Who’s the favourite to take over behind bench?
Elliott Pap
Vancouver Sun
Dallas Eakins out of the running, but several strong candidates could
emerge
So Dallas Eakins is out as a possible coach for the Vancouver Canucks, if
he was really in. At least he was in for interviews. Good luck, Dallas, in
Edmonton. We hardly knew you.
Los Angeles Kings assistant John Stevens has been considered among
the front- runners since Day One and word Monday out of L. A. is that teams
have been given permission to talk to Stevens. Like there was ever any
doubt.
Two other worthy candidates still have jobs, namely Dan Bylsma and
Dave Tippett, but should they become available, you can imagine their
phones blowing up with interested parties. But they aren’t available. Not yet.
And may never be.
Will the legendary patience of Canuck GM Mike Gillis be tested here?
Bylsma led the Penguins to first place in the Eastern Conference and the
Pens were first in offence during the regular season and through the first two
playoff rounds. Will an embarrassing thirdround meltdown cost him his job?
Tippett, meanwhile, is at the end of his contract with the Coyotes and
even though GM Don Maloney has re- upped in Phoenix, will Tippett want to
remain in that unstable situation? The ’ Yotes certainly want him back but
perhaps he’ll want to move to a cap team like the Canucks and play in a full
building every night.
Former Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan has been interviewed by Gillis,
prompting the latter to remark: “Glen is a very bright young coach with a
really solid future ahead of him ... I was very impressed.”
Gillis was also impressed enough with his AHL coach, Scott Arniel, to
interview him, too.
Here are the latest odds provided by The Vancouver Sun on Canuck
Coach Search 2013 ( Warning: Odds are for discussion purposes only.) JOHN
STEVENS at 8- 5 Has won AHL championship as head coach ( Philly
Phantoms, 2004- 05) and Stanley Cup as an assistant. ( Kings, 2011- 12).
Also reached Eastern Conference final as head coach of Flyers ( 2007- 08)
and Western Conference final this season as Darryl Sutter’s right- hand man.
His old pal Jack McIlhargey insists he’s ready. DAN BYLSMA (* if available)
at 4- 1 If Penguin ownership decides it needs a scapegoat for the team’s
pratfall against Boston in the Eastern Conference final, an unemployed
Bylsma fits the profile of a Gillis candidate. The New York Rangers, who are
in on the Alain Vigneault sweepstakes, would apparently be hot for Bylsma
as well. Bylsma’s lack of knowledge of the Western Conference, and the
onerous travel involved, might be an eye- opener for him. Good thing
Canucks have the sleep doctor at his disposal. DAVE TIPPETT (* if available)
at 4- 1 Often knocked as a defensive- minded trap- loving coach, Tippett
once ran a successful power play as an assistant with the Kings from 19992002. Missed the playoffs just twice in 10 years as head coach with the Stars
and Coyotes and reached the Western Conference final twice ( Stars, 200708; Coyotes, 2011- 12). SCOTT ARNIEL at 6- 1 Longtime coach of Canuck
farm teams in Manitoba and Chicago, Arniel is well known to the
organization and has already handled a number of the current and future
Canucks. Familiarity won’t be an issue. His stint in Columbus wasn’t a
beautiful thing but he didn’t have stability in goal or a veteran core with a
winning pedigree. Is he one of those coaches who will thrive on mistakes
learned the first time around? Still has two years left on AHL deal. GLEN
GULUTZAN at 10- 1 As Gillis noted, the Dallas Stars played tenaciously
throughout the 2012- 13 campaign under Gulutzan despite numerous roster
moves. Gulutzan did reach the American League final ( Texas Stars, 200910) but failed to make the NHL playoffs in two seasons with Dallas. Might be
more suited to an associate coach’s role in his next stop. Maybe that’s why
Gillis has him on his radar.
ICE CHIPS: All signs continue to point to Utica, N.Y., as the new home of the Canucks'
American League farm team. The AHL has a conference call scheduled for Thursday
morning to vote on the move of the former Peoria Rivermen franchise to Utica. The
deadline is Friday. If the Utica scenario falls apart, the Canucks would have to scatter
their prospects around hockey’s minor leagues, an absolute worst-case scenario.
Twins talk about future and about AV on talk radio
Elliott Pap
Vancouver Sun
Henrik and Daniel Sedin, now 1-2 in all-time Canuck scoring, are heading into the final
years of their contracts and are eligible to sign extensions on July 5, this year’s date for
NHL free agency. The twins, who turn 33 in September, made an appearance Monday
on Canuck radio rights holder Team 1040 and, among other things, touched on their
future.
