When Fort Frances Jr. Sabres begin playing in the SIJHL next month, their red, white and black jersey will become synonymous with the town.
At least, that’s what Chris McKinnon, owner of Skates and Blades and the man responsible for putting the uniform together, is hoping.
“People are going to see that crest and they’re going to associate it with the Sabres after a short period of time,” he said.
When asked what the main strength of the new jerseys is, he tapped the logo on the chest with a coat hanger.
The jerseys are based on the designs the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres used up until 2006 when they returned to their blue and gold roots. The logo is based off a design Sabres owner and president Caroyln Kellaway came to McKinnon with that’s since been modified “three or four times,” McKinnon figured.
He said the colours and the Sabres logo are a great way to start a new tradition in a town with its share of hockey heritage.
“I think the logo is a very traditional logo,” he said, “which is a good thing to have in a town with a lot of hockey tradition. You know, I don’t think we want to have a Mighty Ducks logo on a Fort Frances jersey. I don’t think that’s what the crowd’s looking for.
“I think the colouring of the hats and the jerseys is very sharp. Not to make any comments to the Thunder, but purple is kind of a love it or hate it colour,” added McKinnon.
The logo, McKinnon said, was pretty close to what Kellaway proposed. She came to McKinnon with a design used on her son’s hockey team and was looking for something in the same vein.
The next step was to tweak that logo to not just represent a new SIJHL club, but to an extent the community of Fort Frances and the region. The JR in the centre was added to signify the team’s name and junior level of hockey. Fs were added to the hilts on the namesake Sabres to pay homage to the town of Fort Frances (“We thought it was quite unique,” McKinnon noted). After an initial design, colours were modified after hats were made up to make the logo pop on fabric. A few colours were swapped, namely the text in the logo being switched from black to white to make it more readable.
A number of elements come together sparse on splash but high on class. “To me, the swords in there gives it more of a, not a dated look but more of a traditional or a classic look,” McKinnon said. “It’s symmetrical, which is another thing that would signify it as a more traditional logo. The colouring is vivid, yet not wild.”
He said the simplicity of the logo—ts clear shapes and lines and deliberate use of colour—make it ideal for branding. While the Sabres logo may falter somewhat on paper, McKinnon said it looks rock solid on fabric, and that is where the strength is best played to both on the ice and for merchandising.
He brought up as an example how some iconic NHL logos—the Leafs, Canadiens and Flames, for example—are selling on all pink hats and other apparel based on both the strength of each team’s brand but the adaptability of stark, well-made logos to different colours and mediums.
He said he talked to Kellaway about how the Sabres logo could be put on pink or camouflage patterned hoodies for merchandising.
“Now, two years from now, that pink and camouflage might be gone,” he said, but the Sabres logo will still have a timeless look and be able to adapt to new fashion trends for merchandise, he said.
The team has yet to play a game, but the Sabres have begun selling hats and other merchandise adorned with the logo to hockey fans throughout the region. McKinnon has an idea up his sleeve about a possible third jersey for the team once they’ve started to break in their current two.
For his part, head coach Wayne Strachan has said he’s pleased with how it turned out and that it conveys the team’s declared commitment to power, pride and success.
“Obviously around Fort, we’re used to the black and gold . . . but I think it kind of distinguishes that we’re the Sabres, and the logo’s definitely bright and catches your eye,” he said.
