WHL Concept Series (Series Complete)

[vtgco]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was looking back at some WHL doodles I did a few years ago and felt inspired by some of the good hockey series going right now (@jwinter's OHL series, @Dexatron's OWL series, @TrueNorth's MJHL series)

So here's a Western Hockey League series!

 

The series will range from small tweaks to total rebrands, mostly just based on whether I have good ideas for the team. I'll go through each division, starting with the US Division!

[vtgco]

Starting off with the Silvertips:

 

 

I did not attempt to improve on Everett's excellent mountain & tree striped jerseys. However, their 25th anniversary vintage fauxbacks were nice but a bit too plain, so I attempted to spice that look up a bit. The bear shoulder patch is now front and center atop Three Fingers Mountain.

[vtgco]

And my hometown hockey team, the Thunderbirds! 

 

 

There's not really a need for anything new or fancy for Seattle, who already have a beautiful logo and beautiful jerseys, but I threw in a subtle stylized nod to the ferries of Puget Sound with the shape of the striping. Mostly I just tried to pare down some of the silver.

[vtgco]

And lastly for now, Spokane:

 

 

Apparently the Chiefs organization has a good relationship with the Spokane Nation, but I thought I'd try something slightly different in case they ever want to change. Before the Chiefs, Spokane's team for 33 years was the Flyers (predating Philadelphia's use of the name by almost two decades!)

 

The logo is a simplified version of the current logo. The wing replaces the headdress, and incorporates a stylized Spokane Falls. The shoulder patch represents the local "Lilac City" nickname.

 

I wasn't sure if I should try to make a bigger uniform change, but at least the jerseys are now 10% less ripped off from Montreal!

 

Let me know if you have any suggestions for any of these sets (or any suggestions for the Central Division; I'm having a hard time with it.)

I'll be back soon with Portland and the Tri-Cities, who will both be a little bit more out there.

[Chromatic]

I like what I'm seeing so far, no real critiques. Looking forward to what comes next.

[vtgco]

2 hours ago, Chromatic said:

I like what I'm seeing so far, no real critiques. Looking forward to what comes next.

Glad you like it!

 

Next is Portland:

While the Winterhawks name is not necessarily a problem, Portland's current primary logo needs to be phased out. I propose a much more literal take on the name.

 

The striping is tilted for a Portland Rosebuds callback and some Trailblazers synergy, and forest green replaces black for some Timbers/Thorns synergy. The font is a bit weirder, because Portland asked for it.

[vtgco]

And to round out the US teams, possibly the biggest change I've made yet:

 

I don't know how well-received this would be IRL, but I think the Tri-cities deserve a less generic brand than "Americans."

I've renamed them the Atomics, representing the area's strange and unique history with nuclear technology and physics research. Red is replaced with wine, for the region's big winery scene, and a steam cloud is used for a shoulder yoke. The waves represent both the Columbia River and the squiggles in Feynman diagrams.

 

Coming up, the BC Division. C&C appreciated!

[BurdBranding]

I really like the direction for almost all of these, but I am thinking that the amount packed into each team's look might be overstimulating for the average observer. 

 

Everett Silvertips

This team's vintage look irl is a perfect starting point if the tips ever wanted to step away from their modern look. The thick stripe feels right and the color balance is solid, but there is so much going on when it comes to the chest. I'd suggest leaving the mountains off the jersey for simplicity. They look great in the logo, but I think by removing them you'd get a sufficient identifier with the "EVERETT" straight across and the bear sized down to fit the thick stripe. I'd also move the chest stripes up a little bit. While that might seem like a lot of tweaks, I really do prefer this line of inspiration.

 

Seattle Thunderbirds

The striping feels modern for their traditional identity, but I respect the minimal change. This team looks very good already, so I appreciate the focus on taking them to the next level by fixing their gray problem. 

 

Spokane Flyers

The modification to the logo is very sharp, and I like the history of what goes into this overhaul. What I am hung up on is the lilac. Don't get me wrong, I am pushing for it. The problem is that the lack of it in the jersey makes it seem like the team isn't sure about committing to it. I'd go a step further and remove the red, making them navy dominant with lilac accents. I also wish you did third jerseys because that "Flyers" logo would look cool on the chest. 

