Inspired by outdoor games like the NHL's Winter Classic and countless hours spent on the original PlayStation, these are special throwback uniforms to add to the sets of the Cosmo Canyon Avalanche (Final Fantasy VII) and the Phantom Thieves (Persona 5).
This is hockey found in a different kind of history. Not on frozen ponds or in black-and-white photos, but in jewel-cased memories.
The Avalanche throwback is a nod to the initial box art for the Japanese version of Final Fantasy VII. The crest is based off the FFVII logo with the team name written in the series' iconic font and placed over top Yoshitaka Amano's illustration of Meteor. Cosmo Canyon is written in Japanese underneath the Avs' name, and the captains' letters were made to look like the PlayStation logo in the upper right corner of the box (only placed on the opposite side of the jersey due to space).
The Phantom Thieves throwback also pays tribute to the PS1 days, but combines the past with the present.
The crest on the front is in the style of the first Persona game's US box art, with the uniform holding on to that red and black color scheme, then mixing in an off-white cream color to create a vintage look. To bring in the present day, the Phantom Thieves logo rests on the left shoulder, and the Take Your Heart tag (TYH) sits on the back shoulders right above the nameplate.
Hockey is an extraordinary game that should be welcoming to anyone regardless of race, religion, or gender. But the reality, however harsh it may be for some to accept, is that it's not. Progress has been made, but there is still a long way to go and much work to be done.
On every uniform design posted here, either on the right side of the player's chest or on the right shoulder, is a patch in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and the You Can Play Project. These patches alone won’t rid the game of hatred or bigotry. But I hope that they can serve as a constant reminder of where hockey, and society as a whole, needs to be and can eventually get to.
If you like what you saw here, then I encourage you to take a minute and check out the groups and organizations listed below that are working to make hockey better for everyone. And, if it isn’t too much, I ask that you try and support them in any way you can.
Thanks. -NT
- NOTE: I am not affiliated with any of the listed organizations
Tools and Resources
Adobe Photoshop CC
