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A few years ago, the NHL stopped putting playoff logos on ice. Fans want them and while we can't make that happen, we can do the next best thing: As each #NHL  team secures a spot in the #StanleyCup  playoffs, we will be posting HD ice graphics that include our concept for what the new playoff branding could look like on ice if the NHL were to listen to the fans again. Keep checking back here for more playoff team graphics. Washington Capitals Download 3D View | Download Overhead View Winnipeg Jets Download 3D View   | Download Overhead View Dallas Stars Download 3D View   | Download Overhead View

In recent seasons, the NCAA's Men's Regional Championship games featured a simplistic and somewhat non-descriptive center-ice logo. However, this year they've introduced a fresh design that integrates familiar elements with new, dynamic features. The updated logo retains the skater from previous iterations but now includes a graphic interpretation of the Regional Championship trophy. Additionally, the year of the tournament is prominently displayed, creating a clear time marker for highlights and replays—a detail that could enhance historical context for future audiences. The customized center circle continues to incorporate the arena name at the top and the city/state at the bottom. However, spacing and alignment issues sometimes arise, especially as they attempt to balance the text across the red line. Despite these occasional imbalances, the personalized design helps ground the event in its specific location and adds to its identity. This revised approach feels like a step forward, adding both aesthetic appeal and functional clarity to the branding. What do you think of this evolution? Does it strike the right balance between tradition and innovation? Here are the four center ice layouts used in the 2025 Men's Regional Championship. Be sure to check out the NCAA center ice archive to view the full rink designs.

The Philadelphia Flyers are undergoing a series of notable changes, both on and off the ice. While the recent news of head coach John Tortorella's dismissal grabbed headlines, another update went almost unnoticed—the team redesigned their ice surface mid-season. During a break in Flyers home games in mid-March, the ice underwent a subtle yet meaningful update. At the start of the season, fans were surprised by the team's choice of a solid red line at center ice, a departure from the traditional design that had been a hallmark of Flyers history. For years, the Flyers' center line featured two thin white stripes flanking the red, creating a distinct three-stripe appearance. Starting with the game on March 27, the classic design made its long-awaited return. Apart from this change, the only other adjustment was the replacement of a corner advertisement with one that provided better on-ice visibility. This redesign was a welcome nod to tradition, rekindling nostalgia for longtime fans. Unfortunately, with the season winding down, this fresh yet familiar look won't be seen for much longer. Hopefully, the Flyers carry this iconic design forward into the next season, blending history with the promise of a new era for the team. Check out the Flyers 2025 rink page to view the new ice layout.

The sizes and shapes of professional hockey rinks have evolved over the years. Even today, while most leagues have standardized rink dimensions, there are still noticeable variations in size and layout. Let’s explore some of the most common rink designs! Standard North American Rink - Used in all 32 NHL arenas. The standard North American ice rink size used in the NHL is 200 feet long by 85 feet wide. This rink size became the standard for the league in 1929, ensuring consistency across all arenas. It is considered ideal for the NHL because it balances speed, physicality, and skill, creating an exciting style of play with fast transitions, high-impact checking, and ample scoring opportunities. The smaller width compared to international rinks (which are 100 feet wide) leads to tighter gameplay, more board battles, and an emphasis on quick decision-making, making it well-suited for the NHL’s fast-paced and physical style of hockey. Standard International Rink The standard international ice rink size is 200 feet long by 100 feet wide (61 meters by 30 meters). This larger width, compared to the NHL’s 85-foot-wide rink, provides more open ice, emphasizing skating, puck control, and tactical play over physicality. It is the standard for international competitions, including the Olympics and IIHF events, and is commonly used in European leagues. The extra space allows for a more strategic, possession-based game with fewer body checks and more focus on skillful passing and positioning. This rink size became widely adopted in the early 20th century, particularly in European countries, and remains the preferred dimension for international play today. Note: Due to the image dimensions, the site has shrunk this image. It is actually the same length as the rink above. Shortened Ice Rinks Some hockey teams, including the Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres, historically played on shorter ice rinks, which were less than the standard 200 feet in length. For example, the old Boston Garden had a rink measuring 191 feet by 83 feet, while the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium had a 185-foot-long rink. These smaller rinks created a tighter, more physical game, with less room for players to maneuver, leading to more board battles, quick plays, and an increased emphasis on defensive positioning. While the NHL has since standardized its rink size to 200 by 85 feet, some lower-level leagues, older arenas, and college or minor league teams still use shorter rinks today. These rinks tend to favor gritty, physical play over open-ice speed and finesse, making them unique in how they influence the style of hockey played on them. Corner Radius While all NHL rinks follow the standard 200-foot by 85-foot dimensions, the corner board radius can vary slightly between arenas, affecting gameplay. The NHL standard corner radius is 28 feet, which provides a moderate curve that allows for smooth puck movement and controlled rebounds. However, some older rinks and non-NHL venues have used different corner radii, impacting how the puck caroms off the boards and how players navigate the ice. For example: Madison Square Garden (New York Rangers) historically had tighter corners, making for more abrupt rebounds and favoring a physical, grinding style of play. Buffalo Memorial Auditorium (former home of the Sabres) had a small corner radius, contributing to unpredictable puck bounces. Some European and Olympic-sized rinks feature a much larger radius, up to 30 feet or more, creating more gradual, sweeping corners that facilitate fluid play and wide turns. The 2011 NHL arena standardization efforts aimed to unify rink dimensions, including corner radii, to ensure consistency across all venues. However, slight differences still exist, making each arena subtly unique and allowing for different styles of play based on how the puck reacts off the boards. The examples below show the NHL standard radius of 28 feet, then 20 feet which I have found to be a bit more common in NCAA rinks, followed by very short corners which you might find in some older rinks like TD Place in Ottawa. I have been unable to verify the exact dimensions of their corner boards. Which rink style do you prefer, and why? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