 

Portland Winterhawks

My personal taste is simplicity when it comes to logos, which makes me wonder why you included such detail in the middle. If the various shades of color was just flat white, I think I'd be 100% behind the new logo. The P/stick/wing is perfect, and I'd maybe even prefer that on the chest. The jerseys are funky but somehow feel vintage, and I like that unique middle ground you found between the two. Absolutely stellar job on this one.

 

Tri City Atomics

I'd suggest "Atoms" because "Atomics" feels clunky to me, but the change is much more inspired. That wine color looks so good and the way you made their logo and jersey design play of each other is very clever. If the hem stripes were straight it would be a cleaner look, but I can't say I dislike them at all. This is another upgrade, and I am sure it isn't your last. 

[StevenGrant94]

These are all great! I love the unique details (like Seattle's stylized striping, and Tri-City's steam cloud shoulder yoke).  The Winterhawks one is my favourite though, it's such an improvement over their current set.

[vtgco]

27 minutes ago, StevenGrant94 said:

These are all great! I love the unique details (like Seattle's stylized striping, and Tri-City's steam cloud shoulder yoke).  The Winterhawks one is my favourite though, it's such an improvement over their current set.

Thanks for the kind words! Yeah, I don't like the Winterhawks as a team but that one was the one that got me excited about getting the series going. Hopefully my upcoming designs will feel unique for each city, like you say 

 

@TheHealthiestScratch I really appreciate the comprehensive feedback!

4 hours ago, TheHealthiestScratch said:

Seattle Thunderbirds

The striping feels modern for their traditional identity, but I respect the minimal change. This team looks very good already, so I appreciate the focus on taking them to the next level by fixing their gray problem. 

17 minutes ago, StevenGrant94 said:

I love the unique details (like Seattle's stylized striping)

Yeah, honestly the modern ferry striping was me bouncing around between feeling like I was overdoing it and underdoing it, especially because there was no way I was gonna touch the logo. I'm glad you guys liked it!

 

4 hours ago, TheHealthiestScratch said:

I think by removing them you'd get a sufficient identifier with the "EVERETT" straight across and the bear sized down to fit the thick stripe. I'd also move the chest stripes up a little bit. While that might seem like a lot of tweaks, I really do prefer this line of inspiration.

Hmmm, well, I liked the mountains because then it's basically the same idea as the current modern logo (bear in mountain!)

Still, here's my quick attempt at your suggestion:

Idk, not quite as exciting, I think, and it feels like the California flag

 

4 hours ago, TheHealthiestScratch said:

Portland Winterhawks

My personal taste is simplicity when it comes to logos, which makes me wonder why you included such detail in the middle. If the various shades of color was just flat white, I think I'd be 100% behind the new logo. The P/stick/wing is perfect, and I'd maybe even prefer that on the chest. The jerseys are funky but somehow feel vintage, and I like that unique middle ground you found between the two. Absolutely stellar job on this one.

I originally had the logo without any shading and I recall feeling like it didn't look finished, IMO. I'll try a mockup with the P logo soon; that sounds like it could be cool! Glad you like the jerseys!

 

4 hours ago, TheHealthiestScratch said:

Spokane Flyers

The modification to the logo is very sharp, and I like the history of what goes into this overhaul. What I am hung up on is the lilac. Don't get me wrong, I am pushing for it. The problem is that the lack of it in the jersey makes it seem like the team isn't sure about committing to it. I'd go a step further and remove the red, making them navy dominant with lilac accents. I also wish you did third jerseys because that "Flyers" logo would look cool on the chest. 

I mean, it seems that way because it *is* that way! I kinda feel like people see Spokane as a sorta legacy brand, so I wasn't sure about how far to push it. I think removing red is a step too far, but I might try it or otherwise might mess around with ways to make lilac more prominent.

 

And I hadn't post it yet because I don't feel like committing to doing a bunch of third jerseys, but I did do a 1940s throwback third with the wordmark (which is where I got it from!)

 

 

Thank you both for your feedback!

[vtgco]

First Canadian team in the series, Kamloops:

 

 

The Blazers' logo is fine, but I'd prefer a K for Kamloops rather than a B, so I split the difference.

 

The team's real Oilers-esque jerseys are really nice, so not really any room for improvement on that, so time for something new. The Y-shaped striping is based on the city coat of arms. The sleeve patch is a mountain campfire.

[jbird669]

I like the number font for Kamloops. 

