2009 All-Star Logo Surfaces

Quick note tonight. An NHLToL reader ran across the 2009 NHL All-Star Game logo while browsing NHL.com today. Figured I'd share it with you guys. The game will take place in Montreal to celebrate the Canadiens' 100th anniversary.



I'm a fan. It seems a little odd to have the actual Habs logo in the design, though. Usually, the host team's logo is in the all-star logo but altered in some manner. Guess nobody wanted to alter the CH. Makes sense to me.

What are your thoughts on it?

Sens Logo For Your Cap

Back in August I first posted images of the Ottawa Senators' new logos. And everybody was hoping they'd be making the new 2D logo the primary. But the team went the other way and said the 2D logo would only make appearances on fan memorabilia.

But I had yet to see any of it until I got an email this afternoon.

Check out this hat.



No one can deny this is the superior logo. Much more balanced than the "3D" version currently donning the Sens' sweaters.

Now you want to laugh? Seems they've also put together a special edition St. Patrick's Day cap. I'm not making this up.



Plaid accents?! Sign me up!

Anyway, sometimes I find real items make for a better post than concept art, you know? You can't make this stuff up. So I'd like to hear from actual Ottawa fans. How do you guys feel about the new logos? Have you got a beef? Or nothing really to complain about here? Comment!

New Playoff Logo

I'm not sure how new this news is, but I thought I'd point out that the NHL recently unveiled a new logo for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. You know you want to see it so here it is.



Not that my opinion matters but I like it a lot. Much more than what's been used in the past. For a look at what more recent logos looked like, check out 2007 and 2003.



If you want to see what the rest of the set looks like for this new design as well as past logos, SportsLogos.net seems to be a decent resource.

NBC, Update Your Graphics!

The second period of the Winter Classic has just begun and as a live television director, I have to take issue with some of what's been going on during the NBC telecast. For one thing, the graphics are out of date!

This site is dedicated to NHL logos so naturally my biggest nitpick has to do with said logos in broadcast graphics.



I photographed my TV screen earlier this afternoon to demonstrate my point. Of the 16 logos seen on this particular graphic, a quarter of them are WRONG! From left to right, the Sharks, Blue Jackets, Bruins and Lightning all got new logos this season. NBC apparently opted to ignore that fact and just use last year's graphics.

NBC, update your damn graphics!

The abominations only continue but for the sake of sparing you guys, I won't go on about it. But just know that I'm very disappointed in the disrespect of American network television toward an obviously huge moment in the sport of hockey.

End rant.

Concept Art Grab Bag

I don't really have a theme for tonight's concepts post. Mainly, I just thought these were different and interesting. Kind of curious to see what sort of feedback they get.

One of my favorite things is seeing really nice concepts painted onto game action photos. So I'll start with those. There's this one Kings design from a while back that I liked a lot.



I think it's kind of funny that Roberto Luongo is wearing it. I guess L.A. fans can dream, right?

There was also a bit of Canadiens artwork that I made part of a Freak Out post that a lot of people responded rather well too. Here you can see what it looks like on Cristobal Huet.



I wonder why both designers decided to paint fake jerseys onto goalies. Hmm.

Anyway here are a few more wacky designs that don't quite warrant being included in the Freak Out series.



For those who don't care for the sky blue, how about maroon? Doesn't look terrible either. I'm sure the asymmetry is still driving you nuts though. And how about the Ducks' logo and colors on a Sabres jersey? That's pretty weird.



I thought the colors were interesting on the Bruins jersey. That logo really did wear out its welcome, though, didn't it? And for a complete change of pace, I've got a Flyers jersey with a redesigned set of logos.

And to finish things off, as far as ironies go, I thought this was a pretty good one.



The Columbus Blue Jackets wearing red sweaters. Don't get me wrong. I think it's a really nice-looking jersey, but blue is in their name. It's one of those no-brainers.

Anyway, let me know what you guys think of those. I'll try to have more posted tomorrow.