DANIEL: “I think we certainly would like to stay here. That’s something we’re always
been up front with. I mean, we love this city, we love this team, we love the
management and we know coming into every season, we’re going to have a chance to
win and that’s all you can ask for as a player.”
HENRIK: “We’ve always been in a position where everything is going to get worked out
if both sides agree that they want the same thing. If they say, ‘sorry you can’t be here
any longer’, then we’re going to take a look at what we want and we’ll go from there.
Until that happens, we’re happy where we are.”
On whether they might return to Sweden to finish their careers…
HENRIK: “If we’re not too old. We’ve always said we’d like to come back and maybe
play a year in MoDo where we started up but, again, it all depends on how things go
over here.”
On the firing of Alain Vigneault after a seven-year run coaching the team…
HENRIK: “He’s meant a lot to us. When we came in, I think we were still behind Markus
(Naslund) and Bert (Todd Bertuzzi) and those guys and he gave us the opportunity to
grow as players and he gave us the first-line role and a chance to succeed. But being
here for seven years and you never reached the final goal, there is going to come a time
where something is going to happen and this was the year. If you keep losing in the
playoffs, something is going to happen.”
DANIEL: “I think Alain is a really good coach, there is no question about that. But, like
Henrik said, if you keep losing things are going to have to happen and it’s always easier
to move the coach. We have a lot of respect for him and he’s going to have a lot of
success in this league.”
Sedins haven’t talked about a new contract with the Canucks yet, but not concerned
The Province
Jim Jamieson
Daniel and Henrik Sedin were guests on TEAM 1040 on Monday afternoon, speaking
for the first time about the firing of long-time Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault and
other topics.
Here is a sampling:
On Vigneault:
Henrik reiterated pretty much what he said on locker cleanup day, except the part where
AV wasn’t fired yet.
“He meant a lot to us,” said Henrik in the radio interview. “He came in when we were
behind Markus (Naslund) and Bert (Todd Bertuzzi). He let us grow as players. Being
here for seven years (Vigneault) and not reaching that final goal, you knew something
was going to happen.”
Added Daniel: “I think Alain is a really good coach… But it’s easier to fire the coach.”
On the fact they have just one year left on their contract and can sign and extension this
summer:
Daniel: “We certainly would like to stay here and love the city, the team, the
management. Every season we have a chance to do it.”
Henrik said there have been no talks yet about a contract extension with the Sedins’
agent, but he’s not concerned about it. He said the brothers would look at other options
– such as playing for another NHL club or even for their hometown team, Modo, if it
comes to that.
On the evident change in the league in the standard of officiating.
Henrik: “If you’re going to be a good team, you have to adapt.”
Daniel: “If you look at the Western Conference, every team is good defensively.”
Henrik: “I think we can (adapt). If we can win more by defence, I think we can do it. That
(playing good defence) is something we grew up with and we’re good at it.”
Hat Trick: No Bones about it, Iggy should Wing it, kicking Flyers trade tires
The White Towel
The Province
Three things to ponder amid yet another Oil change in Edmonton, the fallout in Pittsburgh and
the best possible fit for Iginla and kicking the trade tires with Philadelphia:
1. NO BONES ABOUT IT: Two days after he was fired by the Vancouver Canucks, longserving associate coach Rick Bowness received two phone calls. One from the Tampa Bay
Lightning and one from the Edmonton Oilers. The three-year Lightning offer to be the veteran
voice of reason for NHL rookie head coach Jon Cooper was too good to turn down, even though
Bowness could have patiently waited for Alain Vigneault to land another job and become his
coaching confidant once again. Not lost in the scenarios was the Oilers’ obvious interest in
Bowness because the feeling around the league was that Ralph Krueger was in need of the right
teaching associate to help push a young core up the standings. When Dallas Eakins was
interviewed, it was then thought the Oilers had the 1 and 1A punch they needed behind the bench
to be much better than 10 points shy of a playoff berth.
However, the radar still went up even after new Oilers general manager Craig MacTavish gave
Krueger a vote of confidence. He spoke of a lack of structure in the club’s game and it led to the
Skye interchange Thursday that resulted in Krueger’s dismissal and the interesting arrival today
of Eakins as another rookie NHL head coach.
“I did not see this coming,” said Krueger. “When he organized a Skype, it turned very quickly
into a business call.”