[vtgco]

1 hour ago, jbird669 said:

I like the number font for Kamloops. 

The font is Belgrad, which I was introduced to by @sfgiants58's Miami Marlins concept. I'm glad you think it worked well for Kamloops!

[Karnage84]

On 4/3/2021 at 5:33 PM, vtgco said:

Starting off with the Silvertips:

 

 

I did not attempt to improve on Everett's excellent mountain & tree striped jerseys. However, their 25th anniversary vintage fauxbacks were nice but a bit too plain, so I attempted to spice that look up a bit. The bear shoulder patch is now front and center atop Three Fingers Mountain.

That is a really clean but significant upgrade over their current jerseys. A little college-y but I personally really like it. 

[vtgco]

7 hours ago, Karnage84 said:

That is a really clean but significant upgrade over their current jerseys. A little college-y but I personally really like it. 

Thank you! Curious what you mean "college-y..." Are you talking about the arched wordmark?

 

And now, the team that has beautiful colors but desperately needs a new logo, Kelowna:

The Rockets get a "Black Diamond" theme, inspired by both the team's retro logo and the local ski resorts. The Ogopogo lake monster is integrated into the wordmark, and appears in the water below the Okanagan Lake Bridge. The shoulder patch is an apple tree based on Kelowna's "Orchard City" nickname.

[vtgco]

Next up is Prince George:

 

 

Prince George is the Spruce City, so some sprucing up was in order! I went for a more foresty double brown look for the Cougars with wood rings striping. The current Pacman cat logo becomes a circular saw, and the sleeve patch is based on the city's welcome sign.

 

C&C appreciated! Also, I'm having a hard time with ideas for Regina, Red Deer, and Medicine Hat, so let me know if you have any thoughts.

[mcrosby]

On 4/5/2021 at 1:49 PM, vtgco said:

The font is Belgrad, which I was introduced to by @sfgiants58's Miami Marlins concept. I'm glad you think it worked well for Kamloops!

I'm in a real long stretch of wanting to use Belgrad for everything I make. Love it. 

[jwinters]

It's been great to see some junior hockey designs on the board lately and this series is no exception, I love it! My plan was to eventually make it to the WHL after finishing the OHL and then going through the QMJHL, but it might be rendered moot after seeing what you've come up with!

 

As a kid I was a big fan of Everett's look, but it's showing its age and this vintage take would be an excellent way to move forward! The chest stripe is bold and classic looking, but still distinct from others I've seen. I don't think the city/team name is necessary on the chests (I'm glad the Canucks have finally removed that from their jerseys). I don't think the shading on the mountain adds anything either, but I do favour simplified logos pretty much across the board, perhaps to a fault sometimes. Nonetheless, I think this is my favourite so far!

 

Seattle has a great look, but reducing the silver makes it even better. I wonder if there's any way to remove silver altogether, perhaps by making the silver sleeve stripes green? I don't know if that would work or not; it might make the very cool ferry-shaped stripes harder to make out.

 

I've been trying to conceptualize a firefighter concept for Spokane, but the combined wing/waterfall is much cleverer. I'm not sold on lilac but it certainly stands out. White numbers on a white jersey could be dicey, but you've executed it perfectly. The shoulder patch is sweet too.

 

I think red and green is the right approach for Portland, but in my own brainstorming I've been stuck on modifying a Blackhawks jersey. The team really shouldn't represent Chicago, they should represent Portland, and the diagonal sash does that perfectly. The logo is great, but I agree with @TheHealthiestScratch that it would probably look better without any off-white. As a matter of personal taste I'd probably use green pants but the red works better with the white jersey at least.

 

The Tri-City team has a very blah name and a visual history that is blah at some points and totally ridiculous at others, so I think you have the right idea in totally rebranding. The steam cloud yoke is a great idea, but I didn't understand what it was until reading your description. I think curving the outline of it where it angles down toward the logo might make it clearer. I also think there's a conflict between the wavy stripes at the hem and the ones in the logo. Straightening the hem stripes would be one approach, but it could also be interesting to blow up the logo and use the hem stripes in place of the stripes in the logo. That may be too "Turn Ahead the Clock" for what you want though.

