The CHL Edge is Here

Today, the entire CHL rolled out their Edge jersey designs. I'll go league by league and you can take a look for yourself at the links attached, which will pop up so you could follow along.

WESTERN LEAGUE: While you have some teams that went through the templated designed (like the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Kootenay Ice), the fact remains that some teams actually stuck to their old jerseys, with maybe some piping here and there. The Everett Silvertips kept their forest design at the bottom, while the Prince Albert Raiders, Red Deer Rebels, Spokane Chiefs, Medicine Hat Tigers, and others kept their trademark look. The Kelowna Rockets stylized their look a bit, but kept rocking the Ogopogo with fantasticness.

The big leap could be the Calgary Hitmen, who will use just a black mask for their white jerseys and, while they keep sort of a template design, they have the team colors on part of the sleeve on each of their jerseys. It looks pretty fancy and pulls off well.

Best Look: Kelowna Rockets-- I have a soft spot for the red, teal, black, and copper look. And they didn't stray away from much of the original design.

Worst Look: Brandon Wheat Kings-- something about their jerseys are much too plain and look like a practice jersey. They could have done much more.

ONTARIO LEAGUE: In this instance, there's some spot of template designs, but it seems that some teams are willing to take some risks. Some took a little much, like Mississauga and the piping and name at the hem; and some took just right like the barbershop design on Ottawa's sleeves. The Brampton Battalion were able to keep their insignias on their sleeves, as well.

London and Kingston both went to retro designs from the 70s, I believe-- though I think Kingston's looks classier than London's, but that's because I hate the Stars design.

Best Look: Ottawa 67's-- something about the barberpole speaks to me, and I enjoy that they were able to do it so classily....though that's not a word.

Worst Look: Mississauga St. Michael's Majors-- The big "M" on it, along with the team name on the hem on the homes and city name on the aways; not to mention the piping-- it's just a jumbled mess.

QUEBEC LEAGUE: The Q could be the template capital of the world. There's too many jerseys that look the same, just paint-by-numbers attached-- it's horrific. Some teams like Rouyn-Noranda Huskies' gradients, the Gatineau Olympiques' bright orange jerseys, or Chicoutimi Saqueneens' shoulder-poles think outside the box to a point. Overall, there's nothing that's breaking too much away from the pack.

Again, some teams stuck to their guns with their old designs like Montreal Juniors and Quebec Remparts; but it just seems like a complete dulls-ville for the Quebec League.

Best Look: Cape Breton Screaming Eagles-- they don't have a template gig, plus they are going with classic colors of black and yellow in sort of a Bruins motif, but lighter on the yellow. Classy look for them.

Worst Look: Montreal Juniors-- with the college number system and too plain design, all they needed was unnecessary piping for me to hate them to death.

--------------------

So that's that-- the unveiling was nice, not too many leaks out there on the open market and in general, aside from the QMJHL, I'm pleased with what many teams were able to do with the perimeters. They were able to make or keep their old identity without blending in with other teams out there in the league.

Thoughts, ideas?? Leave them in the comments.