It’s now four bench bosses in Edmonton since 2009 — Pat Quinn, Tom Renney, Krueger and
Eakins — and who knows if current assistants Kelly Buchberger and Steve Smith will be
retained by Eakins and how long the honeymoon period will be if the Oilers continue to miss the
playoffs. The Canucks interviewed Eakins twice and were impressed by the former Toronto
Marlies coach and his ability to get the most out of AHL talent over four seasons. However, the
Canucks will be another veteran-laden team and they need a bench boss with NHL headcoaching experience and that’s why former Philadelphia coach John Stevens should top their list.
His demanding demeanour and impressive results in Los Angeles the last two seasons as an
associate coach didn’t go unnoticed.
2. IGGY SHOULD WING IT: Jarome Iginla wants to re-sign with Pittsburgh — or should we
say repay the Penguins’ trade-deadline persistence — even though the once-dominant right
winger went pointless in the Eastern Conference final series with just five shots and a minus-4
rating. Even though he looked so slow he ended up on the third line and on the left side. Ray
Shero has pumped Iginla’s tires and the Penguins general manager believes the dozen points (48) in 11 playoff games that Iginla compiled before the Bruins mauling is a better barometer of
what’s left in the tank of a player who turns 36 on July 1 and whose expiring $7 million US
contract will have to at least be chopped in half to warrant roster consideration in Pittsburgh or
anywhere else. And Shero has more pressing problems in an expected showdown with Penguins
chairman Mario Lemieux over the fate of coach Dan Bylsma, contract extensions for Evgeni
Malkin and Chris Letang, 10 free agents and who’s his starting goaltender.
Iginla in the right frame of mind and in the right place may still bring out the best in the former
Calgary captain. And he need look no further than former Flames teammate Todd Bertuzzi. It
was taking a 50 per cent pay cut that made Bertuzzi 50 per cent better with the Detroit Red
Wings. Coach Mike Babcock got Bertuzzi to play a 200-foot game and extend his career before
mounting injuries limited the winger to seven regular season and six playoff games this season.
The 38-year-old Bertuzzi could be a compliance buyout because Justin Abdelkader has filled in
admirably and with another often-injured right winger in Mikael Samuelsson, 36, there is
something in re-uniting the Olympic coach Babcock and Iginla. At his best, nobody questioned
Iginla’s compete level but it became a constant query in Calgary. Did Iggy get too comfortable
there? Perhaps. Can Babcock re-ignite the fire of desire? Probably.
3. PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM: If the Flyers are serious about buying out goaltender Ilya
Bryzgalov and are willing to move a young centre like Sean Couturier or Brayden Schenn for a
top-four defenceman, Mike Gillis should pick up the phone. The Flyers are probably targeting
Jonathan Bernier as a more affordable option than Robero Luongo, but hang on. That six-year,
$30 million extension for Alex Edler had a no-trade clause that kicks in July 5 and if the Canucks
general manager is looking for a long-term fit down the middle, either Schenn (21) or Couturier
(20) are worth a good kick of the trade tires — especially if can also get a serviceable
defenceman and a centre in a swap for Edler. Schenn’s game is already there and the potential of
Couturier is immense. The jury has long been out on a third-line centre and the Canucks need to
find one that can move up the roster once Henrik Sedin calls it quits. One day it could be Ryan
Kesler, Schenn or Couturier and Brendan Gaunce as the top three centres here.
Canucks request to interview Kings’ Stevens
Jeff Simmons Sportsnet.ca
It appears the Vancouver Canucks have a new coaching candidate.
The Canucks requested permission to speak with Los Angeles Kings assistant coach John
Stevens, according to Hockey Central insider John Shannon.
Stevens has spent the last three seasons on the Kings coaching staff, winning a Stanley Cup with
the club in 2011-12.
Before joining the Kings, he was the head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers from 2006-09. He
compiled a 120-109-34 record and led the team to the Eastern Conference final in 2007-08.
He as well spent six seasons as the head coach of the AHL’s Philadelphia Phantoms.
Stevens was originally drafted by the Flyers in the third round (No. 47 overall) of the 1984 NHL
Draft. He played a total of 53 games where he recorded just 10 assists.
The Canucks have already interviewed Dallas Eakins before he was hired by the Edmonton
Oilers and could be focusing on Stevens.
Alain Vigneault was relieved of his duties by Vancouver after seven seasons. He was the all-time
leader in Canucks coaching wins.
NHL coaching roundup: Rangers eye Vigneault
Mike Johnston
Sportsnet.ca
Although player free agency doesn’t begin until July 5, there is quite the coaching free agent
frenzy ongoing across the National Hockey League, and the New York Rangers seem to be at the
centre of it.