Mailbag: New Canucks Logo Looks Familiar

This morning I woke up to find one of the funniest emails I've received since starting this blog.

To set things up for you, one of the sites I frequent is Chris Creamers SportsLogos.net. It's an excellent resource for a blog like mine. When the Vancouver Canucks unveiled their new uniforms last month, a bunch of alternate/secondary logos appeared on that site — none of which I saw in any official NHL/Canucks capacity, however.

Anyway, among them was a logo that I personally thought could serve amazing well as a primary mark for the club. This is it.



Now the email.

Hey Chris!

Is that really an official secondary logo? If so, I've attached this! You may find it funny!

In Canada, we have these things that are like Hostess Cakes in the States.... Vachon Cakes! They're very popular.... and tasty! And I've heard that ol' goalie Rogie Vachon is a close relative to the family that started the company!

I knew I had seen the Vancouver 'Johnny Canuck' logo somewhere before..... hmmmm! I mean, mmmmmm!

So what do you make of that? I just thought it was very funny and felt it was worth sharing.

Canadiens Unveil New Uniforms!

This morning, the Montreal Canadiens unveiled their brand new Rbk EDGE uniforms to little fanfare. Overall, there were no major changes. The jerseys were merely adapted to the new style and cut, just as we'd expected. I have all the juicy details and photos below.



Before I go on though, I really need to send a huge thanks to the huge number of readers who emailed in links and photos. You guys are awesome! And you're the reason why I write this blog! I'm sorry I couldn't get stuff posted earlier, but I was amidst a live television show that begged my full attention. Moving along now.

Here's a shot of the back of the home sweater.



I also got an email with someone wondering whether the LNH logo would be used on the collar as opposed to NHL.



There's your answer. One last extreme close up photo and then I'll turn it over to you all for your comments.



I think these uniforms are great! Habs fans should be proud. Enjoy your big day!

UPDATE (1:40 PM): It's always nice to see what these jerseys actually look like on players. Here you see Cristobal Huet and Maxim Lapierre donning the new duds.

Remember you can find these and many other photos of all the new sweaters in my official Rbk EDGE photo gallery.

And if you have other photos of the jerseys that I haven't posted, send them along and I'll add them to the gallery.

Mixed Reaction To Canucks Makeover

It's officially official. At the time I'm writing this, there have been almost 150 comments posted on the previous post. Vancouver Canucks fans mostly seem to be upset by the new Rbk EDGE uniforms unveiled today at GM Place.



A lot of you guys seem quite unhappy. Specifically, you seem to loathe the wordmark above the crest. As a non-Canucks fan, I think it's great and that these jerseys are very sharp. Honestly, I don't have a single complaint. But I'm one voice against thousands. As a Lightning fan, I can somewhat understand your distress though. I've never been a big proponent of "TAMPA BAY" in the logo. At least the got rid of "LIGHTNING" in the new design.

Anyway, this post is about the Canucks.



The "C" on Markus Naslund's sweater is a little close to the wordmark on the chest, but it's not the end of the world.



The stylized stick-in-the-rink logo is an excellent touch that moves the uniform forward. And those colors — you can't beat them. I also find interesting the choice to put green on the jersey but not in the logo itself. A little unusual but that wouldn't be the first time.



That shot should offer a better look at the rest of the uniform as a whole. Nice touch with the logo on the pants. I'm adding all of these images and many more to the official Rbk EDGE photo gallery. Go check it out!

Canucks Unveil New Colors, Uniforms!

Take your first looks now. I'll have more in a little while. These images are from the streaming online video of the launch that took place this afternoon at GM Place in Vancouver.

Reminder: Big Day For Canucks Fans

Just a reminder that tomorrow the Vancouver Canucks unveil their new uniforms. Hopefully once that happens, I'll be able to go more than a day without posting Canucks concepts.