The NHL is no stranger to having retro nights, and different teams celebrate in unique ways. We have seen throwback jerseys, 90's game presentation, and even vintage scoreboard graphics taking over the state-of-the-art video boards. However, one thing we haven't seen are vintage ice designs. Changing up the ice designs for a single game would certainly be the most-costly way to celebrate, but would it be unreasonable? Considering the NHL already requires every playoff team to swap out their corner in-ice advertisements each year, surely this would not be all that different. Special events such as the Allstar Game often require the entire rink to be painted over with new logos and ads which can later be shaved off brining the return of the original layout. So, what if each team repainted their ice for just one night? For this post we will stick with the current neutral zone dimensions with the current faceoff circles, goal crease, trapezoids, etc. We will be looking at what each team could do to bring a piece of their ice history into the current rink layout. Along the way, we will break a few of the ice regulations such as interrupting the red line, but nothing that the NHL hasn't broken itself with events such as the Winter Classic. Here is what we have come up with. Anaheim Ducks Inspired by the 1995 season, we bring back the Mighty Duck and the unique red line pattern. Boston Bruins Inspired by the 1994 season and the last non-commemorative ice layout used at the Boston Garden. Buffalo Sabres Inspired by the 1997 season with the Hasek era logo. Calgary Flames Inspired by the 1995 season. Carolina Hurricanes Inspired by the 1998 season. Chicago Blackhawks Inspired by the 1994 season. This was the final layout used in the Chicago Stadium. Colorado Avalanche The Avalanche have always had a giant primary logo at center ice (aside from anniversary logos) so this one is more of a hypothetical layout. We gave it a retro feel with two smaller logos and the 1996 red line. Columbus Blue Jackets Inspired by the 2001 season. Dallas Stars Inspired by the 1999 season. Detroit Red Wings Inspired by the 2000 season, the Hockeytown text returns. The Little Caesars Arena text has been turned blue to look more like the Joe Louis Arena text of the time. This might seem unlikely for a brand to change their colors for such a night, but the brand is all under the same umbrella as the team. Edmonton Oilers Inspired by the 1994 season, the Rogers Place logo is perfect for bringing back that Northlands Coliseum vibe. Florida Panthers Inspired by the 2001 season. We brought back the oldest version of the head-only logo. This would have been from the "National Car Rental Center" days. Los Angeles Kings Inspired by the 1997 season, Crytpo.com Arena is far from the Great Western Forum namesake, but it will have to do for this layout. Minnesota Wild Inspired by the 2002 season. The arena name is set to change next season so we hope whatever the new name is might fit in well with this layout. Montreal Canadiens Inspired by the final season in the Montreal Forum, we are bringing back the much smaller dual layout and red line design. Nashville Predators Inspired by the 1999 season. New Jersey Devils Inspired by the 1983 season with a unique layout for the old green and red logos. New York Islanders Inspired by the 1996 season, bring on the fisherman logo. New York Rangers Bringing back the exact center ice layout from the 1997 season. Ottawa Senators Inspired by their first layout in the inaugural 1993 season. Their first ice featured 2 Senators logos and 2 67's logos which represented the two teams to call this home ice. It seemed pretty fitting to feature the Senators logos 4 times to bring back that same general look. Philadelphia Flyers Inspired by the 1982 season at the old Spectrum. We do not know what the arena name will be next season, but perhaps it would look best to just used "Philadelphia" on the ice for this one game. This was styled to bring back memories of the "Spectrum" text that was featured on the '82 center ice. Pittsburgh Penguins Bringing back Igloo vibes with this 1995 inspiration. San Jose Sharks Inspired by the 1998 season. Seattle Kraken It is pretty tough to have a retro night when your team is only a couple seasons old. For Seattle, we are just giving them a dual logo treatment. St. Louis Blues Inspired by the 1999 season at Kiel Center. Tampa Bay Lightning Inspired by the 1998 season. Toronto Maple Leafs Inspired by the 1995 season at Maple Leaf Gardens. Vancouver Canucks Inspired by the 1971 season as the Canucks joined the NHL. Vegas Golden Knights Another team with a very short history. The Golden Knights always have the most impressive and unique designs, so we will give them a retro vide by simply using their primary logo on both sides of the red line. Washington Capitals Inspired by the 1988 season. Winnipeg Jets Inspired by both the 1991 and 1996 seasons. We brought back the 1991 season logo, but the red line comes from the final season for the original Jets team. Note: We did not include Utah as they have no history to work off of, and do not yet have a brand to really work with. What would you like to see on ice for a Retro Night? Let us know in the comments below.

