Friday, December 21, 2007

Coming Soon: The NHL's Worst Logo!

All right, yes, it may say in the header of this blog that we're on a quest to find the "best" logo in the NHL, but by popular demand, we're going to digress from that a little in the new year.

Following the Secondary Logo Tournament, we'll ring in 2008 by deciding on the worst logo in NHL history. And you will determine which logos will be part of the new bracket!

Here's how it's going to work. We'll start with a pool of 16 logos and narrow that down to the very worst ever seen in the league. Those 16 logos will be determined by nominations made by you, the readers of NHLToL. Feel free to make nominations by leaving comments. (But only comment on THIS POST. Don't email me directly and don't make your nominations on other posts. This is where I'll be looking.) I'll start tallying things up over the next few weeks and then reveal the final bracket in January.

Now as with any good competition, we have to have some ground rules. The only eligible logos include those in use from 1967-68 onward (the year the league expanded from the Original Six). While some of you may not like this limitation, I think it's fair to say that many of the NHL logos that made appearances in the 1920s and '30s aren't really up to par in terms of design as those created in the last 50 years.

Feel free to argue that point with me, though. I'm willing to do whatever you guys want, within reason, but why needlessly poke fun at the Hamilton Tigers, Philadelphia Quakers and St. Louis Eagles (and others) just because they weren't into hiring graphic designers in those days? I'm all about a fair fight.

So having said that, everything else that's ever been worn on a jersey is fair game. Primary logos, secondary (shoulder) logos, third jersey logos — whatever! You guys make your nominations here and in a few weeks we'll have our pool. Also, if you opt to nominate a more obscure logo, be sure to include an image link so that we can see it. If it's really obscure, I can't guarantee I'll be able to include it, but don't let that stop you.

Now start the nominations!

84 comments:

  1. I nominate the Buffalo Sabres' primary logo that is currently in use, commonly known as the "buffaslug" or "slugalo".

    ReplyDelete
  2. The California Seals.

    Check out their wikipedia page for it. Gruesome.

    ReplyDelete
  3. the blue jackets bee logo..

    you know, this one.

    http://bluejacketshockey.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/logo1.gif

    ew.

    ReplyDelete
  4. for some reason the link didn't post all the way.. I don't know why

    ReplyDelete
  5. I nominate the New York Fishsticks logo and the Vancouver Spaghetti Plates logo!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Phoenix cubik coyotes logo..
    you know the first one that look like it was drawn by Picasso.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anaheim Mighty Ducks
    Colorado Rockies
    Kansas City Scouts
    Winnipeg Jets 79-90
    And LA Kings 67-82

    ReplyDelete
  8. Dallas Stars Mooterus!! What were they thinking!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Yes! From what Larry Quinn and Co. hope fans would believe as a "Stylized Charging Bison" I second the nomination of the:

    Slug
    Rabid Squirrel
    Charging Poop smear
    Possessed Chipmunk
    Donald Trump hair piece
    Racoon hat

    and

    Angry horned yellow penis.

    ReplyDelete
  10. colorado rockies
    quebec nordiques
    california golden seals
    Boston Bruins(bear head 3rd jersey)
    vancouver canucks (V logo)
    kansas city scouts

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow, so many possibilities.

    Boston's bear head
    Calgary's horse head
    Dallas' Mooterus
    LA's grumpy purple king
    Nashville's 3/4 face tiger
    Philly's skinny, shiny P
    Anaheim's ice-bursting duck goalie
    (Huh, all from 3rd jerseys.)

    Also
    California/Oakland's seal
    Colorado Rockies' Mountain
    Quebec's ...N? Is it supposed to be an N?
    And if the Vancouver V-neck counts as a logo, then definitely that one too

    Should be a good tournament, but a worst jersey contest would be even better. There have been some really miserable jerseys in the NHL.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Slug of course

    Scouts

    Seals (OMG)

    Blue jackets bee

    Boston bear head

    Colorado rockies (mountain=ugh)

    PUCKY the whale (terrible)

    Ugly king head of kings third

    Ugly Mighty Ducks third

    Vancouver stick (c'mon it's terrible...)

