Concept Collection 12

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New set of concept art for you this evening.

Keep them coming! Send in your work by email to have it included in a future post.

Concept Collection 11

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

That Panthers logo is a little frightening. Your thoughts?

Collection 10: The East Coast

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As the title would indicate, with today's concept post on this the first Hockey Day in America, we're sticking to the Eastern Conference — but not excluding Canada. Been receiving a lot of really creative artwork lately that should garner some interesting feedback.

So let that ruminate a bit. Long Island Hockey Club... a more overt NJ... and so on. Then leave your feedback in the comments. One thing, though...

At the moment, comments on concept posts are unmoderated. I'm trusting you guys. Please remember that these artists spent time and creativity on the work above. If you don't like it, you're entitled to that opinion, but please be thoughtful when unleashing it on the world. Be constructive with your criticism or don't offer any. Especially if you've never submitted work yourself. Just some things to keep in mind.

Concept Collection 9

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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 8: Anaheim Makeover

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Concept art took a bit of a backseat this week as I prepared the re-launch of the new jersey galleries. I think it's one of the best features of Icethetics. Today's new batch of artwork is all about the Anaheim Ducks.

Hadn't thought of turning the webbed D into an A before. That's interesting. But what if the Ducks brought back the purple instead of playing up the orange?

This last one by Mike is your typical cookie cutter third jersey as of late. Stick your logo in a circle, wrap the team name around it, and add some retro striping. How hard can it be?

Collection 7: Lightning Revisited

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The Lightning's new identity has been controversial, as we all know. So once again, Icethetics concept artists are trying their hands at improving it. You be the judge.

I think that wraps up the Tampa Bay concepts — for now.

Concept Collection 6

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No theme today, just another random assortment of concept art here.

Up first, Mike Ivall provides his take on a 2012 Winter Classic possibility. Rumors have suggested the game could be played in Philadelphia or New York next year.

Dallas Stars concept removed at artist's request

By the way, the Lightning concepts just keep streaming in, so I imagine that'll require another post or two in the near future. That's all for now.

Collection 5: Bolt Yourself In

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The Tampa Bay Lightning unveiled new logos and uniforms today. It brought a surprisingly divisive reaction — some saying the changes were too drastic and oversimplified, others saying it's exactly the kind of look the NHL needs. So let's see what some Icethetics concept artists think would be ideal.

To start, Jacob merely took the uniforms the Bolts actually unveiled today and reconfigured the placement of some of the logos. I like the bolt on the pants, but I prefer the actual jersey crests, myself. Here are some other ideas...

So what do you think? Is anything here an improvement on what the Bolts actually unveiled today? Or did they get it right already?

Collection 4: Ivall Redux

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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 3

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The newly reformatted concept art has been quite a popular feature lately. I can't remember the last time these posts have had so much feedback on a consistent basis. So let's keep it rolling. I've got another mish-mash to share this morning.

Paul had a similar idea to Mike Ivall's concept from the last post. Once again, there's just something about that color combination for me. The Cats can keep the light blue as a trim color so long as they keep the red. That's my decree.

Coming up this week: Mike Ivall has sent in enough new artwork fill another post. He's been working hard lately. He's covering the Preds, Isles and Thrashers among others.

Mike Ivall is Back!

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Long time concept contributor and friend of Icethetics, Mike Ivall has caught the creativity bug, eager to express himself with jersey artwork. And I think that's something we're all happy to hear. Over the last few days he's immersed himself in the following designs.

After the St. Pete Times shared some new details on what the Lightning may be planning for their upcoming uniform redesign, Mike took a stab with some familiar elements. The lack of any black or silver does squarely put the look in Maple Leafs territory, which I'm not wild about. But you never know what Stevie Y has up his sleeve (i.e.: Dwayne Roloson).

I don't know what it is about this color combination but I absolutely love it. I saw Mike's concept and it's made me want to completely redesign Icethetics again — in these colors. The two-tone blue is all right if not overused these days, but add the red and suddenly it's completely unique. Anybody else with me on this?

