NHL PROTOTYPES 4: Rejected and Rediscovered

It’s about time another round of unused NHL logo and jersey designs! Let’s take a tour of online portfolios belonging to artists who have done work for the NHL-and uncover tons of rarely seen concept work.
It’s Part 4 of what was intended as a 3-part series, proving this is a story with seemingly infinite chapters that continue to be written even now.
Get a look at lots of jersey options for the Golden Knights and Islanders and lots of logo options for the Panthers and Sharks. See how NHL event brands are built as a Winter Classic identity goes from sketch to screen. And then join the Minnesota Wild on a trip down some roads not taken!
▪️ CHAPTERS ▪️
00:00 - Introduction
00:53 - Reverse Retro Revisited
01:34 - Jeff Eagles: Golden Knights
03:34 - Jeff Eagles: Islanders
04:59 - Jeff Eagles: Panthers & more...
05:43 - Fanbrandz: Winter Classic
07:37 - Fanbrandz: NHL Centennial
08:49 - Justin Wright: Stadium Series
09:47 - Carolina Hurricanes
10:53 - San Jose Sharks
12:20 - Terry Smith: Sharks & Barracuda
13:20 - Buffalo Sabres
15:13 - Minnesota Wild
This video showcases a variety of unused designs created under the guidance of NHL franchises and follows up on the NHL Prototypes series:
Part 1: What Might Have Been ▸ • NHL PROTOTYPES 1: What...
Part 2: Designing the ’90s ▸ • NHL PROTOTYPES 2: Desi...
Part 3: Gone But Not Forgotten ▸ • NHL PROTOTYPES 3: Gone...
Featured brands include the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Cleveland Barons (AHL), Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, San Jose Barracuda (AHL), San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights, Winnipeg Jets, NHL Winter Classic, NHL Stadium Series, and NHL Centennial.
Includes original artwork by Adidas, Alex English, Jeff Eagles, Dom Fillion, Fanbrandz, Justin Wright, Andrew Roman, Terry Smith, Kris Bazen, Frank Cravotta, Reebok, and Shinebox.

[@derick-smith]

This channel makes me feel so vindicated. I've always obsessed over these little details and people have laughed at me. I've found my people! We're an odd bunch but we're amazing!!

[@icethetics]

So true! 😅

[@bossoflogos3440]

Same here

[@derick-smith]

My ex asked me if I'd like to go to a fashion show once even though I didn't notice her having any interest in the topic. When I asked her why she wanted to go, she replied that she thought I was into it because of the way I break down colors and details on jerseys. Fashion show for NHL jerseys... now we're talking!

[@alainsoucysergerie9879]

Right? I usually couldn't care less about fashion, aesthetics and just visual arts in general, the exception to the norm being hockey uniforms, and this channel is just the best in that department. I mean, even I can notice how slick the montage is.

[@seen48]

💯 My wife thinks I am so weird because I talk about teams logos, colors, helmets etc…this channel is so great for us uniform NERDS!

[@AmokCanuck]

You seriously have the greatest production quality of any hockey media out there TV included. This channel is so good

[@GCubedProductions]

There are so many small edits, sound effects, transitions that really have such a professional polish the production. Who knows how long it took him to remove the words “Winter Classic” from all of those logos as well.

[@icethetics]

Haha! I do it all for you guys. 😅

[@GCubedProductions]

@@icethetics ^ that right there is proof that not all hero’s wear capes

[@bigjacket7934]

I bet these guy are part of NHL Productions somehow. Too slick, too professional to be some start up YT channel..

[@icethetics]

Haha, no sir, you’ll lose that bet. It’s not “these guys,” it’s just me. My name is Chris. I do work in TV professionally but not for the NHL. It is a start up channel though I do have a lot of experience producing elsewhere.

[@TheJimmyStDenisShow]

Do a video of nhl logos evolution

[@DavidPeveto]

YES! I love your content, but this series is just top notch. Hope you can keep making content like this long into the future.

