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Ranking every NHL team’s center-ice logo for the 2026-27 season, tell me about this news today

03-10-2026

Sportsnet published an evaluation ranking all 32 NHL centre-ice logo designs for the 2026–27 season, grading each ice surface on visual impact, creativity, and franchise identity.

Sportsnet

The primary highlights and standout placements across the league include:

Top Spot – Vegas Golden Knights (No. 1): Celebrating their 10th anniversary as an NHL franchise, Vegas took first place with an ornate, thematic design. Moving away from a standard shield, the layout incorporates a roulette wheel motif, the helmet crest, a crossed sword, and a Roman numeral “X” honoring their decade in the league.
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Defending Champions – Carolina Hurricanes (No. 2): Carolina leans into their championship status with a centre-ice setup that frames the team crest inside an overhead aerial illustration of the Stanley Cup bowl, paired with hurricane-warning pennants running along the red line.
Sportsnet
Centennial Throwback – Toronto Maple Leafs (No. 3): To mark the 100th anniversary of adopting the “Maple Leafs” moniker (transitioning from the St. Patricks in 1927), Toronto brought back an authentic classic heritage leaf at centre ice.
Sportsnet
Visual Adjustments – Montreal Canadiens (No. 4): After experimenting with an all-red, fully saturated face-off circle in the prior year that drew mixed reviews over puck visibility, Montreal reverted to a clean white background with a sharpened, 3D raised-relief effect around the classic crest.
Sportsnet
Rounded Out Top 5 – San Jose Sharks (No. 5): San Jose earned high marks for their modernized teal treatment, featuring alternating red-and-white “SJ” shark fin detailing painted directly into the red line.
Sportsnet