Collection 35: The Atlannipeg Transition

Since it's not likely many more Atlanta Thrashers concepts will make their way to my inbox now, I thought I'd share some of the ones I've been hanging onto. But within the same post, I'll also transition to some Winnipeg works of art. And while a name still has yet to be announced for that team — Jets appears to be the favorite of our designers.

This is probably the last you'll hear from me until June 21. I'll be on vacation until then. However, I have prepared several concepts posts to auto-publish while I'm away. Check back on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and next Sunday for new stuff.

And as a side note, your comments on these posts may not be approved until I return. I'll be at sea during my trip and therefore likely without Internet access. But we'll see how that goes.

Collection 20: Get Thrashed

Today feels like an Atlanta Thrashers kind of day. I can't explain it. All I can say is enjoy this diverse group of concepts for Georgia's second NHL franchise.

I'm trying to put together a couple of concept posts full of extinct NHL teams. Start sending in your concepts for the Nordiques, Whalers, etc.

Concept Collection 11

Got a new set of concept art for Trade Deadline Day.

That Panthers logo is a little frightening. Your thoughts?

Concept Collection 9

You guys weren't impressed with Sunday's crop of Ducks concepts, so let's try something a little different. These are all designs I think you might actually like.

Keep the artwork coming! My email address is in the Quick Links box at the top of the page.

Collection 4: Ivall Redux

I've got a handful of new concepts to share from Mike Ivall. He's tackling Predators, Thrashers and Islanders as well as revisiting the Bolts and Leafs.

Knowing the Lightning are looking to ditch the black and silver and go with a blue/white color scheme, Mike thought perhaps they might try a two-tone blue. Personally, I'm a fan.

A lot of you have been asking about how to make your own concept art. Unfortunately, there's no simple or quick way to throw stuff together. Most of the designers who submit work are very talented graphic artists with knowledge of image editing software. If you want something free to get started, look up something like Gimp or Inkscape. I'd love to put together some kind of tutorial, but it's not really that simple. I will try to get together some templates at some point though. So keep an eye out for that.

Concept Collection 1

I'm testing out a new format for concept posts. It features a standardized look for all submissions as well and limited commentary from me. Some posts will still have a particular theme, but from now on, most will just be a hodge-podge of whatever's in the Icethetics inbox. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments.

I know I said the last Connecticut Whale concepts would be the last. But Ross' attempt was too good not to share. We always talk about logo simplicity. This is one of those great designs that you can see a kid drawing on his notebook.

Unfortunately, this new format doesn't yet include ratings but I'm sure the artists will appreciate your feedback in the comments. Just added ratings. Enjoy!

Creative Inspiration

Has it really been seven weeks since the last concept post? Unacceptable. Yes, there have been a lot of blog and tournament updates. And yes, I've been busy lately. But seven weeks is a long time. So I'm going to try some new things to keep the concepts flowing.

Since getting this page updated is lower on my list of website priorities due to the time/effort required, I'm going to start adding new concept art to our brand new Facebook page on a regular basis to keep everyone satisfied. However, I will continue to save some items to be showcased here on the site.

So I'm taking some time out this holiday weekend to post a handful of new work. Most of the concepts sent in tend to be a slight re-imagining of a team's uniform. Usually some stripes are rearranged or colors changed. But every so often, an especially creative concept appears. That's today's topic.

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Peter Debay	Peter has an interesting take on the look of the Vancouver Canucks. Interesting choice of colors and type. Gives the sweater a very classic feel.
Ryan Haslett	Ryan is one of our most prolific designers, and here I've got three of my favorites. (I know there's only one rating, by the way, so just make it an average.) First, awesome Canucks jersey. Forgot the Johnny Canuck V logo, go Johnny Canuck all the way! I also like this Avalanche concept. Great callback to the old Colorado Rockies logo in the burgundy and blue. And green is just what the doctor ordered for the Ducks. Heck, I'd settle for orange if they'd just use the webbed D on the front!
Matthew Duke	This post is about creativity and sometimes that can yield a somewhat disappointing result. I like where Matthew is going with the uniform designs, but that ATL logo was not well-liked as a 10th anniversary mark, and it's sure not any better here. But at least it gets us thinking about things for the Thrashers.
Vin Maccioli	Here's a cool one. Vin offers up a unique alternate sweater with a very retro feel. It may not work for the Red Wings on a regular basis, but maybe as a one-off specialty thing instead. And yes, I'm also posting this one as a tribute to my Bolts' new GM — Stevie Y! I'm expecting great things from him.
Jake Slavik	The last concept is a little Winter Classic 2011 bonus. And with all respect to Jake, this is pretty far out. He's combined so many different eras of the Penguins and Capitals that it's become kind of a jumble. On the other hand, it does help us see what was good and what was bad about these clubs' past uniforms. For example, Weagle good, funky striping not. And sadly, he's left the gold out of the Penguins' jersey entirely. Despite the blue sweaters in the Pens' early years, the penguin logo was never without gold.

