Penguins "Retroactive" Jerseys

[Pittsburgh, California]

I'm playing NHL 06 today and rolling through all of the different unis, noting some minor problems (you have Cleveland Barons Js, but no Whalers? I protest!), and I come to the Pen. One of the selectable unis is the inagural unis they used during the 66-67 season, the light blue sweater with the diagonal "PITTSBURGH" across the front, which got me to thinking: what if the Pens ditched the black and gold they've used for nearly thirty years and picked up the sky blue and navy color scheme.

I chose to keep the Vegas gold color they use for the current logo, because I simply love the color, and kept the Trianguin® that currently adorns the shoulders of the uni. Using the NHL J templates I got off of Roger Clemente, I switched the colors of the currents with the colors of the 60s incarnations, namely the 66-67 inaugurals and the 68-69 circular logoed version. I think the end result speaks for itself, as I am proud of these.

C&C always appreciated, and here's to the Pens not sucking next year.

Long shot, I know.

[capn89]

They're decent. I would suggest making the striping a little more consistant. You have an outline stripe on the arms, but on the lower portion of the jersey there is only one outline stripe and it just doesn't look right. It has potential, though.

[Neon_Matrix]

I'm not liking the gold and blue. Yellow and blue worked VERY WELL, the gold just looks dirty.

[VitaminD]

Not crazy about it, to be honest.

As was mentioned, the striping is irregular. Double outline on the sleeves, single outline on the body of the sweater, solid black collar.

This concept borders on violating one of the sacred Commandments of Concept Making: THOU SHALT NOT MIX AND MATCH INSIGNIAS AND COLORS FROM DIFFERENT ERAS HAPHAZARDLY. You've got the original sky blue sweater, with the "hummingbird penguin" on the shoulders and the old/new skating penguin on the crest. All of these elements were used to replace one another. The designers never intended for them to all be thrown into one concept; to use them all together in the same concept just looks wrong.

The Penguins' best years, greatest players and most memorable events all occurred while wearing black and gold. What fond memories would make fans clamor to return to the double blue that they wore as an expansion franchise? Not only does the use of black and gold unify Pittsburgh's teams behind their city colors in a way no other American city does - or even could, to be honest - but there's no wistful longing to return to the colors that aren't associated with success.

Going with the light blue also leaves you with the problem of what to do with the (Vegas) gold areas. Leaving the black and gold alone makes it easy; but a mostly blue sweater... with black trim... that has gold prominently in the crest and shoulder patches but nowhere else looks ill-conceived.

[steiny_ramone]

(you have Cleveland Barons Js, but no Whalers? I protest!)

I don't think EA Sports is allowed to use the Whalers' jerseys. The last EA Sports game that had was NHL 2001 I think. It has something to do with the government copywriting the logos and uniform designs so that they can be used if the Whalers return or someting like that. That's why you can't buy Hartford merchandise in stores. Only on eBay etc.

[The_Admiral]

See, if the Whalers had been blocked from moving, we'd never be in this missing-sweater mess!

[ninersdd]

Ok, but logo and colors don't mesh very well

[FUNKAFIED]

I think you might have to go with the old gold instead of the current color. That might stand out better.

[Pittsburgh, California]

I took you guy's advice, and modified the unis slightly. The changes are...

-Logo changed to the yellow penguin.

-Second stripe on the sleeves eliminated

As for the Trienguin®, it stays, because, as I said, it currently adorns the shoulders of the Pens J's now. The color is the same dark blue as is on the shirt itself, because the Js from 1986-74 had dark blue collars for both the home and roads.

C&C appreciated, as per the norm.

[VC//]

It only looks good with the vegas gold and black.

[VitaminD]

The color is the same dark blue as is on the shirt itself, because the Js from 1966-74 had dark blue collars for both the home and roads.

So there's black AND really-really-almost-black-but-not-quite navy blue on the same concept? Two colors that are that close but just far enough apart that a difference can be seen between them is rarely, if ever, a good idea.