Strauss NHL Rebrand X

Time for the big finale. Here is the final installment in Elliott Strauss' NHL rebrand series. His descriptions appear in bold text.

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Elliott Strauss	I think this is one of the more interesting concepts of the series because it gives a fairly drastic change to an untouchable team. I updated the familiar shield and brought back the Lady Liberty logo. The diagonal stripe on the uniforms has the same angle as the wordmark and is meant to match the diagonal sash on the primary logo. The wordmark/numbers contrast the sleeve stripe order on the home and away jersey. The alternate is almost an exact replica of the pre edge alts, but the silver is dropped in favor of royal blue. Definitely a shock at first glance — in a good way. All the key elements are still there. They just don't look the way we're accustomed to seeing them. This is one of my favorites of the entire series.
Elliott Strauss	Originally I had left some gray in here, but considering the nickname represents the Union army, I found the color gray pointless, as this is what the Confederates wore. I think these uniforms are inspired by the original jerseys for the franchise. The red pants stay and a blue insert with star on the pants match up with the panel that you can see on the road jersey. I created no alternate because a red jersey would go against the nickname and another blue jersey would be redundant. Straight after one my favorites is my least favorite of Elliott's series. I'm not here to put down anyone's work but this set feels lazy. Gray was never one of Columbus' colors. It's always been silver. It's an important distinction. Without the silver, the star in the logo looks out of place. And the Blue Jackets made a second blue jersey work in 2003. Just a little creativity is required. Now with that out of the way, I love the jersey design! The sleeves are cool and so are the stars under the arms. It's a little like the stripes on the armpits of the Lightning's jerseys. Adds an interesting visual element when the players raise their arms to celebrate a goal.
Elliott Strauss	I feel that the Johnny Canuck V logo is the best they have, so it becomes the main crest in my design. The orca stays, just modified, and has a much less prominent role. Green and blue also stay, as I like this unique scheme. I've always wondered what a green alternate would look like, I think this simple striping pattern would make the blue stand out on the green. Here I applaud Elliott's use of an existing logo because the Canucks have never had a more uniquely identifiable logo in their arsenal. It's just a shame they haven't put it to good use yet. And for what it's worth, the whale doesn't look half bad on green.

There it is. All 30 teams as envisioned by Icethetics concept artist Elliott Strauss. Do you think you have what it takes to rebrand the NHL? Send in your concepts and show us you can think outside the box when it comes to branding pro hockey!

Strauss NHL Rebrand IX

The NHL Rebrand series by Elliott Strauss is starting to wind down. This week he tackles the Devils, Wild and Predators. His own comments are in bold text.

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Elliott Strauss	I thought that the old mustard alternate crest had potential to make an interesting primary logo, so I just cleaned it up. A simplified version of the current primary remains as a secondary. I came up with a custom font for the wordmark and numbers, and I'm happy with the way the numbers look on the jerseys. The color scheme keeps navy and silver but adds an icy blue-gray in the place of yellow. The home jersey color of "steel blue" would make a unique addition to the NHL. The alternate slightly modifies the home/away template. A strong entry here, to be sure. Personally, I never realized what a great logo the Predators' had on that old alternate until Elliott did some work to it. Certainly looks more like a hockey logo now. And overall, this is a really sharp uniform set. I'd by that home jersey in a heartbeat.
Elliott Strauss	I dropped the two-tone gold thing they have going, the darker yellow is gone, and wheat takes its place. Other than that, the logos stay the same, this is one of my favorite primaries of all time, so I got rid of the circle thing on the primary crest to focus on the awesomeness of this logo. Pretty simple uniforms. No white in the homes, but I think the small amount of wheat really makes the red stand out. Then green has a prominent role in the roads as well. The alternate simplifies things even further. I do like how these uniforms turned out. Great to see that primary logo back on the front of a green jersey. That's where it belongs. Only thing I don't like about this set is the alternate uniform. I understand what Elliott was going for but the style of that wordmark clashes with the simplicity of the sweater. At least the team got that right for real with the new thirds this year.
Elliott Strauss	I love what they wear now, but I wanted to try a modernization. I actually made the home jersey black, which is new, and then tried some devil-horn striping. I had to keep a lot of red, so the alternate brings back the red base, with a different take on a modern devil-horn stripe. The striping on these jerseys is just flat-out cool. The shift back to classic style uniforms means we probably won't get to see anything like this in the NHL for another 15 to 20 years. I also like the secondary logo, borrowed from the AHL's Lowell Devils, but disappointed it didn't make an appearance on the uniforms, not even the shoulders of the alternate. And if I'm being completely honest in my review, I'm also disappointed that we didn't get a modernization of the logo along with the updated jerseys. The Devils' logo is very clearly a product of the early '80s. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it seems out of place on the "futuristic" jersey designs. However I do like the re-coloring on the home sweater.