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.

Thanks to a season ticket holder seat selection event, we now have an idea of what center ice could look like this fall. The team installed their ice surface so fans would have an idea of what their view would look like from their potential seats. While photos were not permitted at this event, that did not stop a photo of center ice from hitting the internet. This was just enough to allow us to create a full rink graphic for this layout. Check out the rink below. To view this graphic and other views in high-resolution detail, click here: https://www.thefaceoff.net/center-ice/c4fa6a2e-db64-4312-9e26-fc7d5c235b39 What do you think of this rink layout for the Utah Hockey Club's inaugural season?

UP - Anaheim Ducks I have never been too impressed with a Ducks center ice since they ditched the Mighty Ducks brand, so bringing back of piece of it was bound to score a few points with me. But what sets it over the top is the roundel including both the current and previous team names. Since it is an anniversary logo, we won't see it again, but I would love if they found a way to incorporate the roundel into future looks. Also, please bring back the Mighty Duck for good. UP - Arizona Coyotes This is a big up. It would be hard for them to impress me much given the restrictions set in place due to their shared arena situation. The last two seasons at Gila River Arena were perfection on ice. The addition of a checkered red line adds a touch of detail to the ice which it needed. The less obnoxious arena text is nice too. UP - Boston Bruins How cool is it to see this throwback logo taking up the entire center circle. That said, I prefer their normal logo. The Bruins are only using this logo one time, to celebrate their 100'th Anniversary, so for that reason, I am glad it is on the ice this season. UP - Buffalo Sabres The Sabres finally took a page from the Bruins playbook by enlarging their logo so it made up the entire center circle. That alone made this ice nearly perfect, but the team had more in store for fans. The swords in the red line were just the touch to finish it off. DOWN - Calgary Flames The Flames returned to their familiar primary logo red line pattern this season. While there is nothing wrong with it, the unique flame design last season was a classy look for the team. I was really hoping they would keep that design at least a couple more seasons. UP - Carolina Hurricanes The Hurricanes celebrated their 25'th anniversary last season with a special logo at center ice. This year it is back to the primary logo at center ice. Always good to see the primary eye of the Hurricane at center ice. None - Chicago Blackhawks Another season where the only change is whether the center dot lands in the red or in the white on the center line. The Blackhawks have a great center ice, but it might be nice to change it up a little. I can't really give them an up or a down for this. None - Colorado Avalanche The Avalanche do not change up their ice much. While a new center line design would be fun, they have had the current one since they first started playing in Pepsi Center (now Ball Arena.) I can appreciate their respect for tradition. UP - Columbus Blue Jackets Last season the Jackets moved the arena text to both sides of the center line. It was really the only change that their ice needed, and I am glad they kept that design for this season. UP - Dallas Stars The Stars have brought back their Texas outline alternate logo to center ice. We first saw this look in the 2021/22 season, and it was a shame to see it go away last year. The one drawback this time around is the new arena wordmark surrounding center ice. The old look was better, but the logo is enough to make this an "Up." UP - Detroit Red Wings First off, let me say that I am in the camp that never wants to see "Hockeytown" written across the logo ever again. Why anyone would want to tarnish such an iconic logo, I will never understand. The Red Wings have nearly the same checkered red line pattern since the 1963/64 season, so a major change was not expected. The Red Wings stead gave us a very similar checkered red line, while adding the winged wheel logo to the red spaces between each white box. A subtle change, but a good one. UP - Edmonton Oilers I have been uploading concepts for several years with an oil drop red line, so imagine my excitement to see it become a reality. In my concepts, I used an inverted design where the inside of the red line was white, and the oil drops were red. I chose this because it would be a nice