The Hockey News Is Ranking The NHL Logos From 30 to 1

[dash]

boy we really know how to dominate this puns

Some puns are very good while others are a little Smehlik...

 

[mattola]

Some puns are very good while others are a little Smehlik...

thats a little ruff dont you think?

 

[forty_three]

thats a little ruff dont you think?

No Zhitnik.

 

[elocomotive]

Enough with the puns, the work day is done - Miller Time!

 

[mattola]

Enough with the puns, the work day is done - Miller Time!

finally a Ray of sunshine comes out of these puns.

 

[pixburgher66]

Yotes and Stars being top 10 is actually worse than the Pens being top 10.

 

[forty_three]

Yotes and Stars being top 10 is actually worse than the Pens being top 10.

The Stars logo is so good, the Blue Jackets copied part of it, didn't you hear?

 

[elocomotive]

The Stars logo is so good, the Blue Jackets copied part of it, didn't you hear?

which part - the D?

 

[forty_three]

which part - the D?

/never gets old.

 

[elocomotive]

/never gets old.

Lol - and it never will. I can't believe nobody during the process said, "hey, has anyone noticed the fact that we've created a giant walking penis?"

Unrelated note, you all are invited to my party this weekend. Here's your muscle man invitation!

 

[IPostedWhat]

No. 7: Boston Bruins

So far, the top 10 NHL logos have included Philadelphia, Anaheim (still not over that one) and Pittsburgh. Today, coming in at No. 7, we present the Original Six look from the Boston Bruins.

At times in Bruins history, the logo has shown a bear, but we most associate the team to the spoked, black and gold ‘B’. But the Bruins weren’t always black and gold. Originally, their primary color was brown.

Although we’ve noticed some commenters poo-pooing Boston’s look as we’ve counted down our favorite NHL logos, the ‘B’ was almost universally favored by the seven THN staffers who were part of the voting – and debating – process. The goal was to look at all the NHL logos again for the first time, not taking history into consideration, and judge them on design, color and, if applicable, how it relates to the city. The Bruins logo stood up to these tests – and, hey, you have to give bonus points for using a color like yellow.

HISTORY OF THE BRUINS LOGO
In 1924, Charles Adams purchased the NHL franchise rights for a Boston team from Thomas Duggan for $15,000. Adams, who was president of First National Stores Inc., (Finast) also purchased a share in Major League Baseball’s Boston Braves franchise in 1927.

Adams, along with GM Art Ross, settled on the name “Bruins” an old English term for bear. But the colors the team would use were settled on before the team name was selected.

The color scheme of Adams’ Finast chain was brown and yellow and he wanted his NHL franchise to share that combination. The name Bruins happened to fit rather perfectly with it.

As you’d expect for a logo from the 1920s, the original look wasn’t the most refined the team has ever had. This logo, which was placed on a brown jersey, was used for one season before the team added more white into the mix.

In 1925-26, a face was put on Boston’s Bruin and the whole logo was outlined. Brown was still the primary color used by the team, but white was added to the middle of the jersey, which made it easier to see the logo. During this time, Adams and Ross took advantage of a collapsing Western League to pick up a few star players, such as Eddie Shore.

The Bruin would last on the jersey for another seven years before it was kicked off in favor of a look that set the team on a path towards today’s spoked ‘B.’

In 1932, the Bruin was replaced with a brown capital ‘B’ which had a yellow outline. Nothing too special here. The jersey kept an overwhelming amount of yellow and brown striping along the shoulders and waist, but the team’s color scheme was about to change for good.

Adams transferred his ownership of the Boston franchise to his son and Art Ross in 1935, which spurred a change in color. No longer would the Bruins be brown and gold – from now on they would use black and gold.

The ‘B’ logo stayed essentially the same, except the letter was colored in with black instead of brown. What’s interesting, though, is that this ‘B’ only appeared on the crest of the jersey for a few years. In 1936, though it remained the primary logo, the black ‘B’ was moved to the shoulder of the jersey and the player’s number appeared on the chest. In 1940, the Bruins introduced a secondary yellow sweater with “Bruins” in script, which could be called the NHL’s first alternate jersey.

The yellow jersey wasn’t used after 1944, but a player’s number continued to be used on the chest until 1948.

