Icehl 2011 YEARBOOK Pay Tribute the Winning Designs and Honor Those That Fell Just Shy of the Mark
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the world’s first crowd-sourced fantasy hockey league IceHLIceHL 20112011 YEARBOOKYEARBOOK INAUGURAL EDITION icethetics.info • FREE YEARBOOK IceHL 2011 From the commissioner... Hello IceHL Fans! What began as an ambitious idea to build and brand a hockey league from the ground up has turned into one of the most sought-after fantasy leagues on the web. In 2008, we began a design-by-democracy process of creating a league from scratch on the Icethetics blog. Readers voted on every aspect from deciding which cities would get teams to what names logos each should use. Two years after the project began, 20 fans breathed life into the league by taking part in our inaugural fantasy hockey season. As we begin our second year, I thought it appropriate to take a look back at how we got where we are and what happened during that inaugural season. I hope you enjoy this yearbook and the upcoming IceHL season! Chris Smith IceHL Commissioner www.icethetics.info P.S.: Try not to confuse me with the über-talented IceHL logo artist who shares my name and whose work you will see throughout this book. Enjoy! 2 YEARBOOK IceHL 2011 From the Ground Up... The project was announced as “From the Ground Up” on Aug. 10, 2008. In that blog post, plans were laid out for Icethetics’ biggest undertaking to date. Designing an entire hockey league from scratch would be an arduous process, but readers would be able to give their input in every decision made, every step of the way. NORTH AMERICA OR THE WORLD? After 69% of readers showed an interest in moving forward with the project, they were asked how the geography of the league should be defined. There were 1,450 votes cast during the weeklong poll and 59% chose a North American league over a global one. HOW MANY TEAMS? Voters were given the following options: 24, 27, 30, 32 or 36 teams for the new league. The poll, which began Aug. 18, finished with 1,186 votes cast, 34% choosing a 30-team league. THE DIVISIONAL ALIGNMENT On Aug. 24, a poll was opened to determine how the North American continent should be divided up for cities to be assigned teams. Voters were given five options. The following alignment received the most votes with 33% of the 2,208 participants selecting it. Visit icethetics.info to see the other options presented to voters. 3 YEARBOOK IceHL 2011 Selecting Cities On Aug. 30, 2008, the league still lacked a name but it was full steam ahead as Icethetics readers began selecting the cities that would eventually host its 30 teams. In each of the six divisions, voters chose from 12 eligible cities. The top five in each were awarded franchises. WESTERN CONFERENCE EASTERN CONFERENCE Pacific North South Central Northeast Southeast Vancouver Winnipeg Denver Chicago Montreal Washington Seattle Edmonton Salt Lake City Detroit Toronto Baltimore Los Angeles Calgary Dallas Minneapolis Quebec City Atlanta Anchorage Saskatoon New Orleans St. Louis Boston Tampa Portland Regina Houston Milwaukee New York Charlotte Las Vegas Yellowknife Phoenix Kansas City Ottawa Miami San Francisco Fargo Oklahoma City Cleveland Hartford Raleigh Kelowna Omaha Colo. Springs Sudbury Halifax Nashville San Diego Sioux Falls San Antonio Indianapolis Buffalo Orlando Spokane Bismarck Albuquerque Cincinnati Philadelphia Hampton Roads Boise Cheyenne Wichita Grand Rapids Pittsburgh Birmingham Missoula Lincoln Little Rock Columbus Providence Greenville Alaska Cities are listed in order of votes received. 4 YEARBOOK IceHL 2011 Selecting Team NamesEASTERN CONFERENCE The process of choosing names for the 30 new teams began on Sept. 6, 2008. Readers posted their suggestions directly to the blog one division at a time. After a week of nominating names, readers rated 20 of the best, with the highest-rated getting the nod. Atlanta ARSENAL Rating: 3.2/5 Suggested by sean12445 | Also considered: Atlanta Arrowheads, Atlanta Burn, Atlanta Chiefs, Georgia Grinders Baltimore BLUE CRABS Rating: 3.4/5 Suggested by Canis | Also considered: Baltimore Bats, Baltimore Claws, Baltimore Railriders, Maryland Majors Boston COLONIALS Rating: 3.8/5 Suggested by motleybrent | Also considered: Boston Battalion, Boston Pride, Boston Revolt, New England Liberty Chicago HITMEN Rating: 3.5/5 Suggested by BK | Also considered: Chicago Blizzard, Chicago Gale, Chicago Gangsters, Illinois Lions Detroit MOTORHEADS Rating: 2.9/5 Suggested by raj_b99 | Also considered: Detroit Boxers, Detroit Diesel, Detroit Drift, Michigan Cobras Hamilton STEELCATS (Toronto) Rating: 3.0/5 Suggested by Marc | Also considered: Ontario Tomahawks, Toronto Raiders, Toronto Skyliners, Toronto Tritons* Milwaukee LAGERS Rating: 2.9/5 Suggested by llp02 | Also considered: Milwaukee Foxes, Milwaukee Frost, Milwaukee