callback to the many years at Northlands Coliseum. UP - Florida Panthers The Panthers went two seasons with no corporate arena name which allowed for a clean look at center ice. With a new arena name, it was no surprise to see text around the circle once again. While the text colors reflect the branding of Amerant Bank, they clash with the colors of the Panthers logo. While the arena name is disappointing, it can't really be helped. However, the Panthers use of the 30'th anniversary logo on the ice brings back the Panther breaking a hockey stick logo that has been sorely missed. DOWN - Los Angeles Kings The Kings only changed the arena wordmark placement this season by moving it to the sides. While this move gives the center ice a symmetrical look which is more pleasing to the eye, I simply cannot give them an UP until they replace that horrible home plate logo. NONE - Minnesota Wild The Wild made no real changes to their center ice this season. DOWN - Montreal Canadiens The Canadiens made no changes to their center ice this season. I would like to see the arena logos go back to the four corners of the circle rather than the sides, and perhaps go back to the dual logo format for the team logo. DOWN - Nashville Predators The Predators are celebrating their 25'th anniversary with a special logo at center ice. Unfortunately, the logo just doesn't quite live up to the normal center ice look with the primary logo. NONE - New Jersey Devils The Devils did not make any changes to their center ice this season. UP - New York Islanders The Islanders logo looks great at center ice. I would be hard to imagine any future anniversary logo being good enough to warrant placing it at center ice. Last year's anniversary logo is one of the worst we have seen on ice. So glad it has been replaced. NONE - New York Rangers No change to the New York Rangers center ice this season. While they have a great center ice, it might be about time for a change. DOWN - Ottawa Senators The Senators have kept their center ice the same for four seasons now. The only problem I have with it is that the arena wordmark is so large that it feels like it overpowers the team logo. UP - Philadelphia Flyers The Flyers have listened to their fans and reverted back to a dual logo layout and brought back their popular center line design. NONE - Pittsburgh Penguins The Penguins made no changes to center ice this season. UP - San Jose Sharks The Sharks brought the biggest surprise this season by bringing a brand-new look to center ice without the excuse of an anniversary or a primary logo change. The shark fin look is beautiful, while the candy stripe shark fin center line completes the look. Can we give this one a Super Up? None - Seattle Kraken Three seasons in, and the Kraken have had the same ice each season. It is a great look but would love to see them change up something. DOWN - St. Louis Blues The Blues made no changes to their center ice again this season, but they should have. The Blue note is iconic, but also lacks the ability to provide balance to the center ice circle. Moving the Enterprise Center text to the sides of the circle would help balance things out. Also, it is time for a better (or any) center line design. UP - Tampa Bay Lightning The Lightning have gone back to their primary logo this season which is a bold and clean look. I just wish they would dry something new with the center line. It is a bit distracting as it is. UP - Toronto Maple Leafs No change this season for the Maple Leafs, but honestly, I can't think of anything that would improve it. NONE - Vancouver Canucks The only change this season is the center line pattern being inverted horizontally. I really have no thoughts on that. It seems to make no difference in the overall look. UP - Vegas Golden Knights Each season the Vegas Golden Knights have brough us a unique new look. This season they incorporated their Stanley Cup Championship into the design. I look forward to their work each and every season. I also think this logo is a step up from the previous season. DOWN - Washington Capitals This is still the worst center ice in the NHL in my opinion. The Weagle would look SO much better. The lack of effort to even move the text around so the red line doesn't cover it is laughable. DOWN - Winnipeg Jets The Jets made their arena text larger and lost the "life" box emblem. Somehow this just looks a bit generic. My guess is Canada Life did not feel like people could read their logo very well. What are your thoughts on this year's center ice designs? Let us know in the comments or on Threads.

