NHL Logos: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
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We take a look at all 31 NHL team logos and rank them from best to worst. You might be surprised at where your favorite team’s logo ranks!
The best NHL logos
There are a lot of great NHL logos out there. But which ones are the best? Here’s a look at some of the best logos in the NHL:
-The Boston Bruins’ logo is classic and simple, and it hasn’t changed much over the years. The bear is fierce and intimidating, and the black and gold colors are perfect for a team that represents one of the most historic cities in the United States
-The Chicago Blackhawks’ logo is also classic and simple, with a Native American chief that looks regal and powerful. The red, black, and white colors are sharp and stylish, and they perfectly represent one of the Original Six franchises.
-The Detroit Red Wings have one of the most iconic logos in all of sports. The winged wheel is unique and instantly recognizable, and it perfectly encompasses the spirit of Hockeytown.
-The Montreal Canadiens have perhaps the most famous logo in hockey. The “H” is simple but effective, and it’s surrounded by a maple leaf, which is a symbol of Canada.
-The New York Rangers have a very traditional logo that features a circular crest with a blue background. The center of the crest features a white hockey stick crossed with a green tuxedo bowtie, which is a nod to Rangers’ legend Bill Cook.
These are just some of the best logos in the NHL. What are your favorite NHL logos?
The worst NHL logos
There are a lot of NHL logos out there. Some are good, some are bad, and some are just ugly. Here is a list of the worst NHL logos in no particular order.
-The Anaheim Ducks
-The Arizona Coyotes
-The Boston Bruins
-The Buffalo Sabres
-The Calgary Flames
-The Carolina Hurricanes
-The Colorado Avalanche
-The Columbus Blue Jackets
-The Dallas Stars
-The Detroit Red Wings
-Edmonton Oilers
The most improved NHL logos
The National Hockey League has come a long way in terms of design, and while some of the logos still leave much to be desired, there are definitely some that have come a long way. Here are five of the most improved NHL logos
1. The Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks’ current logo is a vast improvement on their previous one, which was very dated and not particularly well-designed. The new logo is modern and sleek, and it perfectly represents the team’s heritage and identity.
2. The Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche’s current logo is much more simplistic than their previous one, but it is nonetheless an effective and attractive design. It perfectly captures the essence of the team, and it is definitely an upgrade from the old logo.
3. The Dallas Stars
The Stars’ current logo is a huge improvement on their previous one, which was very busy and not particularly well-balanced. The new logo is much cleaner and more stylish, and it perfectly represents the team’s identity.
4. The Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings’ current logo is a definite upgrade from their previous one, which was very dated and not particularly eye-catching. The new logo is much more modern and stylish, and it does a great job of representing the team’s history and tradition.
5. The Los Angeles Kings
The Kings’ current logo is a major improvement on their previous one, which was quite boring and uninspired. The new logo is much more creative and dynamic, and it perfectly encapsulates the team’s identity.
What makes a good NHL logo?
There are a lot of things that go into making a good NHL logo It needs to be simple enough that it can be reproduced on a variety of products, but detailed enough that it looks good on those products. It needs to be unique, so that it can be easily identified with the team, but not so unique that it can’t be recognized as part of the league. And, perhaps most importantly, it needs to be stylish – something that fans will want to wear proudly.
With those criteria in mind, let’s take a look at some of the NHL’s best and worst logos.
The Good
The Boston Bruins have one of the NHL’s simplest logos, but it is also one of the most iconic. Thebear head is easily recognizable, even to non-hockey fans and it looks good on pretty much anything. The black-and-yellow color scheme is also stylish and easy to work with.
The Winnipeg Jets have a logo that is both unique and stylish. The primary mark is a stylized W, which doubles as a jet plane. The red-and-white color scheme is eye-catching and works well with the Winnipeg flag. And the wordmark “JETS” – written in all caps in a futuristic font – adds just the right amount of detail.
The Bad
The Ottawa Senators have one of the NHL’s most confusing logos. The primary mark is an S inside a shield, but the S looks more like a snake than anything else. And the surrounding elements – including an O and two more shields – are just confusing and unnecessary. The whole thing feels busy and cluttered.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have a logo that is too busy and confusing. The primary mark is an N inside a C (for “National Hockey League”), but there are also two Blue Jackets flanking either side. And then there are seven stars above the whole thing – six small ones representing Ohio’s six counties, plus one large one in the middle for Columbus itself. It’s just too much for such a small space.
The Arizona Coyotes have one of the NHL’s ugliest logos. The primary mark is an A inside a Y (for “Arizona Coyotes”), but it looks more like an upside-down peace sign than anything else. And then there are two howling coyotes flanking either side, which just adds to the messiness of the whole thing.
What makes a bad NHL logo?
When it comes to NHL logos, some are timeless classics that look just as good today as they did when they were first designed. Others are dated and in need of a refresh, while still others are just plain bad. So, what makes a bad NHL logo?
There are a few elements that can make or break an NHL logo First, the overall design should be simple and easy to understand at a glance. It should also be appropriate for the team it represents – for example, a logo for a team based in Florida would likely feature palm trees or sunshine, while a team from Canada might have maple leaves or snowflakes.