How can Ottawa improve upon this? It's simple. They can't. Do this and the Senators will never need another jersey for the next century.

As usual, Mr. Ivall's work is outstanding and worthy of a post all to himself. And I can assure you there is more coming not only from Mike but many other talented artists as well.

Concept Collection 2

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Continuing with the new concept art format. Seems to be getting good reviews. Today brings a handful of great designs by some Icethetics regulars.

If you recognize the logo in Ryan's Capitals concept, you're not alone. It's not an original design. In fact, it's a logo commissioned by the Capitals years ago but never used. It was included in a post a couple years ago about lost logos registered with the patent office but later abandoned.

Concept Collection 1

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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!

Fixing the Whale Fail, Part 2

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The Connecticut Whale concepts continue pouring in at a slow but steady pace. I'm starting a new post tonight to share them with you.

Caleb Fuller

We'll begin this set with the only one that's actually made me laugh out loud as I perused my inbox. Caleb took his inspiration of the infamous Twitter fail whale. And the execution is an absolute riot.

As if the crest alone weren't enough, he's created the sweater from a combination of elements from some of the worst NHL uniforms in recent history — namely the Sabres and Senators. This may have been a joke and doesn't "fix" anything, but it wins for the laugh factor as far as I'm concerned.
Brendan Klein

Next, Brendan has gone in a new direction while still keeping the spirit of the old Hartford Whalers. I don't think it needs an explanation as the logo pretty much speaks for itself. But I'm not sure I'm a fan of the white jersey's complete lack of blue. But maybe I'm alone there.
Christopher Lewis

Finally, Christopher came up with a fix that simplifies the idea of a logo built around a C for Connecticut. He shows you don't have to draw a cartoon to do it. And I like that. Still, I can't help but feel like the logo is more of a fusion of the Whalers and New Jersey Devils. The pointy tail just looks a little demonic.

Later this week I'll have new concepts, including some All-Star designs. I think we've put the Whale subject to bed at this point.

Fixing the Whale Fail

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In a recent blog post about the miserable failure that is the branding of the AHL's Connecticut Whale, I put out the call for Icethetics concept artists to improve it. Here's what they came up with.

Jayde Garrow

In a concept first posted back in September after we learned what the team's new name would be, Jayde Garrow took the best if not most obvious route with his design. Quite simply, bring back the classic Hartford Whalers logo but with a unique spin.
Christian Ryder

Working on the same theme as Jayde, Christian Ryder elaborated with new style for the tale and a pair of uniforms. Thought the use of the Canucks font for the wordmark was an interesting choice, but I guess the teams do share the same color scheme.
Cale Putnam

Do you see a pattern forming here? The clearest solution seems to be play on the old Whalers logo. And it's not as though it's never been done. The Binghamton Whalers merely turned the Hartford logo on its side back in the day. But I digress.

Cale Putnam brings us a full uniform set with his concept. Perhaps the best part is the Whalers-inspired striping on the green alternate sweater. And overall, I have absolutely nothing to complain about here.
Joshua Heckman

It appears Joshua Heckman was on the same track as most everyone else. But I can't help but feel like he took a wrong turn in getting there. I understand the use of the Whalers' W, but I'm not sure about the protrusion beneath it. Don't know what that's supposed to be.
Peter Debay

And finally, for something entirely different, Peter has gone with an entirely new approach that is a little ironic. His symbol for a team called the Whale is a harpoon — the very item used to kill whales. Hmm.

Still, it's clear he's taking his inspiration from the old New England team from the WHA, as he points out himself. I'm just not sure it would be received any better than what the team actually used. But I'm often wrong.

What do the rest of you think? Are any of these the way to go or is the Whale better off with what they have? Weigh in, and if you have a concept of your own, email it in and I'll add it to this post.

Quebec, Conceptually

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Last week, fans rallied to bring the NHL back to Quebec City. So let's look at some Quebec Nordiques concept art this afternoon.

