NHLToL Playoffs/3rd Jersey Tourney

In case anyone's still reading here, there's lots going on at the current Icethetics website at icethetics.info.

The NHLToL Playoffs have kicked into high gear! Who's going to be the champion? Plus, it's the battle of the best third jersey crest in the new mini-tournament. All that and more going on right now.

Back in Business!

Icethetics is back in business! It's the summertime and once again, things are heating up.

We've got possible leaked third jersey information. We've got new logo tournaments coming up in a brand new format. But most of all, the blog is being updated on a regular basis, and I know we're all excited about that. So if you still have a craving for a real discussion about hockey logos and jerseys, you know where to go.

www.icethetics.info

Your Early Look At Icethetics.info!

It's finally here!

Go to Icethetics.info now!

Icethetics.info will be the new home of Icethetics. Like I said, I couldn't get the .com or .net and .info was dirt cheap and actually works well for us. Where do you get the info on hockey jerseys and logos? Icethetics.info, of course.

So there it is. I know I said I wasn't going to launch the new site until Saturday, but let's call it a special Halloween gift for those of you not out trick-or-treating right now — or those of you who already filled your pillow cases. Go check out the new site and let me know what you think of it.

Enjoy!

More Leaked Third Jersey Pics!

I shared some new leaked images of a handful of third jerseys on Wednesday. Turns out there's more where that came from. Today's images serve as further proof of what we can expect from the Vancouver Canucks and Philadelphia Flyers.

Have a look for yourself.



Also included were close-ups of the crests in all their embroidered glory. First the Canucks...



...and the Flyers too!



Still nothing new — I mean, we've already seen these before — but it's nice to have more pictures. I hope to have shots of the Kings, Sharks, Penguins, Senators and Stars alternate jerseys for you at some point in the near future. No promises, though.

ECHL Halloween Costumes

A couple of ECHL teams are dressing up as Original Six teams for Halloween tonight when they face off in what's being called "Hockey Night in Canada in Reading." The Reading Royals — donning a Maple Leafs style jersey — will host the Cincinnati Cyclones wearing a Canadiens style jersey for one night only.



As you can see both teams are also recoloring their logos for the special sweaters.

I really hope pictures turn up tonight because that will be interesting. The Royals have a page on their web site detailing the event.

A Whole New Icethetics. 11.1

It's almost here. On Saturday, you guys are going to get your first look at Icethetics' biggest undertaking yet. For some time now, I've been telling you about my plans for the future of Icethetics. The big thing is that we're expanding beyond just a blog. And since so many of you have asked for it, Icethetics will even have its own domain!

I won't divulge the new domain until Saturday but I can tell you it's not Icethetics.com or Icethetics.net since I was unable to get in contact with the owners to see about buying it. Long story for another time.

Now, I'm going to tell you a little more about this new site but instead of making it long and boring since you've been waiting all day, we'll pretend like I'm having a conversation with you about it. What you're saying is in blue.

Hey Chris, didn't you just launch this new blog in July?
Well, yes. And I'm sorry for changing URLs on you again so soon, but trust me when I tell you this one will be more permanent. If everything goes as planned, icethetics.blogspot.com will forward you to the new site so you won't be forced to change your bookmarks.

Is this really necessary?
No, but many of you have asked for an expansion like this and I think it will significantly improve your Icethetics experience.

All right, I'm in. So how will this "web site" be different from the "blog"?
Glad you asked. A blog is simply an online journal. A web site has so much more potential. A web site can include a blog but not the other way around. In short, the difference will be the amount of content featured and the way in which it's presented. No more scouring through weeks of blog posts to find the information you want. Everything will be organized in a way that will make it much simpler to find.

That doesn't mean the blog is going away. The blog will still be on the main page of the new Icethetics web site. But when new information gets posted to the blog, it will also find its way to the relevant page(s) of the web site.

Will it at least look the same?
Mostly. We're going back to the tried and true two-column format. The logo will be changed slightly as you may have noticed in the banner above. One complaint I got when I introduced the new Icethetics logo was that the Ts looked like Ls. So I tried to fix that.

Will you still have third jersey news?
No. ... Just kidding. Of course! Icethetics is about jerseys and logos. What sort of site would it be without third jersey news?