The Beginning The center ice archive did not start out of a love for center ice designs, or even a decent knowledge of center ice designs. It was not an obsession, or even a fascination. At that time, I was barely even aware that ice designs ever changed. As for red line designs, I just assumed every team used checkered or diamond red line patterns. In reality, it started with a love of the St. Louis Blues and a love of graphic design. I started watching hockey quite randomly one October evening in 1998. I was 13 and living in a community where hockey was just a sport that is played somewhere else in the country. Nobody I knew could have cared less about hockey. The game was between the Detroit Red Wings and the Colorado Avalanche. The fast-paced action kept my attention, and I started pulling for the Red Wings. My love of hockey would quickly form, and soon I would learn that there was a hockey team in my very own home state of Missouri. At that point, I knew who I must root for. Over the years my love of graphic design and hockey would intersect through small, personal projects that nobody else would ever see. Sometime in late 2010, I decided I wanted a desktop wallpaper for my computer that matched the Blues' playing surface. I wish I still had this graphic. I was proud of it, but by today's standards, I would certainly laugh at the amateur attempt at accuracy. It was only 1280x720 pixels which was probably already slightly outdated for a standard desktop resolution. The graphic included most of the neutral zone and just a sliver of each of the four defensive zone faceoff circles. The "Scottrade Center" wordmark was probably added to the graphic using a random, bold, san-serif font like Arial Bold. Not accurate, but it got the job done. The graphic lived on my desktop for some time, and a friend noticed it one day and asked me to make one for his team. After making a Detroit Red Wings ice graphic for him, I decided to post both of them on Facebook. That was it. I was done with making center ice designs. A month or so passed and someone saw my graphics and asked me for a Philadelphia Flyers ice graphic, followed by Anaheim. At this point I decided to sit down and create a graphic for all 30 teams. I would share them beyond the walls of my Facebook friends list by hastily uploading them to a blog on Blogspot.com. All 30 teams were up in a matter of days. The world could see them, supposing anyone could actually find them at my url: paintedice.blogspot.com. I posted in a few hockey messages boards to let people know they existed. To my surprise, a few people seemed interested in checking them out. Now that little adventure was over. I had fun making them since it combined my love of two things in a unique way. But all 30 teams were done. They were out there for anyone to have if they wanted them. It was time to move on to other things. Months passed by and it was finally time for the start of a new season. I got an email from someone I knew saying that they had come across my posts on the message boards, and some people were trying to contact me over there. They wanted updated ice graphics. I was a bit confused. There were no new NHL teams, and no teams re-branded that I knew of. I had to head over to the message board to see what they thought had changed that would require a new graphic. It was that moment that I learned that red line designs change year to year, and that some teams like to change up their ice designs. At this point, I knew I had a challenge. Not only would I start making new ice graphics for that new season, but I would also realize how much detail I had missed in the previous graphics. For instance, I didn't know that one team's diamond red line would actually be different than other team's versions of the diamond red line. With a new batch of ice graphics ready to upload, and backdated graphics improved, I decided I needed a better location to store and display them. Having a "blogspot.com" address was not going to cut. It was also around this time that I started hearing about some teams no longer painting the logos on ice but using fabric logos that could be removed and reused. Naturally, this seemed like the direction the industry would increasingly be heading, so "Painted Ice" would surely be an antiquated title in no time at all. While this is partially true, ten years later, there is a pretty good mix of fabric and hand-painted logos. None-the-less, "Painted Ice" was a pretty generic sounding name. After some thought and research, Frozen Faceoff was born. Please note that it would be two more seasons before the NCHC would reveal the name of their championship hockey tournament, "NCHC Frozen Faceoff". With a new name and a url to match, the Frozen Faceoff was born April 25, 2012. It consisted of two seasons of NHL graphics, along with ice graphics for the 2011/12 season AHL season. They were being housed on a similar looking (yet still separate) site called Frozen Minors. Hindsight, I could have done better with the name there. Growing The first year or two with the new site would mostly consist of keeping up with changes each season, while also trying to add in a few historical ices. The history for team's ice designs was limited and spotty. Two hockey aesthetics enthusiasts contacted me in September of 2012. Cory Gibson wanted to point out some fine details on a few of the rinks and provided many reference photos for historical ice designs that were not yet in the archive. A hockey gamer and graphic designer, who went by the username CanuckFanatic92, use material he had already made for custom ice designs for the PC NHL video game series. These two worked with me for years to transform the hit or miss NHL section into the NHL Center Ice Archive we have today. It is a nearly complete history of NHL ice designs from the time they started painting logos on ice. Their attention to detail and accuracy also helped me improve every single graphic on the site. A few more years would go by, and the site would soon have CHL ice designs added to the archive. The site started to branch out