Strauss NHL Rebrand VI

It's been about six weeks since the last edition of Elliott Strauss' NHL rebranding series. And just when you almost forgot about it, it's time to finish it up!

If this is new to you, catch up here. In a nutshell, Elliott set out with some specific goals in mind when he began this series back in November: lose the uglier elements of the Reebok Edge jerseys, create some new modern designs and make sure every team has a distinct identity, and keep in line with tradition when appropriate.

Having said that, let's kick off the second half of the Strauss NHL Rebrand series, as promised, with the Colorado Avalanche. Elliott's own descriptions appear in bold text.

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Elliott Strauss	I dropped a color, added a color, and darkened a color here, as the scheme moves from maroon/medium blue/black/silver to maroon/navy/light blue/silver. I simplified the primary logo and changed some colors, and while it's not too different when at first glance, compare it to the current logo. On the uniforms, I tried for a modern yet somewhat chaotic look with movement that the nickname implies. The alternate is a darker, less contrasting uniform with a new take on the familiar diagonal wordmark. One of the best things about these uniforms is the number style. And the striping isn't bad either. He's given the Avs an incredible look without really changing much.
Elliott Strauss	The logo is tweaked to modernize the classic Blue Note. I rearranged the colors a bit to make the yellow pop a lot more. The navy logo on blue and blue logo on white does not change, but the numbers now match this theme. The yellow slashes on the home/away and pants mimic the Gateway Arch, a motif which is featured on the shoulders and alternate crest. I brought back the music staff with accents of yellow on the sleeves. Another great set with a couple of minor flaws. I think the Blue Note under the Arch looks fantastic. Unfortunately, within the logo itself, that sharp point toward the bottom just sticks out in the worst way. Clean things up in there and you have a concept waiting for NHL approval.
Elliott Strauss	I put my own spin on the current primary, simplifying and making it more symmetrical. One thing that is bothersome about their identity is the lack of a double flag flying on the secondary to indicate a hurricane as opposed to tropical storm. Here we see that on the CH logo. These unis ended up being some of my least favorite in the series and I had another more classic jersey design but I scrapped it at the last second for this. The font is custom and the alternate is pretty simple. Gut reaction: Elliott knocked this one out of the park. He says he's unsure of the uniforms, but I'm impressed. They take some of the best elements from the Hurricanes' present look and improve upon the rest. And the new logos are just amazing.

Based on this, I'd say the second half of Elliott's NHL rebrand series looks quite promising. Next edition in about a week. In the meantime, we should have some concepts coming based on some of what's in my JerseyWatch post from the blog.

Midwest Modifications

It's Super Bowl Sunday so that means a super-sized concept post. (Also I haven't put up anything new since Wednesday, so I owe you.) Normally I'd make the big game the theme, but as there are no NHL franchises in Indiana or Louisiana, we'll have to settle for the Central Division.

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Matt Marczel	Lately, I've been seeing a lot of great Blackhawks concept art. This one has to be one of my favorites. Matt has ditched white for "vintage white" and it's made all the difference. I love the color combination and the use of color in this uniform set. He's got home/road/third jersey, in that order, and I have to say the third may be the best. If that was ever a real NHL sweater, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. No question. Very nice work here, Matt!
Brad McPelican	One thing you don't seen an awful lot of in hockey is striped shoulder yokes, the assumption being that it would look terrible. I think this design proves the opposite. I think Brad's design is a winner right up until the third jersey. I just don't think that trumpet logo ever worked for the Blues. Just wasn't meant to be. I think the Blue Note represents the club much better than a literal logo. So what about the third jersey then?
Mike Bell	Mike has this to offer and I think he hit the nail on the head. Throwbacks work for some teams and not others. For example, it was bad news for the Flyers at the Winter Classic but good news for the Blackhawks at the Winter Classic. The Blues would look great in those vintage colors and stylings. All we need is that nameplate.
Ryan Haslett	But if your idea of a third jersey is something completely different, Ryan has the answer. I didn't think I'd like a gold Blues jersey. This has changed my mind. Great colors and striping. That is a hockey sweater.
Jeff Kennedy	One team that has struggled with their identity for the last decade — no, not the Canucks — is the Blue Jackets. I think they've finally settled on a good solid look. So that's a plus. What they don't have yet is a third jersey, so Jeff has taken it upon himself to put forth a couple ideas. They're certainly unique, but I'm not sure I'm sold on these.
Josh Gagnon	So how about this one? Many of you will say you don't like the sweater number on the front, but it is presented in a unique way. However, I'm not sure the vintage white works with such bright shades of blue and red. Maybe something a bit muted. To be sure, the last thing the Jackets need is to introduce yet another new jersey logo. So we'll just wait and see if 2010-11 is the year the alternate uniform returns to Ohio's capital.
Ryan Haslett	We can't leave out the winningest team in the Central Division. Ryan's made some minor changes to the Red Wings' unis. Not sure about the shoulder piping or the repetition of the winged wheel, but the rest of the striping works.
Matt McElroy	We'll finish off the division with the Predators. Actually, Matt has given us simplified jerseys and primary logos for both the Preds and the Wild. It sort of works for the Wild, but the saber-toothed tiger just looks washed out. And the jerseys may be a little too simple. But let this final graphic today serve as a bit of foreshadowing to the next concept post.

I'll have new artwork up in a day or two featuring the self-proclaimed State of Hockey.