    Colorado Rockies shoulder patch (PAC-MAN)

    Atlanta thrashers soup cup

    Pittsburgh first skating pen


    I vote Pucky the whale as a terrible shoulder patch

    ReplyDelete
  13. i have one more logo i forgot:
    Anaheim Ducks jersey 06-08

    ReplyDelete
  14. The Blues logo with the trumpet is pretty bad.
    http://sportslogos.net/logo.php?id=6750

    This Bruins logo is absolutely terrifying:
    http://sportslogos.net/logo.php?id=222

    ReplyDelete
  15. Can I ask that the current Blackhawks logo make it on there? I just really don't like it.

    And definitely Mooterus.

    What about logos that didn't actually make it to the ice? As a Sens fan I'm ashamed to admit we had a logo before the Roman... I don't want to talk about it any more than that...

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anaheim Mighty Ducks primary
    California Golden Seals 70-74
    Anaheim Ducks
    Boston Bruins' Bear Head 96-07
    Colorado's Bigfoot logo
    Edmonton Oilers' current logo
    Oilers' oil worker logo
    Predators' front facing tiger
    Islanders' logo 95-97
    Penguins' first logo
    Blues' logo 87-98
    Lightning's logo 92-07


    Also, why does everyone hate the Colorado Rockies logo?

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'd have to go with the original Mighty Ducks logo. (Then again, their current logo isn't much better)

    ReplyDelete
  18. chicago blackhawks logo
    thats right...I hate it

    ReplyDelete
  19. i nominate the st. louis trumpet logos

    ReplyDelete
  20. Man, I forgot about Pucky the Whale. That one's tough to beat. And they named it Pucky! Amazing.

    The St Louis trumpet was pretty bad too. The Blues never should have worn red.

    ReplyDelete
  21. "Also, why does everyone hate the Colorado Rockies logo?"

    It was a VERY simple Copy & Paste of the State Of Colorado flag...just put that white outline of the mountain over the flag and BOOM! There's your logo!

    I nominate:

    -Atlanta Thrashers Primary (What the hell is the thrasher in!?)

    -Pucky The Whale (Uhh...where'd that "ERS" come from!?)

    -Mooterus (Musta been a really big PR disaster for the Stars)

    -Burger King (the Angry Purple King!)

    That is all from me...

    - Jordon

    ReplyDelete
  22. sabres 'buffaslug'
    sabres 'mad cow or goat'
    dallas 'mooterus'
    blue jackets bug
    oakland seals
    mighty ducks 3rd jersey logo
    nashville 3rd jersey logo
    carolina's 'toilet bowl swirl'
    thrasher's 't'
    calgary's 'horse with severe sinus problems'
    capital's original "logo" - boring.
    nyi's 'captain highliner'

    there's nothing wrong with the rockies logo or the original coyotes logo; they are pretty good original logos. also, long live the vancouver 'v'

    ReplyDelete
  23. The Mighty Ducks' awful cartoon third jersey logo has be be in this. And "win."

    ReplyDelete
  24. -Unused Nordiques
    -Calgary Robosaurus Horse
    -Bruins Bear Head 1
    -Creepy Predators skull
    -Flyers "Web 2.0" edition

    ReplyDelete
  25. hey hey hey

    lets leave pucky the whale out of this one...

    ReplyDelete
  26. Quebec Nordiques
    Philidelphia Flyers Alternate
    Phoenix Coyotes Picasso
    California Seals
    LA Kings Early Alternates
    Boston Bruins Alternate 95-07
    Florida Panthers Alternate, with the circle around the panther

    And The Winner!!!!!
    Anaheim Mighty Ducks Alternate 95-96, Coming from the bottom corner.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Wow, and I always kinda liked the Rockies logo. It symbolized Colorado (the state's flag) AND the rockies (a mountain). You can't get much better representation out of a logo than that.

