Vancouver Canucks: Ranking the best logos in franchise history

Throughout their history, the Vancouver Canucks have used many unique jersey colors and logos. Here, we’re ranking every single one of them.

The Vancouver Canucks have one of the world’s most changing brands.

With the team coming up on their 50th season, there have been hints that they will again undergo a rebrand. Today, I will be ranking and reviewing the top three Canucks brands and logos throughout their 50 years. For the purpose of this article, we won’t go into jerseys, but they have certainly have had some notable ones in the past.

The current orca whale has a split reputation among the fanbase, in my opinion, it is the best logo the team has had. Regardless of the colour scheme, the orca symbolizes the west coast and has become an identifiable symbol for the city.

It pays tribute not only to the nature around British Columbia, but to the provinces aboriginal communities, where the orca is an important animal. The orca has been the symbol of the franchise since 1997, and has been displayed in both silver and red.

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The current silver orca is by far the winner, although the red orca era is not far behind. The logo was originally red and blue, and was simply just the animal. However, in 2007 the organization changed the colour scheme back to the original 1970s blue and green and added the word “Vancouver” above the logo.

Lots of people reading this will probably think the skate is the best logo in franchise history. You know what? It’s close! There’s a reason it was brought back a few years ago for select games, and will be an alternate in  the 2019-20 season.

The skate was the second logo the Canucks wore in their NHL history, and saw some of the most successful years for hockey in Vancouver.

Superstars such as Pavel Bure and Kirk McLean were among others sent the team to the 1994 Stanley Cup Final displaying this logo. Immediately, that will create a positive reputation among local fans.

The skate was the centerpiece on multiple jerseys throughout its time, and even was the team’s logo during the unfortunate days of the “Flying V.” While this logo was certainly great, it

was missing a few things. First of all, it was missing something that yelled “Vancouver.” It could have applied to any team, and a logo should display the city as its most important aspect.

The logo did say Canucks, although it was not a symbol any Vancouverite could identify with. For example, look at some of the world’s most famous logos such as the New York Yankees. It doesn’t say anything about baseball, but it has become a symbol that New Yorkers can identify with. The skate was unidentifiable and therefor falls behind the local symbol of the orca.

The third logo on this list not a primary logo and has yet to be shown on the front of a jersey. It is the Johnny Canuck Vancouver logo. It may look familiar to most, as it was the shoulder patch on the stick in rink alternate jersey the team wore up until 2018.

The logo has everything the other two logos had and even what they lacked. It clearly says Vancouver, instantly ingraining it into the hearts of locals, and it displays a relatable character in Canadian west coast superhero Johnny Canuck.

But he displays a demeanour and determined personality that can some up the state of mind of the many in the city. Overall, this logo is a fantastic representation of the city. The only reason it ranks third on the list is because it has yet to be a primary logo.

The Canucks have had some great brands and logos throughout their 50 years, and as they open next season, they could be sporting a new one.  While they have never won a cup, the franchise has become an identifier of the Canadian west coast, and their current look supports that. At this point we don’t know what their next look will be, but based on past history, it will probably be pretty darn good looking.