wildwing64's NHL

[wildwing64]

So I've been wanting to give the NHL a shot. No exciting rebrands for the most part, but there will be the odd occasion where I create a new logo for a team. I'm taking an open minded approach and am hoping to create a "perfect" NHL that every team's fans can be happy with, and for this reason there are teams that I will either not touch or simply create a new alternate jersey for as said teams have already got it right for the most part. Chances are I won't ever get around to finishing the whole league, but we'll see how it goes.

#1: Anaheim Ducks

It's no secret of mine that I haven't been completely happy with the way the Ducks have looked since they rebranded back in 2006. I hated the fact that they ditched the iconic duck mask logo - one that I and many other Ducks fans feel emotionally tied to - in favour of a wordmark. I've grown to love the black, gold and orange colour scheme, but their existing home and road uniforms don't use these colours effectively enough, and this combined with the wordmark made for perhaps the most boring identity in all the NHL.

Then their third jersey came along, and the reactions have really been a mixed bag. I love it for being more visually interesting than the regular uniforms: it's more colourful, finally makes use of a logo on the front, and a personal favourite feature of mine, the team's original logo returned to the shoulders. But it's also been hated for the side panels, the socks, and having too much orange (yet it's OK for the Flyers, Islanders and Oilers to have similar amounts of orange? *shrug*). Being the most popular of the Ducks current uniforms and with there being rumblings that they might make it their primary in the near future, I've taken the better elements and have incorporated them into my own redesign.

First and most importantly: I've brought the duck mask back as the primary logo. To me the Ducks don't feel right without it. But at the same time, I understand that there are negative connotations associated with this logo, the biggest of these beginning with a big, curly-wurly letter 'D'. So rather than straight up bring it back I have remade the logo, modernising it and removing some of the Disney design elements while keeping it familiar. The webfoot D remains as a secondary mark and also the third jersey crest, more on that in a bit.

Like the third jersey it's based on, the home uniform features orange more prominently as a secondary colour while gold is now an accent (The prominence remains the other way around on the logos however as it just looks better that way). I've ditched the more unnecessary features of Anaheim's current third, namely the piping, the side panels and the phantom yoke, and there is now a hemstripe instead of the franchise's traditional diagonal striping, which still remains on the sleeves. The socks are still half orange, and the upside-down striping pattern is a subtle nod to the team's original dark uniform. On the white jersey is there is more black instead of orange which is pretty much because that amount of orange on a white jersey was too overpowering.

I think I may draw some criticism here as the third jersey is once again black rather than orange. But this is for the simple reason that the majority of Ducks fans do not want an orange jersey. I've noticed a desire for a classic style jersey, much like the black Mighty Ducks third which was pretty popular, so I went that route, combining the traditional elements of that jersey with the feel of the uniform the team won its first Stanley Cup in. As for the crest: when I look at the webfoot D it sometimes feels to me like Anaheim's own take on something like the Canadiens logo despite its modern appearance, so I felt it most appropriate to stick it in the front of this jersey.

C&C welcome and appreciated.

[GriffinM6]

I like it alot based on what they have now, but it needs the old color scheme.

[BigBubba]

The jerseys are perfect IMO, but that logo needs some work. The bill is way too pointy: real duck bills are rounf. Also, it has less dimension - it looks like it's just going to the side whereas the original one showed the underside of the bill.

[wildwing64]

I like it alot based on what they have now, but it needs the old color scheme.

I would love to see the Ducks go back to the old colours, but again, negative connotations despite the nostalgia. I don't think many fans want to return to the old colours, and I don't realistically expect the team to either. Though for the sake of it I might just add a "throwback night" jersey later anyway

The jerseys are perfect IMO, but that logo needs some work. The bill is way too pointy: real duck bills are rounf. Also, it has less dimension - it looks like it's just going to the side whereas the original one showed the underside of the bill.

Thanks. I did initially have an underside to the bill, but it just didn't look right with it there. I actually went back to add it again today, and again I couldn't get it to work. Though I have now made the bill rounded instead of pointy, here's an update:

[charger77]

I would like to see orange in the numbers on the H & R jerseys in place of gold.

[BigBubba]

Really? I thought your rendition with the underside looked great.

[wildwing64]

Really? I thought your rendition with the underside looked great.

I think my problem was that it looked kind of crappy once the whole thing was shrunk and added to the jersey. I've given it another shot, curved the bill more and it's certainly grown on me.

Also, orange name and numbers on the home and road uniforms. Yay or nay?

[BigBubba]

Perfect. I think you've covered everything.

[Morgan33]

Fantastic!

This is exactly what the Anaheim Ducks need to do to forge an actual identity rather than the bland proprietary garbage they use now. Love the updated primary.

[TimEOBrien]

I like what you did, especially with the H/R hem stripe, but I think the Ducks have had one better real color scheme and another better fictional color scheme.

When I think ducks, I think green, teal, even a little bit of purple. Black? Not at all. Leave that to the Kings - that should be enough black for one metro area.

[wildwing64]

I like what you did, especially with the H/R hem stripe, but I think the Ducks have had one better real color scheme and another better fictional color scheme.

When I think ducks, I think green, teal, even a little bit of purple. Black? Not at all. Leave that to the Kings - that should be enough black for one metro area.

Thanks. Again, I'd love for the Ducks to go back to the old colours but I don't realistically expect them to. They won the Cup in the current colours, and I'm not too sure how the majority of Ducks fans feel about going back to eggplant and jade (needless to say it's difficult to make the webfoot D work in the old colour scheme). As far as more duck-like colours go, again, a lot of Ducks fans come across as if they don't like that idea: maybe it's that there'd be too many colours, but also things like green, purple and teal are too similar to the Stars, Kings and Sharks. Fans come across as if they'd rather keep the current black gold and orange scheme, so I stuck with that.

