Another NHL season is upon us, and all 32 teams have unveiled their center ice designs. This year, a burst of creativity has emerged from several teams, and the NHL has even relaxed its rules on team logos crossing the center line. Let's dive into the changes each team has made to their center ice design compared to last season. We’ll assess whether the changes are a hit or a miss, giving them either a thumbs up or thumbs down.
Anaheim Ducks
Last season, the Ducks celebrated their 30th anniversary with one of the most striking ice layouts we've seen. We knew that look would disappear forever at season's end, and it left us feeling a bit melancholic. That is, until the announcement of the Mighty Ducks logo's return. Seeing the modernized Mighty Duck at center ice again was a nostalgic delight, a true sight for sore eyes. This was an easy UP from us.
Boston Bruins
Last season, the Bruins marked their 100th anniversary with a nostalgic vintage logo at center ice. This season, their primary logo makes a comeback, but with a twist: the center spoke now intersects the center line. It’s a subtle change, yet a stylish touch. Plus, for the first time in many years, the Bruins have added a pattern to their red line. These subtle touches earn an UP.
Calgary Flames
Calgary made a minor tweak this season by swapping out their primary logo on the center line for their alternate logo, "Sparky". It's a subtle shift, but it adds a fresh touch to their design, and it deserves an UP.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes made a necessary update to their center ice due to a change in arena naming rights this off-season. Lenovo Center not only sounds more appealing than PNC Arena, but its new wordmark also blends seamlessly with the overall ice design. An added bonus is how well the corporate branding complements the Hurricanes' color scheme. That's definitely an UP.
Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks stuck to their familiar playbook this season, making their usual tweak: alternating the checkered red line so the center dot now falls within the white section. They've been swapping between these two variations since 2010. While the design itself isn't bad, the predictable back-and-forth has grown a bit tiresome. This earns a DOWN, simply because we’re craving something fresh and innovative.
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche introduced a minor update to their corporate arena branding, resulting in a somewhat cleaner appearance. Consequently, we will hesitantly classify this as an improvement, although a more substantial effort will be required in the subsequent year to get an UP from us.
Florida Panthers
The Panthers seem to have borrowed a play from the Golden Knights' book by celebrating their Stanley Cup victory with a center ice design that features the cup. The design is undeniably cool, and it would be fantastic if this became a tradition for the championship team moving forward. We're giving it an UP, despite our disappointment in the team for firing an employee who leaked a photo before the official reveal.
Los Angeles Kings
For years, we've voiced our dissatisfaction with the Los Angeles Kings' home plate logo. Indeed, any alternative would have been an improvement, and reverting to the Gretzky-era logo was an excellent decision. The new crown, prominently displayed along the center line, and the logo visible through the hollow center line, represent a significant upgrade. UP UP UP UP
New Jersey Devils
Just because it's possible to hollow out the red line in the logo doesn't mean it's a good idea. I believe the logo doesn't benefit from the hollow red line. Additionally, the adjustment made to the logo to ensure the horns are unaffected by the center line makes the logo look bizarre. That's a DOWN.
Ottawa Senators
Incorporating the Senators logo within a circle proved challenging, leading the team to adopt the circle as part of the logo itself. While the clean aesthetic of last year's ice design is preferred, the creativity of this new approach is also appreciated. The red line pattern is a nice nod to their logo as well. UP
Philadelphia Flyers Last season, the Flyers heeded their vocal fanbase's wishes to reinstate the iconic dual logo layout, which they had recently replaced with a single, large logo. This year, the team adhered to the fans' preference, but for reasons unknown, they chose a plain center red line. We would have preferred a checkered, candy-striped, or some other patterned design. DOWN
San Jose Sharks
Last season, the Sharks made a daring move with their center ice design, and this year, they've introduced another fresh layout. Although the new design is impressive, we really miss the unique design from last year. Additionally, when reading the arena text from left to right, it seems to read "at San Jose SAP Center". Why did they arrange it like that this season? While we would rather have the old design, it feels unfair to give this new look a down, so we will just give this one a PASS.
St. Louis Blues
The Blues have managed to further unbalance their center ice. The logo is now so enlarged that it's impossible to center it within the circle. The Blue Notes along the center line add a nice touch, yet they're too cramped next to the circle. The arena text should be positioned on both the left and right sides of the circle to achieve balance. A layout that has the potential to be clean and appealing has once again become somewhat cluttered. DOWN
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Leafs have retained their iconic red line design, reminiscent of the Canadian flag, while incorporating a new hollow center line within the circle, enhancing the visibility of their team's name alongside their primary logo. That is a big UP.
Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks decided to get creative, which we always appreciate. However, this layout is a bit odd. While we can't say we love the layout, I'm not ready to say I hate it either. We will just give this a PASS.
Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights are a season removed from winning the cup, so they had to come up with something new to replace that creative Stanley Cup design. This year they simplified center ice just a bit, but it has a very sharp, yet still unique look. Bonus points for adding the Nevada state outline in the red line design. UP
Washington Capitals
Each season, we hope to see the "Weagle" logo, the Capitals' alternate emblem, at center ice. The Capitals' center ice design is consistently our least favorite. Yet, as this season approached, we anticipated settling for an anniversary layout, which promised some variation. Now, after witnessing this change, we find ourselves longing for the previous design. The current anniversary logo is off-center and appears overly cluttered. Perhaps one day, we'll appreciate the Capitals' ice design... perhaps one day. DOWN
What do you think of this year's ice designs? Let us know in the comments below.
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