Only Real Fans Remember These Old School NHL Logos
- by Chris Roberts
- – on
- in Sports
There are currently 31 teams in the National Hockey League (NHL), but as you know, they aren't the only teams to ever play in the league. Shocking, we know, but the Vegas Golden Knights weren't always in the league nor were teams in non-traditional, warmer-climate markets like the Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, and Arizona Coyotes. But for younger fans of the league, there have been teams that have come and gone or teams that have moved to new cities and adopted new names. Does the Minnesota North Stars, Kansas City Scouts, Brooklyn Americans, or Atlanta Thrashers ring a bell? Your favorite Original 6 teams like the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs even once had different names such as the Maroons and Arenas respectively.
Beyond that, a lot of teams in the league have had ever-changing logos, whether for re-branding or marketing purposes to help drive jersey sales. This was particularly true in the mid-90s when teams adopted alternate jerseys and logos that they wore every so often. Some were decent, while others were downright brutal. It would be reasonable to expect you to have forgotten those jerseys and logos, but take a shot and see if you haven't wiped those - and others - from your memory.
Which team used this logo?
This team had one of the greatest dynasties in professional sports during the early 1980s as it won four consecutive Stanley Cups with future Hall of Famers such as Clark Gilles, Denis Potvin, Billy Smith, and Mike Bossy, among others. They have been in the league since 1972 and have, for the most part, used the same logo. However, in 1995, the team attempted to update its look with the accompanying logo, but the reaction was so bad that it was changed within two seasons. Most people believed the logo resembled a company that sold fish-sticks.
Which team used this logo?
The alternate jersey fad in the 1990s didn't only negatively affect the New York Islanders. This team attempted to do something different in designing its alternate logo, but like the Islanders, experienced quite a bit of a negative backlash as fans thought it was too cartoonish and silly. While the logo was actually a throwback to the original logo used by the team during the 1924-25, it just didn't resonate with fans, with some noticing the bear didn't look menacing at all but instead resembled Winnie the Pooh.
Which team used this logo?
This team only existed for two seasons and joined the NHL in its first season of operations. Despite turmoil behind the scenes in regard to management and player personnel, it actually won the Stanley Cup in the 1917-18 season, but didn't have its name engraved as later became the custom. The following year, the team withdrew from the league after only 18 games, leaving Montreal and Ottawa franchises to play for the Stanley Cup. The team had a pair of Hall of Fame players - Hap Holmes and Jack Adams, the latter of which would later become a head coach and have a trophy named after him.
Which team used this logo?
This team now has a more serious, updated, 21st century look, but that wasn't the case when they entered the league in 1993. It was owned by Disney at the time and the media conglomerate also produced a popular hockey film with the same name used by the NHL team, hence the jersey - and logo - was quite similar to that used in the movie. The team was sold to new owners in 2005 and the first thing they did was update the logo. Prominent players to have played for the team include Paul Kariya, Teemu Selanne, and Scott Niedermayer.
Which team used this logo?
This team only traces its history back to 1992 when it entered the league as an expansion franchise, but it was actually one of the first NHL teams well before the actual "Original 6" that we have come to accept. In fact, the previous version of the team that used this name existed from 1883 until 1934 and spent the latter 17 years of that time in the NHL, during which it won an incredible 11 Stanley Cups. That's when it used this logo. Looking back, the team employed a horde of Hall of Famers, including Clint Benedict, Sprague Cleghorn, Marty Walsh, and Art Ross.
Which team used this logo?
Ron Francis, Jeff O'Neill, Chris Pronger, and Pat Verbeek, among others, played for this now-defunct team that moved to Carolina in 1997. The team was founded in 1972 and played in the WHA until 1979, when it moved to the NHL. It stayed in the same city until 1997 and, while it didn't win a Stanley Cup, it made the playoffs in seven consecutive seasons from 1985 to 1992. In addition to Pronger and Francis, the team had other Hall of Famers on its roster at one point or another, including Paul Coffey, Dave Keon, Brendan Shanahan, and "Mr. Hockey" himself, Gordie Howe.
Which team used this logo?
The NHL's biggest expansion project in recent history came toward the end of the 20th century as it added four new teams over the course of a few seasons. This team was the second of the four added, joining the Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, and Columbus Blue Jackets. It began play in 1999 and only lasted until the 2011 season before moving to Winnipeg, where it was renamed the Jets in honor of the previous Winnipeg team that moved to Phoenix and became the Coyotes. Confused yet? Despite only making the playoffs in one of those seasons, the team had a number of talented stars, including Marian Hossa, Dany Heatley, and Ilya Kovalchuk.
Which team used this logo?
Although it played in one of the biggest hockey markets in North America, this team has no affiliation with the current team in that city and only played one season in the NHL and, to be more precise, it only played four games during that season. That was back in 1917-18. The franchise itself continued under a different name until 1938 and was meant to be the team to root for among English-speaking fans in the city. It was actually founded in 1903 and played in other leagues such as the FAHL, ECAHA, and NHA.