I'm shooting for concept updates on a weekly basis, but that may be too much to ask for. Just know that I'm doing the best I can. I'm assuming things will quiet down on the news front as the summer goes on, which will allow more time for concept posts.

Southeast Visionaries

Time to ring in February with some new concepts! Icethetics artists have been hard at work on a couple Southeast Division teams these days. Let's take a look at what they're working up for the Capitals and Thrashers.

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Glen Cuthbert	Just last Thursday I posted the news that the Washington Capitals are planning a special 35th anniversary celebration this coming Friday. The release tells us they'll wear a red jersey with a unique commemorative patch. While the rest of us are getting our hopes up for some type of throwback sweater, Glen is being a little more realistic in his interpretation. Not as exciting, but likely what to expect in D.C. on Friday.
Ryan Haslett	But speaking of throwback, Ryan has taken some liberties by merging two different eras of Caps logos on this white jersey. Sad to say, I am not a fan. But I must admit I always liked the Caps' blue and bronze days of the mid-90s and early 00s. It gave them a unique identity until they ditched the blue jersey for a black one.
Brian Brideau	I can always tell when a team's uniform design is unpopular with Icethetics readers — because concept art just comes pouring in. And evidently, the Thrashers are one of those teams. Brian's jerseys may not look much different from Atlanta's actual sweaters — and honestly, the blue one isn't — but look closely at the white one. It's been simplified and freed of piping. Actually, it's really just a white version of the maroon third jersey. Amazing what a few slight alterations can do.
Ryan Haslett	And to go with that design, imagine Ryan's dark blue sweater as an alternate. It harkens back to the Thrashers' original dark uniforms and a time when it was rare to see an NHL club with two different crests for their home and road jerseys. I'd love to see that make a comeback.
Glen Cuthbert	Now we finish with the artist, Glen, who began today's concept post. He offers up another maroon option for a Thrashers third jersey. Only the logos have been changed from the current alts. But even that is a major improvement.

Thanks to everybody who's been sending in concept art — keeping the reserves full. All of your amazing work will be posted soon!

Rebranding the East

I'm sure I'm enjoying Sin City right about now. And I'm sure you guys are enjoying these daily concept posts. This is the second of five auto-posts and today's theme is rebranding.

Rebranding has become a very popular topic among Icethetics concept artists — giving a complete uniform and logo overhaul to a given team. Sometimes the overhaul is drastic and sometimes it's subtle. But it usually results in something better than which actually exists.

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Robert Giannone	We start with Robert Giannone's rebranding of the Philadelphia Flyers. Robert isn't looking to replace the classic P logo so much as give it a nice complement that could be used as a shoulder page, third jersey crest or merchandising mark. He's created an F lettermark based on the P used on the team's old orange alternate sweater. And he's put an awful lot of work and thought into it. He's had patches embroidered and attached to an actual Flyers jersey as well as a cap. They don't look out of place at all. So I'm completely with him — that is until we get to his wordmark. That's where you lose me. That does not say Flyers at all. To me, it says graffiti. But aside from that, I like this logo, and although we've seen versions of it before — and by that I mean this Zephyr X-line hat — it's always nice to see someone putting some effort in. You can see more of Robert's work on his web site.
Ryan Broda	Next, Ryan Broda offers the Atlanta Thrashers a newer look. He's kept the same color scheme and wordmark but has made some adjustments to the other logos — ridding them of the primary mark often ridiculed as looking like a bird stirring itself into a bowl of soup. Ryan's kept the strongest element of that design — the bird head — and has added some additional details to the logos to make it look a little meaner. It's a very sharp concept.
Julian Kazmierczak	Julian offers us something a little different for the Ottawa Senators. He's decided to drop the gold completely and stick with the black and red which were most prominent when the Sens first existed in the early 20th century and were later revived in 1992. The logo is back-to-basics but the striping may be a bit much. Overall, however, I think he may be on to something. It's simple and isn't that what we've been wanting ever since the beginning of the Age of Reebok?
Matt Marczel	I've got one more item to share today. This comes from the always prolific Matt Marczel. However, Matt hasn't so much rebranded the Capitals here as offered up a third jersey to die for. Every time the topic comes up, we look for ways of getting the Caps into a blue third jersey with the Weagle heavily featured. This does that in the best way. But better yet, I'd vote that this be the primary home jersey. And even if we can't have that, what about putting the Weagle on the front of the red jersey? The Capitals have a brilliant logo here and it seems to just be going to waste.