One more edition of Elliott's NHL rebrands to come. And by process of elimination, I'm sure you've figured out that the Rangers, Canucks and Blue Jackets are on deck. Spoiler alert: Rangers get the best rebrand!

Strauss NHL Rebrand VIII

After a slight delay we pick up with Part 8 of the NHL Rebrand series by Elliott Strauss. Today we see big changes out west and sometimes change isn't really necessary — if you're part of the Original Six.

The Kings, Bruins and Canadiens are featured this week. Elliott's descriptions are in bold text.

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Elliott Strauss	This is the one concept that gave me the most trouble. I went through about five drafts, with secondary logos that included a lion and an interlocking LA, but all secondaries were eventually scrapped. I finished with this rendering of a crown and the lack of purple in favor for the Gretzky era colors of black and silver. The striping is very atypical and was inspired by the old alternates from the mid-90s. Unfortunately I am not happy with the final product here but I'm showing it anyway. I'm thinking about a complete redo, which I will send to Chris if I get around to doing it. It's certainly not as bad as Elliott is making it out to be. But it does look like it is still in the process of being perfected. Is it better than what the Kings currently have? Maybe not. But with a little more work it could be.
Elliott Strauss	Not many changes here. I made the stripes on the arms go white-yellow-white on the home to match the white outlining on the numbers. Same goes for the shoulders, reversed on the roads. A new thing is yellow socks on the roads as well with stripes tweaked to match the arms. Not much has changed at all here. Kudos to Elliott for recognizing some teams are perfect already.
Elliott Strauss	Obviously this team's identity is timeless but lets face it, the home and away aren't consistent, which is slightly bothersome to me. I tried making them correspond more, it's a little hard to even explain my thinking here, but hopefully you can see the consistency this design brings. I actually sort of like the blue backdrop stripe for the logo and numbers, which plays off the current homes. The uniform change is significant and might require some getting used to, but it's certainly not the worst thing we've ever seen. And here again, there are some classic, iconic logos you just can't change.

Just six more teams left to cover in this series. Check back for some very sharp rebrands for the Predators, Canucks and Rangers in the next two weeks.

Strauss NHL Rebrand VII

This is the Strauss NHL Rebrand series, Part 7 of 10, in which graphic designer and hockey fan Elliott Strauss gives a makeover to the National Hockey League. If you're new to this series, I highly recommend catching up on the first 18 teams to which he's given new looks.

Now we move on to his latest updates, which include the Senators, Sharks and Islanders. Elliott has provides commentary on his work in bold text.

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Elliott Strauss	Not much change in the logos here, but the vegas gold returns in favor of yellow. This is one of my most modern uniforms designs. Number font is custom. The alternate keeps the same side/hem design as the home/away, but adds a new arm striping scheme to match, and the pants still match up on the sides. Definitely looking at a unique uniform design here. The striping is unlike anything we've seen ever — in real life or in concept. I'm rather liberal when it comes to concept designs. I like things you don't often see. But personally this strikes me as a tad disjointed, mixing what I'd consider a classic-looking logo with a very non-classic sweater design. That being said I'm a huge fan of this 2D Sens logo and I wish we could see it on a uniform one of these days. I'd even prefer it to the vintage "O" jersey that's been talked about. But that's just my opinion.
Elliott Strauss	The colors return to teal-black-silver, and orange is out. I modified both primary and secondary logos, simplifying in some places, dropping the fade on the patch logo.   The shark fin-based striping pattern on the sleeves is somewhat subtle. The uniforms are modern and busy, but I think they'd look decent on the ice. The alternate is based on the diagonal stripes they use on the black alternate currently. Burnt orange has always been part of the Sharks' color scheme but was introduced as a uniform accent in 2007. While I like that look, Elliott has certainly taken the Sharks' identity to the next level by losing it. And the only the critique I have is that the crest could probably use a white stroke on the home sweater so as to add some contrast. Otherwise, a great update to a team that's always had a distinctive identity.
Elliott Strauss	This might be my favorite of the series. I took the fisherman era wordmark and swooshy wave from the primary logo. The lighthouse is original and takes the perspective of the wordmark. The four-stripe motif stays on the patch logo and on the arms of the home and away. The numbers continue the drop-shadow from the wordmark. Finally, an orange alternate uses a more classic stripe scheme. In one of the biggest revamps of the series, Elliott digs into the Isles' past to find an incredible look hidden within one of the most despised designs in sports logo history. He calls this his favorite of the series and I'm inclined to agree. And it's about time for the Isles to ditch their '70s-era logo anyway.

