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Determining An Identity for Toronto's Second NHL Team


IceCap

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So if the reports are to be believed the NHL is considering expanding by two teams (LOL), with one of those teams being a second team in the Greater Toronto Area (uggggg).

We have plenty of threads to discuss the NHL's averse relationship with common sense. I started this thread to discuss what the second Toronto team could be called, what colours they could wear, and even what their uniforms could look like.

There was an aborted plan a few years ago to set up a second Toronto team, and that proposal floated the name "Toronto Legacy" and proposed a red, black, and grey colour scheme.

Toronto, prior to the establishment of the team that would become the Maple Leafs, had two other pro teams. The Toronto Tecumsehs and the Toronto Blue Shirts.

The Blue Shirts, like the Leafs, were blue and white while the Tecumsehs were red and white.

So what does everyone think? Are any of these names/colour schemes viable? If not what other names could they use?

An idea I came up with was the Toronto Celtics (pronounced keltics). They could go with a green and white scheme that calls back to the St. Pats without pretending to be the St. Pats.

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I'm new to hockey branding discussions but I think a red Toronto team would contrast beautifully with the Leafs. The only challenge would be to keep it from encroaching too much on the Blackhawks or Red Wings identities.

As for the overall expansion idea, that may eventually find itself intertwined with the new Seattle arena deal since they are supposedly trying to woo an NHL franchise to the Emerald City.

From San Berdoo to Kalamazoo.

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I'd like to see the resurrection of the Toronto Toros. No other team in the league has a bovine theme.

On September 20, 2012 at 0:50 AM, 'CS85 said:

It's like watching the hellish undead creakily shuffling their way out of the flames of a liposuction clinic dumpster fire.

On February 19, 2012 at 9:30 AM, 'pianoknight said:

Story B: Red Wings go undefeated and score 100 goals in every game. They also beat a team comprised of Godzilla, the ghost of Abraham Lincoln, 2 Power Rangers and Betty White. Oh, and they played in the middle of Iraq on a military base. In the sand. With no ice. Santa gave them special sand-skates that allowed them to play in shorts and t-shirts in 115 degree weather. Jesus, Zeus and Buddha watched from the sidelines and ate cotton candy.

POTD 5/24/12POTD 2/26/17

 

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How in the entire HELL is a second Toronto team preferable to a team in Hamilton?

That said, if this absolutely MUST go through, as someone who is descended from Irish-Ontarians, sign me up for Toronto Celtics.

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Because Copps Coliseum is old and crappy and Markham is building a new one. I find both equally ill-suited.

Markham Red Pens. Red/blue contrast, it's a pun, and it represents the red ink they'll bleed from being such a bad idea.

♫ oh yeah, board goes on, long after the thrill of postin' is gone ♫

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As for the team identity, I don't want another rehash of an old Toronto team (Arenas, Toros, etc). The whole retro fad has become tiresome. It shouldn't be too hard to come up with something new, fresh, modern and marketable. As far as a colour scheme is concerned, I'd prefer using the traditional Toronto double blue, but if they can come up with something unique and different like the Raptors did, I'd be fine with that too (just no purple please).

Well the Arenas is a no-go anyway for a few reasons.

A double blue scheme wouldn't work. First, Winnipeg already debuted with that scheme. Between them, Columbus (thirds), and Pittsburgh (thirds) that colour scheme's played out. Secondly the Leafs are blue and white. Any second team in the GTA would need to do everything it could from a branding standpoint to stand out against the Leafs. Going double blue and white won't do that (heck, those are the colours of the Leafs' farm team playing across the street). I'd say that blue should be the one colour the second GTA team should avoid at all costs.

I like the idea of Celtics (keltics) because it honours Toronto hockey history without hijacking it, and it could be a chance for the team to go kelly green and white, a unique combo in the NHL, past or present.

If that's not the direction they want to go in then a red-based scheme would work, but the problem would be making it work without it coming off as a copy of Detroit, Chicago, or Ottawa's schemes. While a uniform based off of the old Toronto Tecumsehs looks great in contrast to the Leafs' blue and white the look itself looks like the lovechild of the Red Wings and Blackhawks' uniforms.

I know you said no purple, but red, purple, and maybe black isn't half bad an idea. It would allow them to do something new with a red based uniform in the NHL. It's not a traditional colour combination, so it would allow them to distance themselves from the traditionally-minded Leafs. And while the Raptors no longer use it, it's a scheme that does have history with Toronto sports, so the fanbase might be more receptive to it.

I'm stumped as far as names go though (aside from Celtics).

Unlike a lot of people, I don't think the talent pool is too thin for this.

The opposition to a two team expansion isn't fear that the talent pool is to thin. It's fear that the NHL won't be able to handle thirty-two teams. The league's struggling to run itself with the thirty it currently has.

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Well the Arenas is a no-go anyway for a few reasons.