Here's what we're expecting: The new uniforms will likely don the orca logo in the traditional colors of blue and green. Some evidence has suggested green will be a uniform color but not found in the logo itself. We've also heard the old stick-in-the-rink logo may be a secondary mark — a shoulder patch. And there's also the possibility that the orca logo will feature different colors for the home and road sweaters (like the Calgary Flames, for example). Nothing is confirmed and it all remains to be seen, of course.

Fans will first set their gazes upon these new sweaters at 12:30 PM — which is 3:30 PM my time as I'm on the east coast. As has happened in the past, as soon as photos surface on cyberspace, I'll do my very best to have them right here for you.

Also, if you haven't voted on the Sharks vs Canucks poll in the tournament, I'll be changing the logo over to the new color scheme just as soon as I can. So you might want to hold your vote until we see what the new logo looks like.

Good luck, Canucks fans! I hope your day turns out as well as mine did. I was really happy with the new Bolts jerseys. Hopefully you'll be thrilled with yours.

You Know The Drill; More Canucks Leaks

It seems like the neverending story with the Vancouver Canucks. Now just three days out from the official unveiling — which will take place on Wednesday at GM Place — more items have been leaked bearing the alleged new logo. See for yourself.



The funny thing is that each logo is colored differently leading me to wonder whether the new Canucks uniforms will feature different logos for the home and road jerseys. The logo with the white "ice" shows up better on a dark background while the logo with blue "ice" stands out more on a light background.

Anyway, we'll find out from the team itself at long last on Wednesday. But you know me, if more stuff gets leaked prior to that, you know I'll have it here for you. Enjoy what's left of your weekend!

Lightning Unveiling Video

This video was posted in the comments of today's earlier post. It shows the big unveiling of the Lightning's new jerseys.



The Lightning players you see modeling the home black jerseys are Chris Gratton (#77), Filip Kuba (#71), Johan Holmqvist (#40) and Marty St. Louis (#26). Those donning in the white road sweaters are local TV personalities.

Wearing #8 is NewsChannel 8's Jennifer Leigh. In #9 is Bay News 9 anchor Jen Holloway. Tampa Bay's 10 sports anchor Justin Allen is donning #10. FOX 13 news anchor Kelly Ring is wearing #13. And #28 is being worn by ABC Action News anchor Brendan McLaughlin — in case you were wondering.

Man, I wish I could've been there.

Lightning Unveil New Logos, Uniforms!

The Tampa Bay Lightning officially unveiled their new logos and uniforms today outside the St. Pete Times Forum at IceFest. Take your first look now!



My first impressions: I love them! Well done, my Bolts! I'm buying one the very second they're available. I'm so thrilled with the logos and jerseys. The black one is amazing. Looking at it, I'm so glad they didn't go with blue.

The greatest thing, in my opinion, is the continuation of the stripes found under the arms. See what I mean below.



Those stripes have been one of the major elements of the Lightning's jerseys since their inception in 1992. The way I understand it, Phil Esposito — who designed the original uniforms and logos — said the stripes would serve as a nod to fans for years to come and that every time a player raised his arms to celebrate a goal, we'd be reminded. It culminated with a Stanley Cup championship in 2004 and in every photo of a player raising the Cup, you see those unique stripes.

What do you guys think of that? As a lifelong Bolts fan, I'm thrilled over that feature being kept on these new jerseys.



As far as the logo, I'm all right with it. I'd rather the "TAMPA BAY" be gone entirely, but it's a big upgrade from what we used to have. Overall, I'm happy with what I've seen here.

UPDATE (1:59 PM): The St. Peterburg Times Bolts blog Lightning Strikes had this picture of Filip Kuba in the new jersey — our first photo of a player actually wearing it.




UPDATE (2:55 PM): Forgive me if I'm going overboard with Lightning stuff today, but we've all got our favorite teams right? Today is our day. I've come across a few more pictures worth posting here.



Above, you see Marty St. Louis walking down a red carpet amongst a sea of excited Lightning fans. Below is a group of people including Lightning players Chris Gratton, Filip Kuba, Johan Holmqvist, and St. Louis (in black). I haven't figured out who the rest of them are — except for the guy on the right in the white jersey. That's local news anchor Brendan McLaughlin I believe. He's wearing 28 because that's the channel number of his TV station — the one where I used to work, as a matter of fact.



