Thirty-one brand guides to NHL team identities — crests, colours and jerseys.
Hockey crests sit on the front of the jersey, so a team’s logo is its uniform. These guides cover each team’s marks and rebrands with dates.
How to use these guides
Each guide covers who owns the name today, where the products are made — by the maker’s own account and, where it differs, by other sources — and the brand’s visual identity. A company’s description of itself is attributed to the company, and where a business has closed we say so plainly. The table at the end gathers the essentials.
NHL teams
Toronto Maple Leafs, Montréal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins.
- Toronto Maple Leafs — Toronto Maple Leafs identity: the Toronto NHL club that began as the Arenas in 1917, became the St. Patricks in 1919 and was renamed the Maple Leafs by Conn Smythe in 1927, with a leaf crest redrawn in 1942, 1967, 1970 and 2016 and blue-and-white colours adopted in September 1927.
- Montréal Canadiens — Montréal Canadiens identity: the club founded by J. Ambrose O’Brien in December 1909, officially the Club de hockey Canadien, whose C-and-H crest dates to 1917–18 and stands for hockey rather than habitants, worn on a red, white and blue sweater whose basic design dates to 1914.
- Detroit Red Wings — Detroit Red Wings identity: the Detroit NHL club founded in 1926 as the Cougars, renamed the Falcons in 1930 and the Red Wings in 1932 by James E. Norris, whose winged-wheel crest adapts the emblem of the Montreal AAA, and which the Ilitch family has owned since 1982.
- Boston Bruins — The NHL club Charles Adams brought to Boston in 1924, its name from Art Ross, brown and gold colours from Adams’ First National Stores, the walking bear, the Spoked B used since 1948 and refreshed in 2025, and Jacobs family ownership since 1975.
- New York Rangers — The NHL club Tex Rickard’s Madison Square Garden launched in 1926, its name from a newspaper nickname, the shield crest and diagonal “RANGERS” wordmark, Broadway Blue and red, the Lady Liberty alternate, and ownership through Madison Square Garden Sports.
- Pittsburgh Penguins — The 1967 expansion club named through a public contest after the Civic Arena’s “Igloo” nickname, the skating penguin over the Golden Triangle, the 1980 switch to black and gold, the 1992 “Robopenguin” and its 2002 retreat, and Fenway Sports Group’s majority ownership since 2021.
NHL teams II
Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils.
- Philadelphia Flyers — Philadelphia Flyers identity: the 1967 NHL expansion club founded by Ed Snider, named “Flyers” in 1966 after a contest and his sister Phyllis’s suggestion, with orange, black and white colours, a winged-P logo credited to artist Sam Ciccone and the Gritty mascot unveiled in September 2018.
- Edmonton Oilers — Edmonton Oilers identity: the WHA club founded by Bill Hunter and Charles Allard, which played 1972–73 as the Alberta Oilers and joined the NHL in 1979, with an oil-drop logo by James Harvey, a midnight blue and copper era from 1996, a return to blue and orange and owner Daryl Katz since 2008.
- Vancouver Canucks — Vancouver Canucks identity: the club that took the name of a 1945 minor-league team and joined the NHL in 1970, with a stick-in-rink crest by Joe Borovich, a 1978 “Flying V” by Beyl & Boyd, a 1997 orca logo, and Aquilini family ownership since 2006.
- Los Angeles Kings — The NHL club Jack Kent Cooke founded in 1967, named for “an air of royalty,” its purple “Forum blue” and gold, the 1988 switch to black and silver, the crown and shield crests, the 2024 return of the 1988-style logo, and Anschutz and Roski ownership since 1995.
- New Jersey Devils — The NHL club that began as the Kansas City Scouts in 1974, moved to Denver as the Colorado Rockies in 1976 and to New Jersey in 1982, its name from the Jersey Devil legend, the horned NJ monogram, red and green until 1992, red and black since, and Harris and Blitzer ownership since 2013.
NHL teams III
Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues, Vegas Golden Knights, Tampa Bay Lightning and Seattle Kraken.
