Could you ever imagine the Montreal Canadiens without the CH? How about using the crest of a long ago rival? There's a reason I saved this one by Greg Dobson for a Friday. It's freaky!
Greg Dobson
Mike Ivall gets the week started for us with his new 100 Years of Hockey project. In 2017, the NHL and the Maple Leafs will be celebrating their centennials and Mike is looking ahead with a series of new concepts. He writes:
The Centennial Game. First game of the season at the ACC in Toronto. Toronto Arenas versus Club de Hockey Canadien. The Canadiens jerseys are from the 1912-13 season where they only used them to play the Sens who also had the original barber pole jerseys at the time. According to the Canadiens site, this was the idea behind the classic jersey you see today.
I'm looking forward to what else Mike has in store. Also eager to see what other designers can come up with. We're still a few years away, so no rush.
Mike Ivall
Justin Wiltron writes, "Do I dare try to add something to a historic Montreal arsenal? Yes."
Let the hockey season begin!
Justin Wiltron
Yesterday we got a look at a female version of a Montreal hockey team. Today, we stick to the same city but switch back to the NHL. Laurent Elbaz tweaks the typically untouchable Habs sweaters. I'm intrigued, but before I'm sold, something will need to be done to make the number legible on the back of the white sweater — that's why they dumped the blue stripes ages ago.
Laurent Elbaz
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.
Cards on the table, weird week. First, I forgot about Canada Day on Monday and posted a Mighty Ducks concept instead. (Sourry aboat that.) Then the Coyotes deal passed in Glendale Tuesday canceling my idea of running some Seattle concepts the rest of the week. Then I remembered yesterday was the 4th of July so I grabbed a last-minute Americans concept. And I thought I'd make up for missing Canada Day with a Canadiens concept today. But it's Friday, so this happened. Ryan Yuck has done some things to the Montreal Canadiens' logos and uniforms. But try not to freak out. Happy Friday.
Ryan Yuck
Yesterday we looked at a redesign of the untouchable Red Wings. Today, it's the similarly untouchable Canadiens. But unlike the former, the latter should really not be allowed to happen. Ever. Welcome to another Freak Out Friday. I applaud the great effort from Caz Williams, but I'm not sure a faux sash should be worn by the most historic franchise in the NHL.
Caz Williams 