The first big piece to fall was former Toronto Marlies coach Dallas Eakins, who was officially
introduced as the Edmonton Oilers’ lead man Monday. Even though Eakins, whom the Rangers
had an interest in, is now off the market, there are a handful of high-profile candidates the team
is evaluating.
One of the most coveted available coaches is former Vancouver Canucks bench boss Alain
Vigneault, who is set to meet with Rangers brass Tuesday in La Quinta, Calif., during the team’s
yearly organizational meetings.
Vigneault was fired by the Canucks after seven seasons with the team.
The Vigneault meeting will be the first official coaching interview the Rangers have held since
firing John Tortorella in late May after being eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs in the
second round by the Boston Bruins.
Rangers general manager Glen Sather has said that he would ideally like to name a new coach
before the end of June.
There have also been reports that the Rangers’ list of potential coaching candidates includes
former captain and NHL Hall of Famer Mark Messier, who is currently an executive with the
team.
Rangers get permission to speak to Ruff
In addition to Vigneault, the Rangers also seek to meet with Lindy Ruff, as the team has been
granted permission to speak with the former Buffalo Sabres coach.
No formal interview date has been set.
Ruff, who at the time was the longest-serving head coach in the league, was fired by the Sabres
in February after 16 seasons with the club.
In addition to his coaching history, Ruff played 12 seasons in the NHL, where 83 of his 691
career games were spent with the Rangers, so there is a history with him and the organization.
Could Bylsma jump ship?
The Pittsburgh Penguins could be facing a tough decision this off-season with lots of speculation
surfacing that the Pens could fire head coach Dan Bylsma.
According Katie Strang of ESPN, if Bylsma gets fired he would immediately be at the top of the
Rangers’ coaching wish list.
Despite the fact the Penguins — who were pegged as Stanley Cup favourites — fell short of their
goal, the players did not blame Bylsma for the team’s loss.
“We were well-prepared, and I think as players we appreciate everything the coaches do to make
us ready to play,” Pens captain Sidney Crosby told reporters Sunday.
“They give us every opportunity to be successful, they communicate well with everyone….
Whether they’ve been here a while or just came here recently, I think everyone will tell you we
all feel pretty fortunate to have that group.”
Stars the frontrunner for Tortorella?
The outspoken former Rangers coach is being targeted by the Dallas Stars, reports
ESPNNewYork.com.
The Stars, led by new general manager Jim Nill, haven’t asked for permission from the Rangers
to speak with Torts, but the Stanley Cup winner (Tampa Bay Lightning, 2004) is thought to be a
top candidate for the vacant coaching position.
In mid-May, the Stars fired coach Glen Gulutzan after two consecutive seasons missing the
playoffs.
The Stars have also expressed an interest in Vigneault; they received permission from Vancouver
to speak with him.
No extension talks yet for Sedins, Canucks
Chris Nichols Sportsnet.ca
Hockey Hearsay compiles stories from around the hockey world and runs weekdays, 12 months a
year.
NO EXTENSION TALKS YET FOR SEDINS, CANUCKS
Vancouver Canucks forwards Daniel and Henrik Sedin were in the TEAM1040 studio Monday
afternoon with host Matt Sekeres.
The twins’ future in Vancouver, the only National Hockey League city in which they’ve played
since being drafted in 1999, was one of the topics on the table.
Question: You’re going into the final years of your contracts. Do you anticipate extension talks
this summer? Do you want extension talks this summer?
Daniel Sedin: “I think we certainly would like to stay here. I mean, we’ve always been up front
with that. I mean, we love this city, we love this team, we love the management and we know
coming into every season, we’re going to have a chance to win and that’s all you can ask for as a
hockey player. We’ll see. All we can do is work hard, train in the off-season and do our best on
the ice and hopefully it happens.”
Question: “Hank, have you instructed your agent, J.P. Barry, ‘Let’s get a deal done this
summer’?”
Henrik Sedin: “No, we haven’t talked about it yet, actually. It’s only been a few weeks since we
lost here. We’ve always been in a position where everything is going to get worked out if both
sides agree that they want the same thing. We’re not panicking. Like Daniel said, we’ve been
very up front that we like it here. That’s all we can do.
Question: What if Mike were to say to you, ‘Guys, after this year we may be a team in transition.
Can we just hold off on the extension talks?’ Would that be okay with you? Would you be upset
by that?
Daniel Sedin: “I think we’re two guys that can deal with a lot of outside things. We don’t worry
too much about what’s going on with those kinds of things. We go out and play hockey and
that’s all we care about, so… Like I said, if we do good enough, I think things take care of
themselves. That’s all we can worry about.”
Question: “Hank – only Vancouver? Would you play anywhere else in the National Hockey
League? Or is it Canucks for life?