in 2015 with the addition of scoreboard graphics. CanuckFanatic92 had been working on historic scoreboards as well and agreed to work on those for Frozen Faceoff as well. In 2016 we added goal horns to the site. Information and photos about each NHL team's goal horn were displayed for an aspect of hockey that many fans knew little about at the time. We partnered up with NHL Horns & Songs, a YouTube channel with goal horn audio for all of the teams, along with their goal songs. After he retired from YouTube, we partnered with N2B Alex who brought his goal horn videos as well as 3D animation skills to help us out. Our current goal horn partner is Famous Goal Horns who also operations an interactive goal horn app called Goal Horn Hub. In early 2019, Ryan (Dryve Graphics) partnered up with us to turn many of our scoreboard renderings into stunning 3D Models. Since then, we have enjoyed watching his new scoreboard site for which we still help provide scoring graphics. Rebrand and Refocus 2019 was a big year for the site. Earlier in this post, I mentioned that we would share a name with the NCHC ice hockey tournament. It certainly led to some confusion, and I am under no delusion that most of the mis-directed web traffic was trying to find the NCHC site. I also want to make it clear, that we never had any pushback or negative interaction with the NCHC over the shared name. We had the name first, but it was in no way protected so when they named their tournament, it was fair game. No bad blood whatsoever, but I did tire knowing that those who did search for our site would typically land on their site instead. So, it was time for a change. I am no marketing genius, but I feel like the Frozen Faceoff brand had served me well, and a complete overhaul of the name might lose some followers along the way. In the end, it made the most sense to shorten the name to The Faceoff. On July 1, 2019, the new name and logo was announced along with one of the biggest improvements in the history of the center ice archive. By 2019 any graphics under 1920x1080 were obsolete. Our ice graphics were so far behind the times. This would be the year that we would turn every one of our neutral zone graphics into full rink graphics. These graphics would include any team specific markings, and the appropriate hockey markings. While this was a 2019 announcement, the prep work for this feat actually began nearly a year in advance. We celebrated our tenth anniversary of the birth of the center ice archive in the summer of 2021 (dating back to the "Painted Ice" days). This celebration included a brand-new web platform. We had been running off of a heavily modified "Blogger" template for ten years. After months of planning and personally building the site to cater to its unique needs, The Faceoff had a true platform on the web to be proud of. Other additions to the site included authentic in-ice advertisements for all of the NHL center ice archive, as well other leagues which is still a work in progress at this time. A fan of our site, Shawn Jones, began helping out with reference photos and graphics that have helped improve many aspects of the center ice archive such as advertisement accuracy and rink markings. He has also helped us expand on the history of the CHL center ice archive and include authentic advertisements there as well. After our 10-year celebration concluded, it was time to reaffirm what our site was all about. In May of 2021, we announced that would be turning most of our focus and energy on what we do best, center ice designs. While we would continue to include other aspects of the game environment on the site, they would no longer be taking the spotlight away from the center ice archive. At this time, we also got a brand-new logo, leaving behind many variations of the "FF"/"F" in a circle emblem. It was time for a logo that lets any new viewer know that we are a hockey website that focuses on the ice surfaces. Thus, the hockey player emblem that fades into a faceoff dot was born. As part of this new identity and focus, we are expanding the center ice archive to include more leagues, more history, and even some new features such as ice rinks with playoff logos and NHL practice rink layouts. Conclusion You may have noticed that I started this post referring to TheFaceoff.net as my site and ended it by referring to it as our site. The site started out as my personal hobby, but over time it has become a work of several people. Some of them are still with us today, but those who have moved on have left a lasting impact on the quality and accuracy of the center ice archive. I am grateful for the people who have helped out throughout the history of the site, and the continued support from our followers and viewers. This is what makes this hobby fun and makes me want to continue it for many years to come. Bonus: Not Everything Works Out. Logos that were not meant to be: I know, we had some bad logos in the early days. It might be hard to believe that there were a few logos that were even worse that never saw the light of day. Here are some that were either never used, or used so briefly that few ever laid eyes on them Did somebody say podcast? No.... nobody said podcast: That didn't stop us for trying it. Two co-workers of mine launched a podcast in the Spring of 2016 discussing the playoffs and player contracts. It was a good podcast, but fans of our site do not expect to hear about players or any serious hockey topics. It lasted one short season before disappearing. Jumping through hoops to expand the scoreboards section: I thought it would be fun to add NBA versions of NHL scoreboards since we already had the NHL templates completed. Unfortunately, that would also mean building brand new templates to finish out the league. It took a lot of time and energy away from the center ice archive though, and after a couple years, it was gone. I do miss our "FF" Basketball logo though. I am sure I haven't come up with my last bad idea, but hopefully with a renewed focus on the center ice archive, they will be fewer and farther between.