Working on more concept posts for this week. Tons of great artwork coming in that I can't wait to share with you guys!

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.

Strauss NHL Rebrand V

It's Sunday morning and that means I just officially tied the knot! Though nothing's really changed. My new wife and I have been together for a long time. This was just a formality, really. Anyway, I'm certain we'll be enjoying ourselves today.

This is the third of five auto-published concept posts — each with it's own theme. We've covered Freak Out Friday and Rebranding. Today our subject is rebranding once again but in the form of Part 5 of Elliott Strauss' NHL rebranding project, featuring the Ducks, Blackhawks and Flyers. Elliott's descriptions appear in bold text.

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Elliott Strauss	Anaheim Ducks This features a new color scheme with a dark shade of green and a brighter orange.  The logos are simplified, getting rid of white outlines around the D and the inner webbing. The jerseys have a modern, wavy feel. The Anaheim Ducks are probably one of the teams most in need of a rebrand. Unfortunately, aside from adding a welcome green to the palette, Elliott hasn't really fixed the main probably — the primary logo. While the D is a refreshing change of pace, I'd really like to see some kind of duck mascot. Logos aside, the jerseys are very distinctive — just what the doctor ordered when you're talking about a rebrand. Let's hope one day the Ducks do move in this direction — even if it's only on a third jersey.
Elliott Strauss	Chicago Blackhawks I tweaked the logos by dropping all the excess colors in the feathers.  The tertiary color is now an orange-yellow. The jerseys are really just an attempt at consistent striping. The simplicity in this design actually wins points in my book. While many of you would say the Chicago Blackhawks' logos and uniforms are perfect as is, I would disagree (as you well know). This simplification of the color palette is a welcome improvement. But while we're at it, I say the Hawks revert back to the old vintage logo found on the Winter Classic and alternate jerseys.
Elliott Strauss	Philadelphia Flyers Originally this had striping wrapping all the way around the chest, but I simplified things while making the design a little more modern. The logo is NOT the sharp-winged logo that Flyers fans insist on. I figured that since they use the curved wings on all merchandise, it might as well be on the jerseys too. The secondary is the old Zephyr X-line hat logo, I believe. As mentioned in yesterday's post, Elliott is correct about the F logo on the Zephyr hat. Other than that, he's kept things pretty straightforward and simple. The one element I really like is the orange numbers on the black third jersey. That is a Halloween jersey if ever I saw one. The striping on the front of the home and road sweaters is a nice change of pace too, yet doesn't lose the classic feel that goes along with the Flyers.

That's actually all I have from Elliott at the moment. I'm anticipating he will send along the other half of the league in the next few weeks. Until then, we have two more auto-posts left before I get back from Las Vegas!

Strauss NHL Rebrand IV

It's time for another installment of the concept series by artist Elliott Strauss. In this edition he takes on the Buffalo Sabres, Tampa Bay Lightning and Calgary Flames. The artist's descriptions appear in bold text next to each set.

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Elliott Strauss	Buffalo Sabres I updated the logos, taking the B from the shoulders, changing the shape, and crossing the swords that are also on the shoulder logo on top of a circle.  The jersey plays on the theme of their Winter Classic jerseys: striping that switches its direction from hem to arms. The alternate is a retro design. The Sabres have long been a staple of Icethetics concept art. The problem is that ever since 1996 when they ditched the blue and gold, fans have been unhappy. Fourteen years later, the message finally seems to be getting through to team management, but we'll see how that goes. Elliott has a great concept here, mixing the old with the new and keeping the classic logo alive on the alternate sweater. Personally I always loved the logo on the red third jerseys and this harkens back to that.
Elliott Strauss	Tampa Bay Lightning Hopefully here you see an obvious throwback to their pre-Edge uniforms with the simple two solid stripes at the base. The shoulder designs get a little more abstract. A very miniscule amount of silver is found in all three unis. The primary logo is slightly tweaked and the new wordmark I tried to make very jagged to match the nickname. As a Lightning fan, I have my own thoughts on this one, which I'll try to keep to a minimum. First, I think the current secondary should be the primary mark. It doesn't need the text if you ask me, tweaked or otherwise. And for that matter, the wordmark needs some adjustment. This isn't a criticism of Elliott so much as the team itself. Not the best choice, if you ask me. Regarding the jerseys, I like the striping, but the font isn't quite suited — or perhaps it would just require some getting used to. Mainly, though, I'm glad to see the lightning bolt sill on the pants.
Elliott Strauss	Calgary Flames Black is dropped here as I wanted to get a more retro feel the jersey. But the design has some modern influences in the angled patterns — reminiscent of the old Pens jerseys. The Flames are a team with an established visual identity that is difficult to improve upon. The Flaming C will last longer than a lot of other NHL logos which is likely why Elliott saw no point in changing it. He mixed elements of Calgary's pre-Edge uniforms and I think it really works. However, I'm not sure there's any way to beat the classic '80s jerseys that the Flames pulled out as a 30th anniversary tribute this season.