Henrik Sedin: “If they say, ‘sorry you can’t be here any longer’, then we’re going to take a look
at what we want and we’ll go from there. Like Daniel said, we’re year to year and when that
happens we’ll take a look at our options. Until that happens, we’re very happy where we are.”
BOBROVSKY CONTRACT TALKS PICKING UP WITH JACKETS
The Columbus Dispatch reports Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen said contract talks with
goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky have picked up in recent days, just as the soon-to-be restricted free
agent draws closer to learning if he’s won the Vezina Trophy.
In fact, Kekalainen offered Bobrovsky’s agent a curious approach regarding Bobrovsky and that
trophy.
“I said, ‘Let’s just proceed as if he’s already won it,” Kekalainen told The Dispatch Monday.
“Let’s take that out of the equation. Let’s assumes he’s won it, and move forward from there. But
…”
He added: “His representation is doing what they feel is best; I don’t blame them. We’re doing
what we think is best. I’m not discouraged at all. This is part of the process that both sides have
to go through to get a deal done.
“But it’s something we’d like to work at, get settled and put behind us.”
GONCHAR WANTS TO WIN WITH STARS
Sergei Gonchar tells The Dallas Morning News he is coming to Dallas because he is confident
the Stars can win.
“Honestly, winning is my No. 1 priority, and I feel this team has good chance to win,” said
Gonchar, who Monday signed a two-year contract with the Stars after Dallas acquired his rights
from Ottawa on Saturday. “I believe in what they are doing and where they want to go. At my
age, winning is very important.”
Gonchar said he spoke with former teammate Mark Recchi, now an advisor to the Stars front
office, as well as new GM Jim Nill. He said he liked what he heard.
“Everyone is excited, everyone wants to win, I think there are good feelings there,” he said.
PREDS AVOID OFFER SHEET SITUATION WITH JOSI
The Nashville Tennessean illustrates how Predators general manager David Poile described his
feelings about the risk in signing defenseman Roman Josi to a seven-year, $28 million contract
extension.
“There’s always — knock on wood — a player not developing, injury factor, any number of
situations,” Poile said. “We’ll have to see how it plays out, but it feels like the right thing to do
for the Nashville Predators and our belief in what Roman is and what he can become.”
The contract also takes away the threat of an offer sheet for Josi. Last summer the Flyers signed
Shea Weber to the mammoth sheet the Predators matched.
“I can’t deny, since we’ve been affected by that, it’s always a possibility,” Poile said. “But we
can’t be controlled by that, we can’t be making decisions because of that.”
BUFFALO WILL ALWAYS BE HOME FOR RUFF
The Buffalo News notes that while Lindy Ruff no longer coaches the team, he still carries the
same dream for Buffalo as when he represented the Sabres.
“There’s one thing missing from my playing career and my coaching career,” Ruff said Monday
as he was honored at a local Chamber of Commerce event at its inaugural Sportsman of the Year.
“I have no regrets on my playing career. I have no regrets on my coaching career, but there is
one thing I want to see Buffalo have one day and that’s the Stanley Cup.”
He added: “I owe a lot to the City of Buffalo, to the community of Clarence. “My kids all grew
up and were raised here, went through school. Not many coaches can say their kids went to one
school.
“I don’t have any plans of moving. I might have to relocate short term for a while, but home will
always be Clarence.”
CANES’ ELLIS LOVES COLLEGE WORLD SERIES
The Raleigh News & Observer points out that N.C. State is headed to Omaha, Neb., for the
College World Series, and Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Dan Ellis will be waiting.
Ellis lives in Omaha in the offseason. For the past 13 years, he has found tickets and made his
way to the College World Series, enjoying all the festivities in town, and plans to do it again this
year.
“It’s pretty cool being in the middle of it,” Ellis said Monday. “Faces painted, signs, all the
school colors. I think most people in Omaha look forward to it and try to get out and enjoy the
yearly fun.
“I don’t really follow any specific teams, but I love the experience. It’s great to go with friends to
the game and see some good, honest sports.”
BROADCASTER HARRY NEALE, WRITER JAY GREENBERG TO ENTER HHOF
The Canadian Press
TORONTO -- Longtime broadcaster Harry Neale is entering the Hockey Hall
of Fame as the 2013 winner of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award.
The award recognizes outstanding contributions as a hockey broadcaster.
Veteran hockey writer Jay Greenberg will join Neale in the Hall of Fame as
this year's recipient of the Elmer Ferguson Award for excellence in hockey
journalism.
