2014-2015 NHL Jersey/Logo Changes

[IceCap]

When I was in school, our JV football team had these ridiculously awful uniforms - and their helmets had no decals on them, just blue shells with yellow facemasks. The logic that we heard was that the stickers were reserved for the varsity team, who played serious football - you had to earn the right to dress well.

Sometimes I feel like that is the approach many of you have when it comes to the NHL. Everytime I hear "a look that fits a 90s expansion team" I flash back to school and the varsity looking down on the JV. Many of you would seemingly prefer warm weather hockey teams to dress in clown suits and leave the classy, timeless looks to the big boys up north.

That being said, I could perhaps agree that the Lightning have lost their individual identity with their simplified look, but bright yellow lightning bolts down the sleeves? Come on.

Tell ya what. I'll get off the Lightining's case when they manage a classy, timeless look that doesn't rip off two established, timeless looks two other teams have been rocking for decades upon decades.

[TheRevTy]

When I was in school, our JV football team had these ridiculously awful uniforms - and their helmets had no decals on them, just blue shells with yellow facemasks. The logic that we heard was that the stickers were reserved for the varsity team, who played serious football - you had to earn the right to dress well.

Sometimes I feel like that is the approach many of you have when it comes to the NHL. Everytime I hear "a look that fits a 90s expansion team" I flash back to school and the varsity looking down on the JV. Many of you would seemingly prefer warm weather hockey teams to dress in clown suits and leave the classy, timeless looks to the big boys up north.

That being said, I could perhaps agree that the Lightning have lost their individual identity with their simplified look, but bright yellow lightning bolts down the sleeves? Come on.

Tell ya what. I'll get off the Lightining's case when they manage a classy, timeless look that doesn't rip off two established, timeless looks two other teams have been rocking for decades upon decades.

Oh, I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you on that. I think the biggest flaw with the current Lightning look is that, while it may be well and good in a vacuum, when placed against the league as a whole, they lose their identity by blending in.

I can see what Yzerman was doing - he wanted to change the image of the team from "Hey, we're a hockey team that plays in Florida and has an unconventional name!" to "We're a hockey team." Not all that different from the Rays dropping the "Hey, we're named after a weird fish thing!" to "Don't focus on the nickname, focus on the team."

I think the bigger issue with their look isn't that they aren't Original Six, it is that they simply aren't original. But you don't need gimmicks to be original - and lightning bolts down the sleeves, that's a gimmick.

[Morgan33]

It's not even good in a vacuum. The entire indentity package is so lacking in creativity it's embarassing. Especially for a team called "The Lightning." So many creative outlets for a name like that...

[Lights Out]

I've long thought that a template like this would be perfect for the Lightning:

Get rid of the side panels and the name on the hem stripes, change the yellow to blue, add in victory stripes and the Lightning's logos, and they're good to go.

[wildwing64]

It's a bit cheesy, but if done right that actually could work.

[TheOldRoman]

You'd have to get rid of the side stripes on the body, but it's workable. Absurd elements taking up the position of normal striping on traditional template - just like the classic Chargers and the previous Bengals sets.

[Lights Out]

Very rough idea of what I'm talking about:

[Morgan33]

Very rough idea of what I'm talking about:

Like everything about it with the exception of the map of Florida imposed on the logo. Clutters the Bolt design

[colinturner95]

Very rough idea of what I'm talking about:

Like everything about it with the exception of the map of Florida imposed on the logo. Clutters the Bolt design

maybe even get rid of the black yoke.

[IceCap]

When I was in school, our JV football team had these ridiculously awful uniforms - and their helmets had no decals on them, just blue shells with yellow facemasks. The logic that we heard was that the stickers were reserved for the varsity team, who played serious football - you had to earn the right to dress well.

Sometimes I feel like that is the approach many of you have when it comes to the NHL. Everytime I hear "a look that fits a 90s expansion team" I flash back to school and the varsity looking down on the JV. Many of you would seemingly prefer warm weather hockey teams to dress in clown suits and leave the classy, timeless looks to the big boys up north.

That being said, I could perhaps agree that the Lightning have lost their individual identity with their simplified look, but bright yellow lightning bolts down the sleeves? Come on.

Tell ya what. I'll get off the Lightining's case when they manage a classy, timeless look that doesn't rip off two established, timeless looks two other teams have been rocking for decades upon decades.

