Just To Freak You Out XVIII

It's time for another belated edition of the Freak Out series. Hopefully I'll get over this cold soon. It's making me very unreliable here at NHLToL. And it's supposed to be Freak Out Friday, right? Anyway, let's dive in.

Wow, that was awfully violent. Who's hungry for buffalo tongue?!

I got a ton of submissions this week for the "If They Mated" category. And these are all about rivalries.

I don't even know what to say about this. Except that once again, don't send me hate mail as I am excessively illiterate and wouldn't understand it anyway. Also I didn't make these.

Perhaps slightly less inflammatory are these.

Everything's gone haywire. But wait it gets better. Sure anyone can mix two teams in a blender, but it takes a special kind of talent to do three.

Presenting the Anaheim King Sharks. Let me break it down for you. You've got the Sharks logo in Kings colors on a Ducks jersey. Can't get much more to the point than that.

While we're still on the topic of ridiculous jerseys, do you remember the crazy Red Wings design I posted a while back. (It's the second one down in that post.) Were you wondering what it might look like on Dominik Hasek? Wonder no more.

Don't know what he's so happy about. Hideous if I do say so.

Here's a scary merging of the current and original Canucks logos.

Whales that play hockey. I love it.

To finish up this morning's post, I've got a couple more whacked out logos. I'm pretty sure these come from a Quebecois looking to break away from Canada. It's like if Texas decided it wanted to be its own country. I laugh. But then I am a lousy Floridian who knows nothing of the politics of Canada. Look!

But wait, there's more!

So what do you guys think?

Oh and I'm just warning you now that any comments with discussion of politics will be promptly removed. Go elsewhere for that.

In the meantime, I hope I managed to freak you out a little. Until next time.

Just To Freak You Out XVII

Welcome to the belated 17th installment of the Freak Out series. Time's been getting away from me the last few days so I apologize for the delay. Anyway, this week's art has a very specific theme. I asked for you guys to send me stuff of the "If They Mated" variety and some of you actually responded.

We'll start with a couple of logos I thought were "special."

If you're staring at that and just can't place it, look no further than the Ottawa Senators. You'll recognize his cap from the Columbus Blue Jackets' shoulder patch. That one just cracks me up every time I look at it. It's like the guy took the day off to go to a baseball game but he still can't seem to wipe that constipated look off his face.

The next one goes out to all my Connecticut readers.

It's a combination of the Hartford Whalers and Hartford Wolf Pack. And the more astute among you might notice the nod to the New England Whalers. That's three leagues covered in one logo. Impressive.

So going back to Ontario now, try to imagine what would happen if the Leafs and Sens (perish the very thought) were to swap uniforms and colors?

Don't send me hate mail. I'm illiterate anyway.

And now for a rivalry absolutely no one could care less about.

Personally, I'm disgusted by this but it does make me laugh a little. What's with the black tongue on the panther? Someone should tell him to stop chewing on his pen.

This here is more of a fusion of past Coyotes jerseys. We've got the old colors on the new uniform. How many of you like me would prefer to gouge out your own eyes before watching a team wear a jersey with two different color shoulder yokes? That's got to be breaking some sort of law.

Speaking of law-breaking, remember the scary Blackhawks logo I used to kick off last week's Freak Out post?

Somebody glued it on a jersey. D'oh!

And then I thought this was mildly amusing if nothing else.

But this is what happens when you guys stop sending in the really good stuff. Hope you enjoyed another week's worth of Freak Out art. Hopefully I'll be back with more on Friday. Enjoy what's left of your weekend!

Just To Freak You Out XVI

It's another Freak Out Friday here at NHLToL and boy have I got some weird crap today. I have to start out first with something that might cause you to fall out of your chair laughing.

The funny part is I think that's what Homer Simpson would look like if here were an Indian. Anyone agree with that?

The next image is sure to stir the pot a little bit. It's like one of Conan's "If They Mated." Albertans might not be able to take this. Imagine if the Oilers and Flames got together.

We should make a habit out of that. Pretty funny stuff.

This cracks me up. Twice in the same week, two separate people emailed me concept logos for the Montreal Canadiens — replacing the "H" with an "M."

