Ranking the 10 Best Logos in NHL History

There are a lot of ways to develop allegiances.

Sometimes it's a player. Other times, it's a city. And still other times, a fan chooses a favorite team based on the leanings of an important person—either mirroring or contrasting that individual's tastes.

And then there are the logos.

On no small number of occasions, the lifelong devotion of a fan to a franchise is kick-started by the sheer visual attraction created by the symbol on a hat, a sweater or a keychain.

Included on the subsequent pages are 10 of the logos we considered the best the National Hockey League has ever served up. Some are cartoonish. Some are classic. All, in one way or another, are memorable.

Click through to see how many match your own list.

*Unless otherwise credited, all logos are from www.hockeydb.com.

10. Anaheim Mighty Ducks

OK, OK, a logo could hardly get less classic and more cartoonish than the one that accompanied Anaheim's contribution to NHL expansion. But that doesn't mean it's not a good one. The goalie mask in the shape of a duck's face is clever enough, and it was a conversation starter for a team that warranted little actual attention with its on-ice product.

Anaheim made the playoffs just four times in its "Mighty Ducks" years, then won a Stanley Cup in the first season it dropped "Mighty" from its signature.

Coincidence? We wonder.

9. Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres had done just fine with the classic crossed swords and charging Buffalo look for the first couple decades of their NHL existence, but when they switched to what was initially known as the Marine Midland Bank Arena in the 1990s, an identity swap made some sense, too.

Though it was derided by the purists in the franchise's fanbase, the new look created a buzz that was well-suited to the blue-collar approach of the team, which went from dreadful to successful in the brief coaching stint of Ted Nolan and was in the Stanley Cup Final under Lindy Ruff in 1999.

Tastes reverted back to the classic logo and color scheme in the new century, but the snarling head persona is still worth a look every now and then.

8. Calgary Flames

Not so many modern fans are aware the Calgary Flames actually began their NHL existence in Atlanta, with another of the more memorable—if not particular good—logos in league history.

Still, when they moved from hockey-blase Georgia to hockey-mad Alberta in 1980, a new style was definitely in order.

The bright red "C" with the ominous trail of flames fit the city and the team perfectly, and it remains to this day—with a tweak here and there—as one of the very best visuals in hockey.

7. Colorado Rockies

Yes, long before the baseball team made Coors Field an oxygen-starved launching pad, there was hockey being played—albeit not particularly well—across town at McNichols Arena.

Unfortunately for the fans of the actual on-ice product, however, the brief tenure of the colorful Don Cherry at coach (1979-80) was about as good as it got.

Six years after arriving from Kansas City as the Scouts, the Colorado Rockies were off to New Jersey as the Devils. But they left behind the mountain-shaped image with the Colorado state flag, which is good enough for us.

6. Quebec Nordiques

The first team on the list—but not the last—to have emerged from the old World Hockey Association, the Quebec Nordiques were a worthy adversary to the cross-province Montreal Canadiens in terms of both on-ice performance and concession-stand appeal.

No, it's not the historic maroon, blue and white of les Canadiens, but the n-shaped igloo with a stick and puck is pretty darn good in its own right.

All good things come to an end, however, and Quebec, again, became a one-team province when the Nords headed southwest to become the Colorado Avalanche in 1995.

5. Edmonton Oilers

The second of the list's three WHA refugees, Edmonton's still-functioning franchise got its start as the Alberta Oilers and joined the NHL along with the Quebec Nordiques, Winnipeg Jets and Hartford Whalers in 1979.

The single oil drop at the top and the blue letters underneath were a fitting accompaniment to the team's spectacular run of success from 1984 to 1990—a seven-season stretch that resulted in five Stanley Cup banners.

Edmonton experimented with alternate logos through the mid- and late-1990s and has changed its base color scheme from time to time, but the main logo remains as good today as it was when it was first drawn up in the 1970s.

4. Vancouver Canucks

More so than many of their NHL contemporaries, the Vancouver Canucks have spent a long time searching for exactly the right look.

The plain old horizontal stick within the outline of an ice rink was a middling 1970s attempt, while the multi-colored skate and typography—along with remarkably busy uniforms—were perfectly symbolic of the '80s.

The Messier Era in the 1990s necessitated a new approach, and the fearsome, toothy sea creature emerging from the letter "C" was a valiant attempt that bettered what the actual team was able to do during "The Captain's" three-year stay.

3. Chicago Blackhawks

When you find a truly great look, there's no need to change it.

Such is the case with the Chicago Blackhawks, who stumbled upon a classic and unforgettable logo upon entering the NHL in 1926 and haven't seen the necessity to alter significantly in the intervening 87 years.

Even during the decades when trips to the Stanley Cup Final were not a predictable occurrence, the team that resided at Chicago Stadium was consistently among the league's best-dressed units.

2. Toronto Maple Leafs

Who said classic can't be cool?

Much like their rivals from northern Illinois, the representatives of Canada's signature city grabbed hold of a great look in the early days and have seen little reason to trifle with it.

The texture of the blue and white leaf and the lettering within it have changed slightly over the years, but the mere appearance of it on "Hockey Night in Canada" on Saturday nights still prompts nostalgic goosebumps in NHL cities across the map.

1. Hartford Whalers

It doesn't have the prestige of a Toronto or the duration of a Chicago, but the design that accompanied the Hartford Whalers' 18 years in the NHL will certainly outlive its middling history.

The interlocking of the blue whale's tail and the green letter "W" creates the letter "H" and yields a design that can still be spotted at arenas around the league—particularly in Raleigh, N.C.—where the franchise moved in 1997 to become the Carolina Hurricanes.

A run through the 2006 playoffs yielded a Stanley Cup championship, but few would argue that the rafters would look better if the banner was adorned by the old logo rather than the new.