Brendan Anderson

Brendan kicks things off with a rather traditional blast from the past. That is, until you get to the alternate jersey. The Nordiques missed the NHL Third Jersey Program by a year but I'm not sure they would've gone with a number on the front. Still, I don't think anybody in Quebec would complain if it meant getting their team back.
Peter Debay

We get a completely new direction from Peter. Rather than the classic logo with its subtle NQ, we here's a lowercase q made out of a distorted hockey stick.

The one I really like, however, is the vintage design with its retro striping and crest design. That would be a nice looking hockey sweater — even with the red helmet and pants.
Scot McCormack

Scot also tried his hand at new Nordiques logos. The jersey remains mostly unchanged.

Personally, I'm not as big a fan of this set as the previous one and I think that's because of the difference in creativity levels. I think if fans had their pick, they'd go with more of a retro style to the uniforms.
Jack Martineau

And just for the heck of it, I thought we'd toss in an Avalanche concept. After all, they used to be the Nordiques.

With his design, Jack is bringing back the abstract mountain at the base of the jersey. Personally, I'd love to see the mountain range that used to be on the sleeves. I think more than any other team, the Avs were ruined by Reebok. This helps, but it's just not what it could be.

Email in your concept art and it may well find its way onto this very page.

Predicting the Future

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Hey, looks like it's time again for our monthly concept post. Really sorry about that, but as I've said, the blog and logo tournaments come first because that's what most people seem to be interested in — though I recognize there's a core group here that just can't get enough concept art. This one's for you.

Today's theme deals with the future — our designers taking a stab in the dark at what could be. Bookmark this page. We'll see how close they get.

Brian Brideau

First up, Brian sent in this concept based on a description I wrote of the Anaheim Ducks' new third jersey. Based on what I saw, it's pretty darn close. There are some minor dissimilarities, but for the most part, he's got it.

This image I put together (right) is a better example of what I think the shoulder patch looks like. It was small in the image I saw so it's difficult to be sure. But it's the best we have to go on at the moment.

The Ducks will sport their new alternate sweater for the first time on Nov. 26 against the Blackhawks. That's probably the first time we'll get to see it legitimately.
Jayde Garrow

The other day, the Hartford Wolf Pack announced Howard Baldwin is taking over business operations and his first act will be changing the team's name to the Connecticut Whale at midseason. So Jayde took a stab at a possible logo. Very nice tribute to the classic Hartford Whalers mark and very simple.
Stephen Griesmer

Yesterday, it was announced the newest ECHL team will be named the Chicago Express. Logos were unveiled but jerseys are still under wraps. Here's one idea from Stephen for home, road and alternate sweaters. The team doesn't begin play until the 2011-12 season.
Mike Wytrykus

The next two aren't really future jerseys — but I suppose they could be, right? Mike's rendition of a throwback-inspired Red Wings jersey is, well, inspired. This is one example of a jersey that in no way takes away from the team's long history. In fact, it plays it up. Count me a fan.
Sean Ryan Cooley

And lastly, Sean tried his hand a rebrand for the Panthers. As I told him, I feel like the colors don't work together that well, but I like the direction and the logo designs are solid. I think the Panthers have one of the best logos in hockey, but they're certainly working toward something simpler as evidence by last year's third jersey.

Until next time... (which I do hope to be sooner than a month from now.)

Third Jersey Theories

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Today's batch of concept art deals with a handful of teams with new sweater designs on the way. While we wait for official unveilings, our concept artists get to work on some predictions of their own.