Excellent work by all of these artists. They should be proud. And you should come back tomorrow for more concept art.

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.

Concept Collection VIII

You've been patient (most of you). My inbox has seen a lot of concept art over the past few weeks and I'm thrilled to finally be posting it! (Seriously, if someone can help me figure out a way to make Icethetics my only job, we'll all be a lot happier. A lot.)

All right, I've got 14 items to get to tonight, so let's not waste time. We'll begin with the Colorado Avalanche, whose brand new third jersey has recently been leaked (see the blog for more info on that).

A lot of readers have bemoaned a lack of creativity, I believe having to do with the fact that it's simply a revision of the Avs' previous third. This first concept certainly avoids drawing on past designs while simultaneously reminding us the Nordique spirit will never die.

BD

The other team soon releasing a brand new third will be the Florida Panthers. Rumor would have us believe it may look a little something like this.

Ryan Haslett

It's a return to red, which I'm sure longtime Cats fans will appreciate, and it borrows very heavily from the Wild's home uni — easily one of the best in the NHL.

Seeing all these new third jerseys the last couple of years makes me wonder who got it right and who didn't. Some teams don't have one and could really use it. Obviously, the Penguins, Wild, Sabres and Blues got it right.

I've been hoping the Rangers would one day return to the Lady Liberty jersey which at one point was my favorite in the league. Here's a re-envisioning of that.

nyr1583

The Capitals would do well to add a blue jersey. Many have suggested the Weagle take center stage, but why not a red version of the primary logo? How would it all look on a Lethbridge Hurricanes sweater?

Ryan Haslett

The Canucks dropped the ball with their third last year. It was what we all expected, but that should be their home sweater, and not an alternate. Here's one idea for an alternate with yet another brand new logo.

Matt Marczel

Now that Whalers merchandise is making its way back onto store shelves, maybe the Hurricanes could pay tribute on one St. Patrick's Day sometime.

Matt Marczel

Maybe even the Red Wings could get in on the third jersey action — even though they've never been one to follow that crowd.

Matt Marczel

The Dallas Stars dropped the ball worse than anyone two years in a row — bad home and road sweaters followed by a shockingly worse third. Since we're talking nostalgia and vintage these days, why not a trip down memory lane the heart of Texas?

Matthew Duke

Lastly, the Ducks. It seems like every concept post at some point feels the need to help out those poor Anaheim Ducks. Nobody was sad to see the "Mighty" go away, but nor were they glad to see the artistic carnage that would ensue on the sweaters to follow.

mcskilz

I'm not saying gold is the way to go necessarily, but maybe stepping outside the box isn't a bad thing. Anyway, the colors are great, but the logo could use a lift.

Jake Niehl

Hey, an actual duck. Go figure.

I enjoy ending a concept post with a little something to freak you out, if at all possible. Tonight is no exception. The Sabres and Canucks have their 40th anniversaries coming up next season. Let's get started by putting an actual saber on the Sabres' jersey.

J.B.

And hell, why not just run the gamut of past logos and colors for the Canucks? You know they never did have a red jersey.

J.B.

A little something to frighten Panthers fans. As we near Halloween, perhaps this could be a costume.

Jules

And lastly, one of the most ridiculous Atlanta Thrashers concepts ever to grace these pages.

mcskilz

Show your mcskilz! To the first person who can legitimately make the rest of the numerals out of that simple Thrash logo — bragging rights for life!

Hope the wait was worth it. I'm really trying to keep this updated. And since I know it's what you guys want, I'll make a special effort to have something new hear at least once a week — though it likely won't be in the quantity you see tonight.

Keep those concepts coming! Email them to icethetics@gmail.com.