Oodles Of Rbk EDGE Jersey Concepts

All right now, I know this is exciting stuff but please try to contain yourselves. A great reader to whom I'm enormously appreciative sent links my way for the jersey artwork you see below. PLEASE DO NOT CONFUSE IT WITH ACTUAL OFFICIAL DESIGNS. These are merely the work of an artistically-inclined hockey fan pondering on the future of the NHL's aesthetics.

To enlarge an image below, just click on it. The designer of these went through the painstaking task of creating three different design schemes for 17 different teams, one of which doesn't even exist. It's worth noting that the NHL has said there will be no third jerseys this year during the transition to the new Reebok sweaters. Though I don't know who created them, these designs are just for fun. I'd implore you to avoid the urge to post a comment about how they aren't real, lest you lack the reading skills of a third-grader. (In which case nothing I write would matter.)

For your pleasure, I'll go through each of them one-by-one.

CONCEPTS #1
Not much to speak of with regard to the Canadiens designs. It's basically what they wear now with more curvy lines. The Penguins designs are interesting, if for no other reason than the alternate is a throwback to the days when the club wore blue. The Rangers concepts update the name running across the front while keeping Statue of Liberty logo on an alternate jersey. Personally I'm of the opinion it would make a great crest on a jersey worn night in and night out. But it's not my call. What's interesting to note here is the jersey number placed on the bottom corner of the front of the alternate.

Then there's the Bruins concepts wherein we realize this must be the musings of a fan as the Bruins have already unveiled their jerseys which look nothing like this. I'm a little creeped out by what appears to be a lion head on the alternate. (Don't try and tell me that's a bear.) Beneath that is a series of Sabres jerseys with a fun throwback as an alternate. Don't count on seeing that on the backs of Buffalo players anytime soon.

CONCEPTS #2
First off, the team on top, the Kansas City Scouts, haven't existed for the better part of three decades. Let's not let that stop us though. With all this talk about KC becoming an NHL market in the near future, who wouldn't wonder? But I doubt seriously they'd go back to that old gem. It is interesting to look at though. The Stars are rumored to be foregoing the traditional crest for the word "DALLAS" across the front of the road jerseys. Is this the NBA now? Let's not have any cheating refs, at least. As for the other two designs, I'm partial to the green.

I like the minor upgrades made to the Maple Leafs logo but the design could use some work. We'll waive straight stripes in place of curvy ones for the Stars yet not the traditional Leafs? The silver is a nice touch, however, on the alternate. A twist on the stick-in-rink Canucks logo doesn't improve it in my eyes. But I do like the colors. And as for the Senators design, it's basically an Rbk EDGE twist on the current sweaters. The Sens should be getting a new logo though, so I wouldn't count on seeing this on the ice.

CONCEPT #3
The hockey world seems to be taken with this Sharks logo thought to have been leaked by the club itself. Personally, I'm skeptical but that's my nature. And while I don't love it, I'm a big fan of that color scheme. I wouldn't mind seeing players wearing something like that. The white and blue Lightning jerseys I've posted before. The black one is kind of cool and I wouldn't mind a design like that on my team. The logo is growing on me a little. But the team hasn't made an official announcement yet so take it for what it's worth.

The Blues design is cool. I like the light blue alternate and even the name written across the chest doesn't bother me that much. The Avalanche concepts are very sharp. They should be so lucky as to be wearing something like that this fall. My praise, however, falls short on sight of the alternate. No, no, no. I applaud the effort, but still... no. As for the Hurricanes design. In my mind, it would be hands-down best in the league. It's the best concept I've seen so far this summer for any team!

CONCEPT #4
The Red Wings designs are simple enough. Perhaps a little too simple. And the maroon and red of the alternate clash in a way that hurts my brain. I like the Islanders concepts as well. The slanted bars on the alternate are especially cool and I don't think any Isles fans would complain if their team went with something in this neighborhood.

And there you have it. Now that you've got my opinion on all 17 designs, tell me yours! Comment below!