Malts, Wisconsin Rails Minnesota MAMMOTHS (Minneapolis) Rating: 3.5/5 Suggested by Srini | Also considered: Minneapolis Timber, Minnesota Meltdown, Minnesota Rush, St. Paul Freeze Montreal OLYMPIQUES Rating: 3.5/5 Suggested by Marty | Also considered: Montreal Dukes, Montreal Legacy, Montreal Mystique, Montreal Rockets New York GUARDIANS Rating: 3.0/5 Suggested by ardrvd420 | Also considered: Long Island Avengers, New Jersey Revolution, New York Freedom North Carolina NIGHTHAWKS (Charlotte) Rating: 3.8/5 Suggested by mburmy | Also considered: Carolina Current, Carolina Wildcats, Charlotte Cannon, Charlotte Trax Quebec ARMADA (Quebec City) Rating: 3.3/5 Suggested by Burzum | Also considered: Quebec Celtiques, Quebec Ice, Quebec Voyageurs, Quebec City Sailors St. Louis ARCHERS Rating: 3.9/5 Suggested by Michael | Also considered: Missouri Madmen, St. Louis Gatekeepers, St. Louis Rapids, St. Louis Soul Tampa Bay BARRACUDAS Rating: 3.8/5 Suggested by Canis | Also considered: Florida Rockets, Florida Suns, Tampa Bay Navigators, Tampa Bay Tridents Washington SENTINELS Rating: 3.3/5 Suggested by rugbysevens | Also considered: D.C. Destroyers, D.C. Power, D.C. Smash, Washington Commanders * A run-off poll was held between Hamilton Steelcats and Toronto Tritons. 5 YEARBOOK IceHL 2011 Selecting Team NamesWESTERN CONFERENCE Alaska HUSKIES (Anchorage) Rating: 3.7/5 Suggested by logocruncher | Also considered: Alaska Aurora, Alaska Mystery, Anchorage Axmen, Anchorage Ice Boulder BEASTS (Denver) Rating: 3.2/5 Suggested by a snowballs chance | Also considered: Colorado Chill, Denver Dreadnoughts, Denver Dynamite Calgary CAVALRY Rating: 3.4/5 Suggested by Chris | Also considered: Alberta Highlanders, Calgary Cattlemen, Calgary Colts, Calgary Rustlers California WAVE (Los Angeles) Rating: 2.9/5 Suggested by Reid Foose | Also considered: Long Beach Lizards, Los Angeles Flash, Los Angeles Golden Tides Dallas OUTLAWS Rating: 3.5/5 Suggested by markcanderson | Also considered: Dallas Bandits, Dallas Giants, Fort Worth Blaze, Texas Twisters Edmonton KODIAKS Rating: 3.7/5 Suggested by markcanderson | Also considered: Edmonton Blades, Edmonton Energy, Edmonton Wolverines Houston HELLCATS Rating: 2.8/5 Suggested by Puddleglum81 | Also considered: Houston Bulls, Houston Galaxy, Houston Mustangs, Texas Raiders New Orleans GATORS Rating: 3.5/5 Suggested by Mykl and Kevin | Also considered: Baton Rouge Boomers, Louisiana Pelicans, New Orleans Magik Portland PIONEERS Rating: 3.8/5 Suggested by Warrior19 | Also considered: Oregon Cascades, Portland Explorers, Portland Shock, Salem Slash Regina RENEGADES Rating: 3.6/5 Suggested by Canis | Also considered: Regina Bones, Regina Dukes, Regina Imperials, Regina Razorbills Salt Lake City SCORPIONS Rating: 3.0/5 Suggested by seejay14 | Also considered: Salt Lake City Fog, Salt Lake Serpents, Utah Extreme, Utah Union Saskatoon SHARPSHOOTERS Rating: 3.2/5 Suggested by a snowballs chance | Also considered: Saskatchewan Storm, Saskatoon Isotopes, Saskatoon Rapids Seattle AVIATORS Rating: 3.6/5 Suggested by Mike | Also considered: Olympia Gods, Seattle Grind, Seattle Stealth, Washington Olympians Vancouver LUMBERJACKS Rating: 2.9/5 Suggested by daebreak80 | Also considered: B.C. Captains, Vancouver Edge, Vancouver Orcas, Vancouver Tribe Winnipeg WINTERHAWKS Rating: 3.8/5 Suggested by seejay14 | Also considered: Manitoba Mastodons, Winnipeg Grey Owls, Winnipeg Wizards The readers who originally suggested the names that would eventually be selected have each been recognized here for the first time. Hundreds of names were nominated by hundreds of readers over several weeks. Ultimately, it was the user ratings that created the league that would be named the IceHL on Sept. 21, 2008. 6 LOGOLOGO DESIGNDESIGN COMPETITIONCOMPETITION Icethetics has always been a haven for artists with new ideas for hockey logo and uniform design. At the center of their artistic endeavors has been the NHL, an organization very protective of its identity and that of its member clubs. Because of this, some of the most talented creative forces contributing to the site could never do more than put their work on display for fellow readers to admire. They couldn’t really “own” it. Time for a change. In part, the goal of the IceHL Project was to give Icethetics artists a creative outlet that wouldn’t infringe upon the legal property of another. They would add color and life to ideas generated by their community. Their work would be admired in a completely new and different way. On Sept. 21, 2008, Icethetics began accepting artwork to be considered to represent the 30 teams that had been created, one division at a time. Those interested were given three weeks from the date of each division’s announcement to develop and submit a visual brand to be voted upon by the community. They were required to provide a primary