Orlando Solar Bears Logos Unveiled

ECHL's Orlando Solar BearsSo... happy new year! And the ECHL's incarnation of the Orlando Solar Bears have officially unveiled their new logos. You can see them now on the team's website.

It's a very sharp look but the folks at Joe Bosack always do outstanding work so that's no surprise. It's certainly an improvement on the previous version of the logo from the 90s.

Quick bit of a housekeeping. Obviously, the updates have been few and far between. Part of that is lack of news. Part of it is lack of time on my part. So it goes.

Anyway, I'm taking a short vacation back to Florida for a few days — where I plan to take in a Lightning game or two — but when I get back I hope to be able to make a little more time for the blog.

In the next few weeks, we should start getting information about logo and uniform changes for the 2012-13 — and there will be a few. 

For those of you following the IceHL Project, I have an update over there for you.

Loose Threads: New in the Minors

Been a bit slow news wise, lately. But there have been a few new jerseys introduced around the minor leagues I thought you guys might want to talk about. One of the best alternates in the minors has to be this one.

The ECHL's Toledo Walleye have long been mocked for their joke of a '90s-style logo — a toothless fish angrily wielding a hockey stick. (Not really helped by the addition of a Santa hat, currently seen on their website.) But I think they nailed it with this new alternate sweater. Great use of their colors and a classic design inspired by everyone's all-time favorite — the Chicago Blackhawks, who are also their NHL affiliate.

Over in the AHL, former Icethetics concept contributor Aaron Masik designed this specialty jersey for the San Antonio Rampage.

As the team's designer, Masik designs a lot of the Rampage's specialty sweaters. This one (right) was for the club's 8th annual Salute to the Badges Night.

It was worn Sat., Dec. 10 against the Peoria Rivermen, a game which San Antonio won 2-1.

Elsewhere, following the NHL Winter Classic between the Flyers and Rangers (really enjoying this season's installment of 24/7 on HBO, by the way), the sheet of ice at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia will be used once more by the AHL.

The Adirondack Phantoms and Hershey Bears will meet on Jan. 6 for an outdoor game. According to the Phantoms' website, both teams will wear special jerseys to mark the occasion.

The Bears unveiled theirs last week. You can see a rendering on their Facebook page. As for the Phantoms, I haven't been able to track down anything yet. Feel free to share a link if you've got one.

QMJHL: Sherbrooke Rises from the Ashes

Sherbrooke Phoenix jerseys unveiledThe QMJHL's only U.S.-based team shut down over the summer, but a new one will be resurrected in that franchise's old home next fall as the Lewiston MAINEiacs give way to the Sherbrooke Phoenix.

The club's new name, logos and uniforms were unveiled at a press conference today, according to this release written in French (translated). Click here for more photos from the event.

As you may have read in the (incomplete) Icethetics Season Preview, the league bought out the floudering franchise after last season and ceased operations.

At the same time, it announced an expansion franchise had been awarded to Sherbrooke, Quebec and an ownership group led by ex-NHLer Jocelyn Thibault to begin play in the 2012-13 season. I find it a little weird. Why end the lineage of one of the league's oldest franchises? Why not simply transfer the franchise? (In the end, I'm sure it all comes down to money.) As I wrote in the Season Preview post...

The franchise itself is actually one of the QMJHL's oldest. The Trois-Rivieres Ducs were a founding member of the Q in 1969. They were renamed the Draveurs in 1973. In 1992, the club relocated to Sherbrooke and became the Faucons for six seasons. In 1998, the name was changed to Sherbrooke Castors. The club moved across the border into Maine in 2003.

There had been speculation that one of the previous Sherbrooke monikers would make a comeback, specifically Castors or Faucons. But as it turns out, they went the more literal route for a team that's "rising from the ashes." Of course this will be confusing for folks in Quebec if the Phoenix Coyotes end up moving there. (Kidding!)

