Detroit Winter Classic Ideas

[drdougfresh]

Okay, so I took a break from working on the Big Ten stuff, and I found these that I had been working on a while ago. Figured I'd just put them up, I don't really have a plan for them past this stage.

I did a poll a while back, and most people said they'd want to see the Wings play Toronto. While it would be cool, we all know how Gary Buttman works, so it would never happen. Nonetheless, I did a couple designs for it. I decided to reach way back into the late 20's for these gems. The Wings have already used my favorite throwback, so I had to find something unique. According to the Hockey Uniform Database, the Wings wore this thing in 1928. I couldn't find a picture of it for the life of me, but I still decided it was cool. I had to recreate the cougar, because this is what a vector trace made. Once you stop laughing, let's get to the designs.

Red Wings (Cougars): 1928-1929

Maple Leafs (St. Pats): 1926-27

The other concept will be in the next post.

[drdougfresh]

Okay, the other mention I got was that the Avs and Red Wings should play. Apparently (correct me if I'm wrong on this), most people in Colorado still hate us. But from our side, I don't feel that way anymore so much. In my eyes, the Sharks are the hated team right now, almost exclusively for the playoff matchups (and my hatred for diving). So, I decided, why not San Jose?

The next issue: The Sharks have NO history compared to the Wings. There were the LA Sharks, but that logo is a bit too modern for the era I was thinking. I settled on a huge time for this country-- the 1940's. The Red Wings wore two famous patches then, one 'V' patch, and one bond patch. The logo was also slightly different, and centered on the sweater based on the center of the wheel (so really, off-center). Now, the Sharks? A team that's a baby in the scope of the NHL... and then I remembered how P40's were commonly painted during the war-- with a shark face. Sure, they aren't the P40's or anything related to aviation, but I think it's a great way to tie a recently-born team to an era they weren't even imagined in.

Red Wings: 1940-48

Sharks: Fauxback (1943 intended)

C&C is always welcome.

[ThePreacher]

Amazing.

The Cougars and St. Pats look incredible. Well done sir.

As for the second set? I'm digging the shoulder patches for Detroit, and I love the creativity and innovation in creating a fauxback for San Jose. I know once-upon-a-time the California Hockey League had teams in the Bay Area:

The Oakland Sheiks (1928-1933) & Oakland Checkers (1930-1933), as well as the San Francisco Tigers (1928-1931), Black Hawks (1930-1931) & Rangers (1931-1933.) I think it'd be cool to draw from the history of one of those clubs for a San Jose (Bay Area) throwback. Probably the best team to pay tribute to would be the Sheiks of Oakland, who won the league title in four of the five years it existed (1932 being the only season they did not win the title [Hollywood Stars.])

What do you think?

[drdougfresh]

Amazing.

The Cougars and St. Pats look incredible. Well done sir.

As for the second set? I'm digging the shoulder patches for Detroit, and I love the creativity and innovation in creating a fauxback for San Jose. I know once-upon-a-time the California Hockey League had teams in the Bay Area:

The Oakland Sheiks (1928-1933) & Oakland Checkers (1930-1933), as well as the San Francisco Tigers (1928-1931), Black Hawks (1930-1931) & Rangers (1931-1933.) I think it'd be cool to draw from the history of one of those clubs for a San Jose (Bay Area) throwback. Probably the best team to pay tribute to would be the Sheiks of Oakland, who won the league title in four of the five years it existed (1932 being the only season they did not win the title [Hollywood Stars.])

What do you think?

This is why it's good to get feedback. I didn't look into any of those teams, but it's good to know. Obviously, my hands are full with my current project, but it's worth looking at down the road. Good on ya for finding that stuff.

[Fox]

I love all of these concepts, but your first Red Wings one, the white one, was amazing! Obviously the Red Wings set is classic and untouchable, but that is nice enough to be a real Red Wings alternate jersey

[ThePreacher]

Amazing.

The Cougars and St. Pats look incredible. Well done sir.

As for the second set? I'm digging the shoulder patches for Detroit, and I love the creativity and innovation in creating a fauxback for San Jose. I know once-upon-a-time the California Hockey League had teams in the Bay Area:

The Oakland Sheiks (1928-1933) & Oakland Checkers (1930-1933), as well as the San Francisco Tigers (1928-1931), Black Hawks (1930-1931) & Rangers (1931-1933.) I think it'd be cool to draw from the history of one of those clubs for a San Jose (Bay Area) throwback. Probably the best team to pay tribute to would be the Sheiks of Oakland, who won the league title in four of the five years it existed (1932 being the only season they did not win the title [Hollywood Stars.])

What do you think?

This is why it's good to get feedback. I didn't look into any of those teams, but it's good to know. Obviously, my hands are full with my current project, but it's worth looking at down the road. Good on ya for finding that stuff.

You know, if you REALLY want to go back in time... You could make a Victoria Cougars throwback for Detroit. Before becoming the Red Wings, they were known as the Falcons, and before that, the Cougars. What many people do not realize, however, is that the original Detroit Cougars roster was composed of players purchased and relocated from the Victoria Cougars franchise (who Detroit named their franchise in tribute of.) Here's a quick timeline of the Cougars, prior to moving to Detroit:

1911–1913 Victoria Senators

1913-1916 Victoria Aristocrats

1916-1917 Spokane Canaries

1918-1922 Victoria Aristocrats

1922-1926 Victoria Cougars

Here's an interesting bit of trivia from a Ducks' fan: The Victoria Cougars (1925) were the last west coast team prior the Ducks (2007) to win the Stanley Cup, having defeated the Montreal Canadiens in four games (3 games to 1.)

