More than anything, a logo is the main identity of a sports team’s brand. It doesn’t matter if you have the most-appealing color scheme or jersey design, if your logo is bad, it ruins the whole picture.
In the NHL, that is no exception. The hockey world places exceptional pride on its teams branding, so much so that stepping on a team’s logo in a dressing room is a major faux pas. Superstition aside, the NHL has a wide array of logos that span quite a wide range of styles. From historic mainstays to new arrivals, the NHL features some really fun and unique logos.
MORE HOCKEY: Ranking all current NHL mascots, from worst to best.
Of course, there are some real dud logos in the bunch too and we’d be remiss if we didn’t point those out. Ahead of the 2023-24 season, let’s take a look at all 32 NHL logos and rank them from worst to first.
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32
Chicago Blackhawks
I’ve written about the Blackhawks’ logo before and I’ll sum it up here again:
Chicago’s logo has a long and complicated history but the facts are this: the Blackhawks continue to appropriate Native American culture with the use of this logo. A logo that they themselves seem almost ashamed of but won’t commit to changing even though studies have shown harmful effects of Native American appropriation.
31
Florida Panthers
The Panthers shield logo looks so out of place compared to the rest of the NHL. While the leaping panther was criticized in its time, I wouldn’t mind it if Florida returned to its roots instead of keeping this strange, modern soccer logo.
30
Minnesota Wild
Is the creature that’s part of the Wild’s logo a bear? A wild cat? Make up your mind, Minnesota!
29
Columbus Blue Jackets
While it’s neat that the Blue Jackets’ logo prominently features the Ohio flag, it’s not a good logo. Columbus could really use a redesign to bring the team’s logo into the modern age.
28
Washington Capitals
There aren’t many script logos in the NHL, but Washington’s is the worst by far. I’d rather see the Capitals use the shoulder logo of the eagle and the Capitol Building in silhouette as their primary brand going forward. It’s much more inspired than the slanted sans serif script.
27
Colorado Avalanche
The streaking hockey puck around the ‘A’ makes this way too busy. The Avalanche have kept this logo as their primary since they moved to Colorado in the mid-90s and it definitely shows its age.
26
Tampa Bay Lightning
Sometimes, being too simple produces inferior results. The Lightning’s logo isn’t horrific by any means, but it’s so drab in a world of much better — and more creative — logos that it stands out in a bad way for being too plain.
25
Winnipeg Jets
The red maple leaf under the jet muddies up Winnipeg’s logo for sure. I’d rather have seen a red circle outline or a red jet instead of what the team has now. Or just bring back the classic Jets script font and call it a day!
24
New York Islanders
Controversial, but I think the Islanders logo is a bit too cluttered. The ‘Islanders’ script fades right into the image of Long Island, making the bottom half of the logo hard to read. While the Islanders have a pleasing color palate, I’d love to see a tweak or two to make the logo really shine.
23
Dallas Stars
While the Stars’ old logo is as iconic and vintage as they come, Dallas has done well here to find an acceptable replacement. Though there are a few tweaks that could be made, Dallas has found something workable here for sure.
22
Nashville Predators
The Predators logo is solid, all things considered. Definitely not a top-tier NHL logo, but firmly in the middle ground.
21
Los Angeles Kings
I think hockey fans would agree that the Kings old crown logo is superior in every way, even if their current getup is fine. And while we’re at it, bring back the purple and yellow color scheme too!
20
Carolina Hurricanes
Props to the Hurricanes for keeping it simple with their logo. The Hurricanes logo looks just like a — you guessed it — stylized hurricane symbol you’d see on a weather map.
19
San Jose Sharks
The shark biting the hockey stick in two is incredibly fierce. The Sharks have some really cool alternate logos in their history — I’m partial to the alternate logo that was previously their shoulder patch — but I can see why they’ve stuck with this one for so long.
18
Vegas Golden Knights
The hidden ‘V’ in the Golden Knights’ helmet is a great touch. I could honestly leave the shield background and just have the helmet itself, but it doesn’t take away too much from this logo.