The graphic on the right incorporates the old Montreal Maroons logo so that's kind of cool. But regardless, it's still just weird seeing that. Let's keep it in southern Canada for a moment. A few different readers felt like giving new colors to the Toronto Maple Leafs' uniform. Everything but blue.

We'll finish off this week's Freak Out Friday on a fairly obvious route.

Yes, that's the Linux penguin. Can't believe I didn't get that one sooner.

Hope those served up a good laugh, or at the very least made you smile on the inside. And don't forget to send in your Freak Out art for next Friday's post. Enjoy your weekend!

Just To Freak You Out XV

We were a little thin in terms of new Freak Out art this week, so forgive me if today's post is a little light. Still, nothing pleases me more than trying to freak you guys out with some crazy concept art.

As many of you know, the NHL unveiled the 2008 All-Star Game sweaters this week. Reader reaction here was not great. In fact, I got some very Freak Out-worthy concepts based off of those jerseys.

John sent those in along with a few others. You'll be able to find them in the Concepts Gallery this weekend.

We'll keep things moving with the Pittsburgh Penguins next. Each concept here imagines a drastic change. For instance, the first example suggests renaming the team the Pirates — a club that once existed in Pittsburgh during the early years of the NHL.

And the second suggests that the team keep the name but move to Russia.

That silly penguin even looks Russian.

And then, this goes out to all the folks from Quebec. It just doesn't look right. At all.

We'll keep things in the Western Conference now. With all the vanity in the world these days, you had to see this coming.

It seems even the Chicago Blackhawks' Indian head wanted a facelift. Either that or he got the Botox. And don't think I'm ignoring the Bears reference in there.

Next we'll head to Detroit where I'm quite concerned.

I think the grey jersey is an interesting choice, but I don't think an octopus will ever be anything but scary on a Red Wings concept. That tradition should stay off the sweater. Having said that, as a logo itself, it's not bad. But I'm still very, very concerned.

And finally, with Christmas just 39 days away, I thought I'd start my decorating now.

Ho ho ho!

If you've made or run across any concepts you think might be worth posting for Freak Out Friday, don't be shy. Send them along! You can email me at nhllogos@gmail.com.

Just To Freak You Out XIV

It's the end of another work week and we all know what that means — Freak Out Friday! A series, which by the way, has become very popular. So as long as you guys keep sending in crazy crap, I'll keep posting it every week. I'll start things off tonight in New York.

I felt I couldn't properly begin a Freak Out Friday without involving the Buffalo Sabres somehow.

See? This is what happens. What is that anyway? Somebody call Paul Bunyan. We found his ox. Yay.

Easily the most maligned logo in the NHL, imagine the "Buffaslug" on what's been one of the most maligned jerseys here at NHLToL. How much do you guys love this concept right here?

Not that much? Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse. Anyway, while we're on the subject of the Atlanta Thrashers, see if you can endure this monstrosity.

I know that wasn't easy, but don't worry, it's over now. Let's not let this happen again, all right?

Gradients on jerseys is a personal pet peeve of mine. Who was it that thought these looked good?

Oh yeah, those guys did.

Have you ever tried to use red, blue and black together? Here's why you don't.

And here's another reason.

Finally, I'll leave you this evening with one simple concept and a profound statement.

Only you can prevent forest fires.

Until the next time, try not to freak out too much.

Just To Freak You Out XIII

It's lucky number 13 tonight on Freak Out Friday. Hope you guys get weirded out by what I have to share here.

I don't quite know where to begin.

Wow, I don't know what you did to deserve that, but it must've been pretty bad. Now if you're thinking that looks somewhat familiar, consult a post from last month.

And the hits just keep coming. Flames, take a clue from the Thrashers. This is how you do it up if you really want your provincial/state flag on your jersey. The scary part is that half of it is what seems to be the Confederate flag. Yeah, 'cause rednecks and hicks just dig hockey.

All right so let's head up north where they can really claim the sport. Scary thought alert. Imagine the Rangers and Flyers swapping colors.

On second thought, don't. It's too horrible. Speaking of horrible, check out this Rangers jersey concept.

That's what scary is. I know the new EDGE jerseys are supposed to have larger crests, but somewhere a line's been crossed.

Anyway, let's head west. Here's a color combination that doesn't work on a jersey.

The Nashville Predators are a hockey team, not a figure skating team.