- Colorado Avalanche — Colorado Avalanche identity: the Quebec Nordiques franchise sold to Denver’s COMSAT Entertainment Group in 1995, a name picked after a planned “Rocky Mountain Extreme” leaked, a burgundy A wrapped in snow drawn by Michael Beindorff and Dan Price, and Kroenke ownership since 2000.
- Washington Capitals — Washington Capitals identity: the 1974 NHL expansion club founded by Abe Pollin, its original red, white and blue with stars, the blue, black and copper bald eagle of 1995, and the 2007 return to red, white and blue with a hockey-stick “t” and three stars, under Ted Leonsis since 1999.
- St. Louis Blues — St. Louis Blues identity: the 1967 NHL expansion club named after W. C. Handy’s song “Saint Louis Blues,” its Blue Note crest worn since the first season, a navy era from 1997–98 and a 2025 return to blue and yellow, with Tom Stillman’s group as owner.
- Vegas Golden Knights — The NHL club Bill Foley’s group launched in 2017, a name tied to West Point’s Black Knights and the Army parachute team, the barbute-helmet shield with a V, steel grey, gold, red and black, the crossed-swords star, the Gila monster mascot Chance and T-Mobile Arena.
- Tampa Bay Lightning — The NHL club Phil Esposito’s group won in December 1990, a name inspired by Gulf Coast thunderstorms, the bolt logo, black, blue and silver in the early years, the 2011 rebrand to blue and white, the ThunderBug mascot and Jeffrey Vinik’s ownership from 2010.
- Seattle Kraken — The NHL club approved in December 2018 and revealed in July 2020, a name from Scandinavian sea folklore, the Metropolitans-style S with a tentacle and red eye, deep sea blue and four secondary colours, the Space Needle anchor, Buoy the troll and Climate Pledge Arena.
NHL teams IV
Buffalo Sabres, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators and Ottawa Senators.
- Buffalo Sabres — Buffalo Sabres identity: the 1970 NHL expansion club of Seymour and Northrup Knox, a name chosen through a fan contest, a bison over two crossed sabres in blue and gold, a red and black era from 1996, and the royal-blue return of 2020 under Terry Pegula, owner since 2011.
- Dallas Stars — Dallas Stars identity: the 1967 Minnesota North Stars, moved to Dallas by Norm Green in 1993 and renamed by dropping “North”, the green, gold and black years, and the 2013 Victory Green and silver rebrand with a D inside a star, under Tom Gaglardi since 2011.
- Florida Panthers — Florida Panthers identity: the 1993 NHL expansion club of Wayne Huizenga, named for the endangered Florida panther, a leaping-panther crest in red, navy and yellow, plastic rats from 1995–96, and the 2016 shield with a state-flag alternate, under Vincent Viola since 2013.
- Minnesota Wild — The NHL club awarded to St Paul in 1997 and named at Aldrich Arena in January 1998, a logo that is both a forest scene and an animal’s head with a North Star eye, Iron Range Red, Forest Green, Harvest Gold and Minnesota Wheat, the mascot Nordy and Craig Leipold’s ownership since 2008.
- Nashville Predators — The NHL club Craig Leipold launched in 1998, a sabre-toothed cat logo based on a Smilodon found under downtown Nashville in 1971, a name picked in a 1997 fan vote, the 2011 switch to navy, gold and white with a guitar-pick patch, Gnash, Fang Fingers and Bill Haslam’s phased purchase agreed in 2022.
- Ottawa Senators — The NHL club Bruce Firestone won for Ottawa in December 1990, a name revived from the city’s 1883 club, the Roman-general logo Tony Milchard drew in 1991, black, red and white with gold trim, the 2020 return of the original 2D crest, Spartacat, a VIA Rail goal horn and Michael Andlauer’s ownership since 2023.
NHL teams V
Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders.
- Anaheim Ducks — Anaheim Ducks identity: the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim named by Disney in 1993 after its 1992 film, an eggplant and jade goalie-mask duck, the 2006 rename and webbed-foot D under Henry and Susan Samueli, and a 2024 return of the duck mask framed in orange.
- San Jose Sharks — San Jose Sharks identity: the Bay Area expansion club the Gund brothers received in 1990 when they sold their North Stars stake, a name chosen after a fan sweepstakes, Pacific teal, a shark biting a hockey stick through a triangle, and Hasso Plattner as majority owner since 2010.