    As for worst (assuming that we're just talking primary logos here)?
    - K.C. Scouts (a statue? really?)
    - Quebec Nordiques (is it an elephant holding a stick? an excited igloo? a melting N?)
    - Colorado Avalanche (it always looked like an A with a moustache to me)
    - Carolina Hurricanes (a puck getting flushed down the toilet)
    - Atlanta Tharashers (a bird getting flushed down the toilet)
    - current Buffalo Sabres (talk about trying to fix something that ain't broke ... Buffalo has downgraded its logo twice)
    - current Ottawa Senators (it's a freakin cartoon dude wearing a stupid hat)
    - original Anaheim Mighty Ducks (although it was creative and original, it was too cartoonish)
    - mid-90s Islanders (is that the Gorton's Fisherman? Or Stan Fischler?)
    -

    ReplyDelete
  28. 1.Islanders fisherman logo
    2.Anaheim mighty-ducks logo 95-96 3rd jersey
    3.Nashville predators puke yellow 3rd jersey logo
    4.Flames horse logo
    5.Dallas Stars Mooterus logo
    6.Colorado Rockies logo
    7.Boston bear 3rd jersey logo
    8.Current dallas logo (very bland and boring)
    9.columbus blue jackets bug logo
    10.Old pengunins logo
    11.Canucks V logo
    12.K.C scouts logo
    13.Florida panthers 3rd jersey (panther holding a broken hockey-stick)
    14.old Phoenix robot-coyote logo
    15.Old lightning logo
    16.Quebec Nordiques logo

    ReplyDelete
  29. I'm also nominating the current Sabres logo.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I nominate the Red Wings current logo

    ReplyDelete
  31. Just make sure that the Phoenix Picassos, the Anaheim Darkwings, and the Tampa Bay Microsoft Word Cliparts are there.

    ReplyDelete
  32. 1)the vancouver V jersey, not sure if that's a logo, other wise the crazy skate one they had.

    2)The Quebec Wolf logo that was never used.

    3)Isles fish stick logo

    4)new sabers logo

    5)boston bear head logo

    6)columbus bee logo

    7)nashville skull logo

    8)mighty ducks third logo with pumped up duck

    9)old pens jersey

    ReplyDelete
  33. the senators front facing logo from 97-07

    ReplyDelete
  34. I was never a big fan of the Blue Jackets bee logo. And of course ...the buffaslug!

    ReplyDelete
  35. oh yes i also nominat every canucks logo they have used they all just suck

    ReplyDelete
  36. I agree with previous posts that nominate the abomination known as the Buffaslug.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Rangers current.
    Detroit current.

    As you can see, I am not one who is shut out by the fact that the team has history. I'm looking at their logos, not how they are original six.

    If Carolina or some other expansion team had one of those logos, it wouldn't be as popular.

    ReplyDelete
  38. -2007 San Jose Sharks (The Full Shark in the Triangle looks horrible)
    -The Buffaslug (Of Course)
    -2001-2007 Columbus Blue Jackets Primary (Simply Doesn't work)
    -2001-2004 Secondary (The Bug Logo)
    -Atlanta Thrashers Primary
    -Colorado Avalanche Secondary (big foot)
    -Edmonton Oilers third logo (I know it won the Third jersey logo tournament but c'mon that looks terrible!)
    -1998-2004 Nashville Predators Secondary (Gaylord Arena Tower)
    -Nashville Predators third (too many colours!)
    -2001-2007 Ottawa Senators Peace Tower
    -Anaheim Ducks Primary
    -Whalers Secondary (Pucky)
    -Tampa Bay Lightning Primary (Both the new old ones look awful)
    -St Louis Blues Secondary (trumpet logo)
    -1975-1995 Washington Caps (boring)
    -1970-1996 Buffalo Sabres Primary (One of the most overrated logos in the history of the NHL)
    -1996 L.A Kings Third

    ReplyDelete
  39. I'll second Tampa Bay - any Tampa Bay logo, but their original primary might be the worst. Very clip-arty. It's not as glaringly ugly as some of those third jersey logos, but of all recent NHL primary logos, Tampa's is definitely the most amateur looking.

    Sorry Chris.

    ReplyDelete
  40. My first choice:

    Thrashers.

    Second, Hurricanes and third, Flyers.