Which team used this logo?
This team traces its history back to 1945 when it played in the PCHL. It later played in the WHL and didn't join the NHL until 1970. Regardless of the league it played in, the team hasn't been afraid to alter its logos. It has had a number of different variations and even colors, from orange and black to blue and green and then to orange and red and now back to blue and green. The changes hasn't helped the team find success on the ice as they have yet to win a Stanley Cup; they have, however, played in two Stanley Cup Finals but lost to the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins.
Which team used this logo?
Before this franchise relocated to Dallas, it played in this northern U.S. city from 1967 to 1993. It won division championships in 1982 and 1984 and later won conference championships in 1990 and 1991, but never won a Stanley Cup until it moved to Dallas. Throughout the years, its captains have included J.P. Parise, the father of current Minnesota Wild player Zach Parise, as well as Mark Tinordi, Brian Bellows, Craig Hartsburg, and Curt Giles. It also employed Hall of Famers Mike Gartner, Dino Ciccarelli, and Mike Modano.
Which team used this logo?
The NHL went from six teams in 1967 to 18 by 1978 and one of those teams added was the team that used the accompanying logo. Founded in 1974, the team actually only spent two years there before moving to Colorado and eventually New Jersey, where it became the Devils, in 1982. The team played out of Kemper Arena, which it shared with a now-defunct National Basketball Association (NBA) team. It was originally supposed to be called the Mohawks, but the Chicago Blackhawks objected to the name because it was too similar.
Which team used this logo?
The team from Kansas City moved here after two seasons and adopted a geographically-appropriate nickname. Before the Colorado Avalanche came to the city in 1996, this team played in the league from 1976 to 1982. Like most new franchises, the team struggled even after the move to Colorado and made the playoffs only once in six seasons and that was in 1977-78, when they finished with the league's six-worst record. It took another decade for the franchise to make the playoffs and it was in New Jersey by this time.
Which team used this logo?
Well before a 1990s expansion franchise failed in this city, it had a team from 1972 to 1980, which later moved to a Western Canadian city. While the team qualified for the playoffs in six of its eight seasons, it failed to win a playoff series and had limited success in regard to attendance figures and popularity, especially as it had to compete with a prominent football and baseball team. Its general manager, Cliff Fletcher, was later inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, while its roster included prominent players such as Pat Quinn, Kent Nilsson, and Tom Lysiak.
Which team used this logo?
This Western Conference and Original 6 team has, for the most part, used the same logo for 100 years, although it has adopted different variations. While it has drawn some criticism for its use of Native symbols, it hasn't been as criticized as professional sports franchises like the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians. Its original logo was designed by its owner's wife, Irene Castle, and featured a crudely-drawn head of a Native American man, but the team did a lot in its early years to educate the community through its partnership with the American Indian Center.
Which team used this logo?
One of the first expansion teams to join the NHL in 1967, this Western Conference franchise has yet to win a Stanley Cup, but enjoyed tremendous success throughout the 1980s and 1990s; in fact, it made the playoffs in every season from 1980 to 2004, yet only managed to make the conference finals in two of those seasons, 1986 and 2001, both of which they lost. Its logo has had slight variations over the years, including the accompanying one, but it hasn't undergone any drastic changes.
Which team used this logo?
Logos generally reflect the auroa of the times in which they existed. Every current logo in the NHL looks modern and stylish, but in the 1990s, teams had logos that were more cartoonish and perhaps attempting to appeal to a younger generation of fans. Unfortunately, it didn't really work that way for this city as the team, while still playing there, has struggled to garner fans and remains a candidate for relocation. The team moved from Winnipeg to here in 1996 and later adopted the name of the state, instead of its city, in 2014.
Which team used this logo?
Alternate logos are no longer used in the NHL and, while some might miss the variation, it's a good thing for some teams, namely the New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, and this team, which adopted the accompanying alternate logo from 1998 to 2007. For whatever reason, it lasted almost a decade despite being atrocious. The horse (if that's what it is) makes absolutely no sense as a symbol of the team besides the fact the city is known for its annual Stampede. Regardless, we should all be thankful it's no longer in use.
Which team used this logo?
Speaking of logos we don't really understand, we come to this one that was used by a Western Conference franchise from 1995 to 2015. Teams were allowed to use alternate logos up until then and, for whatever reason, this franchise felt it should use one that resembled the foot of a Sasquatch. The team first moved to the city in 1995 and won a Stanley Cup that year as it had already built a strong core group of players in its previous city. It also won a Stanley Cup in 2001.
Which team used this logo?
Remember the Arenas in question four? That team, which only lasted one season in the league, changed its name to the St. Pats in 1919 and that team lasted until 1927, when it again changed its name to one that has stuck ever since. As the St. Pats, the franchise won the Stanley Cup in 1922 with help from players like John Ross Roach and Babe Dye. It later lost to the Montreal Canadiens in the 1925 Stanley Cup Finals. It missed the playoffs in the next two seasons before being sold to an ownership group headed by Conn Smythe, who later had a trophy named after him.