Excitement is brewing in Colorado Springs as a new season of Colorado College Tigers hockey approaches. With the move to the state-of-the-art Ed Robson Arena two years ago, fans and players have enjoyed a brand-new game atmosphere. And as the 2024 season dawns upon us, the Tigers are all set to take the ice in style with a brand-new, stunning center ice design. We believe it to be the best yet. This season the new Tiger logo finds itself at center ice for the first time. The old "CC" logo can still be found in the center line pattern. Click here to view the full rink layout. Check out the video of this new design being installed. You can view the history of Colorado College Tiger ice rink designs dating back to 2010 in the NCAA Center Ice Archive.

Today marks the exciting launch of our latest addition, "Faceoff Plus." This new page is dedicated to a diverse assortment of rinks, including those of minor league teams that currently lack representation on our site. Here, you'll have the chance to explore rinks that may not even have a home team, alongside famous rink layouts immortalized in movies. We want to emphasize that while Faceoff Plus will provide valuable content, updates to this section will not be considered as high-priority as the rest of our archive. As we strive to continuously enhance our platform, we might not update team or city rinks every season, allowing us to focus on other core features. We hope you'll enjoy this unique collection and join us in celebrating the fascinating world of ice rinks, big and small, across various leagues and cinematic spectacles. If you have requests for ice rinks that you would like to see added to Faceoff Plus, send photos to admin@frozenfaceoff.net or post them on the Community page.

The NHL has released 3 out of the 4 special event logos for the 2023/2024 season. While we wait for the release of the Stadium Series logo and a higher quality version of the Heritage Classic, we will take a look at what the rinks for the All Star and Winter Classic might look like.

The Nashville predators have never used an anniversary logo at center ice, but next year could be the first to change that. Check out a comparison of the normal layout versus the anniversary logo and vote in the poll below.