A former NHL coach, Neale joined "Hockey Night in Canada" as an analyst in
1986, calling countless NHL games as well as two World Cups and three
Olympics. He has spent the last six seasons as an analyst on Buffalo Sabres
broadcasts.
Greenberg made his mark as a Philadelphia Flyers beat writer, but his 40year writing career also includes stops at the Kansas City Star, Sports
Illustrated, the Hockey News, Toronto Sun and New York Post.
Neale and Greenberg will receive their awards at a luncheon presentation in
Toronto on Nov. 11.
NHL logo power rankings: From ugly to iconic
Luke Fox
Sportsnet.ca
We sport them proudly on our chests, doodle them on our notebooks and, in select cases, tattoo
them on our bodies. They are the 30 National Hockey League logos, and they vary greatly in
terms of their aesthetic pleasure.
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.
(Oh, and Alan Thicke for some reason.“I like some of the old classics: the Maple Leafs,
Canadiens, Chicago, Detroit are tough to beat,” says Thicke, a huge hockey fan.)
Here are the results, with some ties broken by personal bias. To quote a Nick Nolte line from a
movie whose title escapes me, “I don’t know what I like, but I know art.”
30. Carolina Hurricanes “Obviously ours is the best,” says Hurricanes 20-year-old forward Jeff
Skinner, who is obviously biased and obviously too young to realize how lazily the ’Canes logo
was designed. “Looks like someone just threw red and black paint against a wall,” says a
Sportsnet co-worker who doesn’t know art but knows how to describe the sloppy mess on
Skinner’s chest. And to think the NHL traded that glorious Hartford Whalers insignia (*sheds
single tear*) for this Weather Channel glitch.
29. Minnesota Wild See how the majestic sunset and shooting star contrasts so jarringly with
the angry, unidentifiable wildebeest face? Ugh. If you focus on the Wild logo long enough, you
can hear the dude who designed the North Stars logo weeping. Seriously, are we playing ice
hockey or going camping?
28. Anaheim Ducks “If I could change one (NHL logo), I’d change the Ducks back to the
original Ducks. I like that cartoony one for the Mighty Ducks – that’s cool,” says P.K. Subban,
apparently a closet Emilio Estevez fan. The flying arrowhead D has lost the Disney magic of the
once-Mighty franchise’s branding, which looked like a goalie face mask mold was taken of
short-tempered Donald when he was really peeved with Black Pete.
27. Columbus Blue Jackets The stars-and-stripes celebrates Columbus’s Civil War history,
acknowledging that Ohio contributed more residents to the Union Army than any other state. Yet
it comes off as the American flag going fast and furious. The goofy bumblebee-with-really-badpink-eye look doesn’t do it either. This is what the Blue Jackets main logo should be.
26. Colorado Avalanche Unlike, say, an actual avalanche, the Colorado hockey logo screams
safe: a swooshy-looking capital ‘A’ topped with a glacier of snow. Not bad; not stunning. And
wasn’t burgundy hot a couple years ago? Surely one of the rejected Denver franchise nicknames
— Black Bears, Outlaws, Storm, Wranglers, Renegades, Rapids, and Cougars (the wild animal,
we presume) – could have spawned a better visual.
25. Dallas Stars The Stars’ logo has never quite measured up to its Minnesota predecessor. And
the new one unveiled in 2013 is slicker but not quite there. I’m backing the move to Celtics
green, but any Dallas team trying to represent itself with a star will forever take a back seat to the
Cowboys in terms of brand recognition.
24. Ottawa Senators Thank Jupiter the Senators went with an image of an Old World senator
and not a modern Ottawa senate member. But as much as I like the HBO series Rome, it’s
difficult to fully support a logo so intricate and gold. There’s an uppity-ness to it only a Sens fan
can appreciate. More pesky, less pompous, please.
23. Nashville Predators Original owner Craig Leipold came up with the name Predators, which
surely resulted in a better logo than the other nominees – Ice Tigers, Fury and Attack. As for that
gigantic overbite? Back in 1971, a nine-inch saber-toothed tiger fang was discovered during the
construction of the First American Bank in Nashville.
22. NY Islanders Erase from your memory those two seasons when the Islanders were
sponsored by Captain Highliner, and the Isles’ cartographical look has been consistent, albeit a
bit busy. See what they did there with the Y and the hockey stick?
21. New Jersey Devils It is as if a Disney-generated devil on your shoulder morphed into the
letter N. Not to say that this is a Mickey Mouse organization, but there is a certain cuteness to the
Devil tail and horns. Like the N is dressing up for sexy Halloween. A far cry from the artist’s
rendering of the legendary Jersey Devil for which the club was named. Pittsburgh sniper James
Neal says, outside of his Penguins logo, he likes Jersey’s best.