Hey, I'm asking the questions here! What will I be able to find on this new site?
Ok, sorry. Well, when it launches on Saturday it'll be a bit bare — at least compared to what it will be when I get done with it.

Then why launch it on Saturday?
Because on Saturday we'll begin logo voting for the IceHL. That's the main reason I'm rushing the launch. You'll be able to rate all the Pacific Division logo entries starting on Saturday. I'll have more on that process then.

So there's an IceHL section on the new site. What else will I be able to find there?
Ooh, this is the fun part! Here's what you can expect on the new site: the blog, the IceHL, a comprehensive concept art gallery including mini-galleries from Featured Artists, a compilation of third jersey news for each individual team, a goalie mask gallery, complete archives of NHLToL, ToHL and this Icethetics blog.

Wow, Featured Artists, eh?
Are you Canadian? Yeah, the talented artists that submit their work to Icethetics deserve better recognition than a post that disappears after a week. It will be an invitation-only sort of thing but yes, there will be a Featured Artists section of the site where you can see the complete works of artists like Matt (aka GhettoFarmBoy), Sigma Kappa, Mike Ivall and many new artists who have done some outstanding work for the IceHL.

Will I be able to become a member of Icethetics?
Absolutely! But not right away. It will take a little time for me to get that system in place. But once I do, yes you'll be able to create an Icethetics account for free. Its main purpose will be to allow you to post unmoderated comments on blog posts.

I can't think of any other questions.
That's ok. Other people will and they'll post them in the comments. And then maybe I'll add them to this post!

Disclaimer: I may have been high while writing this post. Not sure.

UPDATE

Ooh! I thought of some more questions. Will the new site include a forum or message board?
No. I could go into detail about my aversion to message boards spawned from the lack of civility that anonymity cultivates and the hostility that ensues, but that would just bore you. With this group, it's an even bigger concern — often at each other's throats for no particular reason. I have enough problems keeping civility in the comments of my blog posts. There's no way I'd be able to nor would I want to police an entire message board. Nor do I know anyone I'd trust enough to do it for me.

And those of you who I'm talking about know who you are. Plenty of you are smart enough to stay out of petty disputes over frivolity, but some of you are helpless on this matter. So for now, the answer is no. I won't say never because it's not in my nature, but there isn't a high probability right now.

If you want to chat with each other about the things I post, you can continue to use the post comments as a forum for discussion. Sorry I can't (won't) offer more than that at this point.

That was a long-winded answer to a pretty simple question.
Guilty.

Isles To Go With 3rd Full Time?

Chris Botta at NYI Point Blank seems to think so.

Botta says the New York Islanders are looking into making their new third jersey their first jersey in a year or two. The all-too-recent switch to the Rbk EDGE Uniform System which brought along with it a completely new look for the Isles may preclude them from doing it that soon, but the team is certainly exploring the option for the future.

I mean how could you not want to wear that all the time? It's a nice looking uniform. It'd be a shame to only wear it 15 times a year. Why not 41?

For more on the unveiling of the Islanders' third jersey, click here.

Thanks to Sean from Going Five Hole for letting me know about the article.

Pens Unveiling Third Wednesday

The Pittsburgh Penguins have officially announced they will be unveiling their new third jersey on Wednesday, November 5. That's a day earlier than we previously thought.

You can read about the event on their web site. It will take place at Dick’s Sporting Goods in The Mall at Robinson from 6 to 8 PM. It will be open to the public. So I encourage those of you that can make it to take pictures and send them in to share with everyone.



According to their statement, the new alternate sweater will be modeled after their Winter Classic jersey from last season. I understand it won't look exactly the same and there may be some piping involved, but this powder blue jersey is the basic design.



Along with this announcement, the Pens' have a link to a very informative page about the team's uniform history. Worth a read.

Thanks to Vincent for the tip.

On a related note, the Chicago Blackhawks have not yet said anything publicly about their anticipated third jersey. However, I would expect to see it show up without a lot of fanfare on Monday night when they face the Avalanche.

The Hawks along with the Red Wings recently unveiled their Winter Classic jerseys, which look spectacular if you ask me.

I'll keep on top of things and let you know whatever I find out.