[@icethetics]

Thanks, David! Me too. I feel like I'm always finding new stuff, so as long as I do, I'll keep making this series.

[@DJVexillum]

The highest production quality of any hockey channel on youtube, and covering a topic not many get into, at least in such great detail. You deserve way more eyes on your work!

[@icethetics]

That’s the hope! Thanks for the compliments. 🙏🏻

[@brianoreilly4961]

Awesome ni

[@0yal569]

the official best NHL channel is back with more content lets go

[@JDW1110]

I don’t know how you find all these prototypes but I thank you for your discoveries!

[@icethetics]

It does take time-which is why we went nine months between Parts 3 and 4. But it's always fun to find and share this way!

[@ItsBigRed]

That Captains patch idea for the Sabres is awesome! Super cool to learn about concepts like this!

[@christianl.g.6421]

Return of the King (of hockey prototype vids)

[@jok3r906]

Jersey/team concepts is a rabbit hole, that I will always go down. With this channel, I absolutely love it all. Every video, is an amazing work of art

[@anthonypags9945]

My high school hockey team used the "Buffaslug" uniforms, except we were the Vikings

[@ThatGuy1001000]

Another can't-miss video! Love this series.

[@ChrisCovers78]

Another top notch video!!

[@icethetics]

Thank you, sir!

[@goblues179]

I discovered this channel a few weeks ago when some of the RRs leaked and I have watched almost all of your videos since. You do such a great job. Thanks!

[@icethetics]

Thanks for watching!

[@LGPanthers1]

That Canes concept with the red only on the logo and number looks FANTASTIC

[@crowblade211]

Another amazing video! The consistent high quality is outstanding!

[@ramisoltan562]

Awesome! I love these videos, and seeing these never seen before logos

[@JK_35]

Favorite videos you guys do, love seeing concepts that could have been

[@MagicalBread]

Love this series

[@alexreid1894]

This content is so insanely well done. Always love a new icethetics video!

[@TruFireTube]

Woo hoo been waiting for this!

[@NASCARFAN160]

I love these. Learning about this stuff is awesome, and it makes for more concept ideas!

[@Redd-mo5bt]

Loved this video and series hope to see a part 5

[@BretKenworthy]

Fav series on KZbin. Well done Chris!

[@icethetics]

Thanks Bret!

[@petrsimak9555]

This whole series was AMAZING!

[@zachcancila]

Amazing work as always Chris! So informative and well put together. Excited for the next one!

[@icethetics]

Thanks, Zach!

[@ayrtonpeacock5936]

This channel needs more attention. the detail and production is amazing!

[@christophertornow6482]

Every video on this channel is fascinating! Keep it up!

[@icethetics]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@noahs4127]

Yessir. The best series returns

[@justinganz1173]

I would love to see more of these vids it always excites me when I see videos like this

[@mrao9068]

Yesss been waiting for this one

[@333general]

You guys never fail to deliver

[@icethetics]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@aaronhuss3592]

Fantastic as always Chris!

[@icethetics]

Thanks Aaron!

[@Sean.Cox.Tattoo]

Great stuff! Thanks Chris!

[@icethetics]

Glad you liked it!

[@jleddy]

Another outstanding video!!

[@icethetics]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@antoniodelatorre3121]

This channel has the best production out of all the channels I watch.

[@camthadon5108]

The sequel we've all been waiting for finally!

[@alukew10]

Amazing work as always Chris. Icethetics has the best quality of any hockey content being made.

[@icethetics]

Thank you, Luke!

[@Bends95]

This is truly fascinating,I’ve always loved the original San Jose Sharks logo..used to have a home jersey as a young kid

[@mikesmith-mt8oc]

Awesome video, Chris!!!

[@icethetics]

Thank you!!

[@matteofabrizi3527]

As an Islanders fan I would have loved the unity concept, the one they went with is still very nice as I own the jersey. Great video!

