Islanders vs Penguins

	vs
ISLANDERS		PENGUINS
1-10		2-7

The Aesthetics
Look both of these logos have annoying hockey sticks in them! No, but it's cool. I'm giving the Penguins this point for not writing out the entire team name within the logo. It also wouldn't hurt if the Islanders logo lost that puck. People mocked the fisherman guy, but that was actually a clever logo from back in the '90s.
Penguins

The Nickname
Islanders are people and people are the dominant predator on the planet. They don't Penguins but that doesn't make the little guys safe.
Islanders

The Analysis
I'm a fan of the outline of Long Island in the background of the Islanders logo, but I've recently been informed of the deep ties that elements of the Penguiins logo have to the city of Pittsburgh. Despite the fact that it's not easily recognizable to anyone not from Pittsburgh, I think it's more important that the logo means something to the home town crowd. And apparently it does.
Penguins

WINNER

2-1

 

Wild vs Avalanche

	vs
WILD		AVALANCHE
11-0		9-1

The Aesthetics
I've been dreading this match. How do you decide between two of the league's best logos? And while not everyone will agree with me, for now I'm the one having to decide. I'm going to go with the Avalanche logo but I can't really explain why. Just accept it.
Avalanche

The Nickname
If we assume the Wild is a forest and all the life that's part of it, then an Avalanche has the upper hand. The falling snow would completely take out everything.
Avalanche

The Analysis
This is where the Wild can truly earn a point. It's impossible to look at that logo and not see something different every time. You've got so many different things going on that it makes for a logo that's always interesting to look at — not to say that the Avalanche logo doesn't, but you can't expect to sweep a logo that looks that cool.
Wild

WINNER

2-1

 

Hurricanes vs Maple Leafs

	vs
HURRICANES		MAPLE LEAFS
9-1		1-10

The Aesthetics
I know I continue to disappoint Maple Leafs fans for my lack of love for their logo, but I like pictures. The symbol on a jersey should be just that — a symbol. And while I think the leaf by itself is a little too boring to be its own logo, there's plenty that can be done to improve it. Or at least that's what I'm telling people. The Hurricanes logo is a cool one — a symbol for a jersey.
Hurricanes

The Nickname
This one pretty much writes itself. The winds of a Hurricane would blow all the Maple Leafs away.
Hurricanes

The Analysis
Now my distaste for the spelled out name on the maple leaf doesn't extend to this category. The reason I think it deserves this point over the Hurricanes is that the 'Canes logo lacks a good representation of the Carolinas, while the leaf is the very symbol of Canada itself and you can't really beat that.
Maple Leafs

WINNER

2-1

 

Stars vs Wild

	vs
STARS		WILD
5-4		10-0

The Aesthetics
These two logos seem to share a few colors. It makes the red in the Wild logo really stand out. But as far as who takes the point in this category, I think you already know who I'm going to pick. I really do think there are was of improving the Stars logo if you remove all the lettering from it. I like the star itself, though I admit it would look a little bare on its own. I've heard tale of a new Stars logo to be unveiled this summer. So we'll wait and see what happens.
Wild

The Nickname
What seems to keep working for the Stars is the fact that one is a giant ball of fire that you couldn't possibly imagine up close. Even the Wild would be consumed by its ferocity.
Stars

The Analysis
Now this one is harder for me, because it could almost go either way. The big "lone star" has Texas written all over it (I say that despite Dallas actually being written right there). The Wild logo continues to amaze me with all of its ingeniously combined elements. I wanted to give the Stars logo this point, but I can't in good conscience take it away from a logo this good. It's even got the "north star" as a tribute to Minnesota's hockey history. It was a close one, though.
Wild

WINNER

2-1

 

Lightning vs Canadiens

	vs
LIGHTNING		CANADIENS
5-5		7-3

The Aesthetics
Man, I'm starting to get too predictable. If it's got words, count it out. But wait! Do I have a surprise for you! You see, the Canadiens logo is all letters — a "C" and an "H" — while the Lightning logo may have the team name, it actually has a graphic symbol of a lightning bolt. Try to resist the temptation of calling me biased. My team's logo sucks and is performing as such in this tournament.
Lightning

The Nickname
Imagine being a Canadien walking down the street only to then be struck by Lightning. That would hurt.
Lightning

The Analysis
I've been getting conflicting reports from visitors to the blog over whether the "H" in the Canadiens logo stands for "hockey" or "Habs" — as in Les Habitants. Unfortunately for me, neither visitor has identified himself as a sports or hockey historian leaving me with no real answers. (One even asked to get my facts straight at Wikipedia of all places.) Regardless, I think the "H" is cool. I think it's cool that it could stand for either one of those things — or both. There's nothing that cool about the Lightning logo. No sweep.
Canadiens

WINNER

2-1

 