20. Phoenix Coyotes Winner of a name-that-team-we-jacked-from-Manitoba contest in 1996,
the Coyote is a pretty shady desert creature. Saw one on a golf course once. Didn’t want to
approach it. And while the original artsy Aztec logo was good and hideous, the simple howler
introduced in 2003-04 allowed Phoenix to leap about nine spots in these rankings. (Side note:
Were these the power rankings for All-Time Worst-Ever Alternate Logos, Phoenix would win
hands-down for this all-out assault on good taste.)
19. Calgary Flames Ugliest logo? “Calgary. Easy answer,” says Sam Gagner. He would say
that. He’s an Oiler – and we have to give Edmonton the Battle of Alberta: Aesthetically Pleasing
Version. But just barely. Calgary’s flaming C is simple and effectively hard on the retinas, but it
loses originality points for being a hand-me-down from the Atlanta Flames’ fiery A (1972-1980).
It’s kinda like when you bought those Nikee shoes and the swoosh was backwards.
18. Washington Capitals “It’s literally just the word Capitals,” says a co-worker, who placed
Washington’s logo on his ugly list. He obviously missed that enigmatic t: Is it a letter or a
hockey stick? Make up your mind. Perhaps it’s the Star Trek font. Or perhaps it’s because, under
the right circumstances, I could draw this. But I kinda like the Caps logo.
17. St. Louis Blues Named after a W.C. Handy song, “St. Louis Blues,” the Blues’ emblem
builds on the popular “things with wings attached” trope and the not-at-all-popular clef note.
(Other nickname considerations back in 1967 were Mercury and Apollo — space capsules built
in St. Louis.) Again, its one-note simplicity strikes a chord.
16. L.A. Kings The Kings are on their sixth significant logo iteration, and this one’s better than
most. While purists long for the Lakers-appropriated purple and gold, complete with a rounder
crown, the LA crest is sturdy. Can’t go wrong with Raiders colours, either. Team’s logo
lowpoint was when they brought in the royal-blue accents around the turn of the century.
15. Florida Panthers Unlike some of the logos on this list, the Panther makes wonderful sense:
it’s a wildcat native to the state, and you don’t want to mess with one. Although Florida’s
uniform colour scheme in underwhelming at best, the logo is just an angry kitty – and it’s
coming for you. Well done.
14. Tampa Bay Lightning The lightning capital of North America is, appropriately enough,
represented by a big bolt of the stuff. “I like our new jerseys we got last year,” says captain
Vincent Lecavalier. The newfangled version, introduced in 2011-12, ditches the superfluous
words and ’90s-style drop shadow for a slick improvement. Plus, it’s easy to doodle on your
Finder Binder.
13. Vancouver Canucks Vancouver has chosen the safe route here. World War II-era political
superhero Johnny Canuck fought Adolf Hitler, and as awesome as it might be to depict a bladed
lumberjack taking down a global tyrant front and centre on Canucks sweaters, the whole orcamorphing-out-of-a-C thing works too, especially if you imagine Hitler imprisoned Pinocchiostyle in the whale’s belly. Sportsnet.ca readers ranked the Canucks’ emblem their overwhelming
favourite of the Northwest.
12. New York Rangers The Rangers don’t have a logo; they have a crest. The most badge-like
of all the NHL logos, ol’ Tex’s Rangers emblem looks like something a patriotic 1930s boy
scout would design if he was given three crayons to colour with during a family dinner at
Medieval Times. Love this wordy logo because it would never get the stamp of approval from a
modern brand marketing department.
11. Edmonton Oilers The Oilers logo is kinda like the Oilers team – it’s rooted in a youth
movement. Inspired by O.G. owner Bill Hunter’s junior team, the Oil Kings, the Oilers logo was
first emblazoned on the chests of World Hockey Association players and took a minute to gain
NHL recognition. The colours have been messed with over the years, but the club was wise to
return to the royal blue and punchy orange drop of crude. Nature’s Tang.
10. Pittsburgh Penguins “Morgan Freeman should narrate a film on how adorable this logo is,”
says one Sportsnet writer. Pittsburgh’s team was christened the Penguins by Carol McGregor,
wife of one of the original part-owners, because they played at the Big Igloo. The cartoony bird
logo was replaced by a realist one, Baltimore Orioles-style, for a while in the ’90s only to return
in the new millennium. If the tuxedo’d flapper could get his scarf back, he might have a chance
at flying waddling up these rankings.