I actually did another Ducks rebrand once before, with a somewhat duck-ish feel using black, jade green and orange that's also relevant to the franchise's history: I got a lot of positive responses for it, but I've also been told that the colours look too much like San Jose. That concept was something I developed more for portfolio purposes, and I consider that to be a completely separate thing from this.

[wildwing64]

#2: Tampa Bay Lightning

The Bolts' rebrand was one of the more controversial ones in recent history: Yzerman and the team management wanted a look similar to the Wings and Leafs that was simple and iconic. Reception has been very mixed: I for example quite like the new uniform for its overall clean look and feel. But it's also gotten a lot of negative responses for looking too much like the Leafs. I've noticed Lightning fans here who do not like the new logo at all, and I can see why they hate it. But in hindsight their previous logo feels like a bit of a mess, so the simplification of it was needed - but perhaps they went overboard with the idea?

To me it comes across as one of those things where the organisation's hearts were in the right place when they later added the lightning bolt on the pants, with a black outline that was also added to the numbers. But it feels very forced like a very last minute decision, and it was pretty much that.

For my redesign, I aimed to keep the simplicity of the team's current logo while returning the more dynamic feel of the team's previous logo. I also brought black and silver back into the team's identity, just the way it should be. I've kept the team's current shoulder patch as well, but the circle in the middle is black so that it matches the primary. Also, victory stripes make their glorious return.

I think the best jersey the Lightning wore has to be their current third. Not for the lousy Bolts script, the coloured piping or the "Tampa Bay" on the arse, but for the most effective use of the team's colour scheme to date. So I built on that for the home and roads while keeping a look that's vaguely similar to the team's original uniforms that they won the Cup in. Similar idea for the third, using a more classic approach that's still very much "Lightning", and the shoulder patch as the crest.

Thoughts?

[Cody21]

finally someone got the bolts right! good jobb! the best lightning jerseys i have seen so far. but there one problem i have. can you take that shoulder patch off the alternate jersey? make a new BOLTS script.

[Morgan33]

Really enjoying this series.

You certainly succeeded in making the primary more dynamic and I agree that current third template makes great use of the team's colour scheme. The only thing I would change is making the circle of the primary silver instead of black. The shimmering silver circle that incased the teams original logo was the most distinctive aspect of the Lightning identity.

[wildwing64]

Really enjoying this series.

You certainly succeeded in making the primary more dynamic and I agree that current third template makes great use of the team's colour scheme. The only thing I would change is making the circle of the primary silver instead of black. The shimmering silver circle that incased the teams original logo was the most distinctive aspect of the Lightning identity.

Thanks, glad you like it.

I had initially considered going with silver for the oval, but one thing I liked about their current logo is how good it looks on a black background (for example on the NHL 12 menus). So I went with the black oval, which allowed me to add silver highlights to the lightning bolt instead.

[GangGr33n FTW]

Great stuff. A color scheme I've tried to recolor a Ducks logo in (but failed in trying to upload, since IDK how) was MD Teal, Gold, Silver (instead of white) and Black. I recolored their alternate circle logo with the pissy looking duck,

this one.

Just an idea to try, possibly.

But great work anyways, never liked their boring unis, needed more orange.

[GangGr33n FTW]

Here it goes........

I use paint, and am half clueless with that so dont blame me, I'm a n00b.

[chengxin]

HI, guys, don't miss this wonderful golf club. you will get much surprise here:My link

[DolphinManatee]

#2: Tampa Bay Lightning

The Bolts' rebrand was one of the more controversial ones in recent history: Yzerman and the team management wanted a look similar to the Wings and Leafs that was simple and iconic. Reception has been very mixed: I for example quite like the new uniform for its overall clean look and feel. But it's also gotten a lot of negative responses for looking too much like the Leafs. I've noticed Lightning fans here who do not like the new logo at all, and I can see why they hate it. But in hindsight their previous logo feels like a bit of a mess, so the simplification of it was needed - but perhaps they went overboard with the idea?

To me it comes across as one of those things where the organisation's hearts were in the right place when they later added the lightning bolt on the pants, with a black outline that was also added to the numbers. But it feels very forced like a very last minute decision, and it was pretty much that.

For my redesign, I aimed to keep the simplicity of the team's current logo while returning the more dynamic feel of the team's previous logo. I also brought black and silver back into the team's identity, just the way it should be. I've kept the team's current shoulder patch as well, but the circle in the middle is black so that it matches the primary. Also, victory stripes make their glorious return.

I think the best jersey the Lightning wore has to be their current third. Not for the lousy Bolts script, the coloured piping or the "Tampa Bay" on the arse, but for the most effective use of the team's colour scheme to date. So I built on that for the home and roads while keeping a look that's vaguely similar to the team's original uniforms that they won the Cup in. Similar idea for the third, using a more classic approach that's still very much "Lightning", and the shoulder patch as the crest.

Thoughts?

Simple. Unique. I like it.

[Stampman]

I like what you did, especially with the H/R hem stripe, but I think the Ducks have had one better real color scheme and another better fictional color scheme.

When I think ducks, I think green, teal, even a little bit of purple. Black? Not at all. Leave that to the Kings - that should be enough black for one metro area.

When I think of Ducks I think of black ducks...

I like the curved bill with underside best, but I am also fine with them abandoning that look.

But then I'm not a Ducks fan.

Still, nice combination of eras.

I think for me to like a Lightning concept it would have to be quite different than anything they've had--but the logo was nicely done.