I’ve wasted hundreds of hours staring at hockey logos and overthinking design choices most people barely notice. Some redesigns genuinely impress me while others make me want to call up team management and ask if everyone in the meeting room was okay that day. In this post, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on NHL logo redesigns ranked.
Logo changes mean something. They’re not just some graphic designer having fun in Photoshop. I’ve noticed hardcore fans (including plenty who bet on games through platforms like RexBet) get incredibly fired up about visual identity shifts. So here’s my very personal, probably controversial ranking of the NHL logo redesigns ranked, featuring the 5 biggest changes.
5. Winnipeg Jets (2011) – Actually Pretty Solid
The Jets came back to Winnipeg, and I remember being nervous about what they’d unveil. That original 1970s logo had charm, but the 2011 version actually improved on the concept.
What sold me was the restraint. The Air Force-inspired jet with the maple leaf integration felt purposeful rather than gimmicky, and the military heritage colors (that deep blue and red combo) connected to something authentic about Canadian identity. Plus, you can see what the hell it is from 200 feet away.
4. Los Angeles Kings (1998-2011) – The Burger King Era
I’m ranking this at number 4 mainly because someone in that organization had the guts to say “yeah, let’s do medieval royalty on a hockey sweater” and actually followed through.
Purple and gold disappeared. Silver and black took over. And that logo got nicknamed the Burger King for extremely obvious reasons once you looked at the medieval monarch in full royal getup. I didn’t mind it back then, to be completely honest (probably a minority opinion), but here’s a fun stat: zero Stanley Cups won while wearing this design, then 2 championships in 3 years after switching back to classic styling.
3. Ottawa Senators (2007) – Clean But Forgettable
They simplified the Roman centurion profile and modernized the whole thing. Fine. I get the logic.
But man, something got lost in translation. The original had texture and personality baked into every line, while the 2007 version feels like a corporate memo turned into clip art. I appreciate clean design, but this one just doesn’t spark anything when I look at it. Not offensive. Just kinda there.
2. Colorado Avalanche (1995) – Near Perfect Execution
The Nordiques moved from Quebec to Denver, and someone in that front office said, “We’re swinging for the fences on this redesign,” and they actually connected.
I honestly believe this doesn’t get enough recognition in sports design conversations. That burgundy and steel blue combination felt completely fresh in 1995 (still does, actually), and the stylized ‘A’ with the avalanche motion sweeping through the negative space works on every level. They’ve touched it maybe twice in 28 years because why would you mess with something this good? The best redesigns are the ones that look just as sharp 15 years later.
1. New York Islanders (1995-1997) – The Fisherman Disaster
Oh boy.
I’m putting this abomination at number 1 worst because it’s a masterclass in how to alienate your entire fanbase in one press conference. The New York Islanders won 4 straight Stanley Cups with their classic logo, then decided fans really wanted a weathered fisherman holding a hockey stick as he’d just come back from checking lobster traps.
The Gorton’s fisherman (fans started calling it that immediately) survived exactly 2 seasons before the organization admitted defeat and crawled back to their traditional look. Teal and navy wave patterns, the grizzled sailor aesthetic, the complete abandonment of everything that made the Islanders’ identity work… none of it connected to anything real. Sure, they play on Long Island, but they’re a hockey team competing for championships, not a themed restaurant near the marina.
I’ve actually talked to multiple fans who lived through this era, and they still get visibly angry. One season ticket holder told me he boycotted all merchandise for those 2 years (and he’d been going to games since 1983). That’s the kind of damage bad design creates.
Why These Changes Matter
Teams invest millions of dollars and run dozens of focus groups before changing a logo. But sometimes they still fail spectacularly.
What I’ve taken away from watching these play out is pretty straightforward: you’ve gotta respect where you came from. Colorado understood that assignment. Winnipeg understood it. The Islanders forgot completely and lost fan trust plus probably millions in merchandise revenue.
A logo isn’t just a graphic. Every single home game, thousands of people wear that thing on their chest and feel something about it.
