All-Star logo unveiledThe ECHL has unveiled the logo for the 2011 All-Star Classic, which will be hosted by the Bakersfield Condors on January 26.

Details regarding the design of the logo were made available in a press release posted on the Condors' official website on Tuesday.

The logo features a condor, with its wings partially spread, perched atop the iconic Bakersfield sign, saved by Buck Owens, and displayed above the boulevard bearing his name.

The words "2011 ECHL All-Star Classic" are built within it. Stars adorn both the sign and are mixed in with the text, and the logo was constructed using the Condors maroon, cool grey, black and tan color combination.

The logo was designed by The Joe Bosack Graphic Design Company in conjunction with the ECHL and Condors offices.

You can see more of Joe Bosack's work on his company's website. The Joe Bosack Graphic Design Company is also responsible for last year's ECHL all-star logo as well as the Colorado Avalanche's primary logo.

This is the first time the ECHL all-star event has been held in Bakersfield, California. More details are available in the league press release at ECHL.com.

Kings Going Retro in 2010-11?

The Los Angeles Kings will sport a special throwback jersey for a handful of games in the 2010-11 season, according to LA Kings Insider blogger Rich Hammond.

Hammond wrote on his blog earlier today, answering fan questions, that the Kings would wear the purple-and-gold uniforms for as many as four games against the Vancouver Canucks, who will be celebrating their 40th anniversary season.

Kings may wear this again soonHere's the direct quote from LA Kings Insider:

mrbob25 asked: 1) Who makes the decision to wear alternate jerseys for home games? 2) Will the Kings continue with their black-purple-silver uniforms with the crown or must we witness another uniform modification/change of using the alternate "LA" unis as primary? Good to know for the fans considering an authentic jersey purchase.

Answers: 1) I'm not actually sure how they set the regular-season schedule. It is pre-determined though, because I saw the schedule, early in the season, of which games the players would wear the black uniforms in. For the playoffs, the players decided to wear the black jerseys.

2) I don’t know of any significant changes on the horizon. I think they’re staying with the black alternates, and I know that, for at least one game next season (and perhaps three more), the Kings are going to wear an old-school purple-and-goal uniform against the Vancouver Canucks, because it will be the Canucks’ 40th anniversary.

Not only is this information of prime interest to Kings fans, but Canucks fans as well. Presumably, if another team in the league (not even in their own division) is wearing a classic sweater to celebrate the anniversary, the Canucks are likely to as well. And perhaps other teams will join the fray. But all that is just speculation.

The photo above comes from Shop.NHL.com and is only meant as a reference. This is brand new information and Hammond doesn't go into specifics about the jersey itself. But since it is available in the NHL Vintage collection, it wouldn't surprise me to see it be used in this case.

If this is true and the Kings are going retro against the Canucks next season, I cannot imagine the Canucks would wear the whale. Time itself would likely implode. Think the classic stick-in-the-rink that Icethetics readers seem to have a love-hate relationship with.

Before I go, I thought I should address a Kings-related question I've been getting a lot lately. Many have asked, are the Kings giving their current thirds full-time home jersey status next season?

As Hammond says, there is no evidence for any changes to the home, road or alternate sweaters for 2010-11. The team opted to wear the black-and-silver sweaters at home throughout this postseason, but things should go back to normal next fall.

Isles to Reveal New Road Jersey

Isles' new road jersey unveilingThe New York Islanders announced that they will be unveiling a new road jersey at their draft party on June 25.

The Islanders Insider email, sent to fans this afternoon, says that John Tavares will be making a special appearance to model the new sweater.

The email doesn't go into specifics, but it is expected to be a white version of the Isles' current throwback third jersey. Icethetics readers Craig D. and Derek S. provided us with a look at the email.

If you want a preview of what that jersey is anticipated to look like, the AHL's Bridgeport Sound Tigers started wearing it this season. Click here to see it in action.