Another cool fact most people aren't aware of: The Chicago Blackhawks tie their history directly to the FIRST American hockey club to play for the Stanley Cup - the Portland Rosebuds - who lost to the Canadiens 3 games to 2 in 1916. When the WHA folded in 1925, the players of the Portland Rosebuds were sold to the owner of Chicago's NHL expansion franchise for $10,000 - who became known as the "Black Hawks."

Thus, I would LOVE to see the Blackhawks and Red Wings meet in a winter classic (held in a neutral site - the Pacific Northwest, perhaps?) wearing Rosebuds and Cougars sweaters! Maybe someday...

[drdougfresh]

Amazing.

The Cougars and St. Pats look incredible. Well done sir.

As for the second set? I'm digging the shoulder patches for Detroit, and I love the creativity and innovation in creating a fauxback for San Jose. I know once-upon-a-time the California Hockey League had teams in the Bay Area:

The Oakland Sheiks (1928-1933) & Oakland Checkers (1930-1933), as well as the San Francisco Tigers (1928-1931), Black Hawks (1930-1931) & Rangers (1931-1933.) I think it'd be cool to draw from the history of one of those clubs for a San Jose (Bay Area) throwback. Probably the best team to pay tribute to would be the Sheiks of Oakland, who won the league title in four of the five years it existed (1932 being the only season they did not win the title [Hollywood Stars.])

What do you think?

This is why it's good to get feedback. I didn't look into any of those teams, but it's good to know. Obviously, my hands are full with my current project, but it's worth looking at down the road. Good on ya for finding that stuff.

You know, if you REALLY want to go back in time... You could make a Victoria Cougars throwback for Detroit. Before becoming the Red Wings, they were known as the Falcons, and before that, the Cougars. What many people do not realize, however, is that the original Detroit Cougars roster was composed of players purchased and relocated from the Victoria Cougars franchise (who Detroit named their franchise in tribute of.) Here's a quick timeline of the Cougars, prior to moving to Detroit:

1911?1913 Victoria Senators

1913-1916 Victoria Aristocrats

1916-1917 Spokane Canaries

1918-1922 Victoria Aristocrats

1922-1926 Victoria Cougars

Here's an interesting bit of trivia from a Ducks' fan: The Victoria Cougars (1925) were the last west coast team prior the Ducks (2007) to win the Stanley Cup, having defeated the Montreal Canadiens in four games (3 games to 1.)

Another cool fact most people aren't aware of: The Chicago Blackhawks tie their history directly to the FIRST American hockey club to play for the Stanley Cup - the Portland Rosebuds - who lost to the Canadiens 3 games to 2 in 1916. When the WHA folded in 1925, the players of the Portland Rosebuds were sold to the owner of Chicago's NHL expansion franchise for $10,000 - who became known as the "Black Hawks."

Thus, I would LOVE to see the Blackhawks and Red Wings meet in a winter classic (held in a neutral site - the Pacific Northwest, perhaps?) wearing Rosebuds and Cougars sweaters! Maybe someday...

Haha you're talking to a Wings history buff here, I know that story BUT it would be an interesting prospect. No one in Detroit or Chicago would like it though, and a hockey game in the Pacific NW may not draw the kinds of numbers a Detroit WC would. Though it would be cool, I agree. And a fun story to tell all the fans, too.

[hockey week]

Three words for San Jose: California Golden Seals

[drdougfresh]

Three words for San Jose: California Golden Seals

Those may be the most awesomely-bad uniforms ever to grace the ice in the NHL. But honestly, they would look very 70's next to a team with war bond patches on their shoulders. I wanted to keep them looking like they came from the same decade haha.

[ThePreacher]

Hockey Week - The Seals came to my mind too, but as drdougfresh said: They're about 3 or 4 decades too late to work. That's why I reached back to the thirties for some CA hockey history.

Also, I think a Winter Classic in Seattle, Portland or Vancouver would ABSOLUTELY draw well. A lack of NHL presence in Seattle or Portland would mean that a rare appearance from the NHL, in the Winter Classic no less - could draw tens of thousands of fans out to come watch the spectacle. As far as Detroit or Chicago not liking the idea - is there any particular reason why? I haven't heard other fan bases complain when there team dons a throwback from an earlier incarnation that happened to play in another state (the LA Dodgers wearing their Brooklyn pajama throwbacks is the first thing that came to my mind.)

[drdougfresh]

Hockey Week - The Seals came to my mind too, but as drdougfresh said: They're about 3 or 4 decades too late to work. That's why I reached back to the thirties for some CA hockey history.

Also, I think a Winter Classic in Seattle, Portland or Vancouver would ABSOLUTELY draw well. A lack of NHL presence in Seattle or Portland would mean that a rare appearance from the NHL, in the Winter Classic no less - could draw tens of thousands of fans out to come watch the spectacle. As far as Detroit or Chicago not liking the idea - is there any particular reason why? I haven't heard other fan bases complain when there team dons a throwback from an earlier incarnation that happened to play in another state (the LA Dodgers wearing their Brooklyn pajama throwbacks is the first thing that came to my mind.)

It's not the jerseys that would be an issue with those cities, but rather the fact that both cities would have to watch on TV as their teams are thousands of miles away. I know personally, I'm pissed that Detroit has yet to get one, simply because I know we'd fill the Big House if they chose that as a venue (Comerica is much more likely). It'd make most of our fans hate the NHL even more, I think. It's like dangling meat in front of a starving dog. Haha.

[aph7824]

It's really hard to make out what the san jose sharks fauxback is. I LOVE IT though - simply for the fact that you have the creativity to do something that is 1. HARDLY done and 2. takes balls.

ha. Wish the execution was a little bit better / more clear. LOVE your winterclassic 2013 series.