17
Calgary Flames
The Flames logo looks great on the team’s updated uniforms, going back to the original flame-wreathed ‘C’ lined in yellow instead of black. I love how the logo can be inverted in color — either white on red or red on white — to match the team’s home and away jerseys as well.
16
Philadelphia Flyers
When you realize the Flyers’ logo is — in fact — a slanted ‘P’ and not a strange oblong shape, it becomes one of the more smartly designed brands in the league. Still a bit more obtuse than it should be, though.
15
St. Louis Blues
The Blues had to turn a genre of music into a formidable enough logo and they succeeded! I love that the Blues’ logo is just a music note with a wing in flight. It’s goofy when you think about it, but it works.
14
Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres’ logo really shines best in the lighter blue than it ever did in the navy. The crossed sabers with a buffalo centered above are an iconic duo that have been part of the team’s history since the very beginning.
13
Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers have never deviated from their circle logo with an oil drop as the team’s primary logo and it’s not hard to see why. It’s simple but pleasing to the eye and easy to recognize at a glance. All the things you want in a logo!
12
Anaheim Ducks
Yes, the Ducks should return to the Mighty Ducks logo of old posthaste, but their current design is quite inspired all the same. The letter ‘D’ in the shape of a webbed duck’s foot mades for a great, innovative logo that’s still simple at its core.
11
Pittsburgh Penguins
Like the Sabres, the Penguins benefited greatly from an updated color scheme. Only Pittsburgh could get away with making their logo an angry-looking penguin — on ice skates! — holding a hockey stick and it works flawlessly.
10
Arizona Coyotes
Long live the Kachina logo! Unlike some relics of the 90s, the Coyotes retro logo still holds up today thanks to its unique color scheme and design.
9
Vancouver Canucks
Taking off the ‘Vancouver’ script was the best thing the Canucks did for their logo. Now it’s less busy, with the focus solely on the orca whale bursting out of the ‘C’ incased in ice.
8
Toronto Maple Leafs
The stylized maple leaf is a much better choice for Toronto than the old 11-pointed shape. The Maple Leafs logo is an updated version of the branding that was used when Toronto was in their Stanley Cup heyday. I appreciate the team trying to manifest championship vibes with this updated logo.
7
New Jersey Devils
The Devils logo tells you all you need to know about the team. The perfect combination of the letters ‘N’ and ‘J’ stylized with devil horns and tail. As flawless of a logo as you’ll see in the NHL.
6
Ottawa Senators
The Senators ditching the 3D centurion for a return to their original logo was a much-needed decision. You can feel the history radiating off of this logo, totally emulating the style and design of a Roman general of old.
5
Seattle Kraken
The Kraken’s logo hasn’t been around for a long time, but it’s certainly made an impression as one of the NHL’s best. The kraken tentacle forming a ‘S’ shape with a gleaming red eye is a masterclass of branding and Seattle knocked it out of the park here.
4
Boston Bruins
The spoked ‘B’ is a timeless classic in the NHL. Representing the city’s history as “The Hub of the Universe”, the Bruins logo is a wonderful testament to Boston’s roots as a major city in the United States.
3
New York Rangers
The Rangers have the best shield logo in the NHL and they never use it for their actual jerseys! Of course, since the Rangers also have the best use of script lettering on a jersey, I’ll give it a pass, but the New York crest is an enduring model of logo excellence.
2
Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens logo is one of the NHL’s mainstays and for good reason. The ‘C’ and ‘H’ logo, standing in for Le Club de Hockey Canadien — the team’s original name — have remained unchanged for over a decade now. Montreal’s logo no doubt has its place near the top of the sports logo pantheon.
1
Detroit Red Wings
There was no other choice for the No. 1 logo in the NHL other than the Red Wings. The iconic red and white wheel with wings has been Detroit’s logo since its days in the Original Six and its timeless quality and unique design put it head and shoulders above the rest in the NHL.
