I never understood why the Avs are an "A" and not a "C". I get that they are called "Avalanche" but the Flames aren't an "F". It's just weird, most logos incorporate the place, not the name when using an initial.
In a completely unscientific study to rank the current NHL logos from worst to best, we polled sportsnet.ca readers, fellow staff writers, and a select group of NHL stars for their opinions.
The No. 23 spot in the THN logo rankings belongs to the Winnipeg Jets. Popular team with its fans, not so popular among anyone predicting the 2014-15 Central Division standings, and not so popular in the logo department. That said, as we creep up toward the middle of the logo ladder, each ranking becomes more contentious and closer to split down the middle. Winnipeg’s critics outweigh its supporters, but the anti-Jet sentiment isn’t unanimous.
We can at at least say team’s design depicts what it’s supposed to depict, unlike jumbled messes such as, say, Colorado’s. There’s no debating that a fighter jet adorns Winnipeg’s sweaters. Another plus: the logo is inspired by the Royal Canadian Air Force. Simple, understated design and a historical connection? That should be a recipe for a high rank, but “simple” is the operative word. It’s too basic. The plane is just dropped on top of the existing Air Force logo.
Most of the THN staffers laughed this logo out of the room, comparing it to Microsoft Word’s Clip Art. Remember Clip Art images? Those stock photos and cartoony symbols you printed off your computer to take up space on your science fair Bristol boards? The Jets logo has that feel to it. The plane itself has very little detail and the Maple Leaf feels like a lazy attempt to placate fans of a Canadian team. The logo looks more like a glorified shoulder patch in the eyes of its haters.
HISTORY OF THE JETS LOGO
Don’t confuse the Jets with the, er, Jets. The original Winnipeg Jets belong to Arizona Coyotes canon. The modern Jets extend from the ugly, pitiful roots of the Atlanta Thrashers franchise.
What on Earth is a Thrasher? Even though the franchise’s horrific uniforms had an unmistakeably “Xtreme” feel to them, the Thrasher name didn’t come out of nowhere. The brown thrasher is actually Georgia’s state bird, and fans voted in the team name. Second place, the Flames, would’ve been awkward for Atlanta and Calgary. Those voters had evidently never heard of the embarrassing Rough Riders/Roughriders debacle in the CFL.
The brown thrasher isn’t an intimidating bird, but it’s elegant enough and could’ve made for a decent logo. Alas, this team was founded in the late 1990s, at the peak of ugly new-age jerseys.
Yeah that's different, but I think understandable because the a looks like a mountain. C, not so much.
I always thought the white snow in the avalanche forms the "c".
The Colorado Avalanche logo is composed by a burgundy letter A with snow wrapped around, similar to an avalanche, in the shape of the letter C. There is a hockey puck in the lower–right end of the snow and a blue oval on the background.
Whalers probably #1 if still around
I'm probably in the minority here but I don't HATE the Jets logo.
Something about it keeps me from really liking it but I don't think it's terrible.
I think the LA Kings look better know that they did originally. The color scheme was horrible.
I like the new look Canucks too. The jumping Orca with a bit of Native American design looks good to me.
My top three picks would be the Blackhawks, the Leafs and the Habs. I think I like Montreal's sweater more because of the history of the club than anything else.