Another important factor is the use of color. A good NHL logo will use two or three colors that complement each other well, without being too busy or overwhelming. And finally, the logo should be easy to reproduce on various types of merchandise, from T-shirts to hats to bumper stickers.
With all of that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best and Worst NHL logos currently in use.
How can NHL logos be improved?
NHL logos are an important part of a team’s identity. They are often the first thing that people think of when they think of a particular team. However, not all NHL logos are created equal. Some are great, some are good, and some are just plain ugly.
There are a few things that can be done to improve NHL logos. First, teams should focus on simplicity. A complex logo is often difficult to remember and can be confusing for people who are not familiar with the team. Second, teams should avoid using generic images that could be used by any team in any sport. These images do not help people to remember or identify a particular team. Finally, teams should use colors that are unique to the team and easy to remember. These colors should be used sparingly, as too many colors can be confusing and difficult to remember.
NHL logo redesigns that worked
A new NHL season is upon us, and with it comes a slew of new jerseys and logos for several teams. The Carolina Hurricanes for example, have a brand-new logo and color scheme this season, while the Vegas Golden Knights are debuting their expansion franchise with an entirely new look. On the whole, these changes have been met with positive reviews from fans and critics alike. However, not every team has been so lucky when it comes to redesigning their logo. In fact, some teams have made changes that were so badly received that they were forced to revert back to their old logos within a matter of years. Here are five of the most infamous logo redesigns in NHL history
The Los Angeles Kings’ “Burger King” logo is widely considered to be one of the worst in sports history. The team debuted the logo in 1988 and promptly received criticism from fans for its cartoonish look. The Kings abandoned the logo after just two seasons, but it has lived on in infamy ever since.
In 2007, the Ottawa Senators unveiled a new secondary logo that featured a giant “O” encircled by a trillium (the official flower of Ontario). The design was met with immediate mockery from fans and was quickly retired.
The Tampa Bay Lightning’s original logo (which featured a stylized lightning bolt) was considered too difficult to reproduce on merchandise, so the team unveiled a new logo in 2007 that simply said “Tampa Bay” in Big Blue letters. The reaction from fans was swift and negative, leading the team to abandon the redesign after just one season.
When the Winnipeg Jets returned to the NHL in 2011, they brought back their original Jets logo but updated it to feature a modern typeface and color scheme. However, many fans felt that the changes took away from what made the original Jets logo so special. After extensive public outcry, the Jets scrapped the redesign and went back to their classic look.
The Florida Panthers made headlines in 2016 when they unveiled a complete rebranding that included a new primary logo featuring a panther head crest. Fans were quick to point out that the panther looked more like a bobcat than an actual panther, leading many to nicknames the team’s new logos as “the Florida Bobcats.” Ultimately, public opinion was so negative that the Panthers were forced to make several changes to their logos less than two years after debuting them.
NHL logo redesigns that didn’t work
In recent years the NHL has seen a number of teams redesign their logos. While some of these rebrandings have been successful, others have fallen flat. Here are some of the NHL logo redesigns that didn’t work.
The Arizona Coyotes’ original logo was a howling coyote head set against a Southwestern-style landscape. In 2014, the team unveiled a new logo that was widely panned by fans and critics alike. The new logo was criticized for its cartoonish look and for bearing a striking resemblance to the University of Michigan’s Wolverines logo. The team quickly reverted back to its original logo after just two seasons.
The Columbus Blue Jackets’ original logo was a simple crest featuring a Blue Jackets and crossed swords. In 2010, the team unveiled an updated logo that featured a more modern Blue Jackets crest set against a star-shaped background. The new logo was panned for its busy design and for straying too far from the team’s original look. After just two seasons, the team reverted back to its original logo.
The Florida Panthers’ original logo was a leaping panther set against a yellow background. In 2016, the team unveiled an updated version of the logo that featured a more fierce-looking panther set against a black background. The new logo was met with mixed reactions from fans and critics, with some praising its update design and others feeling that it strayed too far from the team’s original look.
NHL logos that need a redesign
In an ideal world, all professional sports team logos would be just as good as the Chicago Blackhawks logo. But we don’t live in an ideal world, and some NHL Teams have well…less than ideal logos. Here’s a look at some NHL logos that could use a redesign, for one reason or another.
-The Anaheim Ducks logo is pretty dated at this point, and it’s also kind of hard to read.
-The Carolina Hurricanes logo is too busy and cartoonish.
-The Columbus Blue Jackets logo looks like something a middle schooler designed in Microsoft Paint.
-The Florida Panthers logo is just a yawn-fest.
-The Los Angeles Kings logo is pretty boring, and their current alternate logo is much better.
-The Minnesota Wild logo is too busy and abstract.
-The Nashville Predators logo looks more like a High School team’s logo than a professional one.
-The Ottawa Senators logo is just kind of meh.
-The Tampa Bay Lightning’s primary logo is fine, but their alternate logos are both atrocious.
10)NHL logos that will never need a redesign
10) The logos of the Detroit Red Wings Chicago Blackhawks Montreal Canadiens Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins are some of the most iconic and well-recognized sports logos in the world. These teams have such rich history and tradition that their logos will never need to be redesigned.