We now know what the Canucks and Senators will wear when the hit the ice at B.C. Place in March, but how about a "what if?" Bastian Schmülling imagines the game looking something like this. Hard to say which I like better. This or reality? What's your take?
We're stretching this week's theme into another Classic Saturday thanks to Mat Ware. He's created Heritage Classic jerseys for all seven Canadian teams, but I thought I'd share three of them today. First is what we're likely to see Ottawa wear to this year's Heritage Classic in Vancouver — only without Daniel Alfredsson.
Here's an Oilers jersey I know a lot of people would like to see a couple of times a year. Did you know Edmonton actually wore orange for a couple of seasons during their WHA days? It makes for a nice looking sweater. And in an NHL will more than its share of gold jerseys, this is certainly not out of the realm of possibility.
This series wraps up with a Winnipeg Jets fauxback, not unlike what the Flyers wore for their last Winter Classic appearance. Mat gives them the vintage white treatment alongside their original WHA logo to give the NHL's newest team a feeling of history. Which of the three do you like best?
The 2014 NHL Heritage Classic has been a popular subject of concept art lately. This week, Adam Ravenhill presents his hope for Canada's outdoor event. His Ottawa jersey comes straight out of the history books while that Vancouver jersey blends a few eras if I'm not mistaken.
Last week someone asked to see a Vancouver-Ottawa Heritage Classic concept. I live to serve. As does Ryan Haslett, who created this neat set. I doubt this is what we'll get from the Canucks, but he's probably in the right area for the Senators.
Here's an odd Classic Saturday idea to throw out there. Tex Fischer put together these Heritage Classic-type throwback designs for a trio of Canadian teams a couple years ago. They've been sitting in my inbox for a while. But I suddenly had a thought. With all the extra outdoor games we're getting next winter, the concept is bound to lose some of its novelty.
So to recapture it, imagine a three-team, two-day outdoor tournament. Three clubs could meet at a neutral site, say in Saskatchewan. Maybe Toronto and Vancouver play on Saturday night and the winner faces Montreal on Sunday. (The loser of the first game could have a make-up date set with Montreal later in the season to balance the schedule.)
Is that idea totally crazy? I think it would make for a very cool event over a long holiday weekend. And it would make the Heritage Classic unique again. Not only that, but from a marketing perspective, you get another huge fan base in the mix.
This Winter Classic Weekend brings us a look at a future Heritage Classic between the Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers. Bryan Dyck has a great pair of jerseys here that aren't actually that unrealistic.
Saturday · Nov 30 · 2013 | 8:00 AM PST