In Part 5, Mr. Strauss tackles — you guessed it — the Blackhawks, among others. In the meantime, check back for new concept art. I plan to have new posts here several times a week.

Strauss NHL Rebrand III

The new concept series in which designer Elliott Strauss takes on the immense task of creating the ideal look of the NHL now continues. All 30 teams will receive his rebranding treatment — some with big changes, others small changes — all, hopefully, for the better.

In Part I, Elliott took on the Capitals, Coyotes and Panthers. Part II, saw updates for the Oilers, Red Wings and Thrashers. This time it's the Penguins, Maple Leafs and Stars.

The bold text below are Elliott's own descriptions.

Pittsburgh Penguins

The logos are all new. I tried to create a dramatic-looking penguin on Pittsburgh's signature triangle. Vegas gold is gone and yellow is back.

An igloo is featured as a patch logo and the jerseys pay tribute to the sweaters from the early '90s. The alternate brings in elements from the mid-00s triangles and also the new triangle featured in my logos.

Certainly a menacing penguin and the classic design is hard to beat. However, it does leave a little to wonder about in terms of logistics.

I like the idea of a yellow third, but is it dark enough that the opposing team could wear white? And while the two-tone jersey numbers may look cool, they don't quite meet their practical responsibility which is legibility — not to mention the nightmare for the person in charge of customizing each sweater.

Despite that critique, though, I am a fan of this look for the most part. By switching to Vegas gold, the Penguins weren't giving themselves the shinier look you'd imagine but rather desaturating their color scheme. It looks horrible and needs a change.

One thing I do like about the Penguins' current design is how they've stepped out of the box with the third jersey in using an entirely new color scheme. Even the Panthers only changed one color. The Pens went all the way.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The jerseys aren't much to speak of in terms of changes but I did come up with a new logo package. The leaf is spiky and help forms a T. The shoulder patch is a portion of the iconic CN tower behind a blue version of the Canadian flag.

This will probably end up being one of Elliott's most controversial designs if for no other reason than the sweeping logo changes.

However, the simplicity is hard to argue with and while it breaks from tradition in a big way, I don't think it's for the worse.

The one change I'd make is to dull the corners of the leaf — make them not so sharp. Then when you squint at it, it kind of looks like the Toronto Arenas shield.

Maybe it's just me.

Finishing up in the south with some not-so-sweeping changes in Dallas.

Dallas Stars

Since they seem to be more inclined toward black these days, I left black as the primary jersey color and switched up the logo a little bit. The chest mark is simply a star on top of Texas.

For the striping, I tried to make it in such a way that the gold looks best with the two colors — I'm not sure about a specific thought process.

The alternate eliminates the black and has stripes similar to their current uniforms.

I think Elliott was definitely going for a look that evokes the Stars' early days in Dallas. Apart from the sleeve stripes, it's almost a dead ringer.

I like the green third. It's something Dallas has struggled with in the Age of Reebok. I still think their best jersey was the green one with a giant star that was once an alternate.

Unfortunately, the Edge stifles that sort of creativity. Am I bitter? Never.

I'm aiming to get Part 4 posted within the next week. It will feature my Tampa Bay Lightning among others.

Strauss NHL Rebrand II

We recently began a new concept series in which designer Elliott Strauss takes on the immense task of creating the ideal look of the NHL. All 30 teams will receive his rebranding treatment — some with big changes, others small changes — all, hopefully, for the better.

In Part I, Elliott took on the Capitals, Coyotes and Panthers. Today, it's the Oilers, Red Wings and Thrashers. We start with Edmonton.

The bold text below are Elliott's own descriptions.

Edmonton Oilers 

I took a rarely used logo — the one from a shield with a gear and oil drop — and played with some elements to create a new primary mark.  

Uniforms are simple, inspired by the old blue and gray alternates. The wordmark is featured on the alternate.

