When the NHL announced an expansion franchise for Las Vegas in 2016, one of the more pressing design challenges was the most fundamental. What should they look like? The Vegas Golden Knights logo is a significant part of the team’s identity and represents the spirit of the city. Las Vegas has a very specific visual identity, and most of it …
New Jersey Has the Teams, but Not Always the Name
New Jersey has no shortage of famous names, but its sports map is oddly complicated. The state hosts two NFL teams that call themselves ‘New York’, while its former NBA team moved across the river. That leaves the Devils carrying a lot more of New Jersey’s identity than one hockey club usually would. New Jersey punches well above its weight. …
The history of the Philadelphia Flyers logo: How a classic design endured
Few professional hockey logos have maintained the recognition of the Philadelphia Flyers logo’s winged P, which has identified the franchise since its NHL debut in 1967. With its black wings, orange center, and distinctive letterform, the design communicates speed and local identity without unnecessary detail. The Philadelphia Flyers logo exemplifies how a simple yet bold design can create a lasting …
Ranking the Top 5 Major NHL Logo Redesigns: Best to Absolute Worst
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 …
Teal Seasons: How Expansion Teams Chose Their Colors
An expansion team starts life with no championships, no old photographs, and no grandfather who remembers the first game. On day one, it can own only one thing: a color. Between 1988 and 1995, a run of new franchises in four leagues made that choice in public, and a surprising number of them landed on the same answer. Teal went …
Behind the Logos: The Stories That Define the NHL’s Biggest Rivalries
Few sports rivalries are as closely tied to visual identity as those in the National Hockey League, particularly in the context of the NHL’s biggest rivalries. The colors, crests, and logos worn on a jersey instantly bring back decades of history. From championship celebrations to bitter playoff defeats, the NHL has produced rivalries where the logo on a player’s chest …
Why the Toronto Maple Leafs Logo Still Works After Nearly a Century
The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of Canada’s most venerable sports teams, so it’s equally fitting that the logo that defines the club, the Toronto Maple Leafs logo, is just as long-standing and recognizable. Its impact, reinforced by almost 100 years of use, has only increased with time, and while there have been minor redesigns, most recently in 2016, the …
Atlanta Flames Logo History – Alternate Logo
The Atlanta Thrashers logo shines in the team’s alternate logo collection, debuting in the NHL in 1999. Its bold thrasher bird design reflects Georgia’s spirited identity. Therefore, the Atlanta Thrashers history captivates collectors. Moreover, the Atlanta Thrashers symbol showcases vibrant identity and regional pride for fans.Atlanta Flames 1972 – 1980 The main crest featured a bold, stylized red capital letter …
The Detroit Red Wings Winged Wheel: A Century of Unchanged Identity
In professional sports, logo stability is the exception rather than the rule. Franchises rebrand in pursuit of modernity, respond to shifting aesthetics, or attempt to reset public perception after difficult periods. The Detroit Red Wings have done none of these things. The winged wheel that appears on their jerseys today is, in its essential form, the same design introduced in …
Frozen Aesthetics: The Evolution of the NHL’s “Original Six” Logos
In the world of professional sports, few things command as much respect as the “Original Six” franchises of the NHL. These teams represent the foundation of modern hockey, and their visual identities are more than just marketing tools. They are historical artifacts that have survived world wars, economic shifts, and the league’s expansion. While some clubs hit upon a perfect …