Right?

Yikes! That logo. And while we're on the topic of bad logos, consider the following.

Oilers fans, you think you've got it bad now with your half-a-stripe elbows and practice-jersey looks. What if this happened? Don't even think about it too much. Your head will explode.

We'll wrap things up in California now, if you don't mind. And sometimes you have to reintroduce a winner — like the 1996 Mighty Ducks third jersey. Only the Ducks have new colors now.

That is something.

What we're finishing the night off with might be hard to look at. Remember the old Lightning third jerseys from the mid-90s? They had the rain pouring down, lightning bolts down the arms and — the selling point — the wild waves of the bay around the bottom. Well Sharks live in the water.

The waves have been stolen. And so has what little dignity might've been left in the new Florida Panthers uniforms when an attempt to create a San Jose concept went horribly awry. This is what happens when folks have too much time on their hands.

Well I hope you all got freaked out enough on this Freak Out Friday. If not, accept my apologies. Better luck next week. Until then, I'm waiting to see what you guys have in store for me next in terms of crazy artwork. Email it along.

Just To Freak You Out XII

Welcome to the 12th installment of the Freak Out Fridays. Hope you enjoy this one. We'll kick things off with one of the craziest things I have ever seen.

Like the designer said, who needs a logo when you've got municipal and provincial art to plaster across your sweater? And I counted well over 50 stripes on each sweater. I love those right sleeves. So much so that I've gouged out my eyes. The rest of this will be written by touch-typing.

Now keeping it in the Western Conference, check this out.

I guess what troubles me the most is that someone has removed the shark's fin. That's just cruel.

Speaking of cruel...

I dare any league to dress any team in that uniform. Make that a double dare! (Actually, I'm half-expecting to see that duck morph into a dolphin.)

But wait, there's more. Say you're a team looking to blend in with your surroundings. Let's say your hunting ducks, for instance. Might this be a good way to camouflage yourself?

I think it might.

And finally, anybody here watch Conan? One of my favorite segments is "If They Mated." Someone sent in a concept that fits into that category well. What if we mated the Boston Bruins and Chicago Bears (of the NFL for those of us who think football is a waste of time and energy)?

Behold the answer.

I just don't know how I feel now. A little dirty. A little freaked. A little worried about the nightmares I'll have tonight.

Anyway, I hope you guys have enjoyed this Freak Out Friday. Looking forward to finding some great content in my inbox this week for the next episode! You can email me at nhllogos@gmail.com.

Just To Freak You Out XI

Finally! I know I failed you guys yesterday in that Freak Out Friday never came to pass. But perhaps you'll allow me to get away with a Freak Out Saturday. The Everblades game aside, yesterday was a very busy day for me. Not to mention Blogger has been having issues with image uploading, an important piece of this puzzle. Anyway, here goes.

We'll kick things off with the team whose logo was named the champion here at NHLToL — the Montreal Canadiens. Some very strange artwork has made its way to my inbox — and now to your computer screen.

The concept on the left makes use of a little-known logo that the Habs wore back in 1910, prior to the formation of the NHL. As you can see it's on a Thrashers home jersey, which is weird, for more reasons than the light blue. The one on on the right is just as intriguing if not more so. It's a half maple leaf, half fleur-de-lis. And check out the Flames-influenced shoulder patches. The 100-year logo at the bottom is what puts it over the top. Well, then there's that logo of course. And the team name above it.

There just aren't any words for that. Nightmares.

Speaking of nightmares, the Nashville Predators have been trying to get more folks in the building this season so as to avoid something like this from happening.

Somebody really wants a hockey team in Hamilton? Raise your hand if you think that's going to happen. Now keep your hand up if you think they'd wear a jersey like this. Put your hand down. You're looking at a computer screen.

Before I leave Canada, I just got this one emailed to me today. It may be a little harsh that I'm sticking it in the Freak Out post, but it scares me just a little.

I realize I suggested attempting to work Alberta into the logo, but I'm not sure this is the winner. I do like the wordmark part (not as a primary!), but the province is weighing the whole thing down on the left side.

Wow I just had a weird visual. Imagine going on one of those insane diet pills. Maybe they get the formula wrong and you only lose weight on your right side. Sorry, just freaked myself out there. What's going on with me tonight?