A double blue scheme wouldn't work. First, Winnipeg already debuted with that scheme. Between them, Columbus (thirds), and Pittsburgh (thirds) that colour scheme's played out. Secondly the Leafs are blue and white. Any second team in the GTA would need to do everything it could from a branding standpoint to stand out against the Leafs. Going double blue and white won't do that (heck, those are the colours of the Leafs' farm team playing across the street). I'd say that blue should be the one colour the second GTA team should avoid at all costs.

There's no concern that they'd be confused with the Leafs (The Marlies would be moved immediately if and when a second NHL is acquired). The Jays and Argos both use the double blue without making the market seem saturated with it. Both NY hockey teams use blue without it being an issue, all Pittsburgh teams use black and yellow, etc. The thirds you mentioned won't be around in a couple of years as it is, so they are null and void as well.

I like the idea of Celtics (keltics) because it honours Toronto hockey history without hijacking it, and it could be a chance for the team to go kelly green and white, a unique combo in the NHL, past or present.

If that's not the direction they want to go in then a red-based scheme would work, but the problem would be making it work without it coming off as a copy of Detroit, Chicago, or Ottawa's schemes. While a uniform based off of the old Toronto Tecumsehs looks great in contrast to the Leafs' blue and white the look itself looks like the lovechild of the Red Wings and Blackhawks' uniforms.

I'd have no problem with a green and white colour scheme, I for one loved the old St. Pats look, but the Celtics name is way too ethnic for one of the world's multicultural epicenters, and wouldn't represent the city properly at all. We're not Boston. Someone mentioned using the Golden Horseshoe thing. That wouldn't work as the nickname all too well IMHO, but seeing as Markham is too small a city to have a pro team on their own, the Golden Horseshoe ___________ might work well, as would York (the name of the region and the original name of Toronto).

I know you said no purple, but red, purple, and maybe black isn't half bad an idea. It would allow them to do something new with a red based uniform in the NHL. It's not a traditional colour combination, so it would allow them to distance themselves from the traditionally-minded Leafs. And while the Raptors no longer use it, it's a scheme that does have history with Toronto sports, so the fanbase might be more receptive to it.

I'm stumped as far as names go though (aside from Celtics).

Not feeling that red/purple/black colour combination at all. It already sounds dated and screams "minor league". There's a reason the Raptors have moved away from it, even if it was novel for the time they joined the league. I'm stuck for names too, but I haven't really given it any thought. Aeros might work because of the history of the jet being developed here, but that would no doubt draw similarities with the Jets identity. Unfortunately Toronto's most famous innovations don't lend themselves well to team names (Insulin/Pablum, Whoopee Cushions, paint rollers).

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My preferred choice for the name of a second Greater Toronto-based NHL franchise would be...

Toronto Shamrocks - Final name of the National Hockey Association franchise that was launched as the Tecumsehs in 1912, became the the Ontarios under new ownership in 1913, and rebranded as the Shamrocks in February of 1915. After going dormant for the 1915-1916 NHA season, the team was reactivated as the Toronto 228th Battalion (aka the Northern Fusiliers) for the 1916-1917 season. Not only would the Shamrocks name pay homage to the aforementioned lineage of pro hockey in Toronto, it would also be a nod to the similarly themed St. Patricks (St. Pats).

My other suggestions would be...

Toronto Beavers

Toronto Huskies

Toronto Loyalists

Toronto Royals

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My preferred choice for the name of a second Greater Toronto-based NHL franchise would be...

Toronto Shamrocks - Final name of the National Hockey Association franchise that was launched as the Tecumsehs in 1912, became the the Ontarios under new ownership in 1913, and rebranded as the Shamrocks in February of 1915. After going dormant for the 1915-1916 NHA season, the team was reactivated as the Toronto 228th Battalion (aka the Northern Fusiliers) for the 1916-1917 season. Not only would the Shamrocks name pay homage to the aforementioned lineage of pro hockey in Toronto, it would also be a nod to the similarly themed St. Patricks (St. Pats).

My other suggestions would be...

Toronto Beavers

Toronto Huskies

Toronto Loyalists

Toronto Royals

I actually thought about Loyalists and Royals. The problem is that Royals might infringe on the Kings' identity, and Loyalists might be a bit to obscure (how many people know what a "hab" is outside of a Canadiens nickname?).

Huskies could work though.

There's no concern that they'd be confused with the Leafs (The Marlies would be moved immediately if and when a second NHL is acquired).

Confused? No. Being seen as trying to ride the coattails of the Leafs brand? Yes. A second Toronto team would need to forge its own identity. A double blue and white scheme just wouldn't do that. As for the Marlies, I don't see them moving even if Toronto does get a second NHL team. The Leafs moved them from St. John's specifically to have their farm team in the city. I don't see how a second NHL team out in the suburbs would affect that desire of theirs.