In 1948-49 the spoked ‘B’ made an appearance on a Bruins sweater for the first time. However, the spokes aren’t there to represent a wheel, rather Boston’s place as a “hub” of America. Kind of an “all roads lead to Boston” thing.

In the mid-1800s, Boston author, physician and poet (among other things) Oliver Wendell Holmes referred to the city’s State House as the “hub of the solar system.” And though he passed away in 1894 and never knew about the Boston Bruins franchise, his words tie in to the Bruins logo.

The spoked ‘B’ was introduced in acknowledgement of the team’s 25th anniversary as an NHL franchise. As you see in the logo, the ‘B’ is surrounded by the numbers 24 and 49, representing their 25 years of existence.

The following season, the numbers around the ‘B’ were removed, but the spoke logo itself stayed on the sweater where it has remained, in one form or another, ever since. This second version of the look gave the formerly rounded ‘B’ a blocky font and turned the spokes yellow. The Bruins’ primary logo has changed somewhat over the years, but nothing too major. This second spoked ‘B’ that was introduced in the 1949-50 season would remain in use until the mid-’90s.

In 1995, the Bruins moved into a new arena, then known as the Fleet Center, and brought a retouched logo with them. The black ‘B’ and gold spokes remained, but a black outline was added around the spokes and the ‘B’ was slightly elongated. During this time, another yellow alternate jersey was introduced that returned a bruin to the chest of Boston’s jersey. But this never became a primary look.

Finally, in 2007-08, the Bruins logo went through another minor redesign, which kind of bolded the old look. As the Bruins describe on their website: “Each tweak and adjustment to the Bruins B-spoke is made for legibility, modernization and enhancement of a historic team and an icon of Boston.”

Dissenting opinion: “A lot of these rankings have made aesthetics a priority. The ‘B’ looks fierce enough, and the color scheme rocks, but it’s really just a B with spokes around it. It’s not the pinnacle of logo art. It also doesn’t represent what it could. If you’re lucky enough to have a badass creature, a bear, as your logo, why not use that image every chance you get? Good logo, but it’s more iconic than artistic. Should be a half dozen spots lower in my mind.” - Matt Larkin

 

[pixburgher66]

The Stars logo is so good, the Blue Jackets copied part of it, didn't you hear?

At least their team didn't complain about stealing something as simple as a star, man it's like complaining about a team using their colors.

 

[forty_three]

At least their team didn't complain about stealing something as simple as a star, man it's like complaining about a team using their colors.

Stars are only allowed in Texas logos. It's the reason the "North" stars had to move.

 

[Darkstone42]

Matt Larkin makes a good point about the Bs' logo. Bears are awesome. Where are the bears?

 

[IPostedWhat]

Where are the bears?

They'll need a team in San Fran first, if you want Bears.

 

[Phantomphan]

/never gets old.

That looks like a cigarette on wheels.

 

[IPostedWhat]

No. 6: Dallas Stars

We’re almost at the home stretch of our NHL logo rankings and finish off this week at No. 6: The Dallas Stars.

Judging by comments on our previous articles, this will be a contentious one. The ninja star logo, introduced a year ago, was the first time the Dallas franchise moved away from a design that was used by the team from Minnesota – and the color was lightened again. You’re either going to love it or hate it. We loved it.

The THN staffers involved in the ranking process appreciated the new green (which is kind of a throwback to the North Star days) and how well it meshes with the silver star. The way the star (and the ‘D’) is sharply designed and colored kind of makes it look like a spur, which is a nice fit in Texas. We liked it enough to rank it No. 6 in the NHL – if you disagree, let us know why in the comments section below. We explain our reasoning for the ranking a little more later.

HISTORY OF THE STARS LOGO
Originally, of course, the Stars came from the north. In 1967, when the NHL expanded from six to 12 teams, Minnesota was granted one of those franchises. As a result of a public contest, the team was named the North Stars, which gave a nod to the state’s motto L’Etoile du Nord, or The Star of the North.

The first logo had the full team name on it and a familiar looking ‘N’ pointing towards the northern star inside a green circle. The ‘N’ would be refined over the years, but this was the start of a green and yellow color combination I think most of us miss.

In the mid-’70s, the North Stars upgraded the logo. They dropped the green circle around the image and added a yellow shadow behind the ‘N’. This logo would be used for seven years, the last of which (1980-81), the North Stars made a Stanley Cup final appearance, losing in five games to the power house New York Islanders.