    I loved the cartoony Ducks logo :-\

    ReplyDelete
  41. -All Calgary Flames logos (The C looks even more clip-arty than Jacob's argument for the Lightning, and the flaming horse speaks for itself. I also throw in the current flag shoulder patches. They're not necessarily ugly or anything, it's just an exceptionally lazy way of incorporating the team's location into the jersey. Is it really so hard to have an artist make something partially original? It did the trick for Phoenix.)
    -Bruins bear head 3rd jersey
    -Dallas Mooterus
    -Current Buffalo AND original Buffalo (Yes, sacrelige, I hate both with a passion. People complain about shoddy logo design with what the Sabres wear now, then practically orgasm at the thought of two completely separate logos clumsily joined together with a circle. I call hypocrisy. The only jersey Buffalo's had that's even begun to get it right was their 3rd jersey from the black-red colour days.)
    -California Seals
    -Mighty Ducks duck-mask primary
    -Vancouver's 'Flying V'
    -KC Scouts
    -all incarnations of the skating-duck Penguins logo (I'm sorry, even for a team called the Penguins it looks laughably ridiculous, especially the original one with the toque and scarf. This is the NHL, not peewee hockey.)
    -original Coyotes primary
    -3/4 3rd jersey Predators
    -3/4 3rd jersey Senators/current Senators logo. (They had such a classic, awesome look with the profile-face logo, why get rid of it?)
    -TML mash-up Leafs secondary logo
    -standard Thrashers primary
    -current Dallas home primary (Took a page out of Calgary's incorporation of laziness)

    ReplyDelete
  42. Here are there what I think are the worst NHL logos. All of these have to be in the tourny.

    California Golden Seals Primary Logo 1971-74
    http://www.chriscreamer.com/logo.php?id=265

    Hartford Whalers Alternate Logo 1980-85
    http://www.chriscreamer.com/logo.php?id=7319

    Winnipeg Jets Primary Logo 1973-74
    http://www.chriscreamer.com/logo.php?id=6ul3w51vtsahkei3f1gb

    Anaheim Ducks Primary Logo 2007-
    http://www.chriscreamer.com/logo.php?id=dggehfugf1ee8bfcaw9e

    Atlanta Thrashers Alternate Logo 2000-
    http://www.chriscreamer.com/logo.php?id=14

    Boston Bruins Alternate Logo 1977-95
    http://www.chriscreamer.com/logo.php?id=222

    Calgary Flames Alternate Logo 1999-
    http://www.chriscreamer.com/logo.php?id=51

    Florida Panthers Alternate Logo 1994-
    http://www.chriscreamer.com/logo.php?id=95

    Nashville Predators Alternate Logo 2002-
    http://www.chriscreamer.com/logo.php?id=131

    Pittsburgh Penguins Primary Logo 1968
    http://www.chriscreamer.com/logo.php?id=269

    Vancouver Canucks Alternate Logo 2004-07
    http://www.chriscreamer.com/logo.php?id=209

    ReplyDelete
  43. Islanders Fisherman logo.
    Minnesota Wild, Bear/Nightsky.
    Carolina Hurricanes.
    Black and Red Sabres.
    Atlanta Thrashers.
    The Christams themed New Jersey Devils(once they went to red and black it became fine.)
    The Canucks Stick.

    ReplyDelete
  44. The Rangers current logo. Always been the worst, always will be.

    ReplyDelete
  45. What about the blues' first third jersey that never made the ice? And the kings AND the ducks first third jersey!

    ReplyDelete
  46. Mooterus
    LA Kings (Gretzky era black and silver logo)
    All the Vancouver logos (but stink n' rink first and foremost)
    All the Buffalo logos (mainly the one that "won" the classic tournament)
    KC Scouts
    Nordiques
    California Seals
    Minnesota North Stars
    Blue Jackets "Hornet"
    Ottawa's Peace Tower logo
    Tampa Bay Cliparts
    Colorado Rockies

    ReplyDelete
  47. How about the "Dead Pigeon" logo the Pens used from '93 till 2000? http://www.chriscreamer.com/logo.php?id=3102

    Other bad logos:
    ~The Buffaslug
    ~The Flyers (awful)
    ~Any Canucks logo (esp. that hockey stick one - just lame)
    ~Nordiques
    ~Original Coyotes logo
    ~Any Ducks logo
    All of the Blue Jackets logos (can we have a tournament for worst team names while we're at it?)

