0345: Missing the NHL All-Star Game

If we hadn't lost the 2013 NHL All-Star Game to the dumbest lockout ever, it would've taken place in Columbus yesterday. In that spirit, we've got a sharp All-Star concept from Matt McElroy today. It's a neat evolution of the previous NHL All-Star uniforms — a set I wouldn't mind seeing on the ice someday.

Update on Wednesday · Jan 30 · 2013 | 12:26 AM PST by Chris

By popular request, Matt has created Campbell vs. Wales versions of the above jerseys.

0172: Inspired by the Shield

My job's easy today. Here's Rob Huck to tell you about his NHL All-Star uniforms:

As you can see, these All Star jerseys take their cue from the NHL logo. I used to admire the All Star jerseys back in the 1980s when the colours reflected that of the old league logo, and I would love to see that reflected again.

I was also inspired by two of the recent concepts posted on Icethetics. The first is the "sash" concept used in Colin May's recent submissions. I tweaked it a bit to turn the sash into a one-sided shoulder yoke, which happily enough also creates the illusion of a hockey stick on the shoulder. (A high-sticking minor of course, but a hockey stick nonetheless.)

Second, I challenged myself to eliminate the use of white in my concept in the manner of Brian Brideau's Boston Bees jerseys. Yes, we all know how much you love the colour black, and the silver in my jerseys seems a little bland, but I think I met this challenge. In addition, the concept could potentially incorporate any two colours quite easily if one were so inclined.

0138: All-Star Sashes

Just over a month ago, I posted a concept Colin May created for the Columbus Blue Jackets. A few readers thought the idea might make for some nice All-Star jerseys. So Colin took a stab at that and this is what he came up with.

0116: All-Star Overhaul

We can't have a Stars Week without getting the All-Stars involved. And with all the new throwback jerseys being introduced across the NHL over the last few years, it would be easy to see the All-Star Game getting that same treatment. So Tex Fischer put together these retro-style all-star uniforms. The last time the league used orange and black sweaters was 1993. And they'd done so for 20 years. Bring 'em back!

Now this one I probably should've posted a long time ago, but it just got lost in the shuffle. And as I mentioned earlier this week, I'm on vacation and this post was written a couple weeks ago. Therefore I have no way of knowing if the Stanley Cup has been awarded of if the epic Game 7 is happening tonight. Anyway...

Kris Lutes wants to see the defending Stanley Cup champion not only host the All-Star Game but also face the best players from around the league for one awesome match. Theoretically, this would be very cool. In actual practice, not so much. First, you already have players who see the ASG as a punishment for being talented. They don't like having to spend a whole weekend working in another city while less-talented players get a week off to spend with their families. And now an entire team is forced to go without rest. Plus, show me a Stanley Cup champ that's still comprised of the same players in January of the following year. Good luck.

So while it's a fun idea to think about, it just wouldn't work. But what do you think of the jerseys? Pretty sharp, no? I would say maybe do a little something more starry with the defending champ's jersey.

0018: A Unique All-Star Blend

Long time Icethetics concept artist Brian Brideau is always coming up with unique and inventive uniform designs. This one stuck out to me as one among his very best. He's proposing a new set of a NHL All-Star Game uniforms, probably for 2013 and I think they look simply phenomenal. They're a risky blend of the historical and ultra-contemporary. This set even gives a nice nod to the host, the Columbus Blue Jackets, from the red, blue and silver color scheme, right down to the stars on the jersey cuffs. If this were the real thing, I'd be in line for a Stamkos in a heartbeat.

0010: More Stars for Ohio

We're revisiting the 2013 NHL All-Star Game today with not only Avi Stein's concept logo, but a pair of uniforms as well. Avi's borrowed these crests from the AHL's 2012 all-star uniforms. There's too much great artwork in this set to squeeze it all into one image, so here's the rest.

You'll note Avi's choice to have the blue team captained by Vinny Prospal. This concept was made well prior to yesterday's trade deadline, so he was probably just hedging his bets. But come All-Star time next January, will Rick Nash still be a Blue Jacket?

0004: All-Stars in Columbus

Not all concept art has to involve jersey designs. We see that today with Adam Heineman's take on a logo for the 2013 NHL All-Star Game, which the league announced will be hosted by the Columbus Blue Jackets next January. Interestingly, this logo fits well with the standards we typically see in the All-Star Game logo each year — lots of stars and based on the host team's logo. (It helps that the Blue Jackets' logo is primarily a star as it is.)

Nice work here. What do you think the odds are we see something similar when the logo is finally unveiled for real? For what it's worth. Here's what the NHL has been using in an official capacity to promote All-Star Weekend 2013: