Best and worst Team names in the NHL

[OsGOD 3]

BTW, how does the name Red Wings reflect Detroit's car industry?

I am thinking its more a sample of the abundance of the Red Wings Shoe store really

[Uncle Danny 155]

I'll be honest...I've never liked Red Wings as a team name. Sure, I love the team, but the name has a "what the hell does that mean?" ring to it for me.

Names I like:

Canadiens ("Habs" is also a great nickname)

Rangers

Sharks

Oilers

Blackhawks

Capitals (although mostly because they get called the "Caps," which rolls off the tongue nicely)

Avalanche (Avs, again is a nickname I like)

Bruins

Names I don't like:

Senators

Ducks

Lightning

Wild

Maple Leafs (yes, I understand why it's a good name for that franchise, it just sounds ugly to me)

Blue Jackets

Panthers (so generic)

I always liked the Winnepeg Jets as well. It has a nice ring to it.

[miller76 463]

What you say may be true, but the info I have from the Hockey Chronicle is this:

In 1933 the Detroit Falcons were purchased by Detroit businessman James Norris. In the early years of the century Mr Norris was a member of the Montreal AAA hockey club which sported a winged wheel on their sweaters and were also known as the Winged Wheelers. Mr Norris adopted the winged wheel as his team's logo, and also the colors, and named his new team the Red Wings.

I dont think the Red Wings have much to do with the auto industry, but having a wheel on the logo would insinuate they may.

[Yzerfan1999 81]

Predators

Lighting

Avalanche

Wild

Trashers

I don't really know why everyone hates the Ducks name - sure they are assholes, but I respect a team that doesn't feel the need to have some abrasive 'cool sounding' name.

Ducks

Pengiuns

Oilers

Red Wings

Canadiens

Those kind of names are nice and stay somewhat classy. Seriously, the 'Thrashers'? I know its a bird, but it just sounds dumb. I couldn't take myself seriously if I played for a team names the Thrashers, or the Wild.

[PavelHossyukstrom 0]

What about the Hartford Whalers dude? And does anyone know where you can score a Shanahan Whalers jersey too?

[jim3033 1]

I have to be honest here. I love the Red Wings, but I would not give that as a team name if I was the one sitting around the marketing department of an unnamed team.

Predators is on my not-so-hot list as well. Sounds, well... creepy.

The Jazz was a good name- until they moved to Utah.

Ducks- missed it by one letter.

Flames make me think they should be more fashion-conscious.

Pistons is a perfect name for a Detroit team. Reflects the auto industry, but has a nicer ring than the carborators (sp).

Maple Leafs is also a great name.

Generally, any tough animal is a good name, any weak animal is a bad one. See previously mentioned Ducks and Penguins, although ice and Penguins do have a connection.

hahaha

Worst: Florida Panthers - Panthers? Cats don't play hockey. Maybe a Lynx. That would be really sweet. Anyway, no panthers. Panthers don't even live natively in Florida. Why don't they just put Spudz Mckenzy on a surf board trying to escape from a vicious shark with a lazer on it's head. Call them the Sundogz. Have a picture of Cesar Milan's face as the shoulder decal. Whenever someone scores a hat trick the crowd chants "dogbone."

Girls in bikinis as mascots.

Edited September 30, 2008 by jim3033

[P. Marlowe 748]

Maybe they should change their name to Florida Girls in Bikinis.

[jim3033 1]

Maybe they should change their name to Florida Girls in Bikinis.

This is also an option.

[betterREDthandead 58]

hahaha

Worst: Florida Panthers - Panthers? Cats don't play hockey. Maybe a Lynx. That would be really sweet. Anyway, no panthers. Panthers don't even live natively in Florida. Why don't they just put Spudz Mckenzy on a surf board trying to escape from a vicious shark with a lazer on it's head. Call them the Sundogz. Have a picture of Cesar Milan's face as the shoulder decal. Whenever someone scores a hat trick the crowd chants "dogbone."

Girls in bikinis as mascots.

Panthers absolutely do live natively in Florida. In fact there is an actual species named the Florida panther. Making it actually one of the best as far as local meaning. And what's this about cats don't play hockey? Neither do birds, swords, fire, Indians, storms, or bears, yet these are nicknames too....how silly is that? Under that criterion the only allowable ones are Canucks and Canadiens.

The worst nicknames are any non-plural ones, IMO. That means Lightning, Wild, and Avalanche. Especially Wild. Minnesota has an abundance of cool animals for using as a name and they copped out.

I see a lot of "I hate the team so I will hate their nickname" going on around here.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Best

1. Red Wings

2. Canadians

3. Bruins

4. Flyers

5. Canucks

Worst

1. Ducks

2. Penguins

5. Blues

[55fan 5,133]

Well there is a wheel in our logo, I assume that would have something to do with it. Outside of that I don't know.

Worst team name is the Ducks by far. Best is, well, the Red Wings of course.

Yeah, Red Wheels would have something to do with the auto industry, and the Winged Wheel logo most certainly does, but the name Red Wings really doesn't. Sounds more like shoes or birds or something.

Like I said: Love the team, just not a name I'd choose.