I think most Oilers fans would agree that the new Reebok Edge jerseys need to go no matter what, and that old blue/orange combo of the '80s and early '90s is impossible to avoid.

The more I think about it, the more I think that vintage design should be an alternate worn on special occasions throughout the season.

And any attempt at joining the Thrashers and Stars with text and numbers on the front of the sweater should be nipped in the bud. Still, overall these are solid designs.

Now the one you've all been waiting for.

Detroit Red Wings

No logo changes. The uniforms are new, but from the stands you probably would barely notice. You can't do too much with the Wings.

This is one instance where I have to disagree with Elliott. I've posted many Red Wings concepts over the years but most have been met with rejection and disdain.

I think that's a mental block. We can improve upon the Red Wings' logos and uniforms but we choose not to out of a misguided reverence to tradition.

It's undeniable Detroit has a signature look and is one of the most recognizable teams in the NHL, but the idea it can't be changed without ruining years of history is silly.

Still, it would be nice to one day see the Wings add a third jersey — just not their 2009 Winter Classic one.

Atlanta Thrashers

The cereal bowl logo is simplified, as is the color scheme, orange and maroon are no more. The jerseys are pretty modern and put a heavy emphasis on the bird head pattern.

The changing crest logos from home-away reference the franchises' original uniforms.

The Thrashers are suffering from a color overload so this simplification is welcome. I did prefer the baby blue jerseys as alternates but I was always a fan of the asymmetrical sleeves — though I know I'm in the minority among Icethetics readers.

Each team should have an element to its uniforms that stand out and separate it from the rest. Slightly altering striping patterns usually isn't enough to create a unique identity. That's one thing the Thrashers achieved with the ATLANTA text down the sleeve.

And they can't get rid of those maroon third jerseys fast enough for me. I think Elliott just about hit the nail on the head with this concept.

Coming up in Part III, the Maple Leafs get a major makeover.

Strauss NHL Rebrand I

We're kicking off a new concept series today here at Icethetics. Designer Elliott Strauss has been on a mission to rebrand the NHL for the better. Some teams need sweeping changes, others not so much. For the 10-part series, Elliott set out with the following goals:

• Get rid of Reebok EDGE motifs like useless piping (Panthers), piping that randomly stops (Flames), unmatching home/away templates (Wild/Thrashers), awful-looking templates (Sens third), and teams with the same template.
• Come up with some brand new modern designs and make sure every team has a distinct identity.
• Pay attention to detail with fluid identities that feature striping that both makes sense and is consistent.
• Keep tradition when necessary.

I think Elliott is on the right track, for the most part here (though I may disagree with the need to make home and roads always match). Distinct identities, attention to detail and tradition are all important aspects to NHL uniforms. Let's see how they stack up!

All bold text in this post is in Elliott's own words. Artwork MAY NOT be reproduced without permission.

Washington Capitals

The colors stay the same, but the logo is new as I took the U.S. Capitol dome and combined it with a red star and circle — my version of the pre-Ovechkin primary.

Uniforms are a little top heavy but pants stripes help balance it out. The alternate is somewhat similar to the Capitals' current home, thought I thought the Weagle logo made a better crest.

A great start to this series. The only change I would make is to swap the home and third jerseys. To me, the Caps will always be red despite their late-90s identity crisis.

That Weagle as a crest is an incredible look that Washington needs to take advantage of one of these days.

Phoenix Coyotes

The sand color is darker here throughout the Coyotes identity.

With the jerseys, I wanted to move away from the extreme traditional look a little. Notice that the stripe on the bottom of the hem forms the same design between the jersey base and the pants as is on the arms. For that reason, the pants color had to change.

The road uniform is sand — just something different.  The crest of the alternate is based on an old patch they had when they still wore purple and green.

Another inspired concept here. I think the only missed opportunity was the sweater numbers. The rest of the design really works — even the non-white road sweater.

Florida Panthers

I took the Panthers' logos and updated them to be smoother and more intense.

The uniforms play heavily on the claw motif — even slight claw marks on the numbers.

The alternate relies on the contrast between navy and red.

The Panthers have had great uniforms since their inception in 1993 — at least until the Age of Reebok. What Elliott's done brings them back into the 21st century.

The jerseys are sharp and so are the logos. Very nice work as we wrap up this series debut.

Elliott Strauss is a talented artist whose work has been seen previously as finalists for both the USF Ice Bulls and KractIce logo projects here at Icethetics.

We'll certainly see more from him over the next several weeks.

In next week's edition of the Strauss NHL Rebrand, prepare for teh Oilers, Red Wings and Thrashers.