Thanks Everyone!

The support we have gotten the past few days has been tremendous , way more than I could have possibly expected.

The Facebook group is pushing 200 members, the petition has over 100 signatures, and we’re being mentioned almost as many times as Brian Burke sightings. And it keeps growing by the day.

It appears we’re not the only ones who truly believe this return to better days should occur, and that there are merely just people who haven’t heard of the cause yet.

So over the next few days, I want you guys to keep posting about us on forums, to keep contacting anyone who may be interested, and keep checking here for more updates.

As for me, I’m working on tons of material that can be used, from the most basic in forum avatars and signatures, to t-shirts (before you say the site is selling out, they’ll be priced at cost, possibly at a loss, haha). Tons of ideas are floating around, and we could use as much support in getting this to grow. In fact, if you have any ideas, fire me off an email to mail@leafslogo.com and I’ll take a look towards seeing if they can be added.

Expect some stuff up here tonight, particularly my final mockup of what I would like the Leafs to switch in to (though others may prefer something else).

Want to be a part of this?

I’m getting things rolling as fast as I possibly can, but if you’d like to contribute, send me an email to mail@leafslogo.com. Also, link to us! It helps the cause grow, and if the site isn’t a spam block, I’ll add it to the blogroll.

I’ll expand on this post later but for now I’m just focused on getting everything out there as fast as I can.

The Petition

To Whom It May Concern (Specifically, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment)

We, the undersigned, are in favour of changing the Toronto Maple Leafs primary logo and uniform design. We would like to change the primary logo to the one on our alternative (3rd) uniform, replacing the current away uniform with the alternative uniform, and making a new home jersey based on the alternative uniform. There are several reasons for this, that can be found on our “about” page on LeafsLogo.com, or in the booklet presented to you, and also found in the additional info provided by signers of the petition. We understand that this change cannot be effective immediately due to the NHL’s rules on uniform changing, but would like to see such a move happen as soon as possible, to signify a new era for the Toronto Maple Leafs organization.

Signed,

The Undersigned

Welcome to LeafsLogo.com

The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the most recognizable brands in all of hockey, and are probably the biggest hockey organization on the planet. Normally, when this is the case, you don’t change your branding.

However, the Leafs, in my opinion, are the exception to this rule.

For starters, lets look at the reason why it HASN’T been changed – the often suggested reason of “Tradition”.

This is often brought up when there are suggestions of any of the Original 6 teams changing their logo or colour scheme away from the status quo. The Red Wings have basically looked the same throught their existence, with the exception of a few years the same has been the same for the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers. The Chicago Blackhawks took a few years to figure out their design, but once they did, they kept it the way it was until even today. The Boston Bruins refine the logo and jersey pattern every few years, but in esscence, its always the Spoked B in the middle of a black/white/gold jersey. What all of these teams have in common is with the exception of the 77/78 Rangers, they have all essentially kept their jerseys the same since 1955.

The Leafs, on the other hand, had changed their 1927 original logo in 1939 to the logo that currently graces our Alternate jerseys. The jerseys would slightly be tweaked, but were essentially the same at the core. This would last for some 28 years, until the Leafs decided to create special uniforms for the 1967 Stanley Cup Playoffs, to a Maple Leaf similar to what was on the Canadian Flag. They would go on to win the Stanley Cup that season, but wouldn’t ever do so wearing the design for a full season.

The Leafs would go on to update the logo to something closer to the current one in 1970 (some minor tweaks to the font size and leaf edges were made in 1982, but the logo was the same in its root), leaving it as a post expansion logo, which essentially leaves the tradition argument at a standstill. The Leafs would then update their jerseys in 1992, and again in 2007 to accomodate the new RBK Edge uniforms.

Some things stick out about the logo. For one, on such an old team, it trys to be too modern, looking as if it was created in the 1990’s sunbelt expansion boom rather than the 1970’s for one of the most historically signifcant hockey teams ever.

Secondarily, it carries with itself many negatives of its past. As stated above, as the Leafs logo became closer to the Canadian Flag style Maple Leaf, our success has dwindled. One Stanley Cup was won with the 1927 Logo. Zero with the 1967 logo if you take into account the fact it was only used during the playoffs. None with the 1970 to present logo, in fact, with the last two, only four conference final appearances and zero finals appearences.

How about the 1939 Logo, that is loved amongst Leafs fans, and who’s jersey it graces is arguable the most popular of the three current Leafs uniforms?

Ten Stanley Cups, and numorous other runs. Yes, 10 of the Leafs 11 Stanley Cups.

Forgetting statistical facts, one must merely look at the current jersey designs to see that it would be an aesthetical upgrade as well. The current Leafs 3rd jersey is one of the best looking jerseys in the entire NHL, and looks much more respectable. The current home and away look like long sleeve t-shirts with some stripes and a Walmart logo slapped on them. Barring a drastic re-design, there wouldn’t be anything close to being as nice looking as the third jersey.

It also lets us step into a new age for the Maple Leafs organization. The current logo is a creation of the Harold Ballard era, arguably the darkest era in the history of the Maple Leafs. With the NHL’s rules requiring a years notice on logo and uniform changes, the new home and away would take over in 2010/11, which may possibly be the first year of competitive hockey the Leafs have seen since before the lockout (the team looks better this year, but don’t hold your breath for a cup run). A new look leafs both player wise and uniform wise would be amazing to have.

As for an alternate uniform, that would be to be decided. Personally, I wouldn’t be against the 1967 blue jerseys being the 3rd, but anything that didn’t include the current logo would be ideal.

Anyway, that’s enough rambling on for now, if you’re in support of switching the logo, please sign the petition (which has a much simpler writeup than this). If you still need some convincing, look at the Facts page, and if you want to support us, theres a page for that too. Thanks for reading!