 

I agree with you that the Blazers should wear a 'K' rather than a 'B' but I like that your 'K' implies a 'B' shape still. I like the shoulder patch even better than the primary, but it may not be at home on the front of a hockey jersey; if we were talking about a soccer team it would be a different story. I'd like to see a bit more white in the stripes on the blue jersey, but the unique sleeve striping pattern looks fantastic.

 

The Rockets are a tough nut to crack, not least because their identity has nothing to do with rockets, but you've streamlined the Ogopogo look excellently. I love how the wordmark incorporates the monster as well as a nod to local geography with the bridge. The black diamonds on the sleeves are really inspired.

 

I like the idea of the Cougars' Atlanta Hawks-style "Pac-Man" logo, but your execution is far better than the one the team uses. If you told me you were designing a uniform with two shades of brown, metallic silver, and wood grain, I'd think it was a joke, but it comes together and works amazingly. The only thing I might change would be to make the pants the darker shade of brown, but I'm not sure I'd even do that.

 

Top notch work all around!

[vtgco]

14 hours ago, mcrosby said:

I'm in a real long stretch of wanting to use Belgrad for everything I make. Love it. 

Yeah, it's pretty nice (though those 9s are kinda crazy!) Lately I've been strangely drawn to the font Righteous, which I think will make one appearance in this series.

 

14 hours ago, jwinters said:

It's been great to see some junior hockey designs on the board lately and this series is no exception, I love it! My plan was to eventually make it to the WHL after finishing the OHL and then going through the QMJHL, but it might be rendered moot after seeing what you've come up with!

Thanks so much for all your feedback! Your OHL was one of the inspirations behind this series, so I hate to be the one to cut you off... I'd love to see your own take on the WHL if you're still up for it, and definitely the QMJHL! (I've got no junior hockey plans beyond this series :P)

 

14 hours ago, jwinters said:

I've been trying to conceptualize a firefighter concept for Spokane, but the combined wing/waterfall is much cleverer. I'm not sold on lilac but it certainly stands out. White numbers on a white jersey could be dicey, but you've executed it perfectly. The shoulder patch is sweet too.

Well, a firefighter concept might be topical because of Eastern Washington's struggles with wildfires... I'm actually not sure about my white numbers but I was struggling to make either blue or red work well.

 

14 hours ago, jwinters said:

As a kid I was a big fan of Everett's look, but it's showing its age and this vintage take would be an excellent way to move forward! The chest stripe is bold and classic looking, but still distinct from others I've seen. I don't think the city/team name is necessary on the chests (I'm glad the Canucks have finally removed that from their jerseys).

Well, I guess my unpopular opinion is that the Canucks looked better with the wordmark (though there was room for font improvement!)

I actually did a version without before adding the text. I still feel like the final version is better, but the look is solid, IMO:

 

Regardless, I'm glad you like my take on the Silvertips' vintage uniforms.

 

 

14 hours ago, jwinters said:

The Tri-City team has a very blah name and a visual history that is blah at some points and totally ridiculous at others, so I think you have the right idea in totally rebranding. The steam cloud yoke is a great idea, but I didn't understand what it was until reading your description. I think curving the outline of it where it angles down toward the logo might make it clearer. I also think there's a conflict between the wavy stripes at the hem and the ones in the logo. Straightening the hem stripes would be one approach, but it could also be interesting to blow up the logo and use the hem stripes in place of the stripes in the logo. That may be too "Turn Ahead the Clock" for what you want though.

WOW that Angry Birds eagle logo is tacky. I'm a bit wary of the "Turn Ahead the Clock" design that you suggested, but here's my take on your other suggestions. I can't decide if the yoke is better or just too much?

 

 

 

I'll try to tackle some of the other suggestions soon, but thank you for your comments!

[vtgco]

And next, the Vancouver Giants of Langley:

I was on a vacation in Vancouver once and actually went on an excursion to Langley to watch a T-Birds away playoff game, and it *definitely* is not the same as Vancouver. Thus it gets a Langley, BC flag shoulder patch rather a Vancouver reference.

 

Anyways, the Giants logo is a really good idea (lumberjack in the shape of a G) but it's kinda stuck in the early 2000s. I might have swung the pendulum a bit too far in the other direction

 

The team has had side panels in the two decades they've been around, but they really need more striping and less piping. Hopefully my take on a LA Kings-esque jersey isn't still too busy. I was considering using the Langley flag as the yoke but I haven't gotten it to look right yet, so this design stays a bit less symbolic.