9. Boston Bruins Grocery chain tycoon Charles Adams brought an NHL team to Boston, and the
brand colours of his First National Stores – black, yellow, white – to GM Art Ross’s Bruins. The
eight-spoked B is a bold Original Six classic that fits well with the alliterative team’s reputation:
big, bad, bruising, billionaire boss. But when the B’s strayed from the hubcap look and went with
an image of an actual bruin, it went over like Zdeno Chara trying to cut the line at Schwartz’s.
“That would be my least favourite,” Paul Bissonnette says, “the old Boston Bruins one, where
they had the bear and the yellow jersey.”
8. Winnipeg Jets Not rehashing the tried-and-true original Jets logo was a bit of a bold move,
but fans love it. In our Sportsnet.ca voting, only one team won its “best logo in the division?”
vote by such a landslide. My dad, who has zero ties to the ’Peg, suddenly wanted a T-shirt with
airforce-styled emblem. Ask anyone*: Planes are cool. (*Those obsessed with carbon footprint
need not apply.)
7. San Jose Sharks “I like the new Sharks symbol on the black jerseys. It’s pretty cool,” says
San Jose star Logan Couture. Lightning captain Vincent Lecavalier gives the Sharks’ symbol a
thumbs-up too, and the teal sea monster ranked high with our readers as well.
6. Philadelphia Flyers Coined by owner Ed Snider’s sister in a name-that-team contest in 1966,
the Flyers resisted the alliterative allure of spelling their name “Phylers.” They couldn’t,
however, resist throwing some wings on a P and creating the simplest, strongest and greatest
Atlantic Division stamp. Bonus points: Philly has never messed with its main logo.
5. Buffalo Sabres The greatest non-Original Six logo ever was generated from the Knox
brothers’ name-the-team contest. Who knew two guys named Seymour and Northrup would
agree on something so badass? It helps when your city’s name is also an animal. Seriously:
Buffalos or swords – which extinct danger would you rather coming at you with speed?
“Neither” is the correct response. “Being a Sabres fan, I thought the old-school Buffalo logo was
pretty cool,” says Couture. He’s right.
4. Detroit Red Wings While Detroit’s status as the centre of the automobile universe has
wavered, the Motor City’s hockey logo has not. The emblem practically smells like burning
diesel and flies faster than Pegasus renting a Mustang.
3. Toronto Maple Leafs The Maple Leafs jersey is so iconic, even a francophone Flyers star
concedes that it’s the best in the sport. “Toronto has the best logo. I gotta go with an original,”
says Claude Giroux. “It never gets old, seeing those jerseys. That maple leaf is pretty cool. I’m
Canadian, so that’s easy for me to say.” Fellow non-Leaf Matt Moulson seconds the motion: “I
grew up loving the Toronto Maple Leafs and their logo.” While the sweater itself has seen no
less than 15 minor alterations — the leaf itself experiencing various levels of veiny-ness — the
simple blue-and-white endures. It’s like a New Era cap designer’s slick remix of the Canadian
flag – except way better than a pink Yankees fullback.
2. Montreal Canadiens The hero of The Hockey Sweater, the Habs jersey is synonymous with
championships. (Fun fact: The H in the logo stands for hockey, not Habitants; the C stands for
club not Canadiens.) It is also the jersey most likely to be stained by victory champagne and/or
gravy-soaked cheese curds. Perhaps P.K. Subban captures its essence best: “It’s not even the way
it looks; it’s the history behind it, all the Cups. It’s unbelievable. That logo stands for more than
just hockey, and it’s hard to find a logo around the NHL that has that, and there never will be
one. Whether I’m there or when I’m dead and gone, it’s still going to be the Montreal Canadiens
logo. I hope I can play my whole career there and live that.”
1. Chicago Blackhawks Perhaps there is a scientific reason why we’ve rated the Blackhawks’
native feathered warrior No. 1. Humans are instinctively drawn to images of humans, yet
Chicago’s stamp is only one of two NHL logos to depict a human. Owner Frederic McLaughlin
named Chicago’s team in 1926 after the 86th Infantry, a.k.a. the Black Hawk Division, for which
he served during World War I. “It’s a classic logo, been around a long time,” the Oilers’ Gagner
says. “Those are always the best jerseys – the ones that have the iconic symbols that you’ve had
since you were a little kid.” BizNasty echoes that sentiment: “I’d say the Blackhawks have the
nicest logo.” We agree. Maybe it’s the Blackhawks’ strong colours, their rich history, or the fact
we can look the logo in the eyes. Or maybe it’s just the white guilt talking.