JerseyWatch Concepts

In today's brand new concept post, we take a look at what's in store for the 2010-11 season. The following designs are what Icethetics artists came up with based on descriptions in the initial JerseyWatch 2010 post.

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A.J. Bloomquist	One concept that caused a stir after the JerseyWatch post went live was this one by A.J. He posted his work on Sabres' message board months ago. The crest, a script similar to what was described to me, is taken from the old logo of the Buffalo Bisons of the AHL. A.J. submitted a clean version of his concept so we could all get a good look at it. And who wouldn't love to see Buffalo paying tribute to their town's hockey history on their 40th anniversary?
Jeff Wozniak	Similarly, Jeff sent in his understanding of the rumored new script crest. But this veers pretty far from what I was originally told — which is that it's basically a baseball-type script with the 1970s logo positioned in the tail. Still, that was just a preliminary concept and things can change. So Jeff may be right on the scent.
Doug Graham	The Penguins are also big news right now. Word from Reebok is they're launching a new alternate sweater for 2010, not to mention all the rumors that the Pens will see action in their second Winter Classic in four years. Doug's concept is based on the rumor that the Penguins will dig up another blue jersey from their past. He could be on the right track with this. I could see them making it the home jersey one day.
Tony Galiffo	The Blue Jackets will allegedly be debuting a new third jersey in the fall. The team has said it will feature a cannon as its primary emblem. So Tony's incorporated that as well as his own little tribute to the old Cleveland Barons, who wore large patches shaped like Ohio on their sleeves.
Michael Lapsley	Michael tackled a couple of JerseyWatch rumors. The Maple Leafs will be putting stripes and shoulder patches back on their mostly-plain jerseys next season. This is more than likely what we should expect to see — unless the Leafs design a brand new shoulder patch.
Michael Lapsley	And the Ducks are on the list to add a new third jersey in 2010. Absolutely no details have circulated as of yet, but Michael's thinking they go with an orange sweater with the webbed D front and center on the chest. He's done some nice work but I kind of hope he's wrong. I'd like to see the Ducks introduce a new logo with this alternate sweater. Maybe something that actually resembles a duck wouldn't be too much to ask?

Our NHL rebrand series continues with Part 7 this weekend!

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.

Concepts Out of Thin Air

We head to the Mile High City for the latest batch of concepts. Enjoy this Colorado Avalanche artwork.

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Matthew Duke	At first glance, Matthew's concept may look like one for the old Colorado Rockies club. But look closer. It's all about the Avs. It's a unique design with a new color added. Should it replace what is arguably one of the best logos in all of hockey? Of course not. But I could see it gaining a following as an alternate. Maybe not the white one. I prefer the way the striping works on the burgundy sweater. Shameless promotion for Matthew: He's got a Carolina Hurricanes concept that will knock your socks off. I'll try to get it posted soon.
Ryan Haslett	I'm not sure that removing the classic "A" logo is the way to go about making an improved Avs jersey concept, but what Ryan has isn't half bad. Plus, the Caps-inspired sleeve design gives the effect of snow-covered mountains. And I have been enjoying watching Colorado play in blue.
Glen Cuthbert	But if you do have to replace the crest, I certainly don't think diagonal text is a good thing. The sasquatch footprint, however, could be a keeper. Glen has placed it on the original Avs third jersey for us.
Brian Brideau	Perhaps the real solution is just to fix the striping on the Avalanche's home and road sweaters. Is Brian's Phoenix-style concept the cure-all? Maybe not, but it's a step in the right direction. Why not just go back to the original look from 1995? Don't let Reebok stand in your way.
Jeff Wozniak	Finally, as we wait for word on the locale(s) for the 2011 Winter Classic, Icethetics artists are more than glad to throw in their opinions. Jeff pits the Avalanche, dressed as the Quebec Nordiques, against the Montreal Canadiens in the epic Battle of Quebec. Who wouldn't love to see that old Nordiques logo back on NHL ice? This would be a cool match-up for a Canadian game. Any other outdoor match-ups you'd like to see?

Hope you liked those Avs concepts. Our creative designers work very hard. Up next: Elliott Strauss' NHL rebranding series returns this week! And, as a perfect segue, it starts in Colorado.