Stars vs Canucks

	vs
STARS		CANUCKS
4-4		4-5

The Aesthetics
These are both decent logos. Neither is bad, nor very good. Just average. For this point, I've always liked the Canucks' logo. Word is it's gone after this season, but as far as aesthetics, I think it's one of the best out there. The Stars logo spells out the name and that's too easy and uncreative. It also hurts the logo from a design standpoint.
Canucks

The Nickname
A Star is a giant, all-consuming ball of fire as we've noted, and I don't think they've lost this point yet. A Canuck has no chance against a Star.
Stars

The Analysis
Stylistically, both logos are very appropriate for their teams. The giant "lone star" practically screams Texas while the Haida-style orca points right to the Pacific Northwest. Unfortunately, what's lacking in the Canucks logo is ... a canuck. Even the coolest logos have their problems and this is a big one. It will cost them this point.
Stars

WINNER

2-1

 

Canucks Fans, Prepare Yourselves

A link to this blog was recently posted on the Vancouver Canucks' message board. Most of you over there seem to like the site. A handful of you are skeptical as to where I procure my information, specifically the bit about the August 1 unveiling date for your team. I don't blame you.

First, I should tell you I was hesitant about putting that date in the countdown. It comes from a retailer who spoke in an article printed in the Vancouver Sun. Consult this post for further details on that. Second, all of the information I post here is secondhand. I don't intend to pass myself off as an authority on the subject, merely an information-gathering resource. I surf the web and find a lot of nonsense and I try to parse it for factuality. Obviously things will slip through the cracks but then take from this what you want.

In the meantime, everything I post I try to explain. Whether it's artwork designed by a fan or rumors or an official announcement from a team, you can trust me when I tell you I'm not going to make anything up out of thin air. What would be the point? Still, take everything I post here with a grain of salt. As I keep saying, until teams make official announcements, all we have is speculation.

Now then, as a thank-you to whoever noticed the site and decided it was worth mentioning, I have a treat for you. Well, actually that depends on how you respond to this little gem.

Now, don't be fooled, Canucks fans. What you're looking at will only make its way onto the ice they day you ride a unicorn to games. But I thought it was an interesting design, with colors we haven't seen before. I came across it on the Miami Herald's Florida Panthers blog while looking up information I posted earlier today.

It's like a tougher version of Johnny Canuck inside the orca "C." The designer also placed the current orca logo on the shoulders (backwards on one side for some reason).

Once again, don't freak out. It's not something that's been leaked by the team (or I'd hope not). It's obviously artwork designed by a fan and clearly not the work of a graphics professional (no offense to the person who came up with the idea). Having said that, what do you think of it? Would you like to see something similar on jerseys for the fall?

Canucks Jersey Concept Designs

Last week, I posted some fan-made designs for the Vancouver Canucks' new logo and uniforms. We've heard that they're going to be unveiling a new logo this summer so everyone's wondering how it will look. So here are some more.

These way-too-cool designs come from John Slabyk, he of Blue & Gold Project fame. He's a graphic designer who was implored by fans to take his artwork to Larry Quinn with the Buffalo Sabres. They liked his work a lot but a meeting with the team's GM yielded nothing. Not to be discouraged, he has come up with a potential new design for the Vancouver Canucks.

And this is it. It's really cool but it's probably a little too high-quality for the NHL. The design is really clean and even incorporates the classic stick-in-rink logo of the 1970s while sticking with those traditional colors. So far, responses I've read to the design are mixed, though. I think the gist is that a lot of people like it but aren't naïve enough to think the design would actually ever been worn by the team.

Personally, I'm not giving up hope on the Canucks or the NHL. Anything is possible and one day soon I hope to see them donning a logo that doesn't feature a whale more prominently than, well, a Canuck.

Canucks vs Blackhawks

	vs
CANUCKS		BLACKHAWKS
3-5		2-8

The Aesthetics
I like the proportions and shapes of these logos but I think the winner in this category is plain to see. With cool colors a simple, unique design, the Canucks take it.
Canucks

The Nickname
Chief Blackhawk and his savage ways. A Canuck wouldn't stand a chance.
Blackhawks

The Analysis
In this category, the first thing I look at is whether the logo properly fits the team's name. Here, the Canucks logo features an orca. Not quite what I had in mind. I then look to see if the logo in any way references the team's home city. There's a case to be made that the whale references the Pacific northwest region while the "C" could not only stand for Canucks, but Canada as well. In fact, three of the six Canadian teams have logos built from the letter "C." It might be a stretch to give the Canucks this point, but there's just too much going on in the Blackhawks logo.
Canucks

WINNER

2-1

 

Canucks Fans Ponder New Logo, Uniforms

That's pretty interesting, right? There are rumors — likely started by fans — that the new Canucks uniforms will be a version of the orca logo that currently dons their sweaters. This version will revert to the team's original colors of blue and green. Just so you know, these are not actual photos and should be taken with a grain of salt. But I thought they'd be worth posting for anyone who's interested.