Here are the other logos that were on display at today's unveiling.

Sherbrooke Phoenix secondary logos

Brilliant logos and a fantastic overall look for this team. I'm impressed. But are you noticing a trend? Two other Q teams, the Armada and Olympiques, introduced monochromatic logos this season, just like the Tampa Bay Lightning and Los Angeles Kings. Seems like a trend toward less color. If so, I'm not sure that's a good thing.

But when you look at Sherbrooke's jerseys and logos, it's clear they're still a three-color team: dark blue, powder blue, and yes, that's the trendy vintage white rather than actual white. Don't get me wrong. I think these colors look great together, but they tick all the boxes in terms of what's "in" right now.

A local creative agency called Lubie designed the new brand (with an awesome video), which appears to have been influenced by the municipal coat of arms of the city of Sherbrooke, Quebec.

Anyway, what do you think? How is this not a great look for a hockey team?

It's Official: Solar Bears are Back!

Photo by @Kaleta_DiceRoll via TwitterThe Orlando Solar Bears are making their return to pro hockey next fall, this time in the ECHL.

The announcement was made today at the home of the new franchise, the Amway Center in Orlando, Fla, in front of media and fans — one of which was kind enough to share this photo with us (right).

Whie the club is sticking with the name that brought the city hockey success during its brief existence in the International Hockey League, which folded in 2001, there will be a new logo and uniforms.

The team will unveil its team logos and jersey designs, announce its NHL and AHL affiliations, and introduce its coaching staff over the next 6-8 months.

The team has retained The Joe Bosack Graphic Design Company (joebosack.com) to design its primary and secondary logos along with new jersey designs and wordmarks. Joe Bosack designed the Colorado Avalanche logo and a number of current ECHL team marks.

Good news there because I don't think Joe Bosack's company has ever produced a bad logo. Can't wait to see what they come up with for the Solar Bears.

Orlando won't join the ECHL until next year, but they're getting a jump on marketing — with the slogan "Out of Hibernation!" — in order to sell season tickets and create awareness. They don't want to catch central Florida hockey fans by surprise when the team hits the ice in October 2012.

RIP old logo 1995—2001The Solar Bears will be the first in-state rival for the Florida Everblades since the Pensacola Ice Pilots went away a few years ago. (They have since been replaced by the semi-pro Ice Flyers of the SPHL.)

The Solar Bears will share their home with the Orlando Magic, and given the current state of the NBA, it's a shame they couldn't start play sooner. The Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League, also call the Amway Center home — which accounts for the gridiron in the above photo.

What do you think of today's announcement? Happy to see the Solar Bears name coming back? Sad to see that the rather colorful logo (left) is not?

And northerners, before you bemoan the addition of another hockey team to the south, remember that your retired parents live in Florida and still like hockey too.

Orlando Naming ECHL Team Tomorrow

Orlando's new ECHL team will unveil its name to fans tomorrow, according to an email distributed to fans yesterday.

A copy of the invitation that was sent out is to the right. Here's the pertinent text from it:

The City of Orlando, Orlando Magic, and Orlando Pro Hockey Operations LP cordially invite you to a special reception to formally introduce Orlando's new professional hockey team.

Join Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orlando Venues and the Orlando Magic as they welcome Orlando Hockey Operations LP parters and unveil the team name at the Amway Center (Jernigan's Restaurant).

Date: Wednesday, November 16
Time: 1:30 PM
Place: Amway Center

It's believed the new club will be named the Orlando Solar Bears, after the team that played in the International Hockey League from 1995 to 2001.

The Solar Bears name and logo trademarks were registered in September by the ECHL and one of the members of the team's ownership group currently owns the web domain solarbearshockey.com.

If the owners do go with Solar Bears as the team name, it's possible they'll bring back the old logo and announce it at the same time. At least one Icethetics reader will be in attendance on Wednesday and has promised to provide information and photos to us from the event.