- Carolina Hurricanes — The NHL club that began as the New England Whalers in 1972, moved from Hartford to Raleigh under Peter Karmanos in 1997, a stylised hurricane and storm-warning flag logo in red, black and silver, the diagonal CANES wordmark and Whalers heritage nights under Tom Dundon.
- New York Islanders — The NHL club awarded to Roy Boe in 1971 and named in February 1972, John Alogna’s NY roundel over a map of Nassau and Suffolk, the 1995 fisherman logo and its reversal, royal blue and orange, Sparky the Dragon and UBS Arena in Elmont.
NHL teams VI
Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets, Columbus Blue Jackets and Utah Mammoth.
- Calgary Flames — Calgary Flames identity: a club founded in Atlanta in 1972 and named after the city’s Civil War fire, moved to Calgary in 1980 with its name intact and a flaming C in place of the A, red, gold and white uniforms, and the black flaming-horse “Blasty” mark that came back in the 2020s.
- Winnipeg Jets — Winnipeg Jets identity: the Atlanta Thrashers franchise of 1999, moved to Winnipeg in 2011 under True North Sports & Entertainment, which revived the city’s old Jets name and gave it a new crest of a jet over a red maple leaf in a navy and grey roundel based on the Royal Canadian Air Force emblem.
- Columbus Blue Jackets — The NHL club awarded to Columbus in 1997 and named for Ohio’s Union soldiers of the Civil War, the CBJ ribbon logo, the Ohio-flag star crest of 2007, the cannon crest and arena cannon, Stinger the mascot and the McConnell family’s ownership.
- Utah Mammoth — The Salt Lake City NHL club created in April 2024 from the Arizona Coyotes’ hockey assets, its interim year as Utah Hockey Club, the Mammoth name chosen by fan vote in May 2025, a mountain-topped mammoth logo, Mammoth Sans lettering, Tusky and the Delta Center.
At a glance: founding, owner and base
Taken from each guide’s fact panel, as of October 2026. Ownership changes; follow the link for sources and detail.
| Brand | Founded | Home | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim Ducks | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, by Disney (1993) | Renamed: Anaheim Ducks | Henry and Susan Samueli; home games at Honda Center |
| Boston Bruins | Boston, Massachusetts, as an NHL expansion club (1924) | Founder: Charles Adams, grocery owner | Jacobs family ownership, since 1975 |
| Buffalo Sabres | NHL expansion club, Buffalo (1970) | Red era: Red, black and silver, bison head | Owned by Terry Pegula since 2011; home games at KeyBank Center |
| Calgary Flames | NHL expansion club, Atlanta (1972) | Moved: To Calgary; flaming A becomes flaming C | Owned by Calgary Sports and Entertainment since 2012; home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome |
| Carolina Hurricanes | As the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association, Boston (1972) | Raleigh, North Carolina, since the arena opened | Tom Dundon has been majority owner since January 2018 |
| Colorado Avalanche | Quebec Nordiques, WHA (1972) | Moved: To Denver as the Avalanche | Kroenke Sports & Entertainment; home games in Denver |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | Columbus, Ohio, as an NHL expansion club awarded in June 1997 (1997) | Founder: John H. McConnell, majority owner of the founding group | Majority owner John P. McConnell; Nationwide a minority owner |
| Dallas Stars | Minnesota North Stars, NHL expansion (1967) | Moved: To Dallas as the Stars | Owned by Tom Gaglardi since 2011; home games at American Airlines Center |
| Detroit Red Wings | Detroit Cougars, NHL expansion franchise (1926) | Renamed: Falcons in 1930; Red Wings under James E. Norris | Ilitch family ownership since 1982; home games at Little Caesars Arena |
| Edmonton Oilers | WHA franchise, by Bill Hunter and Charles Allard (1971) | Joined NHL: Through the NHL–WHA merger | Owned by Daryl Katz since 2008; home games at Rogers Place |
| Florida Panthers | NHL expansion club, South Florida (1993) | Rebrand: Shield crest and flat gold | Owned by Vincent Viola since 2013; home games in Sunrise, Florida |