[@hythlodaeus1705]

Honestly I really like the Northern Lights name and branding, kinda wish they’d have gone with that instead of the Wild

[@13KelsoO]

This is so above youtube Mate, amazing quality of material and production !!!!

[@icethetics]

Much appreciated!

[@vithursan.b]

Awesome video

[@sdeepj]

I could see the Buffa-slug making some sort of comeback. Fans will associate that logo with players like Ryan Miller, Danny Briere, and Chris Drury. They had a run to the Conference Finals in 2007.

[@icethetics]

Definitely. I think the same way the Isles' fisherman was hated initially and the young fans who loved it grew up and demanded to see more of it. Same thing will happen with that Sabres logo in a decade or so.

[@MarioSpeedWagon]

Not really even into jerseys yet I've followed you for what seems like a decade now. These youtube videos are insanely top tier quality. Side note: can you explain to me why the hell the capitals haven't done a primary weagle jersey yet? It's top 5 logo all time for me.

[@icethetics]

Haha, I love that! Thank you. And I wish I could explain that. Makes no sense to me and should've been a third jersey for the Caps a long time ago.

[@RetepAdam]

I think the red looks out of place on all the Vegas jerseys, but my god, does that same color scheme work magnificently for that Sens concept at 5:22.

[@icethetics]

I'll say. That's one I'd like to know the story behind.

[@sebpali826]

This channel is amazing

[@icethetics]

Thank you!

[@scottwunder9473]

Awesome video Chris ! Would love to see you do a full video on each teams logos and uniforms and prototypes etc . Especially Vancouver !

[@icethetics]

I'd love to do that but there just isn't enough unused artwork out there to cover every team this way. But if you want the Canucks, there were several designs shown in Part 1, around the 5:00 mark here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3m3iaCiobmEqbs

[@scottwunder9473]

Thanks Chris! I think I sent you the original link for that Canucks clip lol!

[@itsjustmilesmusic]

I really love how you go into all the details and research where some people like me can’t and I really find these videos really interesting!

[@icethetics]

Thanks! I’m glad you’re enjoying them and happy to share.

[@itsjustmilesmusic]

@@icethetics ​how long did it take to edit all this? This is insane!

[@icethetics]

For this particular video, I started the edit process in late June. It's a lot of on and off. I have a full-time job so I just work on this stuff during the evenings and on weekends here and there. But the whole process takes even longer than that when you factor in all the research and script writing that has to happen before any of the video editing.

[@danielflynn8530]

great video! I'd love to see a video about CHL rebranding.

[@isaacanderson7160]

Criminally undersubbed channel the fact nhl network or ESPN hasn’t hired you is a shock this level of production by yourself or even small team you may has is amazing my first video from you and I was expecting hundreds of thousands if not million plus subs, keep up the work and good things will happen

[@icethetics]

Thanks, Isaac! Hoping more people do find the channel.

[@dagox8]

This feels like a TV show, well done!

[@icethetics]

Thanks Diego!

[@de132]

The best hockey channel on KZbin

[@icethetics]

🙌🏻

[@shanelocke5504]

Man, that black Islanders Fisherman jersey was top notch. Shame we never got it

[@Kailonbass]

i thought u had 300k+ subs then i checked your sub count your so underrated!!

[@super8bitvideos]

I love when franchises give their AHL affiliate the Pokemon pre-evo treatment. They make their team a smaller, sort of similar animal in the same or similar pose, so it looks like it evolves from the barracuda into the shark.

[@cordellbenedict8087]

Wooo hoooo. YES PLEASE!!

[@VictorDiGiovanni]

I say the same thing every time, but it's never not true. These videos are masterfully-produced. Best in the hobby/industry.

[@andrefilipovic7850]

This is my fav channel

[@icethetics]

Thanks, Andre!

[@wndupfx]

This has been a really fun series to follow. Thanks for putting it together Chris. ✨

[@icethetics]

Thanks for watching!