Ducks vs Flames

	vs
DUCKS		FLAMES
1-10		8-1

The Aesthetics
Is it wrong of me to keep hating on the Ducks logo? I like the colors but the wordmark just rubs me the wrong way as far as crests go. Meanwhile, the flaming "C" continues to impress... me. Let's clean things up on the Ducks side and make the duck foot the primary and lose the rest of the letters. Then maybe they'll have a real shot in this competition.
Flames

The Nickname
What do you get when you cross a Duck and a Flame? Dinner. (You knew I was going there.)
Flames

The Analysis
For many teams, I understand it's a difficult task to find some way to represent the home city visually in a way that would be universally recognizable. Anaheim and Calgary are two such cities I would lump in that category. So instead, I'm looking at the basics. Do we see ducks and do we see flames? In fact, I do see flames attached to a "C" meant to do its best job of representing both Calgary and even Canada. As far as ducks, all I see is a footprint, meaning that duck was there. Or it's just a duck foot indicating to me what was left after the stew was made.
Flames

WINNER

3-0

 

Canucks vs Ducks

	vs
CANUCKS		DUCKS
4-6		1-9

The Aesthetics
This is easy. The wordmark the Ducks are claiming is a logo... isnt. Meanwhile, the color combination in the Canucks logo is cool, not that the Ducks colors aren't — but they need a better logo.
Canucks

The Nickname
If he was a good shot, a Canuck might be able to successfully hunt a Duck.
Canucks

The Analysis
Aside from the "C" formed the logo itself, the Canucks logo doesn't do much to represent the very team name it's meant to — but neither does the Ducks logo. A webbed duck foot in the form of a "D" isn't enough of a saving grace for this logo. And it gets swept again.
Canucks

WINNER

3-0

 

Panthers vs Hurricanes

	vs
PANTHERS		HURRICANES
9-1		9-0

The Aesthetics
These two logos lead the Southeast Division and sit among the top 5 in the league at this late point in the tournament. The Hurricanes logo has managed to fare perfect so far in this category. But that ends today. There's little doubt that the 'Canes have a strong logo, but the Panthers logo almost literally jumps out at you. It's got a great color combination and a fiercec look.
Panthers

The Nickname
A Hurricane is Mother Nature's way of taking out her aggression. To her, a Panther is just another cat with nowhere to hide.
Hurricanes

The Analysis
It all comes down to the analysis. Despite the detail when you get up close to it, nothing about the Panthers logo is lost when you have to view it with less detail. The Hurricanes logo is simple and even works in a subtle puck as the storm's eye — something I really like. Then there's the fact that both teams are so appropriately named that there's no need to reference the home city specifically in the logo. It all comes down to the shape, now. I would like the Hurricanes logo even more if it were more circular. The oval shape makes the puck fit well, but there's no reason you couldn't be looking at the puck from above rather than at an angle. This logo is finally dealt a hit as it loses its first match.
Panthers

WINNER

2-1

 

Wild vs Predators

	vs
WILD		PREDATORS
9-0		7-4

The Aesthetics
These are two teams still working on their first decade in the NHL — though if certain billionaires have their way, the Preds won't make it beyond ten years. The most noticeable thing about these two logos is their similarities in shape. There are very distinct triangles make up the heads of some rather vicious animals. I think they are two of the league's best and that shows in the standings. Still, I think the Predators logo could use a little less minutia and final a real focus for the color scheme. The Wild logo already has all of that.
Wild

The Nickname
You might say a Predator is the king of the Wild, catching prey and dispatching of it.
Predators

The Analysis
By now, you already know the story of how the Predators got their name. Unfortunately, there's no sign of the city of Nashville in the logo, so it will be very easily transferred to Hamilton, er Kansas City, er... screw it. Anyway, I've also already talked in length about the greatness of the Wild logo in its ability to work in so much in such a small space.
Wild

WINNER

2-1

 

Sabres vs Lightning

	vs
SABRES		LIGHTNING
5-3		4-5

The Aesthetics
I don't think this requires a whole lot of scrutiny. The Sabres logo obviously is a much better-looking logo than the Lightning's. If you need an explanation, try and see past all the words in the Lightning logo. Bet you can't.
Sabres

The Nickname
You know, metal is a good conductor of electricity. Still, a bolt of Lightning would fry even the toughest of Sabres.
Lightning

The Analysis
All this time I've been saying that the logo for a team called the "Sabres" conspicuously lacks, you know, a sabre. Turns out, I've been wrong all this time. A reader here recently pointed out to me that there is in fact a very subtle sword across the side of the buffalo. The white horn is the handle and the blue stripe protruding from it is the blade. I think that's really cool. However! It's the name of the team. It shouldn't be subtle. It should be right out there in the open. Make the buffalo subtle. At least there's a lightning bolt in the Lightning logo.
Lightning

WINNER

2-1