| Los Angeles Kings | Los Angeles, California, as an NHL expansion club (1967) | Founder: Jack Kent Cooke, entrepreneur and Lakers owner | Philip Anschutz and Edward Roski, owners since 1995 |
| Minnesota Wild | St Paul, Minnesota, as an NHL expansion club awarded in June 1997 (1997) | Founder: Bob Naegele Jr.’s investor group | Owned by Craig Leipold |
| Montréal Canadiens | Montreal, by J. Ambrose O’Brien, as a charter member of the National Hockey Association (1909) | Official name: Club de hockey Canadien | Controlled by a Molson-family-led group since 2009; home games at the Bell Centre |
| Nashville Predators | Nashville, Tennessee, as an NHL expansion club granted in 1997 (1998) | Founder: Craig Leipold | Bill Haslam’s phased purchase of a majority stake, agreed |
| New Jersey Devils | Kansas City, Missouri, as the Kansas City Scouts (1974) | Renamed: New Jersey Devils, after the move from Denver | Josh Harris and David Blitzer, owners since 2013 |
| New York Islanders | Long Island franchise awarded by the NHL to Roy Boe, 8 November 1971 (1972) | UBS Arena, Elmont, New York | New York Islanders Hockey Club, L.P., with Scott D. Malkin as governor |
| New York Rangers | New York City, by Madison Square Garden, as an NHL club (1926) | Founder: George Lewis “Tex” Rickard, Garden president | Madison Square Garden Sports, chaired by James L. Dolan |
| Ottawa Senators | Ottawa, Ontario, as an NHL expansion club awarded in December 1990 (1992) | Founder: Bruce Firestone, a real estate developer | Owned by a group led by Michael Andlauer |
| Philadelphia Flyers | NHL expansion club, Philadelphia (1967) | Named: Flyers, announced 3 August | Comcast Spectacor; home games in South Philadelphia |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, NHL expansion team awarded 1966 (1967) | Founder: Investor group led by state senator Jack McGregor | Fenway Sports Group majority ownership, since 2021 |
| San Jose Sharks | NHL expansion club for the Bay Area (1990) | Debut: Played at the Cow Palace, Daly City | San Jose Sports & Entertainment Enterprises; Hasso Plattner as governor |
| Seattle Kraken | Seattle, Washington, NHL expansion approved December 2018 (2018) | Name revealed: Name, logo and colours shown at Climate Pledge Arena | Seattle Hockey Partners, led by Bruckheimer, Leiweke and Holloway |
| St. Louis Blues | NHL expansion club, St. Louis (1967) | Named: After W. C. Handy’s “Saint Louis Blues” | SLB Acquisition Holdings; home games at Enterprise Center |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | Tampa, Florida, NHL expansion franchise awarded December 1990 (1990) | Founder: Phil Esposito, with Tony Esposito and Mel Lowell | Vinik Sports Group, with Jeffrey Vinik as chairman |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | Toronto Arenas, for the inaugural NHL season (1917) | Renamed: Maple Leafs, by Conn Smythe | MLSE, majority-owned by Rogers since 2025; home games at Scotiabank Arena |
| Utah Mammoth | Salt Lake City, as an NHL franchise created in April 2024 (2024) | Founders: Ryan and Ashley Smith, Smith Entertainment Group | Name revealed: Utah Mammoth, unveiled at the Delta Center |
| Vancouver Canucks | Minor-league Vancouver Canucks (1945) | Joined NHL: Expansion club with the Buffalo Sabres | Aquilini family, through Canucks Sports & Entertainment; home games at Rogers Arena |
| Vegas Golden Knights | Las Vegas, Nevada, as an NHL expansion club, approved June 2016 (2017) | Founder: Bill Foley’s ownership group | Black Knight Sports and Entertainment, led by Foley |
| Washington Capitals | NHL expansion club, Washington (1974) | Eagle era: Blue, black and copper | Monumental Sports & Entertainment; home games in Washington, D.C. |
| Winnipeg Jets | As the Atlanta Thrashers, NHL expansion club (1999) | Moved: To Winnipeg under True North; Jets name revived | Owned by True North Sports & Entertainment since 2011; home games at Canada Life Centre |
See also all collections.