[@wndupfx]

@@icethetics Could you point me in the direction of any Thrashers concepts with that concept logo 8 mins in on part 3. It's incredible.

[@wndupfx]

*bottom right

[@icethetics]

As a matter of fact, I can! Nick Stella did a concept with that logo which I talked about in Episode 3 of the Podcast back in January. You can see it here ▸ kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYLWiXWjotqSgNU

[@wndupfx]

@@icethetics Thats stunning. 😍

[@tintinsimon]

This is one of my favourite series on the entire internet

[@icethetics]

High praise!

[@tintinsimon]

@@icethetics nothing more than an honest comment

[@Nikkerman]

That red whaler NEEDS to come back that looks sooooooo good

[@mikeharrison6217]

I just binged all 4

[@icethetics]

There you go!

[@LaFllamme]

this feels like it’s a official NHL documentary. Better production quality than most stuff you see on netflix

[@KevinQ25]

This channel makes me wish I was an artist, I would love to be apart of a teams branding department. Sadly I can’t even draw stickmen nicely!

[@Krig13]

Fun fact the Minnesota Blue Ox due exist they were briefly a professional roller hockey team but the name is now used for a junior A team.

[@Beavie]

I wish that they used some of those NYI Brooklyn concepts over what they did, especially with the logos on them.

[@aac2500]

As an Isles fan, that Fisherman one made me sad. I loved our RR but that fishy jersey was would’ve been great

[@mpetrinobassist]

Chris you outdo yourself every video! You seriously need to be hired by the NHL for some kind of creative production! All hail Chris!!

[@icethetics]

Very kind of you to say. Thanks Michael!

[@rickkaine2580]

Nice 👍

[@icethetics]

Thanks ✌

[@rickkaine2580]

@@icethetics you’re so welcome

[@Nutshaq]

Love seeing all of these unused concepts. I can't imagine the reaction of everyone if a red and black whalers jersey was revealed. I think most people would revolt lol

[@keyes_calvin]

I would enjoy seeing your personal ranking of NHL jerseys, or your takes on possible rebranding options for clubs that need it

[@icethetics]

Hi Calvin, I actually did something like that in Episode 2 of the Podcast series. Not exactly a ranking but I went over things on a general level. Check it out here ▸ kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6O8aICahLiAf6c

[@keyes_calvin]

@@icethetics awesome thanks again for the amazing content. You do a great job and I take inspiration from your editing style

[@johnnyc.31]

Sabre blade pant-stripe is a neat idea for Buffalo @ 14:58 but looks way better on the whites. Home kit blends together too much. Sadly, teams don’t like using different home/way pants, but I’m for it.

[@david29k11]

Northern Lights name is great but the Wild logo is amazing.

[@glennbaltzel5237]

The Kights unis look so much better without red.

[@MalWave]

That Voyageurs jersey needs to be a thing lol

[@leatherbound4233]

Fun video! The one that gets me is the Vegas logo, that's a Spartan helm not a knights.

[@icethetics]

Thanks! And yeah, that’s probably among the reasons it never made the cut, right? Designers go through a lot of different ideas on projects like this.

[@leatherbound4233]

@@icethetics ummm dude I think your missing it, it did make the cut, it's the one their using. As a designer myself that one just gets me. Keep up the interesting video's I like watching them as I no longer watch Hockey.

[@francool195]

That white bears jerseys looks really good!!! But the the northern lights one looks like rhe players are sweating nuclear waste off their pitts haha!

[@icethetics]

Haha! I should’ve explained that Northern Lights one more. This is an excerpt from the original article: "These jerseys are hyper color (remember those?), and actually change colors when heat is applied. As you can see, Schultz is breaking quite a sweat, causing the Aurora Borealis within the fabric to start changing color to a vibrant yellow."

[@de132]

One thing, the Sharks' Bay Area Triangle theory is supposably San Francisco in the West, Oakland in the East (not Sacramento) and San Jose in the South Bay.