With the hockey season past the halfway point, we thought it would be fun to take a look at some of the best and worst ice designs of the season. Today we are looking at the best designs. You may disagree with our picks and that is fine. Let us know in the comments below. First, let's start with few honorable mentions. The Quinnipiac Bobcats switch up their layout this season for a Bobcat head that appears to be jumping out of the center ice area. It is a bold look for great brand. The Vegas Golden Knights have another unique design at center ice, but for one game, they turned out the lights and the paint glowed in the dark. The Abbotsford Canucks have a clean, catchy look at center ice. Along with their lack of ads in the neutral zone, it provides a very clean looking ice surface. The NHL Allstar Game gets an honorable mention as we are trying to keep the top 5 list to actual team ices only. However, it is honestly our favorite ice of the season by far. Now on to the Top 5. 5. Acadie-Baturst Titan We love roundel layouts, and you will probably notice a trend in this list. The Titan logo itself is mostly vertical which can be a struggle to use at center ice with a red line cutting through. However, they have added a background image of a ship that fills out the white space and corresponds with the rest of their branding packing for this year. 4. Henderson Silver Knights Just like their NHL parent team, the Silver Knights look to be going with a unique design every season. I wish more teams would try this, especially in the upper-level leagues. This design retains aspects of the Vegas brand while adding a wood texture under the primary logo. This is one of the most textured layouts we have seen, but it brings the center ice to life. 3. Utica Comets Another roundel design that also celebrates the 10'th anniversary of the Comets. A unique red line design, a roundel, and a comet shooting through the 0. They all come together to create a great look at center ice. 2. Rapid City Rush Another anniversary logo but this one has some extra regional charm. A miner is chipping away at the logo itself, which a pile of his findings near-by. All of this is taking place with a backdrop of the wilderness that also accompanies much of the team's branding this season. Owen Sound Attack The Attack have struggled with their center ice design for several years, but this year, they have perfected it. An enlarged primary logo inside a roundel of a complementary color. The colors of the logo provide a brilliant center ice to drop the puck on. What do you think of our list? Let us know in the comments below. We also have a Top 5 Worst Center Ice Designs list if you would like to check it out.

With the hockey season past the halfway point, we thought it would be fun to take a look at some of the best and worst ice designs of the season. Today we are looking at the worst designs. You may disagree with our picks and that is fine. Let us know in the comments below. 5. Arizona Coyotes We know, the Coyotes are in a bad situation (again), but we can't overlook the center ice. Dual logos are not bad, but in this case, it is a startling reminder that an NHL team is playing in a college rink. Perhaps we ranked it so low because we remember how great their ice looked for last two seasons in Glendale. 4. Saginaw Spirit We understand that the lower-level leagues have to make money through advertising, but most teams put the arena name and associated sponsor around the circle. The Spirit have shoved their logo to the top half of the circle to make room for their arena logo and a redundant DOW logo. 3. Washington Capitals We are not going to cut much slack for NHL teams whose center ice design looks like an amateur design. The Capitals have a beautiful alternate logo, often referred to as the 'Weagle', yet they choose to use their wordmark on the ice instead. To make it even worse, the red line cuts through it, covering some of the letters. Technically, it reads "WASHING )N cap tals". Couldn't they at least modify the ice graphic so the letters will not be covered? By the way, we have made a concept of the Weagle at center ice, and it looks great! You can do better Washington. 2. Fort Wayne Komets Let's get right to the point. A giant advertisement inside the center circle... Really? We get it, you make money from in-ice ads. That is actually an understatement. Take a look at their rink. That's right, they even have ads in their referee circle and inside the painted creases. You will also notice Sweetwater appears on the ice 4 more times, so the fact that they are also inside the circle is quite off-putting. Center circles are for team logos. They have the rest of the ice to cover with ads (and do they ever) but leave the center circle alone. 1. New York Islanders The Islanders have a pretty classic logo that fills up the center ice circle nicely. This year they celebrate their 50'th anniversary. Unfortunately, the center ice is hardly worth celebrating. This is really a case of poor logo design, but its alignment at center ice is doing it absolutely no favors. Sometimes teams celebrate anniversaries, but do not paint the logo at center ice. This would have been a good option for the Islanders. What do you think of our list? Let us know in the comments below. We will also be doing our top 5 list very soon, so keep checking our site, or follow us on social media for updates.

The state of Florida might not be the most ideal location for ice hockey, but the ice surface for the big weekend is an instant classic. The NHL seems to be done with the red line cutting through center ice for big event rinks. Add to that a beautiful, circular logo and you get a center ice that is hard to beat. The center circle isn't the only area that the NHL got creative with though. Check out the blue lines, designed to represent the Florida sky. All 8 faceoff dots contain a yellow sun, similar to the Reverse Retro jerseys that the Florida Panthers are wearing this season. Finally, the goal crease has a water effect in it much like you see at the bottom of the primary event logo. The 2023 center ice design is easily our favorite one since the same event was held in Tampa Bay in 2018. Head over to the NHL Center Ice Archive to view all of the NHL All Star center ice designs. Let us know which ones are your favorites in the comments. View the full rink and 3D rink graphics on the 2023 NHL All Star Center Ice page.