    ReplyDelete
  48. i nominate the current sabers primary logo
    the st. louis trumpet one and that dallas stars third jersey logo

    ReplyDelete
  49. The Canucks logos not among the best in the league, nor the worst. As people tell canuck fans not to vote for a mediocre logo, don't nominate a decent and classic looking shoulder crest or a classy looking primary for a worst logo contest.

    This begins and ends with the Buffaslug.

    ReplyDelete
  50. I think the Av's primary is terrible. It has to be on the list. I prefer the "bigfoot" to that.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Maple Leafs 1960s

    Senators 1920s (now the secondary logo)

    Blackhawks 1930s

    the Flames "horse on fire" logo

    the Buffalo Sabres "slug" logo

    Boston Bruins "bear" logo

    The Colorado Rockies

    The Dallas Stars 3rd jersey logo

    Montreal 1930s logo

    The purple ang yellow Kings logo

    ReplyDelete
  52. I nominate:

    Buffaslug (Piling on here, sorry)
    Mooterus
    Capitals current primary (I know several ppl here love it, but c'mon, the Original 1970's logo was boring and now they made it worse! The hockey stick is upside down, for crying out loud!)
    Vancouver V (Stick logo was their best)

    Some of these posts require clarification or links... eg. What the heck is a charging poop smear or a rabid squirrel? (None on that post make sense to me)

    Finally, lay off the Flaming Horse, that logo was intensely cool! (For those who don't know, Calgary is host to the world's largest and richest [prize money] rodeo, so the logo represents both Calgary [horse] and Flames)

    ReplyDelete
  53. 1. Buffalo Slugs
    2. The LA Burger Kings
    3. Wild Wing flying through the ice
    4. NYI Fishsticks
    5. Pluckey the Whale
    6. Flameing Horse
    7. Dallas Stars Bull Constellation
    8. Bruins Bear Head
    9. Columbus Blue Jackets Insect
    10. Phoenix Multicolored Coyote
    11. NJ DEVILS GREEN

    ReplyDelete
  54. Nashville's current secondary logo is just awful. I agree with those who said Columbus' old secondaries and Dallas' Mooterus. But I do have to say that Vancouver's 1978 'Flying V' sweater has my vote.

    ReplyDelete
  55. I think they've all been said...

    The current Anaheim Logo

    The Buffaslug

    The Boston Winnie-the-Poohs

    The high-liner fisherman from the NY Islanders.

    Cleveland Barons

    Dallas "Mooterus"

    Here is something original: The montreal Canadiens, in the 20s, had a globe as thier primary jersey logo because they were "world champions". I nominate that.

    http://www.sportslogos.net/logo.php?id=254

    ReplyDelete
  56. Terry's Nominations (in no particular order):

    http://icebullshockey.com/chris/nhltol/logos300/ana.png
    http://icebullshockey.com/chris/nhltol/logos300/ana3rd95.png
    http://icebullshockey.com/chris/nhltol/logos300/blank.png
    http://icebullshockey.com/chris/nhltol/logos300/bos34.png
    http://icebullshockey.com/chris/nhltol/logos300/bos3rd.png
    http://icebullshockey.com/chris/nhltol/logos300/buf.png

    I've been disgusted going through the first bit already. Will go through the rest later. =P

    ReplyDelete
  57. you people are too harsh on the Seal (although I don't care for the 'Seals' script logo.) The original was great. I also loved the Nordique. Once I got to be a little older and realized that it was a stylized 'N', I thought it was great in the same manner that the Expos' was. Second worst ever? Cleveland Barons. Worst ever? The 'Nucks "V". The anti-logo. Conceptual masturbation.

    ReplyDelete
  58. Here's My List.

    1. Mighty Ducks (Wildwing) 1995-1996
    2. Thrashers (Bird Silhouette) 1999-Present
    3. Bruins (Bear Head) 1976-1995
    4. Sabres (BuffaSlug) 2006-Present
    5. Flames (Horse) 1998-Present
    6. Golden Seals (Primary) 1970-1974
    7. Blue Jackets (Yellow Jacket) 2000-2004
    8. Stars (Mooterus) 2003-2006
    9. Oilers (Oilman)1996-Present
    10. Panthers (Stick/Palm Tree)1993-Present
    11. Kings (Angry King) 1995-1996
    12. Predators (Skull) 2001-Present
    13. Devils (Christmas) 1982-1992
    14. Islanders (Fisherman) 1995-1997
    15. Penguins (Original) 1967-68
    16. Blues (Third Jersey) Never Used

    ReplyDelete
  59. Worst logo? Sabres Banana Slug. Second worst logo? That boring Vancouver hockey stick (how did that end up in the running for best secondary logo?)