Which team used this logo?
This franchise was founded in 1972 and played in the now-defunct WHA until 1979, when it joined the NHL. It lasted in the league until 1995, when a weakening Canadian dollar forced the team's ownership group to put the team up for sale as it felt it couldn't compete with American market teams. The irony is that the team won a Stanley Cup in its first year in its new city because it already had superstars like Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, and Adam Deadmarsh. Before moving, it also had players like Mats Sundin, Wendel Clark, and Owen Nolan.
Which team used this logo?
We previously mentioned this team had several logos during its history and this one is slightly better than the other one listed, but is still kind of curious given the team's name. It was first adopted in 2008 and is still used from time to time as an alternate logo or shoulder patch. The team has had affiliates in Manitoba, Chicago, and Utica, and has alumni such as Trevor Linden, who is the team's current president, as well as Pavel Bure, Kirk McLean, Alexander Mogilny, and Ryan Kesler.
Which team used this logo?
After the Wanderers shut down operation, this team popped up in a Canadian city as the English alternative to the more popular team that was primarily adored by French-speaking fans. It was founded in 1924 and played in the NHL until 1938, during which time it won a pair of Stanley Cups against Victoria and Toronto. Its team captains included players you likely haven't head of such as Nels Stewart, Hooley Smith, Lionel Conacher, and Stewart Evans. It also employed future Hall of Famers like Sprague Cleghorn and Toe Blake.
Which team used this logo?
While most of the logos in this quiz are regrettable given their cartoonish or just downright offensive designs, this one is one most fans might actually wish would make a comeback. The team that used it now has a silver, white, and black color scheme, but it once had a purple and gold color scheme and this logo fit quite nicely. The team primarily used the logo during the 1980s and only changed just in time for the arrival of its most prominent player in franchise history: Wayne Gretzky.
Which team used this logo?
This iconic franchise has experienced the best of times and the worst of times. It won four consecutive Stanley Cups in the 1980s and, as of late, picked first overall in four of six seasons as it was often near the bottom of the standings. Its logo has mostly remained unchanged as has its colors of blue, orange, and white, but it got rid of the orange for a brief period in the early 2000s when it adopted this alternate logo, which it used quite frequently. Nobody is clamoring for its return.
Which team used this logo?
Like the Los Angeles Kings earlier, this franchise not only switched logos but changed its entire color scheme completely for an extended period of time. It entered the league in 1970 with roughly the same logo it uses today, but from 1996 to 2006 used a black and red color scheme with the accompanying logo. The team has yet to win a Stanley Cup, but it actually had some of its most successful seasons using that logo as it reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 1999 and lost on a controversial goal call to the Dallas Stars.
Which team used this logo?
Founded in 1974, this Eastern Conference team has had several variations of its logo, but most of which have used its present-day color scheme of blue, red, and white. However, during the 1990s, the team adopted a gold, blue, and black color scheme that it maintained until the early 2000s; in fact, its best player in franchise history, Alex Ovechkin, can be seen scoring arguably his most iconic goal while wearing the jersey. Like most of the logos in this quiz, nobody is wishing this one would make a return.
Which team used this logo?
This Eastern Conference Original 6 team was founded in 1926 and has used the same logo for much of its existence. However, as was the trend in the 1990s, it adopted an alternate logo and jersey that it wore quite frequently. The figure on the logo is probably a dead giveaway as to which team used it. The team has won four Stanley Cups throughout its history and has an impressive group of alumni, including players like Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky, Brian Leetch, Marcel Dionne, and Brad Park.
Which team used this logo?
For a team that didn't enter the NHL until 2000, this Western Conference franchise has already had its fair share of logo changes. While most have been slight variations on its current logo, this bug-inspired look is hardly one of which to be proud, nor does it inspire fear in any opposition - that might be a reason why the team was so unsuccessful for its first 13 or so years of existence, although it's more likely due to its poor roster composition. The team's alumni include Rick Nash, Adam Foote, and Ray Whitney.
Which team used this logo?
Founded in 1967, this team has had tremendous success as well as numerous disappointing seasons. Its logo has changed slightly over the years, but none are more memorable than this one, which it had when it won back-to-back Stanley Cups in the early 1990s with an impressive group of players like Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, and Ron Francis. It also recently won back-to-back Stanley Cups with a similarly-talented group of players: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Phil Kessel. It also won a Stanley Cup in 2009.
Which team used this logo?
Younger hockey fans might not remember this team; in fact, they definitely won't as they only played in the league from 1970 to 1976 before moving to Cleveland for two years until shutting down operation. The team was previously based in Oakland and San Francisco, the latter of which played in the WHL, but it wasn't until 1967 when the franchise joined the NHL. Its captains included Bobby Baun, Ted Hampson, and Joey Johnston, while one of its coached, Bert Olmstead, is a Hall of Fame inductee as a player.