Wallpaper Wednesday III

It's Wednesday and that means I have wallpapers for you. You guys have been sending in some great stuff, so pick something new to grace your desktop this week.

First, Roberto Luongo's mask won the NHL Tournament of Goalie Masks so one reader designed a wallpaper with that in mind along with the blog's new name.

Plus, for all you Canucks fans, a couple of logo wallpaper options here.

And our friend SnyperP who's been fulfilling some requests has these to share.

That Islanders background is nice, but so are the Leafs and Sharks.

And finally, for Ducks fans, I've got a couple of excellent wallpapers to share.

Giguere looks great (from LightItUp4126 at allducksgraphics.com), but I like the color scheme here for Schneider (from Dark Knight at allducksgraphics.com).

So if I were a Ducks fan, it'd be a toss-up as to which one I went with. Hope you guys enjoyed those. I'll have more next week. And if you've designed any you'd like to share, email them to me at nhllogos@gmail.com.

Just To Freak You Out XXXVI

Time this evening for a Freak Out post. I know you've been waiting eagerly for two long weeks. We'll kick things off in New York. What do you say we mix all three NY clubs? And then do it all over again?

The things people come up with. Now if we head west you might find the odd Mighty Ducks jersey with interesting striping.

But staying out west things only get stranger.

I don't think I even need to say anything about that. It's just weird.

Got a couple of crazy logos to share as well. It's Phoenix — in its mythical sense, I suppose.

To finish off tonight's Freak Out Friday, we'll dive into the Stanley Cup series and look at the only two clubs still playing hockey this season.

Folks often try to "update" the Red Wings logo yet it never seems to take.

I can't imagine why. And I'm all about the powder blue Penguins jerseys allegedly making a return in the fall...

...but make up your mind at least. It's gold or it's blue. It obviously can't be both.

Join me again in two weeks for another edition and keep sending in your freaky artwork and I'll keep posting.

Sharks May Get Black Third Jersey

The San Jose Sharks held their "State of the Sharks" event on Tuesday night. It's essentially an informational session for fans. Sharks President and Chief Executive Officer Greg Jamison addressed the question of a third jersey for next season.

There is a good chance it will be black. It is still being decided on. I can tell you we get input from the fans, staff and the players. The players were very involved in the jerseys for this year. I think the third jersey will be very neat.

That's the same as the rumors that have been going around, so no big surprise. You can see the rest of the story right here.

Thanks to Ben in Sacramento for the tip.

Stars And Sharks Fan Creations

I've got a little bit of concept art for you today. We're doing the Sharks and Stars in honor of their current playoff series. (Though it may not last too much longer if the Stars have their way.)

This first Dallas jersey is a green third that would fit in seamlessly with their current set.

Then we have a full set with a green home sweater and a black alternate.

The alternate looks great with the green shoulder yoke.

And lastly, we've got a San Jose fan design attempting to emulate the pre-Rbk EDGE design scheme.

By the way, I know a number of you have been asking about the Freak Out Friday series. It's not over, I think it's just going to be less frequent. I'm not getting as much crazy artwork as I used to so we're probably just going to have it every other week. Not to worry though, you'll be able to get your fix this Friday. Lots of great stuff on the way!

Oh and be sure to drop in tomorrow to check out the big announcement.

Third Jersey Ideas

I haven't written a concept art post since the weekend so I think we're due. But it's going to be a short one. One reader came up with 13 different jersey designs he'd like to see implemented for various teams at some point in the future.

I told you it'd be short, but we've got 13 different teams covered. Hope you enjoy it.

We've got a Freak Out Friday post coming tomorrow and hopefully some more concepts for the weekend. I've been keeping pretty busy with the Goalie Mask Tournament. Voter turnout is great so far. Keep 'em coming!

We Need A Bigger Boat...

...to hold all these concept graphics.

You know... because there are so many today. Ha ha. Ha.

Ha.