Oh, I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you on that. I think the biggest flaw with the current Lightning look is that, while it may be well and good in a vacuum, when placed against the league as a whole, they lose their identity by blending in.

I can see what Yzerman was doing - he wanted to change the image of the team from "Hey, we're a hockey team that plays in Florida and has an unconventional name!" to "We're a hockey team." Not all that different from the Rays dropping the "Hey, we're named after a weird fish thing!" to "Don't focus on the nickname, focus on the team."

I think the bigger issue with their look isn't that they aren't Original Six, it is that they simply aren't original. But you don't need gimmicks to be original - and lightning bolts down the sleeves, that's a gimmick.

I understand what Yzerman was doing to. And the main point behind it does have merit. The issue isn't the concept, it's the execution. He wanted a traditional hockey look. Ok. He could have done that without ripping off the Red Wings and Maple Leafs. Just adding some black to the striping of the current sweaters would help in that regard, and wouldn't lessen the "classic" vibe. Four out of the "Original Six" use two other colours in addition to white after all.

[TBGKon]

Hope you guys like the Bolts nickname! Ugh...

Im fine with it as long as we're not looking at an exact opposite of the former Bolts 3rd.

[habsfan1]

Hope you guys like the Bolts nickname! Ugh...

Im fine with it as long as we're not looking at an exact opposite of the former Bolts 3rd.

I think it's going to be exactly that.

[twi]

A page or two back I posted what I know of it. It sounds like it could potentially just be a recolor.

[habsfan1]

What I was told was "the current third jersey but in black." I asked if that meant the Bolts script was still present and the answer was yes. Now this isn't coming from a jersey-head like we are here so I don't know if there will be any differences in the script or jersey template or just a simple recolor. Based on what I saw months ago it will not be a simple recolor. It will feature a new font, for the numbers at least. Will try to get more info tomorrow but everyone's got more important stuff (rookie camp) going on than talking to me! Lol

I'm more than mildly disappointed.

I think we all are...

[Morgan33]

If it really is just a black version of the awful "BOLTS" sweater I think we can agree that the organization is incompetent. Why would they not release a throwback to the cup winning togs on the 10th anniversary of that achievement... The mind boggles.

[daniel75]

I understand what Yzerman was doing to. And the main point behind it does have merit. The issue isn't the concept, it's the execution. He wanted a traditional hockey look. Ok. He could have done that without ripping off the Red Wings and Maple Leafs. Just adding some black to the striping of the current sweaters would help in that regard, and wouldn't lessen the "classic" vibe. Four out of the "Original Six" use two other colours in addition to white after all.

How creative can you really get with striping there are lots of teams with similar striping. And why is a clean and simple look not ok for an expansion team?

[IceCap]

I understand what Yzerman was doing to. And the main point behind it does have merit. The issue isn't the concept, it's the execution. He wanted a traditional hockey look. Ok. He could have done that without ripping off the Red Wings and Maple Leafs. Just adding some black to the striping of the current sweaters would help in that regard, and wouldn't lessen the "classic" vibe. Four out of the "Original Six" use two other colours in addition to white after all.

How creative can you really get with striping there are lots of teams with similar striping. And why is a clean and simple look not ok for an expansion team?

It's fine on its own. They probably should find a way to do it without ripping off the Red Wings and Maple Leafs.

[Kevin W.]

Courtesy of Icethetics, here's a Blue Jackets prototype from back in the day:

[hockey week]

I understand what Yzerman was doing to. And the main point behind it does have merit. The issue isn't the concept, it's the execution. He wanted a traditional hockey look. Ok. He could have done that without ripping off the Red Wings and Maple Leafs. Just adding some black to the striping of the current sweaters would help in that regard, and wouldn't lessen the "classic" vibe. Four out of the "Original Six" use two other colours in addition to white after all.

How creative can you really get with striping there are lots of teams with similar striping. And why is a clean and simple look not ok for an expansion team?

It's fine on its own. They probably should find a way to do it without ripping off the Red Wings and Maple Leafs.

What if we took away the Maple Leafs issue? What if they went with black and white?

[NorthStar74]

Courtesy of Icethetics, here's a Blue Jackets prototype from back in the day:

Huhh.... interesting look but not sure about that color on the sleeve ... hmmm

Very rough idea of what I'm talking about:

Just trade that crest in that jersey for the current Lightning crest logo and it's all good.. or so?