The Jays and Argos both use the double blue without making the market seem saturated with it. Both NY hockey teams use blue without it being an issue, all Pittsburgh teams use black and yellow, etc. The thirds you mentioned won't be around in a couple of years as it is, so they are null and void as well.

The Jays and Argos don't compete against each other in the same league though. Neither do all of Pittsburgh's teams. Both NY teams wear blue, yes, but the Islanders were able to make it work because they paired it with orange, thus drawing a connection to the city's colours and Dutch heritage. Both teams wearing blue may not have been ideal, but the second team had a reason. With Toronto blue and white are the city's traditional sporting colours, but the Leafs have that market cornered as far as pro hockey goes.

I like the idea of Celtics (keltics) because it honours Toronto hockey history without hijacking it, and it could be a chance for the team to go kelly green and white, a unique combo in the NHL, past or present.

If that's not the direction they want to go in then a red-based scheme would work, but the problem would be making it work without it coming off as a copy of Detroit, Chicago, or Ottawa's schemes. While a uniform based off of the old Toronto Tecumsehs looks great in contrast to the Leafs' blue and white the look itself looks like the lovechild of the Red Wings and Blackhawks' uniforms.

I'd have no problem with a green and white colour scheme, I for one loved the old St. Pats look, but the Celtics name is way too ethnic for one of the world's multicultural epicenters, and wouldn't represent the city properly at all. We're not Boston. Someone mentioned using the Golden Horseshoe thing. That wouldn't work as the nickname all too well IMHO, but seeing as Markham is too small a city to have a pro team on their own, the Golden Horseshoe ___________ might work well, as would York (the name of the region and the original name of Toronto).

Well given the multi-ethnic makeup of Toronto we can say for certain that there is a community of people of Irish decent in the city. Not only that, but the Irish community was significant historically, both to the city and the country as a whole (the Irish harp's on the country's coat of arms for a reason). I don't think a team named the Celtics or Shamrocks would offend non-Irish Catholics either. I'm pretty sure non-Irish Catholic Bostonians don't shy away from rooting for the Boston Celtics.

I know you said no purple, but red, purple, and maybe black isn't half bad an idea. It would allow them to do something new with a red based uniform in the NHL. It's not a traditional colour combination, so it would allow them to distance themselves from the traditionally-minded Leafs. And while the Raptors no longer use it, it's a scheme that does have history with Toronto sports, so the fanbase might be more receptive to it.

I'm stumped as far as names go though (aside from Celtics).

Not feeling that red/purple/black colour combination at all. It already sounds dated and screams "minor league". There's a reason the Raptors have moved away from it, even if it was novel for the time they joined the league. I'm stuck for names too, but I haven't really given it any thought. Aeros might work because of the history of the jet being developed here, but that would no doubt draw similarities with the Jets identity. Unfortunately Toronto's most famous innovations don't lend themselves well to team names (Insulin/Pablum, Whoopee Cushions, paint rollers).

I thought the Raptors moved away from purple because they wanted to re-brand as "Canada's team," so they decided to only dress in the colours Canadian national teams dress in, red and black. Given that the Bulls and Blazers do red and black better anyway, maybe the Raptors should return to purple.

Back to Toronto 2.0 though. I'm not sure colour wise, as it would depend on the name. An Irish-themed name would obviously mandate a green and white scheme.

As for BiB's other suggestions...

Loyalists would probably be red, white, and blue, with a red base. I'd suggest throwing in some gold accents.

Royals could make a purple and white scheme work.

Huskies and Beavers could use any scheme, really.

Loyalists is the best one I've heard outside of the Irish themed suggestions, but I think it might be to obscure a reference for most.

Maybe I don't understand hockey/Canada enough but I just don't understand how a second team in an established (hell, Original 6) market would do well at all.

Well no one said it would be a good idea :D

I didn't start this thread because I think it should happen. The NHL, though, is seriously considering it because they tend to make idiotic decisions. I figured "if it's going to happen, we might as well discuss the possible name."

The problem with a second NHL team in Toronto is that its success is entirely focused on short-term gain (much like the decision to expand to thirty-two teams in the first place). There are enough Leafs fans in the area that will buy tickets simply because they can't get Leafs tickets. The question is, though, will that establish a fanbase long-term? You'll get the contrarian crowd to truly embrace the team, but anyone else will only be there wishing they were watching the Leafs instead.

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What about Rose or Roses?

Idea came from the York which someone mentioned, which is in the name of a few municipalities in Toronto.

In England, York had the White Rose on its crest (one side of The War of the Roses)

So it'd be the Green and White color scheme, tie in to the Loyalist or Royals nicknames

The Rose has a place in many cultures...so while there is a history and reasoning behind it...it would also tie in to how multicultural it is.

I suppose you could also do Thorns

Toronto Thorns

Toronto Roses

York Roses

York Thorns

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