Okay I'll stop. Really, though, lots of San Jose Sharks artwork for you this afternoon. It's my attempt at winning you back after two posts in a row to which many of you responded negatively. And I'm sorry about that. I'm a man of the people and I hear what you're saying. You're saying you want something better. I'll do what I can.

I love that shield logo. (So much I'd consider marrying it if that were legal in my state.) But I also like the teal sleeves on the black jersey in general. I'd call it a serious contender for a third jersey design but then again that's not my decision to make.

There are other options.

I like the all black shark but the contrast isn't there. You need contrast to have a good logo. (I might be lying about that.)

The design on the right shows how things could work if we drop the orange. Personally I'm a fan. It adds a little something, but then you're talking to a guy who can't fathom yellow (or red for that matter) being introduced into the Lightning's logo — a topic I assure has been discussed in the past.

But getting back to the contrast thing. You could fix that problem with grey instead.

It's really not a bad idea but spare me the piping on the white jersey. At least let it serve as a border to something but don't just go willy-nilly putting it anywhere and everywhere.

Am I writing too much? Logos! That's right, I have more.

It's hard not to like that one in the circle. I'm less impressed by the triangle. Still, if you wanted to throw out the rules of visual balance altogether, try to endure this.

Though as I joke, I mean nothing bad toward these designs. They're all good. Obviously I didn't post everything I had but I felt these would represent the cream of that particular crop.

I'm interested now to see how you guys react. I think I can only write so many more bad posts before you all come to the realization of the scam I'm running and jet for the nearest exit. (Kidding, of course.) Bantering is difficult when you're all by yourself.

What do you guys think of the San Jose Sharks, anyway? Cup contenders or are they destined to the fate of the Ottawa Senators? (Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the Sens but those guys absolutely implode come April.)

Rumors On Alternates

I've gotten several emails about a message board post propagating rumors about the new crop of third jerseys to be introduced for the 2008-09 season. With few reports being confirmed by the actual teams, I thought these might at least be interesting enough to discuss here. They may even produce some new ideas for concept art.

Atlanta Thrashers
Word is the new sweaters will incorporate more maroon like the original dark jerseys. I don't know if this means the sweater itself will be maroon or rather navy more along the lines of that original jersey.

Boston Bruins
We've actually seen the black jerseys already which will feature the BRUINS version of the secondary logo found on the shoulders of the current jerseys. The jersey features the primary logo on the shoulders. Of the two "finalists" we saw, one includes a gold stripe around the bottom while the other does not.

Buffalo Sabres
This isn't really news, but the Sabres will supposedly return to the blue vintage sweaters like the ones they wore last year. We've heard that there's the possibility of some slight alterations, but I wouldn't expect much.

Carolina Hurricanes
Rumor has it the new 'Canes third will be black with the secondary logo on the front. You know the one with the tropical storm flag blowing in the wind. Sounds pretty good. I'd like to see a mock up. One would also expect to see the primary logo on the shoulders.

Chicago Blackhawks
Supposedly, the 'Hawks will resurrect the black sweater they've been wearing as a third jersey for years. No surprises here but I can't say I wouldn't be disappointed if they didn't attempt to make a few tweaks to it.

Dallas Stars
Interestingly, rumor suggests that the new Stars alternate will be a white version of the current black one. You know, with DALLAS written across the front. I'm a fan of one jersey like that. But let's not start in with turning the NHL into the NBA.

Edmonton Oilers
We're being told it's a vintage design with laces at the collar. That sounds absolutely amazing, especially when compared with the travesty visited upon the Oil this season. But this could just be wishful thinking.

Los Angeles Kings
We're speculating that the Kings will return to the purple sweater from last season with the coat of arms logo. Of course the author of the rumors being discussed here suggested the jersey may be black. We'll have to see, but my money's on purple.

Minnesota Wild
You'd think they can't go wrong with a green sweater, but then word is it will have MINNESOTA plastered across the front a la the New York Rangers or Colorado Avalanche. That may not sound impressive, but the Wild have a history of creating vintage-looking thirds that are really killer. I'll hold my judgment until I see it.