    ReplyDelete
  60. Because it's the best secondary logo. Seriously. Simplicity is the essence of a good logo. The habs logo won best primary - why can't the canucks win secondary?

    ReplyDelete
  61. Vancouver ANYTHING!
    Chicago ANYTHING
    Columbus ANYTHING
    Buffalo Current
    Anaheim ANYTHING
    Phoenix ANYTHING

    IMO, when simple is good is when it lasts more than 10 seasons. For this fact Boston, Montreal, Detroit are great logos...maybe not the most creative but without a doubt solid logos because of their representation. Vancouver has the worst not because of their lack of creativity but because they keep messing with their image. Pick one and stay with it is all I suggest.

    ReplyDelete
  62. All of the Predators jerseys, Atlantas blue one, Stars 3rd jersey, lightnings 3rd jersey,sabers new jerseys(slugs),and the new sharks jerseys

    ReplyDelete
  63. Let me be the first to say the current New York Rangers logo...I hate it!

    ReplyDelete
  64. Nashville's alternate logo on the front of the mustard yellow unis....GUH. this one is hands down, and everyone who thinks otherwise is...wrong. it looks like a 4th grader drew it.

    ReplyDelete
  65. i nominate the ducks and everything they stand for. pucking fronger.

    ReplyDelete
  66. I nominate the oilers primary logo it is horible

    ReplyDelete
  67. BUFFALO'S " SLUG "
    EMBARRASSING!!!

    ReplyDelete
  68. The Buffaslug is the absolute worst...nothing else even comes close. And it's even more embarrassing because the Sabres' original logo is one of the BEST logos ever! Anyone associated with the creation of that sorry excuse for graphic design should be fired immediately with extreme prejudice!! And give the Predators back their color scheme, too!

    ReplyDelete
  69. i nominate the oilers primary logo it sucks

    ReplyDelete
  70. i'll vote for the Phoenix Coyotes 96 logo...

    wtf was that?

    ReplyDelete
  71. Pucky was awesome. I liked the seals. hahaha, even if it looked awful. I hated every Thrashers logo, and the current Lightning one, yes, the one that looks like they asked a 3 year old to draw florida with a lightning bolt on it. Not a fan of the Cleveland Barons old logo :x. Also, if we're gonna talk about horrible jerseys, what about those Hershey Bears Merry Christmas threads?

    ReplyDelete
  72. That mess on the Carolina jerseys are aweful and gotta agree with how bad that toupee thing in Buffalo is

    ReplyDelete
  73. *awful. My spelling is almost as bad as the hairy slug

    ReplyDelete
  74. OK, these are my nominations:

    1. The original Oakland Seals logo. (Is that triangular thing supposed to be a seal?)

    2. The Blue Jackets' original primary logo. (Making "CBJ" out of starry banners and a stick just looked ridiculous.)

    3. The Oilers' shoulder logo last year with the dude pumping oil with a hockey stick. Total cheesiness.

    4. The Oilers' old alternate logo that looked like some sort of flying piece of hardware.

    5. The Canucks' current shoulder logo. (Making the stick a little more angular doesn't make the most boring logo in all of history any better.)

    6. The Maple Leafs' current logo is also incredibly dull.

    ...and finally, I don't care how traditional it is, but the Canadiens' logo is bad. A "C" for "Canadian" and an "H" for "hockey"? Good Lord, how much time did they spend on that one?

    ReplyDelete
  75. OMG, how could I forget? THE WORST LOGO in the history of sports is Calgary's fire-breathing horse thing from a few years ago.

    ReplyDelete
  76. The Sabres' omage to Trump's hair, and the nashville skull from the yellow jersey

    ReplyDelete
  77. Hey guys, just wanted to let you know the nomination process is now over. I'm closing the comments now but keeping them visible. Huge thanks to everyone who participated!

    ReplyDelete