[@de132]

Never heard that Red Triangle story, very cool confirmation

[@icethetics]

That’s a good point. Sacramento is probably a little far out. Oakland probably makes more sense. Oops. 😅

[@kheldaur2107]

Ah, the Vegas Golden Shower.

[@andrebeck1444]

Minnesota should've gone with Northern Lights instead of the bushleague-sounding Wild. However, instead of purple and gold, which are the Kings' true colours, the old North Stars kelly green and yellow-gold should've been the colours of the Nortern Lights. Love the updated N⬆️ logo.

[@risk_it_4_the_biscuit]

Not even a Wild fan, but they have the best logo in sports.

[@bmsports99]

I know your a hockey channel but I would LOVE to see a NFL prototypes video

[@icethetics]

Yeah it would have to be someone else making it. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.

[@Feurmc_]

WAKE UP BABE, A NEW PROTOTYPES VIDEO FROM ICETHETICS

[@SalisburyTheWaterFoxxo]

8:32 These would of been AMAZING as keychains

[@Herrlorddonkoenigczar]

Oh the ol’ slow zoom and reverse cymbal…I mean what would we do without it

[@jayp.6166]

The original San Jose Sharks branding might be the best of all time. The Charlotte Hornets did it first, but the Sharks petrfected teal and made it the absolute juggernaut it became in the 90's Those original Sharks sweaters are perfection

[@icethetics]

You’re not saying the Hornets were the first sports team to use teal, I assume. Don’t forget the California Golden Seals wore it in 1974-a design the Sharks used as the basis for their Reverse Retro this season.

[@McpeteOmu2]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@parkerthepro1537]

Really wished they used the red and green devils rr Jersey

[@hockeyaddict1774]

Do you by chance have access to the canes mini doc, I cannot find it

[@icethetics]

I couldn’t find it online anymore either, unfortunately. I was hoping to link to it.

[@hockeyaddict1774]

@@icethetics ah man that sucks, at least I get a chance to thank you for your content, it truly is one of a kind and speaks out to an otherwise overlooked part of hockey

[@MasterMind468]

Hey where can i go see all the unused reverse retros?

[@icethetics]

I showed them all here. You can also go to Alex’s website if you want to see more of her work.

[@joie393]

It'd be cool if the league had a "what if" line of jerseys where each team has a jersey based on a rejected design

[@icethetics]

I would LOVE to see that! A great sequel to Reverse Retro for whoever picks up NHL jersey rights after Adidas in 2024.

[@burtmacklin4497]

I don’t know why Vegas changed the name font, it looked really good and was just another way to stand out vs other more traditional teams

[@osopa506]

You bringing back the NHL Identity Series?

[@icethetics]

It's been tough making any new episodes of Identity because the format is a lot to ask of most designers. On the other hand, I do have a new series in the works to dive into NHL team branding histories.

[@bostonrailfan2427]

Battle Born isn’t the team’s slogan: it’s the state’s motto, and has been for decades.

[@judeau9151]

Wild have always had the best logo imo

[@fistofreak3511]

This is making me want to do Graphic Design for fun 🤩

[@icethetics]

Give it a shot! You never know where it may lead. Several designers who work in pro hockey today got their start making concepts on Icethetics!

[@johnstodola1298]

When’s part 5 coming ?????

[@icethetics]

I'm glad you're enjoying the series, John! To be honest, it's not really on the radar yet. I'm keeping a list of new NHL prototypes I've been made aware of, but there's not quite enough for a new episode yet. Definitely in the new year!

[@nuthinbut100percent]

minnesota freeze or voyageurs looked really good, just as good as current wild. anything but the current sabers logo and colour shceme (ie. the original) is total garbage. hate the hurricanes, mostly cuz i miss the whalers. their logo and color scheme was the best. really wished that 06 cup win was in hartford and not in carolina. same with the 01 avalanche. wish the nordiques won that cup. all this from a (masochistic) leafs fan of 35 years. great video.