New York Islanders
Evidently we should expect a vintage design. Something I'm surprised they didn't go with when unveiling their new Rbk EDGE sweaters over the summer. I'm not really disappointed the orange won't be making a comeback.

Ottawa Senators
I hope this rumor isn't true. Apparently they're going with a gold sweater — you read that right — with SENS written across the front. I don't know if this is more in the vein of the Stars or Rangers. Time will tell. But just let it not be gold. I wouldn't even wish that on the Stars.

Philadelphia Flyers
The team has already told us to expect an orange sweater. What they didn't mention is whether it will be an altered version of the current design or a vintage throwback. Rumor suggests the latter.

Phoenix Coyotes
Opting for a new alternate logo, it sounds like they may be going with a full-body coyote on the front of a black sweater. I think a black jersey will go well with the brick/sand color combination. This one I'm looking forward to seeing.

Pittsburgh Penguins
The team has all but confirmed already that they'll go with the same design they wore for the Winter Classic two months ago. You can't really go wrong with that one. Vintage quality at its finest.

San Jose Sharks
We're likely looking at a black version of the current uniforms. I know a lot of folks dislike the orange. I personally don't mind it. However, how cool would it be if they went with a black/grey/white jersey with some teal piping/lining? And I'll go ahead and put my vote in for the full-body shark like you see on the shoulders of the current sweaters.

St. Louis Blues
We know all about St. Louis already from the team higher-ups. They're talking about a navy sweater with a brand new logo featuring the Gateway Arch. In fact, I have some great concepts to share later with this logo alteration in mind.

Tampa Bay Lightning
The rumors I'm reading scare me because, as a Lightning fan, I'd hate to see this happen. Supposedly the new third will be navy (so far so good) with BOLTS written across the front (there's where you lose me). Sounds an awful like what's going on with the Senators. Read above.

Toronto Maple Leafs
Likely a white vintage design will make its way onto the backs of Leaf players. Probably with the old leaf logo as well. This wouldn't surprise me and sure wouldn't disappoint. Looking forward to it, as a matter of fact.

Vancouver Canucks
It's rumored that a vintage design — I'm guessing blue — is in the works. I like the stick-in-the-rink jerseys as much as anybody, but I would not be surprised to see a completely new design with the newly introduced Johnny Canuck logo. It's a chance that's too good to pass up for a team in the midst of a serious identity crisis.

By the way, that leaves 11 teams without third jersey rumors here. In case you're wondering, those teams not accounted for are the Devils, Rangers, Canadiens, Panthers, Capitals, Blue Jackets, Red Wings, Predators, Flames, Avalanche, and Ducks (who frankly, could really use one).

That's all I've got for you tonight. I've got concept art based on the rumors for the Wild, Blues, Flyers and others, but I'll save that for later on. I'll try to get it posted this week while I'm on my trip.

In the meantime, allow your imaginations to run wild and, you know, feel free to play around in Photoshop and send me whatever you come up with. I can post it here and who knows, maybe you'll even guess correct.

Odd, Unique Logo Designs

Tonight's post is dedicated to those of you who've used your imagination to create entirely new logos for your favorite teams.

We begin in Anaheim with a neat logo design I featured earlier this month. Prepare yourself. It's very purple.

Next to it is a Sharks concept that probably should never been seen by anyone — ever. But I thought it could at least serve as just one more reason why teams should definitely not do this. I thought it was all right for the Stars as a one-of-a-kind sort of deal. But the all-star jerseys this year worried me.

Moving on to Canada now, here's a Canadiens sweater with an interesting new secondary logo created by a reader some time ago.

It probably needs the fleur-de-lis in white, but otherwise it's a really cool, symbolic logo.

Now to Hartford, where someone has created a new brand for a team called the Whales. (Not to be confused with the Whalers despite the logos seen here.)

Those are some pretty snazzy jerseys. (Yes I said snazzy. What?) I like the "H" logo but the "W" logo is more effective with that hidden "H."

Next is a simply Panthers design.