We’re not huge fans of teams writing out their full name on a logo, so the change made to Minnesota’s in the early-80s was for the better. On this one, a thin black outline was added to the ‘N’ and the star, and the green around the star became a little thicker too. This logo, which would be used for 10 years, was the last one tied to the original. In 1990-91, the North Stars reached their second Stanley Cup final in franchise history, this time losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. Unfortunately for North Stars fans, the biggest highlight everyone remembers from that series is Mario Lemieux’s magnificent individual effort in Game 2 that posterized Shawn Chambers.

Interestingly, like they did the year after reaching their first Stanley Cup final, Minnesota changed their primary logo again in 1991-92. The next logo cut off the team’s connection with its roots and foreshadowed the relocation of 1993.

This logo, which is more attached to the Dallas franchise than the one located in Minnesota, actually appeared on the North Stars jersey first. The yellow on this logo had some mustard added to it and you can see black starting to creep in more to the Stars look. Minnesota used this one for only two years before the team picked up and left for Dallas, who continued to use the design, with some minor alterations.

In 1993-94, the Stars were northern no more, dropping the geographical reference from their name after moving south to Dallas. The logo used in the last days of the North Stars was retained, though the green and yellow were darkened even further and black became a prominent color on team jerseys.

The word “Dallas” was also added in green above “Stars.” This specific color scheme was used for only the first season in Texas, before it was darkened again, during a time when it seems everyone was going with black jerseys.

There isn’t much to add about this color shading, other than to recognize it is the look used during the team’s glory years. In 1998, Dallas reached its first conference final after the ’93 relocation and in ’99 they finally broke through. The Ken Hitchcock-coached team won the franchise’s first Stanley Cup in a six-game victory over the Buffalo Sabres.

Of course, the series concluded with one of the more controversial goals of all time, when Brett Hull appeared to have his foot in the crease. That stupid rule is, thankfully, long gone from the rule book, but this highlight still enrages Sabres fans. Should it have counted? We asked a Sabres fan by the name IPW, who was lifting 100lbs over his head at the time, and he emphatically said "Fuck Dallas!"

Dallas would make another Stanley Cup final in 2000, but lost it in six games to the New Jersey buzz saw.

And here we are in the modern day, with the logo we ranked No. 6 in the NHL. Why? Because this logo gives a shout out to the bright green past of the North Star days, while having meaning to the team’s current destination. For the first time, Dallas came up with its own design – and it pops. The beveled star gives the logo a modern look and that shade of green is a thing of beauty that earns bonus points.

And instead of designing a fancy star and calling it a day, a capital ‘D’ for Dallas was integrated into the look. More than just standing for the first letter in the city’s name, ‘Big D’ is also a nickname for Dallas. This is an excellent logo with a unique, bright green for this era. Kudos Dallas, you deserve No. 6.

Dissenting opinion: “I’m not going to rip on the Dallas logo as I think it’s pretty darn good and a HUGE upgrade from their previous efforts, but I will say it is a touch too high in the rankings and use this opportunity to (selfishly) suggest what I believe are the NHL’s best 10 logos: 1. Minnesota 2. Nashville 3. Arizona 4. San Jose 5. Tampa Bay 6. Chicago 7. Florida 8. Detroit 9. Dallas 10. Anaheim (yes, Anaheim…why all the hate?).” - Edward Fraser

 

[forty_three]

Dissenting opinion: “I’m not going to rip on the Dallas logo as I think it’s pretty darn good and a HUGE upgrade from their previous efforts, but I will say it is a touch too high in the rankings and use this opportunity to (selfishly) suggest what I believe are the NHL’s best 10 logos: 1. Minnesota 2. Nashville 3. Arizona 4. San Jose 5. Tampa Bay 6. Chicago 7. Florida 8. Detroit 9. Dallas 10. Anaheim (yes, Anaheim…why all the hate?).” - Edward Fraser

ooooookaaaaaay

We don't let Edward Frasier near any sharp objects, got it? Poor guy is obviously visually impaired.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

ooooookaaaaaay

We don't let Edward Frasier near any sharp objects, got it? Poor guy is obviously visually impaired.

It would seem he is a college football fan of some sort. Division III college football, that is.

 

[IPostedWhat]

Seems like a good time to post these again.