Saturday
Jan122013
0329: Sunny Winter Classic
We're taking a brief break from the Waddell Brothers' Winter Classic series this weekend. In its place, Matt McElroy imagines the 2016 Winter Classic — in L.A. of all places — between the Kings and Canucks. Let's set aside the logistics of an ice surface in southern California. What about the looks he's created?
Designed by 
Matt McElroy
Matt McElroy 
Reader Comments (23)
I dig the Kings' one. The Canucks's jersey is nice, but it doesn't have that "classic" feel to it. It'd make a really nice third jersey though.
Blue Jackets and Devils
Solid colours for the Canucks, but that logo looks bad in any colours other than red/black/yellow. And some would say it doesn't even look good in those colours. And I know what's up with the V's in the striping, but myself, I just never cared for that look.
For the Kings, it's hard to go wrong with those colours.
Nicest Canucks jersey I've seen in a long time! Let's see a home version!
Panthers and Blackhawks
what logistics? they had an outdoor game in Las Vegas, and that's a much hotter and drier climate zone.
Great use of "V"s on the Canucks sweater. It's funny how much more simple and classy the old skate logo (which I love, by the way) looks in the green and blue. Well done mix of old and older!
hawks and bolts
It has been absolutely freezing in SoCal all month. If the game was to be played this January, we probably would have zero complaints. Temperatures in LA County have hit lows near 30 degrees (Fahrenheit) almost every night.
Enough with the Blackhawks already. I wanna see Stars and North Stars...er, Wild.
I don't know why people are posting what Waddell concepts they want to see next week here. This isn't a Waddell concept. Whichever teams were suggested first last week will be shown next week. I think.
The crest is better than any Canucks logos to date. Still would prefer the black red and gold, but I may be the only one.
I agree with Jon whole-heartedly. Love the Canucks jersey. I really like the green, blue and white with that logo. Plus I love seeing those colours on the ice anyway.
The logistics was completely possible. I mean they had that Kings-Rangers game in Vegas back in the day and that game was in the desert in September so a game in a LA on New Year's would colder and easier to pull off. However, using Dodger Stadium, the Home Depot Center, or perhaps the any sort of NFL stadium built in LA in the near future would be a better site for this game, considering they would be a more desirable location as well as better sight lines for fans and the added revenue of luxury boxes.
The Kings set is good, the Vancouver one is boring.
The Blackhawks were featured last sunday guys, so how about the Flames and Bruins?
I like how you can actually see the word Canucks as the skate blade. It stands out more than on the original logo.
I think a Winter Classic could work in Southern California. Heck, just yesterday it was a solid 36°F (2°C) through noon here in Anaheim, and as we speak it's barely 50°F (10°C) outside. Admittedly, that's from from sub-freezing (<32°F, 0°C) temps which are ideal for an outdoor event such as this, but as history has demonstrated - if Vegas can hold an outdoor NHL game (Kings vs. Rangers - Sept. 27, 1991 - Parking Lot of Caesar's Palace) at 85°F-95°F (29°C-35°C) and 28% humidity, why can't the NHL do it in Los Angeles or Orange County in the evening (after 5pm) with temps in the mid-30's, low 40's with relative humidity in the low 20's? Just a thought.
can't say i care for the red and yellow "winter classic" logo or the "V" on the socks but that's about all to dislike in these designs.
canucks' sweater looks great and i agree the the blue and green do wonders for the old skate logo. while the kings sweater looks like the old classic with a new twist (also love the new "old" crown logo.) my only suggestion might be laces on the sweater and tan pants for the kings to make them look even more old-school than the franchise even is, but that might be going too far.
good stuff all around.
Have to agree on the Canucks jersey, brilliant combination of most of their older jerseys, and the logo looks far better in these colours than the original ones.
I would love to go to a Winter Classic game at the Coliseum, although the Home Depot Center would probably make for a good venue too. The uni's look great, but perhaps the Kings set would be better served if it relied more on purple and less on the gold. The idea of golden yellow jerseys in an outdoor game doesn't look right in my mind's eye.
I've long said this to friends about the concept of an LA Winter Classic. As we all know that it can be done, it probably shouldn't. There's a certain mystique surrounding the idea of an outdoor hockey game, and it would be hard to do that in a warm-weather climate city, even if it is LA, that can't be recreated.
Remember, the very first outdoor game in League history was a preseason game in Las Vegas, of all places.
I like canucks as a third but not as a winter classic. When I think of a classic jersey I never imagine the bottom blank. That's a third jersey thing.
The Kings need to start using that jersey IMMEDIATELY. The Canucks not so much. Go blue and green with the stick in rink logo (Canucks need to go back to that ASAP, too) or else the Vancouver Millionaires look for a WC.