zer0's Canadian Hockey League Top Ten EDGE

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After completing the CCSLC CHL uniform project for all ofthe EDGE jerseys currently in use today, I thought I would give the uniform world a piece of my mind, and rank the best of the CHL's foray into the EDGE system arena! Starting tonight, and adding every other day, it's time to start ranking the best ofthe best of the new duds dolled out for the 30 Canadian Hockey League clubs!

Starting with #10:

OHL's Oshawa Genreals and WHL's Seattle Thundrbirds

The Oshawa Generals unveiled new uniforms upon moving intothe GM Centre in the fall of 2007 and made a bid to host the 2008 Memorial Cup. Rumors in Oshawa persisted that theteam would make a radical departure from it's 5 stripe motif and script logo into a more cartoonish logo, reminescent of the craze that struck the OHL and hockey in large at the end of the 1990's.

Saner heads prevailed, and the logo was updated to a sleeker, more futuristic version of the Generals traditional logo, and atie-down collar added. Upon moving into their new arena, (funded by MLSE) the team began retiring player numbers for the first time in team history, hanging #9 ('Red' Tilson,) #88 (Eric Lindros) and #2 (Bobby Orr). Moving into the EDGE jerseys, they added a nice shoulderpatch adorned with these three retired numbers, and the slogan "Honour andTradition'. Tradition has run deep for the Generals, and their classic lookbrings them in at number 10.

The Seattle Thunderbirds have played for over 25 seasons andhave had ample time to perfect their look. Beginning in the 1980's with avintage Hartford Whalers' template, the team eventually dropped the green and took the dark blue of the Whalersand made it their own. While mirroring the template, they modified theirnumbers and font, and added a shoulder patch for the city of Kent to produce one of the longest runninglooks in the WHL, and one of the most identifiable.

Many compare the team to the NFL's Seattle Seahawks with good reason. Both teams draw from the indigenous influences of the North West for their team's identities. With so much 'PC'-ism running rampant across sports today, both teams have managed to avoid most of the controversy by taking from the culture of the indigenous peoples, as opposed to the people themselves. Blue seems to be the most over-used colour in sports at times, but the 'T-Birds' balance their use of the blue vs green expertly to maintain a traditional yet modern look in today's WHL. They have lots of fun with over a dozen different alternate and special event uniforms during their 25+ seasons, but keep close to home with their home and road set, scoring them a spot at #10.

Coming Friday: A relatively young team borrows from several different NHL influences in making their way to #9 on our list.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment, debate, slander, or agree with this, or any of the rankings in the CHL's Top 10 EDGE uniforms!