NHL 2011-2012: Possible Uniform Changes

[TimEOBrien]

Speaking of the maple leaf: If you look at Canadian football teams' logos and uniforms, you won't see any maple leafs. But if you look at Canadian teams in American sports leagues -- teams like the Blue Jays, the Raptors and now the Jets -- the leaf is often part of the package. It feels like a really lazy visual shorthand geared toward the American market, like they're saying, "Hey, all you Yanks down there, Winnipeg is in Canada! C-A-N-A -- eh, never mind, we'll just slap a maple leaf on our chests so you won't get confused." Kind of sad, really. (And besides, no NHL team should wear a maple leaf except the Maple Leafs.)

-Paul Lukas, Uni God

[Patchey13]

I'll pass on blue ice.

Good thing the lock-out happened of the Sabres would played on this...

Good god that is awful.

[Guest]

Neither baseball nor basketball nor the Cowboys play in predominantly-white arenas.

In a game played on a white surface, I'm amazed that a team would choose to wear white. Colors just pop so much better.

Does the NHL allow color vs. color?

[IceCap]

Speaking of the maple leaf: If you look at Canadian football teams' logos and uniforms, you won't see any maple leafs. But if you look at Canadian teams in American sports leagues -- teams like the Blue Jays, the Raptors and now the Jets -- the leaf is often part of the package. It feels like a really lazy visual shorthand geared toward the American market, like they're saying, "Hey, all you Yanks down there, Winnipeg is in Canada! C-A-N-A -- eh, never mind, we'll just slap a maple leaf on our chests so you won't get confused." Kind of sad, really. (And besides, no NHL team should wear a maple leaf except the Maple Leafs.)

-Paul Lukas, Uni God

And like you he missed the point of using the leaf in the first place.

[TimEOBrien]

And like you he missed the point of using the leaf in the first place.

No he doesn't:

• The trend these days is to make logos all rough and tough, so the use of a combat jet (as opposed to a normal jet, which was used on the old Jets logo) initially struck Uni Watch as forced and predictable. But it turns out Winnipeg is a big air force town, and that the Jets' new primary logo is based on the Royal Canadian Air Force logo. So the whole thing makes sense, concept-wise. But the overlay of the jet on the maple leaf feels like a mish-mash, and kind of dreary and drab to boot.

And that appears before the other quote from the article, he just agrees that it's unnecessary.

I think my design looks better because it evokes the maple leaf without forcing it into the design (IMO). [happy?]

[TimEOBrien]

Also,

I can't wait to see this matchup in the 2013 Winter/heritage Classic:

A game that will be known as the last NHL " you" to Atlanta

[IceCap]

First, please stop promoting your concept. We've all seen it, and since it has it's own thread you no longer have to constantly remind us of your work on the subject.

As to your primary point, I disagree. The RCAF roundel uses a leaf as it's focal point. You can't base a logo off of something and omit the subject matter's focal point. Take out the leaf and the connection to the RCAF roundel is lessened.

[Still MIGHTY]

I'll pass on blue ice.

Good thing the lock-out happened of the Sabres would played on this...

Let's not forget the Long Beach Ice Dogs jetBlue ice:

[Gothamite]

As to your primary point, I disagree. The RCAF roundel uses a leaf as it's focal point. You can't base a logo off of something and omit the subject matter's focal point. Take out the leaf and the connection to the RCAF roundel is lessened.

Agreed.

My sensibility usually lines up pretty well with Lukas's, but I disagree pretty strongly on this one.

[TimEOBrien]

First, self promotion lessened, just wanted to show my reference.

As to your primary point, I disagree. The RCAF roundel uses a leaf as it's focal point. You can't base a logo off of something and omit the subject matter's focal point. Take out the leaf and the connection to the RCAF roundel is lessened.

Second, uh yes you can omit the subject matter's focal point. You know what other graphic design does just that? THE RCAF ROUNDEL!!!¡one hahaha

Canadia took this from the RAF:

Then replaced the focal point (and it was literally a point) with this:

So why cant the jets replace it with this:

[img ]i don't want to put in my image and make anybody cranky (kidding)[/img ]

[steve61]

First, self promotion lessened, just wanted to show my reference.