Alex Valvo

The Sabres will unveil their new third jersey on Sept. 18. All right, technically these aren't third jersey concepts, but the expectation is that the Sabres will promote their current third jersey to home status — while adding a white version for the road. That's the concept Alex is offering up today.
Jekabs Elerts

We keep hoping for the Lady Liberty logo to return when the Rangers unveil their new third jersey in November. That's what Jekabs has for us — though he likes to work with the Nike Swift jersey template, as opposed to the Reebok Edge standard. Regardless, it's a solid sweater design.
Jekabs Elerts

The Penguins will use the 2011 Winter Classic to launch their new third jersey. Jekabs's guess is that they're going with this 1967 replica. But since they're the home team, it probably won't be a white jersey — but you never know. The Sabres wore white when they hosted in 2008.
Ryan Haslett

I'm a big fan of this one. Ryan, a prolific concept artist, has put a unique spin the much-maligned Islanders jersey from the mid-90s. Not a bad treatment if you ask me. Perhaps if the Isles had done something a little less radical and a little more like this, fans wouldn't have rioted so much. I like that font, by the way!
Connor Hanley

The Whaler talk these days has been intense. More on that in an upcoming blog post. In the meantime, Connor joins Howard Baldwin in hoping for the NHL's return to Hartford. Such a great logo. And solid uniforms all around.
Jack Martineau

And finally, while the Canucks aren't actually planning a new third jersey — that we know of — I decided to toss Jacks' concept into this post as a bonus. The logo used on the jersey just won the NHL secondary logo tournament here on Icethetics.

As always, feel free to email in concepts. I'm working on adding a bunch more to the Facebook page this weekend.

There's Something About Retro

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They say fashion is cyclical. Trends come and go and come around again. In the NHL, we seem to be re-entering a retro phase. Throwback jerseys have always been popular with fans, but it seems only in the last few years have teams started to take advantage of that. Classic designs that bring history back to life have started making their way back into the mainstream, in the form of alternate jerseys and special events such as the Winter Classic.

So "retro" is the theme of today's post. Let's see what our artists have come up with.

Jared LeBlanc

I'm a big fan of Jared's Winter Classic concept uniforms, especially what he's done for the Penguins. It's been suggested that the Pens might join the Bruins in borrowing elements from multiple past jerseys for a unique new look that still feels vintage.

Jared's also submitted some ideas for the Heritage Classic, details of which will be announced later today. Regarding the design, he writes, "The Canadians jersey is really the only vintage jersey left that they haven't worn already. ... For the Flames, I took a look at the Cowboys jerseys, which looked like a pretty solid design. I considered doing a carbon copy but I thought they might still want the Flames logo on it."

Both sets get a big thumbs up from me!
Connor Hanley

Another set of retros based in real life, come by way of Connor. Over the summer, it was announced that the Canucks would don a throwback jersey to celebrate their 40th anniversary. While this won't be the one, the Kings' vintage threads seen here are probably not far from what they'll be wearing on a few occasions this season.

The Kings did give their first round draft pick a gold jersey from the 1960s after all. We're still waiting on an official announcement from the team, however.
Connor Hanley

Connor also sent in this set which calls back to the 1920s and the NHL clubs that arrived long before the Penguins and Flyers — that's the Pirates and Quakers. Of course the design is a little dated now with Gagne's name on the back. (He plays for my team now!)

I suppose it might be a treat for centenarian hockey fans in Pennsylvania to see those two sweaters hit the ice again. But they shouldn't hold their breaths.
Jack Martineau

Canadian fans always like to see their teams don the retro duds. Jack digs back deep into Maple Leafs history with these St. Pats sweaters. The team actually wore that green jersey for a game or two back in the mid-90s. They should do it again!
Ryan Haslett

And while we're on the subject, here's another throwback for the Leafs from Ryan. Just like the St. Pats jersey, this one also saw life in the afterlife when it was dusted off for at least one game in the early '90s. Now that the Leafs seem to be taking an interest once again in looking like the storied hockey team they are, maybe more of these throwbacks are in the cards.
Matt Marczel

And to finish things off, one of our most prolific artists, Matt Marczel, offers up this throwback to the previous iteration of the Ottawa Senators club. He points out that it could be used if the Sens ever play in a Winter/Heritage Classic. Unfortunately, the first problem is legibility. The second is the Canadiens just wore a very similar stripe-y sweater last year.

By the way, I have lots of new concept art ready and waiting. Someone needs to stay on me about keeping this page updated. I'm very forgetful.

Creative Inspiration

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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.

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.