Anyway, I know the new Washington Capitals secondary logo has been a big hit, but here's exactly how not to use it.

That's so bad I almost want to see what it would look like on a player. Damn.

Since we're on the subject of really bad, we'll top things off tonight with my team.

I was seriously considering posting this and trying to make you guys guess what team this logo concept was designed for, but I'm not sure you'd ever figure it out. I think the secondary logo is meant to resemble the state flag of Florida. Hmm. But as for the primary, I have no clue what's going on there. However, I have woken up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat with this as the last visual in my brain.

As we inch ever closer to Halloween, the freak-outs seem to be getting more freaky. Thanks to everyone who's sent in work!

And if you have any of your own or have spotted anything crazy out there on the web, feel free to email it to me at nhllogos@gmail.com and I may make it part of next week's Freak Out Friday. (And I plan to actually post it on Friday this time.)

Just To Freak You Out X

It's like watching a trainwreck. It's horrible, but there's just something about it that prevents you from looking away. There's all manner of scary stuff out there and now I'm bringing some of it straight to you on another Freak Out Friday. Here goes.

I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't start with this one.

It shouldn't take you more than a second to realize the designer was trying to offer us something different for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Leafs fans, I really want to hear from you on this one.

We've got a brand new logo with a very prominent "M" worthy of perhaps a place like Minnesota — or Montreal! And that leaf! Don't look it in the eye or it will cut you. Deep.

Even the second shade of blue worries me some. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to feel about this, but let's just say it's not great.

Anyway, I'd like to move along now because I can't take looking at this anymore. There's a point when doing this to a team like the Leafs starts to hurt.

Once again, Leafs fans, please comment.

Speaking of prominent letters in place of actual logos, I've got a pair of concepts from each coast.

Cleverly, though, we can't know exactly what these letters stand for as alliteration was employed to mask it. Is the "S" for San Jose or Sharks? And is the "B" for Boston or Bruins? Perhaps, the ultimate question is why dump perfectly good logos for these two teams in favor of members of the alphabet?

Even more disturbing is that "S" keeps reminding me of the Minnesota North Stars. Make it stop.

Each of those were delivered to me with a road sweater design to match. I wouldn't do that to you, though.

Here's what concerns me, though. I've been send a number of logos which have been converted to red and black for no apparent reason. Do any of these work?

It may be that the blood-in-the-water shark is the scariest one. I do see what's going on, though with the Hurricanes colors on the Whalers logo and the old Sabres colors on the new logo — but that doesn't make it any better.

I'm still worried about the killing to follow.

I'll wrap things up today with the thing that might frighten you the most. Did you ever get to feeling like that Rbk EDGE New York Islanders jersey reminded you of something? Perhaps you couldn't quite put your finger on it. But maybe it evoked feelings of being lost. In the ocean.

One reader thought so and sent in this.

If you wanted to know what they were thinking when designing the new Isles uniforms, now you do. Don't you wish you didn't?

So there it is. Another in the Freak Out series is behind us. I'm looking forward to next week. In the meantime, I await your crazy concept art. You can send it to me at nhllogos@gmail.com.

Just To Freak You Out IX

It's time for another Freak Out Friday! Let's not waste time.

I've had this Buffalo Sabres concept for some time now. I think the idea is that this text would run down the front of the jersey, just like the Rangers.

Cracks me up though. But, hey, nothing says "Buffalo" and "Sabres" more than the city on a skewer. Anybody else getting hungry?

No? Just me?

Moving right along then to one of the scariest bits of artwork ever to grace my inbox.

Aptly titled Thrash Bling, this image frightens me to my very core. What you can't say, though, is that it isn't creative. The things people come up with.

I think the Anaheim Ducks missed an opportunity.

That is one pissed off duck. I think someone splashed him.

You might have to enlarge this next one to grasp its full scope.

I get the octopus thing, but where does it stop exactly? I'm voting for the purple one. Speaking of scary Detroit Red Wings art, look at this.

I mean it's not half bad as far as that goes, but yikes! I think the wings are swallowing the wheel. Poor wheel.

Apologies for the short post this week, guys, but it was a slow week in terms of "freak out" art. Hopefully you guys will send in more for next Friday's installment. Until then...

Freak.

Out.