As to your primary point, I disagree. The RCAF roundel uses a leaf as it's focal point. You can't base a logo off of something and omit the subject matter's focal point. Take out the leaf and the connection to the RCAF roundel is lessened.

Second, uh yes you can omit the subject matter's focal point. You know what other graphic design does just that? THE RCAF ROUNDEL!!!¡one hahaha

Canadia took this from the RAF:

Then replaced the focal point (and it was literally a point) with this:

So why cant the jets replace it with this:

[img ]i don't want to put in my image and make anybody cranky (kidding)[/img ]

Because many of the world's air force roundels are derived from that of the RAF. A red jet in a blue circle could just as easily be based on Australia or New Zealand's Air Force roundels as it could the Canadian. The maple leaf is fundamental to the design regardless of whether people believe the execution could be improved upon.

[Gothamite]

Because the Jets are specifically referencing the Canadian roundel. The focal point of which is the leaf. You remove the leaf, and it makes the design so generic that it may as well be referencing the RAF's roundel.

EDIT: steve61 beat me to it.

[TimEOBrien]

Because many of the world's air force roundels are derived from that of the RAF. A red jet in a blue circle could just as easily be based on Australia or New Zealand's Air Force roundels as it could the Canadian. The maple leaf is fundamental to the design regardless of whether people believe the execution could be improved upon.

How stupid are Canadians if they can't figure out the roundel is based on their own rather than another country's?

If you like the leaf - fine, that's an opinion you're allowed to have - but I haven't seen one solid argument as to why it needs to be included in the roundel.

EDIT: of course steve wants it, it gives him 164 regular season "maple leaves" games haha.

And isn't it obvious that its based off of the RCAF because that is to only roundel to use a representative image rather than just colored spheres(i think that's right...)?

[The_Admiral]

You blue ice haters are foos. A nice pale blue is so much gentler on the eyes than bright white. Why do you think this board skin has so many light blues?

[TimEOBrien]

And isn't it obvious that its based off of the RCAF because that is to only roundel to use a representative image rather than just colored spheres(i think that's right...)?

Answer: no, but close.

[rams80]

And isn't it obvious that its based off of the RCAF because that is to only roundel to use a representative image rather than just colored spheres(i think that's right...)?

The Royal Australian Air Force (kangaroo) and Royal New Zealand Air Force (kiwi) say "Hi."

[steve61]

Because many of the world's air force roundels are derived from that of the RAF. A red jet in a blue circle could just as easily be based on Australia or New Zealand's Air Force roundels as it could the Canadian. The maple leaf is fundamental to the design regardless of whether people believe the execution could be improved upon.

How stupid are Canadians if they can't figure out the roundel is based on their own rather than another country's?

If you like the leaf - fine, that's an opinion you're allowed to have - but I haven't seen one solid argument as to why it needs to be included in the roundel.

Nobody claimed they wouldn't know that it was based on our own air force. We know that because of the context....the team is based in Canada and the owner has stated that it's an air force tribute. But if you're paying tribute to the RCAF (or current incarnation), you should pay actual tribute. A generic roundel, which many other countries share, fails to do that. How many Americans not following this story as closely as us would intuitively assume that a red jet in a blue circle has anything to do with our air force? I'm betting very few. In fact I'd bet many would say wow, a red jet in a circle, how boring and uninspired.

I think the logic behind a logo should stand on its own and not require too much explanation. And a tribute logo should pay tribute to the specific subject which in this case requires a leaf.

[TimEOBrien]

The Royal Australian Air Force (kangaroo) and Royal New Zealand Air Force (kiwi) say "Hi."

Um, yeah. My words taste very salty...

[steve61]

I suppose they could have just lifted Norway's. It's got the right colours and a centre that could pass for the Avro Arrow. What a great tribute to the RCAF a blue circle with a delta winged jet would have been sans maple leaf.

[TimEOBrien]

I suppose they could have just lifted Norway's. It's got the right colours and a centre that could pass for the Avro Arrow.

HAHAHAHA I was about to post the exact same thing.