But wait, there's more.

This funny design comes from someone who wondered what the '80s red, yellow and black logo would look like in the original Canucks colors. Well as you can see, there's nothing that can make that logo look good.

Still, I'm not a fan of the orca logo as it relates to the team. As a logo on its own, it's excellent. I love it. But for a team called the Canucks, its like how the Sabres logo has nothing more than a buffalo in it. I just don't understand these things.

And then there's this gem. It's basically a what-if similar to the jersey above except that it uses the actual colors for that logo. I'm not really a fan but I am amused by the classic stick-in-rink logo on the shoulder in those colors. Still, no way. It's terrible.

And of course as always, feel free to comment below with your thoughts on this or anything else. I'll have more to come shortly.

Canucks vs Wild

	vs
CANUCKS		WILD
3-4		4-0

The Aesthetics
This is a really difficult decision because I really like both of these logos. They're both attractive and use a unique color scheme. I also think its cool how they seem to be facing one another. Even though I'm a huge fan of the Canucks logo, the way the Wild logo works in a bear, a forest, a star, a river, mountains and a sunset all in one little graphic just floors me.
Wild

The Nickname
Right or wrong, we've been going on the idea that a Canuck is a woodsman of some sort. He therefore should be familiar with the Wild and know his way around.
Canucks

The Analysis
Even if the Canucks logo actually symbolized the team name — as opposed to being a whale — the Wild would still get this point. The star as the bear's eye conjures Minnesota's hockey history and the Minnesota North Stars. Subtlety works and I'm a big fan.
Wild

WINNER

2-1

 

Red Wings vs Canucks

	vs
RED WINGS		CANUCKS
1-5		2-4

The Aesthetics
Both logos are a little heavy on the detail but with the Canucks, it doesn't seem to detract. The extra colors make it look a little busier than the Red Wings logo, but color never hurt anyone.
Canucks

The Nickname
If he was a woodsman, a Canuck would perhaps hunt a Red-Winged bird.
Canucks

The Analysis
This has been the downfall of the Canucks logo throughout this tournament. The team will be getting a new one this summer but not for another three weeks. For those of you who haven't been following along, it's the misplaced whale that's giving me a problem here. A Canuck is not a whale. Anyway, we get a red wing in the Red Wings logo, which is topped off with an old-time wheel to symbolize the Motor City.
Red Wings

WINNER

2-1

 

Canucks vs Coyotes

	vs
CANUCKS		COYOTES
2-3		1-0

The Aesthetics
Both of these logos made their debut within the last ten years and have a few similar elements. The Canucks color scheme is a little more dynamic but the Coyotes logo looks a little more animated. This is a really difficult decision since both logos are just so cool. I would flip a coin, but that doesn't seem fair. If it came down to which logo I'd rather have on my jersey, I'd have to go with the Coyotes.
Coyotes

The Nickname
Canucks may go hunting for Coyotes. It's possible.
Canucks

The Analysis
This is usually the Canucks logo's downfall. Aside from the "C" the logo forms, I can't quite figure out what an Indian-designed orca whale leaping out of ice has to do with Canucks. At least coyotes are common in the deserts of Arizona. But that's not even the point. It's the logo that has to match the name, not the name that has to match the city, necessarily. Now that is a coyote!
Coyotes

WINNER

2-1

 

Canucks vs Avalanche

	vs
CANUCKS		AVALANCHE
2-2		3-0

The Aesthetics
This is another one of those tough calls. I like it when they come along. Despite having similar color schemes, the two logos are quite unique. It's nice to see. Both logos stem from a letter but in different ways. And both have action. You see an orca whale leaping out of the ice in one and a puck-led pile of snow falling across the other. It's a tough call to make, but I'm going wth the Avalanche.
Avalanche

The Nickname
Even a Canuck himself is no match for an Avalanche. Maybe one day they'll find him like the frozen man.
Avalanche

The Analysis
The Avs have the win so we might as well give them the sweep. Actually, they earned it. It's a solid logo that needs not make a fuss over its locale as the team name itself takes care of that. I'm still none the wiser as to the significance of a whale to a team named the Canucks despite the fairly obvious ties to its mother corporation Orca Bay. Make that one more for the 'Lanche.
Avalanche

WINNER

3-0