I'm not really a fan of letter logos in cases like this. Put the "FP" on the shoulders and the panther head on the crest, that's what I say. But what does my opinion really matter?

And finally — you know I've gotta do it — in preparation for my trip to Vancouver, here's a new logo design for the Canucks.

I hate to be mean, but I'll come right out and say I don't like it. Ever since I saw the new Johnny Canuck logo, I haven't been able to imagine another symbol that would work better for that club. Still, no idea's too dumb to put out there, right?

Don't forget to go cast a vote at ToHL for which CHL league goes first when the new tournament begins on March 14. And if you're wondering, I haven't yet decided what tournament will follow the Quest For The Worst here at NHLToL. I'll keep you posted.

Just To Freak You Out XXVIII

This is the 28th installment of the Freak Out series and the 1,002nd post of the blog. It's Friday, everybody! And you know what that means.

I feel this needs no explanation.

Yes, it's that bad of an idea. And believe it or not, it gets worse.

I don't know how anyone could consider corporate sponsorships which manifest on the uniforms.

Anyway, there's also some third jersey fun to freak you out. If you're the Blues, I'll tell you what you don't do. You don't wear a yellow jersey.

The Blues.

And for the Canadiens, I like the red sweater with the blue shoulders, but I'm not sure the white one is the way to go here.

Also, I'll throw in an "If They Mated" logo, matching up the Kings and Sharks.

It may be a terrible idea, but it's extremely creative and I love that.

And for good measure, here's a plethora of concept art based on the notion of creating jerseys with two colors — split down the middle.

Everybody's covered and they're all worth a look, most notably the Bruins, Red Wings, Islanders, Rangers, Canucks and Capitals. That's some pretty intense craziness right there.

Have a great weekend, all!

1000 Posts!

That's right, this post I'm writing here is my 1,000th! I began this blog on May 9 and as of today, it now has a thousand posts. I'm very proud and as always, I'm more than appreciative of you guys for continuing to drop in. Obviously, you all are the reason I keep doing this. So as a thank you, I have some third jersey news.

Well, it's not so much news as concept art. It's all the ideas we've had for next season's new third jerseys... visualized! I'll begin with our friend Gary who's emailed in every other week or so since way back in October. He came up with designs for most of the teams we're expecting to see thirds from in the fall.

Vancouver's all right. Needs more of a forest green. Chicago, San Jose and Ottawa are pretty much what I'd expect. I like the 2D logo on the Sens jersey. Nice touch. We already know the Blues will have a new logo for their third. The desert scene didn't work out to well for the Coyotes last time so I doubt they'll try it again. And I like the idea of using the Hurricanes' secondary logo as the crest.

The Islanders and Lightning designs meet expectations, but the rest are a little out there if you ask me. I can't see the Kings bringing back the gold anytime soon. They'll probably stick with silver and black. The Stars sweater is interesting but could use some work. I like the green. Speaking of green, I can't imagine the Wild using that wordmark as a crest. I'd expect to see the bear head and a much cleaner design more along the lines of the current road jersey.

Among that list but not included in Gary's designs were Thrashers and Maple Leafs. Other readers came up with some good designs for them. First, a white version of Atlanta's home sweater.

It's nice but I can't see the Thrashers adding another white jersey — especially as an alternate. As for the Leafs, we've got a lot to consider.

When you think Toronto third, you automatically think vintage/retro/throwback. These fit that bill quite well.

Anyway, I also had a lot of submissions dealing in black. For instance, take the Senators jersey above, painted on Cory Stillman.

Also a black version of a jersey with the new Johnny Canuck logo.

And a black Stars sweater with the Texas state logo.

Personally, I'm more a fan of this green version.

And finally, we'll look at a team who hasn't said a word about a third jersey in the future, but one for which it could work unbelievably well — the Washington Capitals. Imagine a uniform set that looked like this.

Now those are some nicely designed jerseys.

Remember, if you've got some quality work you'd like me to post, send it along to nhllogos@gmail.com.