As a side note, the Lightning's official site mentioned that the road jerseys would feature the number on the front shoulder. These photos indicate that as well. For more photos, check out my official Rbk EDGE photo gallery.

Your Daily Dose Of Canucks

You'd think my favorite team was the Vancouver Canucks the way I post about them. (Actually, the Lightning are as you know and I have lots for them later on today!) Anyway, I think it's just that Canucks fans are the most curious about their team's new logo and uniforms based on their decades old identity crisis.

Epitomizing that identity crisis is the mish-mash logo I posted on Tuesday. But the designer of it made some adjustments and improvements in coloring. I think they're worth a look so I thought I'd post that.



Drool over that, Vancouverites! And try and convince me you wouldn't give your left nut to have your team wear a jersey with this on the crest. Anyway, in all seriousness it's a very clever design. Whoever designed it needs to work for Conan O'Brien.

In addition, the Hockey Hall of Fame web site apparently leaked the new Canucks logo on a hat.



While the primary logo seems to lack green, it certainly seems to be a part of the overall team colors. It also appears we should expect the old stick-in-rink logo on the shoulders as a secondary.

That's all for today. Until the next time, enjoy this look back at the history of the Vancouver uniform, courtesy of Canucks.com.

Senators Unveil New Uniforms!

The Ottawa Senators' new Rbk EDGE uniforms are here! Please view!



But wait, it gets better. Want to see Chris Neil, Brian McGrattan, Jason Spezza and Chris Kelly posing for a photo in their new threads? Look no further.



That's really all I got. The Sens unveiled their new sweaters at Scotiabank Place in front of the media and fans. Count them as the tenth team on the list. Before I go, I'll leave you with a close-up of the new shoulder logo.



Enjoy your night and be sure to check out my official Rbk EDGE gallery for all the photos I can find of these new jerseys!

Flames To Wear Alberta On Sleeve?

Just wanted to keep everyone up to date on a rumor that's been floating around regarding the Calgary Flames new duds. It's been widely reported that the horse head logo with the flaming nostrils will bite the dust in favor of a new secondary logo. Some believe that secondary logo will prominently feature the flag of Alberta in a shield sort of style.

For an example, check out this fan concept that was emailed to me recently.



The designer used the Albertan coat of arms as a jumping-off point in coming up with this idea. Some people wonder whether this would stir up unhappy feelings in the Edmonton Oilers, also based out of Alberta.

As an interesting corollary, the Oilers are also reportedly dropping the secondary logo they've used for the last decade. Word is, the oil man on the shoulder will be gone. Are plans in the works for a new Alberta-related secondary for them too? Should be interesting.

Any Albertans out there? What do you guys think of all this?

UPDATE (5:58 PM): Unfortunately I made the mistake of pitting Flames and Oilers fans against each other. I don't know what I was thinking. Just to avoid things getting out of hand, I'm shutting down comments on this post. Thank you to those of you who posted comments with civility in mind (apologies for closing them down). To the rest, I can live with a few jabs back and forth in good fun, but I won't tolerate attacks of any kind. We're all just trying to enjoy ourselves here.

It's Official! Canucks Unveiling Unis August 29

Canucks fans, you've waited what must've felt like a lifetime for official word from your team and now it's here.



The Vancouver Canucks have announced that they will be unveiling their new Rbk EDGE uniforms on August 29 at GM Place. And based on that picture of Roberto Luongo, they look very white.





The date is already in the sidebar, but now it comes officially from the team which is what we've been waiting for. Should be an exciting day. As the graphic says, the uniforms will be unveiled at 12:30 PM so as soon as images are available, I'll post them here. We're expecting to see something similar to the alleged leaks that I've posted — likely the orca logo recolored to green, blue and silver a la the old days.

In the meantime, the announcement is on the team's official web site. Enjoy!